Well, I'm finally getting ready to put a mobile rig into my truck.
I am pretty sure I've settled on a Kenwood TM-V71A.
I'd love to get your opinions and any pics you want to share about antenna mounting, models and performance you wish to share.
Some details about my rig:
Toyota truck
I use a canopy for several months a year so mounting on the inside edge of the bed rail is not going to work.
I know that a roof mount is probably best for performance, but I'm hesitant to put on there as I'll likely break it off going into the parking garages near work as they have short clearances. (and I'll surely forget to lower it every time).
This is making me think a hood mount is the next best option. It doesn't necessarily provide the best ground plane. Does anyone have a hood mounted antenna and do you get "good enough" performance?
I'm thinking something along the lines of these, but would love feedback or opinions:
Antenna models:

Potential mounting location: (not my truck) 🙂

Thanks for sharing your opinions and any tips or mistakes to avoid.
-Mike J
W7GR
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Rowland
My antenna is mounted like the one in the picture. On hood drivers side. The difficulty is getting coax through fire wall unless you have a pass through hole already there.
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Well, I'm finally getting ready to put a mobile rig into my truck.
I am pretty sure I've settled on a Kenwood TM-V71A.
I'd love to get your opinions and any pics you want to share about antenna mounting, models and performance you wish to share.
Some details about my rig:
Toyota truck
I use a canopy for several months a year so mounting on the inside edge of the bed rail is not going to work.
I know that a roof mount is probably best for performance, but I'm hesitant to put on there as I'll likely break it off going into the parking garages near work as they have short clearances. (and I'll surely forget to lower it every time).
This is making me think a hood mount is the next best option. It doesn't necessarily provide the best ground plane. Does anyone have a hood mounted antenna and do you get "good enough" performance?
I'm thinking something along the lines of these, but would love feedback or opinions:
Antenna models:

Potential mounting location: (not my truck) 🙂

Thanks for sharing your opinions and any tips or mistakes to avoid.
-Mike J
W7GR
|
|
I use a hood mount designed for my Ram, and it works just fine. I can hit the repeater from Skagit and Lewis counties.
They make a hood mount for your truck too.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Well, I'm finally getting ready to put a mobile rig into my truck.
I am pretty sure I've settled on a Kenwood TM-V71A.
I'd love to get your opinions and any pics you want to share about antenna mounting, models and performance you wish to share.
Some details about my rig:
Toyota truck
I use a canopy for several months a year so mounting on the inside edge of the bed rail is not going to work.
I know that a roof mount is probably best for performance, but I'm hesitant to put on there as I'll likely break it off going into the parking garages near work as they have short clearances. (and I'll surely forget to lower it every time).
This is making me think a hood mount is the next best option. It doesn't necessarily provide the best ground plane. Does anyone have a hood mounted antenna and do you get "good enough" performance?
I'm thinking something along the lines of these, but would love feedback or opinions:
Antenna models:
Potential mounting location: (not my truck) 🙂
Thanks for sharing your opinions and any tips or mistakes to avoid.
-Mike J
W7GR
|
|

Mark McClain
I have also had pretty good luck with front fender/hood mounted antennas. I did some experimentation on a Chrysler minivan I had many years ago with two different mounts on the drivers side. One was back close to the column (pillar) and the other was forward near the nose. My testing showed a noticeable difference between the two and the forward-mounted antenna did better when testing to a repeater that was behind the van. So you might want to give some consideration to how close to your pillar it is mounted. Mark
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From: snovarc@snovarc.groups.io <snovarc@snovarc.groups.io> On Behalf Of Jackson Beard via groups.io Sent: Monday, May 4, 2020 9:07 AM To: snovarc@snovarc.groups.io Subject: Re: [SnoVARC] Mobile rig antennas - advice and tips welcomed I use a hood mount designed for my Ram, and it works just fine. I can hit the repeater from Skagit and Lewis counties. They make a hood mount for your truck too. Well, I'm finally getting ready to put a mobile rig into my truck. I am pretty sure I've settled on a Kenwood TM-V71A.
I'd love to get your opinions and any pics you want to share about antenna mounting, models and performance you wish to share.
Some details about my rig: Toyota truck I use a canopy for several months a year so mounting on the inside edge of the bed rail is not going to work. I know that a roof mount is probably best for performance, but I'm hesitant to put on there as I'll likely break it off going into the parking garages near work as they have short clearances. (and I'll surely forget to lower it every time). This is making me think a hood mount is the next best option. It doesn't necessarily provide the best ground plane. Does anyone have a hood mounted antenna and do you get "good enough" performance?
I'm thinking something along the lines of these, but would love feedback or opinions:
Antenna models:
Potential mounting location: (not my truck) 🙂
Thanks for sharing your opinions and any tips or mistakes to avoid.
-Mike J W7GR
|
|
I have my my V/u antenna mounted in the same place, hood next to A-pillar. Note that if you have a 2015 or newer F-150 you must look for an aluminum bar with isolation washer and special stainless screw, to prevent galvanic corrosion on either the aluminum
body or steel frame. I found mine easily on Amazon.
A-pillar position has worked well for me, certainly better than mag-mounting the same antenna on my other vehicle.
73 de Jason W7DM
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-------- Original message --------
From: Mark McClain <n6oby@...>
Date: 5/4/20 10:44 (GMT-08:00)
To: snovarc@snovarc.groups.io
Subject: Re: [SnoVARC] Mobile rig antennas - advice and tips welcomed
I have also had pretty good luck with front fender/hood mounted antennas.
I did some experimentation on a Chrysler minivan I had many years ago with two different mounts on the drivers side. One was back close to the column (pillar) and the other was forward near the nose. My testing showed a noticeable difference
between the two and the forward-mounted antenna did better when testing to a repeater that was behind the van. So you might want to give some consideration to how close to your pillar it is mounted.
Mark
From: snovarc@snovarc.groups.io <snovarc@snovarc.groups.io>
On Behalf Of Jackson Beard via groups.io
Sent: Monday, May 4, 2020 9:07 AM
To: snovarc@snovarc.groups.io
Subject: Re: [SnoVARC] Mobile rig antennas - advice and tips welcomed
I use a hood mount designed for my Ram, and it works just fine. I can hit the repeater from Skagit and Lewis counties.
They make a hood mount for your truck too.
Well, I'm finally getting ready to put a mobile rig into my truck.
I am pretty sure I've settled on a Kenwood TM-V71A.
I'd love to get your opinions and any pics you want to share about antenna mounting, models and performance you wish to share.
Some details about my rig:
Toyota truck
I use a canopy for several months a year so mounting on the inside edge of the bed rail is not going to work.
I know that a roof mount is probably best for performance, but I'm hesitant to put on there as I'll likely break it off going into the parking garages near work as they have short clearances. (and I'll surely forget to lower it every time).
This is making me think a hood mount is the next best option. It doesn't necessarily provide the best ground plane. Does anyone have a hood mounted antenna and do you get "good enough" performance?
I'm thinking something along the lines of these, but would love feedback or opinions:
Antenna models:
Potential mounting location: (not my truck) 🙂
Thanks for sharing your opinions and any tips or mistakes to avoid.
-Mike J
W7GR
|
|

Rowland
Here are pics of my F350 and Explorer installs. They both work great. I did have a mag mount on p/u for several years but had a tree branch blow it off the top of my truck and destroy it.
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
I have my my V/u antenna mounted in the same place, hood next to A-pillar. Note that if you have a 2015 or newer F-150 you must look for an aluminum bar with isolation washer and special stainless screw, to prevent galvanic corrosion on either the aluminum
body or steel frame. I found mine easily on Amazon.
A-pillar position has worked well for me, certainly better than mag-mounting the same antenna on my other vehicle.
73 de Jason W7DM
-------- Original message --------
Date: 5/4/20 10:44 (GMT-08:00)
Subject: Re: [SnoVARC] Mobile rig antennas - advice and tips welcomed
I have also had pretty good luck with front fender/hood mounted antennas.
I did some experimentation on a Chrysler minivan I had many years ago with two different mounts on the drivers side. One was back close to the column (pillar) and the other was forward near the nose. My testing showed a noticeable difference
between the two and the forward-mounted antenna did better when testing to a repeater that was behind the van. So you might want to give some consideration to how close to your pillar it is mounted.
Mark
From: snovarc@snovarc.groups.io <snovarc@snovarc.groups.io>
On Behalf Of Jackson Beard via groups.io
Sent: Monday, May 4, 2020 9:07 AM
To: snovarc@snovarc.groups.io
Subject: Re: [SnoVARC] Mobile rig antennas - advice and tips welcomed
I use a hood mount designed for my Ram, and it works just fine. I can hit the repeater from Skagit and Lewis counties.
They make a hood mount for your truck too.
Well, I'm finally getting ready to put a mobile rig into my truck.
I am pretty sure I've settled on a Kenwood TM-V71A.
I'd love to get your opinions and any pics you want to share about antenna mounting, models and performance you wish to share.
Some details about my rig:
Toyota truck
I use a canopy for several months a year so mounting on the inside edge of the bed rail is not going to work.
I know that a roof mount is probably best for performance, but I'm hesitant to put on there as I'll likely break it off going into the parking garages near work as they have short clearances. (and I'll surely forget to lower it every time).
This is making me think a hood mount is the next best option. It doesn't necessarily provide the best ground plane. Does anyone have a hood mounted antenna and do you get "good enough" performance?
I'm thinking something along the lines of these, but would love feedback or opinions:
Antenna models:
![]()
![]()
Potential mounting location: (not my truck) 🙂
![]()
Thanks for sharing your opinions and any tips or mistakes to avoid.
-Mike J
W7GR
|
|
toggle quoted messageShow quoted text
Well, I'm finally getting ready to put a mobile rig into my truck.
I am pretty sure I've settled on a Kenwood TM-V71A.
I'd love to get your opinions and any pics you want to share about antenna mounting, models and performance you wish to share.
Some details about my rig:
Toyota truck
I use a canopy for several months a year so mounting on the inside edge of the bed rail is not going to work.
I know that a roof mount is probably best for performance, but I'm hesitant to put on there as I'll likely break it off going into the parking garages near work as they have short clearances. (and I'll surely forget to lower it every time).
This is making me think a hood mount is the next best option. It doesn't necessarily provide the best ground plane. Does anyone have a hood mounted antenna and do you get "good enough" performance?
I'm thinking something along the lines of these, but would love feedback or opinions:
Antenna models:
Potential mounting location: (not my truck) 🙂
Thanks for sharing your opinions and any tips or mistakes to avoid.
-Mike J
W7GR
|
|
Mike:
Take a look at Comet Antenna mount, part number CMA-TYANTPE. It uses existing screws in your truck to mount an antenna. I have 4 of them on two of my Ford trucks. I like the mount, especially not having to drill a hole. You will have to find a way to route the cable to the inside of your vehicle, but I am sure there are enough of us at SNOVARC that we can give you a hand.
73 and good luck.
Tom, WA7TBP
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In a message dated 5/4/2020 09:03:21 Pacific Standard Time, golferguy02@... writes:
Well, I'm finally getting ready to put a mobile rig into my truck.
I am pretty sure I've settled on a Kenwood TM-V71A.
I'd love to get your opinions and any pics you want to share about antenna mounting, models and performance you wish to share.
Some details about my rig: Toyota truck
I use a canopy for several months a year so mounting on the inside edge of the bed rail is not going to work.
I know that a roof mount is probably best for performance, but I'm hesitant to put on there as I'll likely break it off going into the parking garages near work as they have short clearances. (and I'll surely forget to lower it every time). This is making me think a hood mount is the next best option. It doesn't necessarily provide the best ground plane. Does anyone have a hood mounted antenna and do you get "good enough" performance? I'm thinking something along the lines of these, but would love feedback or opinions: Antenna models:  
Potential mounting location: (not my truck) 🙂 
Thanks for sharing your opinions and any tips or mistakes to avoid.
-Mike J W7GR
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|