Where have we mounted our UHF's?

[Jack91]

Hi,
Just bought a top of the line Uniden with a detacheable face (only $280 inc. post off ebay!)
Just after some pics of them mounted. Im thinking mounting the box in the centre console and running the face and sticking it onto the very top of the windscreen. Ideas? I also got a Z mount for the boot or bonnet for the aerial, anyone got any pics of their big UHF aerial on their AU's?

UHF:

Edit: The antenna I got is the thick type with the stainless steel rings on the bottom, its about 50 or 60cm tall.

[ronwest]

I'm just about to mount mine for our trip away.

The unit is mounted on the centre console next to my left leg (I only use the uhf on trips away and have a spare centre console with it mounted). The aerial is mounted on a removeable alum bracket that bolts up to the rear bar where the exhaust tip exits (hard to explain; I'll take a pic later this evening when it's on).

[Whoosha]

Mine is Velcro d on the side of the console behind the hand brake .. sits there fine seat still moves and it is hard to see from out side the car

[Mr Hardware]

i just have a handheld, for convenience.

[Jack91]

Has anyone got any pictures though?

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by DAVO_XR

Has anyone got any pictures though?

Yep... had visitors so a little late not to mention that the console is still up in the rafters, lol.

A few of my aerial setup:-

Uninstalled - I bent the bit of alum up in a hurry with a view to re-doing it a bit more neatly. 4 years later, same old, same old...


This shows the mounting more clearly - 1 x 3/8" bolt and nut through underneath side of plastic bumper and 1 x 3/8" bolt and nut through spare wheel well . I have an aversion to drilling holes through painted body surfaces.


This is what it looks like from the rear. It's not in the way of the boot opening and is generally out of the way.


I'll get a pic of the console tomorrow night.

[lofty]

Don't know if you've seen these:

http://www.theuteshed.com.au/Console%20gallery.htm

Ronwest, I would be keeping an eye on that bracket for signs of fatigue cracking around the bottom bend. Steel would really be better for a flexy situation like that.

[illusivedreams]

One comment to make,

Do not use small aerials minimum of 4.5Db and I suggest more,

I suggest using a broom stick .

Do not mount low such as in the photo above with the bracket unde muffler.

I suggest mounting next to the engine bay with a hidden bracket that mounts between quater pannel and bonnet next to the windscreen as it will not get in the way and be higher.


Broom sticks give you great line of sigh coverage but are ******** in the mountains.

Thin high Db aerilas are good for mountains although they give you less spread they get over the hills.

As australia is flat use a good fiberglass thick aerial 4.5-6db and you will have great coverage.


I have wasted so much money on gimmecks befor I realised this.

I had a 4*4 and did a trip last year to Port Douglas from Sydney . In land though development roads and Charters towers befor I came to Port Douglas and felt my 4.5db broom stick was not enough in a lot of aerials.


You should mount high. And check your aerila is ground independant meaning you dont need to mount of a metal base with good earth. The center of the roof is the best but few want to drill a hole in the roof .


Buy the best you can unless you would like static.


Hand held should be left to group of friends that want between car communication . Even the 5W hand helds are uselless in our country with its enormous plains.

[RG]

Have you still got the standard double din stereo head unit or an aftermarket one?

If you've gone a single din aftermarket the space below it where the filler pcoket would sit would be perfect I reckon.

[Jack91]

Originally Posted by RG

Have you still got the standard double din stereo head unit or an aftermarket one?

If you've gone a single din aftermarket the space below it where the filler pcoket would sit would be perfect I reckon.

I was going to go for an aftermarket head unit for that reason but I think 2x boxy sharp edged devices will look stupid against the curvy AU dash. If I do go after market stereo, I can just get that aerpro pocket and double sided tape the removable face from the CB over the pocket/gap filler.

Good info in the posts above, of course having a 15 metre high aerial gives great coverage but on a sedan it looks out of place and you have to draw the line somewhere. Hopefully this combo gives good range, and it will easily do what I want it to (communicate with trucks close by).

I'll post pics of it all when I get and install it, Ill be mounting the aerial in the boot/rear drivers quarter panel with one of the Z brackets that goes in between the gap. Im mounting it here to reduce the interferance from it and the FM antenna.

Im still on the lookout for an AU nudge bar, Id much prefer to mount it on that but they are rare down here and noone wants to post one from the mainland

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by illusivedreams

One comment to make,

All valid points but as with most things uhf (for me) is a compromise.

If I wanted to talk to fishing boats in the Gulf I'm sure I could accomodate that but given that I only wish to know road conditions in the immediate vicinity, my setup works plenty well enough.
I'm not after the perfect or even the best setup; just something that works in the limited fashion that I need it.

(Oh, I should mention that I've been there and done the cb/uhf thing. Complete waste of time and effort for my type of use)

I'm sure your comments will help the more serious user

[Jack91]

Originally Posted by illusivedreams

One comment to make,

Do not use small aerials minimum of 4.5Db and I suggest more,

I suggest using a broom stick .

Do not mount low such as in the photo above with the bracket unde muffler.

I suggest mounting next to the engine bay with a hidden bracket that mounts between quater pannel and bonnet next to the windscreen as it will not get in the way and be higher.


Broom sticks give you great line of sigh coverage but are ******** in the mountains.

Thin high Db aerilas are good for mountains although they give you less spread they get over the hills.

As australia is flat use a good fiberglass thick aerial 4.5-6db and you will have great coverage.


I have wasted so much money on gimmecks befor I realised this.

I had a 4*4 and did a trip last year to Port Douglas from Sydney . In land though development roads and Charters towers befor I came to Port Douglas and felt my 4.5db broom stick was not enough in a lot of aerials.


You should mount high. And check your aerila is ground independant meaning you dont need to mount of a metal base with good earth. The center of the roof is the best but few want to drill a hole in the roof .


Buy the best you can unless you would like static.


Hand held should be left to group of friends that want between car communication . Even the 5W hand helds are uselless in our country with its enormous plains.

The one I got is the thick type, about 50 or 60cm tall, 5db. Should I mount on the front whree you suggested or will the boot be OK aswell? The guy at TJM said I will get a lot of interferance if I have UHF on one side and radio on the other.

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by DAVO_XR

The one I got is the thick type, about 50 or 60cm tall, 5db. Should I mount on the front whree you suggested or will the boot be OK aswell? The guy at TJM said I will get a lot of interferance if I have UHF on one side and radio on the other.

Have a browse around the Exploroz site lots of info to go with recommendations from here http://www.exploroz.com/Vehicle/Acce.../UHFRadio.aspx

[illusivedreams]

Originally Posted by DAVO_XR

The one I got is the thick type, about 50 or 60cm tall, 5db. Should I mount on the front whree you suggested or will the boot be OK aswell? The guy at TJM said I will get a lot of interferance if I have UHF on one side and radio on the other.

Guysplease dont take me to serious..

PS ships are on VHF not UHF but there are units that will do both....hhhhmmmm Tempting....12m aerial and I can order a strike : I hope the navy will not be ****ed..


Boot is perfect just a longer cable to run,

5db is Ok,

My only comments are based on the fact that I over estimated the ability of a CB and have been cought out a fet times.

Most aerials can be removed from their screw type spring base and can be replaced with a small one for shorter trips and larger aericals for inland trips.



Most costal trips are Ok .

Its the inland roads and Development roads where the next road house is 500km that you really want to know if the road is flooded a long way befor you get their.

When i was going up St George was flooded and had no power meaning no fuel.

I stopped at Clermont to fill insted. Saved a long trip


Buy the best you can afford.

CB's are easy to sell on Ebay after and you can always get good money on resale.

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by illusivedreams

Guysplease dont take me to serious..

PS ships are on VHF not UHF but there are units that will do both....

Too true... I guess I was harking back to the 70's when we could hear Taiwanese fishing boats off the coast.

My main point was that it's horses for courses. If you're a serious or even a semi-serious user there's a lot of helpful info to get the most bang for your buck.

For people like me who just use it to check road conditions (mainly radars etc) just about anything will suffice. I don't have the unit on most of the time (not interested in the ceaseless chatter) but from time to time just to check with trucks going in the opposite direction.

For floods etc, I've found that the most reliable source of info is to phone the cop shop in whatever area is flooded.

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by lofty

Ronwest, I would be keeping an eye on that bracket for signs of fatigue cracking around the bottom bend. Steel would really be better for a flexy situation like that.

The alum was too thin for the job but it was all I could get when I decided that I wasn't going to use a magnetic base or z mount.

I ended up rivetting a brace along that curve - mainly for extra support, it was too flexible.

Maybe after this trip I'll get thicker alum and go again (I prefer it to steel as all I have to do is bend it... no painting etc) but chances are it'll do a few more trips yet, lol.

[Whoosha]

I just brought a bracket from The local radio shop, covered the base with a rubber tape as not to scratch the boot and ran a separate earth on the under side,

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by Whoosha

So thats why your car is so quick - it's remote control

[Whoosha]

Originally Posted by b2tf

So thats why your car is so quick - it's remote control

Nitro R/C

[ronwest]

Originally Posted by Whoosha

The "Press" button is for room service?