Cell & VHF/UHF antenna suggestions for fiberglass RVAntenna
 

I just bought a new RV that has an all fiberglass shell. It also has
thermopaine windows. (2 layers of glass with an air space between them.)

In my older RV I used through the glass antennas with great success, but
with the thickness and air space of the thermopaine windows they will not
work.

I am looking for suggestions for antennas that would preferable not require
drilling into the shell, but if necessary the smaller hole the better.
I my Cell company is Verizon and is a triband phone.

My VHF needs are for 144-148
and UHF 420-450

Thanks
73
Dunc, KL7RH

Might try to locate a feed though barrel connector. Can be made water tight
with silicone or you can try for a hermetically sealed unit.

If it were not for the triband requirement you could use balume coupling as
is done when on some AM stations with series fed antennas that have FM
antennas attached.

| I just bought a new RV that has an all fiberglass shell. It also has
| thermopaine windows. (2 layers of glass with an air space between them.)
|
| In my older RV I used through the glass antennas with great success, but
| with the thickness and air space of the thermopaine windows they will not
| work.
|
| I am looking for suggestions for antennas that would preferable not
require
| drilling into the shell, but if necessary the smaller hole the better.
| I my Cell company is Verizon and is a triband phone.
|
| My VHF needs are for 144-148
| and UHF 420-450
|
| Thanks
| 73
| Dunc, KL7RH
|
|
|

On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 12:05:21 -0800, Dunc wrote:

I just bought a new RV that has an all fiberglass shell. It also has
thermopaine windows. (2 layers of glass with an air space between them.)

In my older RV I used through the glass antennas with great success, but
with the thickness and air space of the thermopaine windows they will not
work.

I am looking for suggestions for antennas that would preferable not
require drilling into the shell, but if necessary the smaller hole the
better. I my Cell company is Verizon and is a triband phone.

The "standard" way is to run the cable through the top refrigerator vent-
so you don't need to drill through the shell.

--
Chris Bryant
http://bryantrv.com

Thanks Chris.(again!)

Any suggestions for a good no ground plane antenna for both applications?
"Chris Bryant" wrote in message
.. .
On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 12:05:21 -0800, Dunc wrote:

I just bought a new RV that has an all fiberglass shell. It also has
thermopaine windows. (2 layers of glass with an air space between
them.)

In my older RV I used through the glass antennas with great success, but
with the thickness and air space of the thermopaine windows they will
not
work.

I am looking for suggestions for antennas that would preferable not
require drilling into the shell, but if necessary the smaller hole the
better. I my Cell company is Verizon and is a triband phone.

The "standard" way is to run the cable through the top refrigerator vent-
so you don't need to drill through the shell.

--
Chris Bryant
http://bryantrv.com

Dunc,
Why not make a groundplane for the antenna, glue it to
the roof of the RV and mount any old antenna in the center
of it?
'Doc

On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 13:18:27 -0800, "Dunc"
wrote:

Thanks Chris.(again!)

Any suggestions for a good no ground plane antenna for both applications?

Just tape off a suitable area of the roof with aluminum duct tape and attach
your favorite conventional antenna. If you use high quality tape it'll stay
attached for years. On the roof it'll be invisible. Just overlap each strip
with the previous to provide coupling between the strips.

John
---
John De Armond

http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/o/johngd/
Cleveland, Occupied TN

Really???

Gee John that sounds too simple to be true!

But, I'll try it if it works!

Have you used that idea?

73
Dunc, KL7RH

"Neon John" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 13:18:27 -0800, "Dunc"
wrote:

Thanks Chris.(again!)

Any suggestions for a good no ground plane antenna for both applications?

Just tape off a suitable area of the roof with aluminum duct tape and
attach
your favorite conventional antenna. If you use high quality tape it'll
stay
attached for years. On the roof it'll be invisible. Just overlap each
strip
with the previous to provide coupling between the strips.

John
---
John De Armond

http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/o/johngd/
Cleveland, Occupied TN

On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 16:00:45 -0800, "Dunc"
wrote:

Really???

Gee John that sounds too simple to be true!

But, I'll try it if it works!

Have you used that idea?

Sure have. Works great. I started out using copper tape with conductive
adhesive but then I decided to try the aluminum duct tape since it's so cheap.
As long as you overlap the strips a little so there's some capacitive
coupling, it works great.

Something else that works is conductive paint. I once sprayed the underside
of a fiberglass boat upper deck with anti-EMI conductive paint and then
installed a regular Larson 5/8ths wave antenna. Worked just fine. The paint
is expensive new but it can be found on occasion from surplus outfits.

John
---
John De Armond

http://bellsouthpwp.net/j/o/johngd/
Cleveland, Occupied TN

"Dunc" wrote in message
...
Really???

Gee John that sounds too simple to be true!

But, I'll try it if it works!

Have you used that idea?


For best results, lay the tape our like "X"s with the antenna point in the
middle.
Also, you can glue a steel plate, or even a magmount magnet there, and then
use a mag-mount antenna!

Amaze your friends :) Magnetic antenna sticks REALLY well to fiberglass :)
:) :)

On Fri, 14 Nov 2003 22:51:24 -0500, "Dave VanHorn"
wrote:


"Dunc" wrote in message
...
Really???

Gee John that sounds too simple to be true!

But, I'll try it if it works!

Have you used that idea?

For best results, lay the tape our like "X"s with the antenna point in the
middle.
Also, you can glue a steel plate, or even a magmount magnet there, and then
use a mag-mount antenna!

Amaze your friends :) Magnetic antenna sticks REALLY well to fiberglass :)
:) :)

Ideally, a ground plane should have a radius of at least 1/4 the
wavelength being used. For 2M, this would be roughly 19.25 inches.

It need not be solid, and as above, two strips crossing at right
angles, with the antenna mounted in the center, will do reasonably
well.

For some public service events, where hams are assigned to a support
van, some I know have duct taped a metal sheet to the fiberglass roof,
and stuck on a magmount antenna with good results.

Happy trails,
Gary (net.yogi.bear)
------------------------------------------------
at the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence

Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA
Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom