Low profile antennas

[GWolgamott]

So read a bit on some of the low profile antennas. Seems that yes not ideal for hardcore radio heads or extended range. But my question for those that actually do have these and mounted on the cowl do they get the job done? In Michigan so no real long extended flat areas, no mountains, and mostly wooded mixed with small hills. Would be used mainly for just trail riding in small groups. So no need for it ever have more then say few miles of range.

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[jav_eee]

For trail riding you should be alright.

 

[Radio Guy]

You didn't mention if it was for CB, GMRS, ???

 

[sarguy1941]

Assuming you mean GMRS. If so trail riding they are fine. I run 2 in the LMR bands on my work truck for TLMR systems and they are fine for that but car - car is about a mile at most. Most times less but on highway I can talk to a coworker about that far on UHF.

 

[GWolgamott]

Sorry yes GMRS.

 

[Radio Guy]

A simple 6" long 1/4 wave UHF whip works better than the low profile "pud" types and a black version is more invisible than the pud. Plus they are cheap. Here is one example and they are cheaper on eBay.
https://www.amazon.com/Antenna-410-...refix=uhf+nmo+1/4+wave+antenna,aps,157&sr=8-1

 

[Fungi3]

So read a bit on some of the low profile antennas. Seems that yes not ideal for hardcore radio heads or extended range. But my question for those that actually do have these and mounted on the cowl do they get the job done? In Michigan so no real long extended flat areas, no mountains, and mostly wooded mixed with small hills. Would be used mainly for just trail riding in small groups. So no need for it ever have more then say few miles of range.

Last July I was fortunate enough to participate in a test of 23 different antennas. Various lengths, various types, etc., all for GMRS and CB. I will provide comments here that is summarized without the technical data we recorded, re. gain, measured signal, etc.

It included testing AM/FM/SiriusXM too. These were tested in Boston suburbs out to route 495, in Rutland State Park (Rutland, MA/remote area), and in the hills and mountain areas of the Mt Adams and surrounding hills.

Overall, the AM met with varying success, but most performed best closer to Boston in pretty flat areas. The FM had mixed success to, but worked best while not moving. The SiriusXM performed very well throughout, except it cut out for just seconds when the satellite line of view was interrupted by tall trees. It worked very well compared to the three radio listening methods (channel 31 being my fav).

The length of the antenna made a minor difference, but not enough for me to avoid using an 18" stubby in black. I like the black stubby because of it's look and appeal, because it does not get whipped into the windshield under high wind, and it doesn't get damaged easily from bushes and debris when off-roading.

CB use was very different. Especially, when you are trying to communicate more than 1 mile away. Even if you run higher "cheater" power mics and above authorized power amplifier units, the stubby antenna works, but not well. For communicating car-to-car I use a set of premium two-way walkie-talkies. They get 1-5 mile range easily. For CB I got a separate rubber coateheavy duty CB antenna that hides well right in back of the hardtop or soft-top. I got one that snaps in and pops right off. with the press of a spring loaded button. It made it very easy for wiring and it works fantastic. I'm able to speak with my home base station from quite a few miles away.

 

[GWolgamott]

6" or 18" isn't so bad, will probably do a cowl mount of some type. With the blockage of cab at that mounting point is there any reason to go bigger then 6" if not going to be above cab.

 

[jav_eee]

6" or 18" isn't so bad, will probably do a cowl mount of some type. With the blockage of cab at that mounting point is there any reason to go bigger then 6" if not going to be above cab.

In my unprofessional opinion height above cab is preferred but in the case of a cowl mount on a gladiator that’s not easily done. So the next best location is a 1/4 wave away from the cab. Right up against the a-pillar will have an effect on radiation pattern so spacing it away from that will help.

 

[Radio Guy]

In my unprofessional opinion height above cab is preferred but in the case of a cowl mount on a gladiator that’s not easily done. So the next best location is a 1/4 wave away from the cab. Right up against the a-pillar will have an effect on radiation pattern so spacing it away from that will help.

Cowl mount on a JT is easy, use a trunk lip NMO mount near the hood hinges and something like a Larsen 27MHz NMO base load. Very good antenna with skinny but long stainless steel whip that will not over stress the mount if the whip hits something. Close proximity to the A pillar is not an issue as the pillar/roof height is a tiny fraction of a wavelength at 27MHz.

If you had a 1ft tall CB antenna up against a 2ft high metal cab it will only have a minor effect as the radiated wave off the antenna is not 1ft tall or the size of the antenna, its huge and the cab is nothing more that a little speed bump to it. For VHF and UHF frequencies where an A pillar is a major portion of a wavelength it will have more of an effect.

 

[sarguy1941]

If your still talking about the GMRS then the 6" whip is good. I use it on my JK on a Rugged Radio NMO Mount on the drivers cowl. I can't talk 20 miles but Ive never had issues on the trail with it. I know a few that use the trunk lip mount on the back of the hood as @Radio Guy mentioned.

 

[Radio Guy]

If your still talking about the GMRS then the 6" whip is good. I use it on my JK on a Rugged Radio NMO Mount on the drivers cowl. I can't talk 20 miles but Ive never had issues on the trail with it. I know a few that use the trunk lip mount on the back of the hood as @Radio Guy mentioned.

Trunk lip mount on the hood works great, mechanically and performance wise.

 

[GWolgamott]

If your still talking about the GMRS then the 6" whip is good. I use it on my JK on a Rugged Radio NMO Mount on the drivers cowl. I can't talk 20 miles but Ive never had issues on the trail with it. I know a few that use the trunk lip mount on the back of the hood as @Radio Guy mentioned.

That's pretty much the setup I'm thinking about. Had CB in past no one uses those here anymore really, had buddy who knew more about those set that up for me back then. Now just using handheld, so just looking for bit better setup. Looking at just small 15watt gmrs radios. So if small profiled 1/4 whip works fine at the a pillar with a clip that's fine. I have watched one of those get snapped off from small brush while riding shotgun. Only reason thought the side cowl mount, but it was probably really freak thing so if signal is better one way over the other my mind could be changed.

So 15watt gmrs radio, 6inch 1/4 whip, hinge or side cowl mount (such as a bracket that is attached to cowl bolt on the vertical side of cowl vs the the top with hinge style. Unless that's really bad idea?)

@radioguy is the Larsen 1/4 vs the cheapo amazon 1/4 one you mentioned worth it to get over the cheapo one that is? If so do you have a link for a recommended larsen that'd work with above setup? Thanks

 

[Radio Guy]

That's pretty much the setup I'm thinking about. Had CB in past no one uses those here anymore really, had buddy who knew more about those set that up for me back then. Now just using handheld, so just looking for bit better setup. Looking at just small 15watt gmrs radios. So if small profiled 1/4 whip works fine at the a pillar with a clip that's fine. I have watched one of those get snapped off from small brush while riding shotgun. Only reason thought the side cowl mount, but it was probably really freak thing so if signal is better one way over the other my mind could be changed.

So 15watt gmrs radio, 6inch 1/4 whip, hinge or side cowl mount (such as a bracket that is attached to cowl bolt on the vertical side of cowl vs the the top with hinge style. Unless that's really bad idea?)

@radioguy is the Larsen 1/4 vs the cheapo amazon 1/4 one you mentioned worth it to get over the cheapo one that is? If so do you have a link for a recommended larsen that'd work with above setup? Thanks

I would recommend the top of hood trunk lip mount near a hood hinge like my pictures above as it provides some useful flat ground plane under the antenna and its not likely to ever snag anything. The mounts that stick out between the hood and front quarter panel place the antenna below hood level and are more susceptible to snagging stuff. If you find a mount that goes to the two bolts above the curved cowl pieces, those curved pieces are plastic and don't provide any ground plane, plus you want the antenna mount sitting right on the ground plane and not elevated above it, that introduces some loss.

I've had 1/4 wave whips from Antenna Specialists (now PCTEL), Larsen, Sti-Co, Tram and a few others. I see no problem with the cheaper Tram NMO 1/4 wave whips, they seem to last as long as any. Here is a Tram for $14.27 including shipping.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/126268374582

 

[GWolgamott]

I would recommend the top of hood trunk lip mount near a hood hinge like my pictures above as it provides some useful flat ground plane under the antenna and its not likely to ever snag anything. The mounts that stick out between the hood and front quarter panel place the antenna below hood level and are more susceptible to snagging stuff. If you find a mount that goes to the two bolts above the curved cowl pieces, those curved pieces are plastic and don't provide any ground plane, plus you want the antenna mount sitting right on the ground plane and not elevated above it, that introduces some loss.

I've had 1/4 wave whips from Antenna Specialists (now PCTEL), Larsen, Sti-Co, Tram and a few others. I see no problem with the cheaper Tram NMO 1/4 wave whips, they seem to last as long as any. Here is a Tram for $14.27 including shipping.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/126268374582

? thanks, that's probably what I'm going to go with then.

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