Ham Radio Antenna

[tourrider]

Wow, that's a nice setup...I don't have a radio as yet. I am studying for the Ham Technician license and researching mobile radios, setup, etc. Where did you find this mount? It looks like bolts down in the eyeglass holder?

It is made for that pocket.

Proclipusa.

I think this is the one I have.

RAM Center Dash Mount - Extra-Strength with Pedestal



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[GTyankee]

In my business, i am required by law to have a CB, but the way that i ran my power should also work for you.
I ran 3 inline fuses, 1 for the Rotating Amber Lights, 1 for the Ranger 6900-F150 CB, & 1 for the amber fog light bar

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/5281/NPrfvv.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/3779/qM69sK.jpg

Waterproof inline fuse

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1oV7h...-Holder-Blade-Waterproof-inline-Drop-Ship.jpg

 

[JimReed]

It is made for that pocket.

Proclipusa.

I think this is the one I have.

RAM Center Dash Mount - Extra-Strength with Pedestal



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Great, I will have a look. Thank you.

 

[AFMoulton]

Great, I will have a look. Thank you.

https://www.bulletpointmountingsolutions.com/collections/2013-2018-ram-truck-1500-2500-3500

I bought that for my truck also. My GPS and soon my radio gave will be there as well. Cheaper than the pro clip and I modified it for the Ram ball mounts.


2018 Ram 2500 6.4L 4x4
Amsoil SS 0W-40

 

[JimReed]

https://www.bulletpointmountingsolutions.com/collections/2013-2018-ram-truck-1500-2500-3500

I bought that for my truck also. My GPS and soon my radio gave will be there as well. Cheaper than the pro clip and I modified it for the Ram ball mounts.


2018 Ram 2500 6.4L 4x4
Amsoil SS 0W-40

I will have a look at this also. Didn't realize the number of possibilities...

 

[JimReed]

In my business, i am required by law to have a CB, but the way that i ran my power should also work for you.
I ran 3 inline fuses, 1 for the Rotating Amber Lights, 1 for the Ranger 6900-F150 CB, & 1 for the amber fog light bar

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/5281/NPrfvv.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img923/3779/qM69sK.jpg

Waterproof inline fuse

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1oV7h...-Holder-Blade-Waterproof-inline-Drop-Ship.jpg

Thanks GTyankee

 

[farmallboy]

IF you are looking for less elegant looking but WAY cheaper option. I'll be happy to share details of my handy man method of a multi object dash too mount. Cost you around 20$ and a trip to hardware/big box store or choice.

 

[AFMoulton]

IF you are looking for less elegant looking but WAY cheaper option. I'll be happy to share details of my handy man method of a multi object dash too mount. Cost you around 20$ and a trip to hardware/big box store or choice.

Sharing is caring! I think all of use wanna see it


2018 Ram 2500 6.4L 4x4
Amsoil SS 0W-40

 

[Jbinramona]

K6JBB
Been a ham a long time. Only use 2M, mostly for off road in the Jeep. I use a through glass antenna centered on the windshield. Works great!
Good luck and welcome to the ham world.

 

[Mudders Beast]

Got my Tech lic a few years back. Got a TH TYT-8600 mobile because its waterproof for the SxS offroad use. Use a 9005 headlight plug and made a second power lead for the Ram. Just using magnetic antenna when needed. Also have a couple of Baofeng BF-HP handhelds, they have FM radio for the workshop.

 

[Lowflyer20]

I am new to HAM radio and looking to install a radio/antenna in a 2014 1500 crew and was wondering if anyone had HAM or other radio experience and any suggestions on antenna placement and cable run to the antenna without having to drill? Much appreciated.

I had the same question several months ago, and because mine was a brand new truck, I didn't want to drill any holes in it. Here's what I did.
I'm sure there will be differences on the mounting ability for your radio in the cab.

By the way, I changed my call to W7KMA.

 

[KG4BCN]

First of all congrats on your ham license. There are lots of ideas on placement of your antennas. Just figure out a way that works for you. Not everyone wants to drill holes in a new truck. If you have a set of roll bars or a headache rack the placement gets real easy. If not you can always go with a good magnet mount on top of the truck. The higher the better. I have my power cords routed through the firewall up by the master cylinder for the brakes. Makes it real easy. The coax run was a little trickier.
Underneath the driver and passenger seats is a small plastic plug about an inch by an inch and a half. I drilled a small hole just big enough for the coax in the plug and pushed the coax through. After fishing the coax up through the slits in the carpet under the seat I routed the coax up under the seats and the console to where the radios were mounted. How you mount your radios is also up to you. I used an old transmission hump cb mount like what they used back in the 70's and 80's. Double sided sticky tape works wonders. Good Luck de KG4BCN

 

[Different Drummer]

K6JBB
Been a ham a long time. Only use 2M, mostly for off road in the Jeep. I use a through glass antenna centered on the windshield. Works great!
Good luck and welcome to the ham world.

Any more Info? Pics, Links?

 

[Cham]

I use the headache rack to mount a VHF/UHF antenna too, actually got the rack so I wouldn't have to worry about drilling a hole in the roof or a magnet scuffing. This way can add an HF whip if I need it later on too.
Ran the antenna cable through a rubber plug under the left rear passenger seat, right at the back.
The Tradesman I have has the multiple switches on the dash for mounted equipment such as a blade control etc. Used one of those circuits to power the transceiver. Ran 3 other circuits to the back for auxiliary lighting and a power plug on the headache rack. Made up a harness and took one circuit through the same grommet I used for the antenna, the rest continues on to the rack.
Can't find pictures though... -20 out right now not great picture taking weather...

 

[zippertom]

There is no need to drill into your truck. The most effective location for an antenna is the center of your roof. I assume you are referring to a 2 meter antenna and not HF. If HF, that requires a different mount, typically, bed or bumper mount. If 2 meter, use a 5/8 wave antenna (not 1/4 wave). A Browning BR-180 from Amazon will do a great job with a magnetic mount NMO base. There is a lot of technical misinformation and misunderstanding so I suggest you do your research, buy a few books like ARRL Antenna handbook etc.

Tom, KK4YES
Extra Class

 

[WM1A]

There are pass-thru holes in each corner of the truck bed. I have a topper over my bed, so I put an extra battery back there. You can run both power and coax thru the hole in the front driver side down under the truck to the little "in floor" compartment in the floor board in the driver side back seat area. I have a Yaesu 857 that has a detachable head, so I just run the remote cable from there up to the dash, and use velcro to attach the remote head above the radio on the dash. Looks neat, easy to do, no drilling of the body. I mount my hamstick antenna in the towbar mount on back bumper. I just put the antenna where the 2" ball would go on the hitch (you need to insulate the antenna from the mount with some grommets/plastic washers). I don't have a pic of ant. on the Ram, but I will attach one on my Jeep

 

[Frisk]

I didn't want to drill my truck either. I used a fender mount for the antenna that uses the stock fender bolt. Yes I would get better antenna performance if it was mounted in the center of the roof but it works great on the fender mount. The radio is mounted under the driver's seat and the head unit is mounted on the dash sun glasses holder. I used the clutch pedal block off plate to run the antenna and power wires through.

 

[JuSw]

I use a lip mount on the driver's side back window and run it inside the weather stripping down to the floor. Works great. I don't leave my antenna on, I unscrew the antenna part from the lip mount and store it in a PVC pipe under the back seat.
Took me 10 minutes to mount it.

 

[snoty]

I didn't want to drill into my truck on anything that wasn't easily replicable. For power, I went through the clutch delete plate. I installed my FTM-400 under the driver's seat with velcro. Under there I found a plastic piece under the carpet that I drilled a small hole through for grommet and RG8X to go to my pocket mount antenna (Breedlove EZN STAKE POCKET BRACKET LONG 4 DEGREE TOP PLATE #940). I went this route so I could still park in the garage. I still don't have a permanent location for the external speaker but it's been there for ~8 months and I don't see myself wanting to move it anytime soon.

 

[2019RamInSC]

Wow OP posted 3 days ago and already 6 pages of replies hi hi.

Just proves the point that Hams like to hear themselves talk ;-)