HF Mobile Antenna Magnetic Mount Trick | HAM RADIO

HF mobile operation is a popular Ham Radio activity and the magnetic antenna mount is an easy way of installing the antenna without any need to drill holes in the vehicle. The key to success is to make sure that there is sufficient area on the magnetic mount base to offer optimum capacity to the car body for the frequency involved. If your magnetic mount is too small to fulfil this requirement, then here is a neat and almost zero cost solution.
Diamond Centre Loaded Mobile Whips
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Check out the previous video.
• Ham Radio HF Vertical ...

[@Blaculo]

Nice A Team van. I love it when a plan comes together.

[@andye2005]

Garden centre - look for slug tape a sticky backed copper tape, usually pretty sticky and the copper is robust. Also available on Ebay and Amazon 3 to 7 quid a roll depending on length and width. I keep a roll od 5mm tape in the workshop for the odd circuit board repair Andy

[@Sidmi5utc]

Cover your braid in glue lined heat shrink and put a ring connector on the end. Run your covered braid in through the gap on the rear door and attach to one of the nuts at the door hinge.

[@watersstanton]

The heat shrink will reduce the capacity somewhat. I need to explore the various-suggestions. Thanks for sharing.

[@izzzzzz6]

You could make your own magmount with magnets that will fit between the ridges on the roof and then a steel plate, obviously needs a thin rubber mat under the magnets, that way you would not need braiding and you could use the centre of your roof. If it was me i would just drill a hole in the middle of the roof and add some plate on the underside. Actually, i already did do this to my van.

[@G_C340]

I am going to try some magflex with aluminium foil and make a DIY mat, will let you know how it goes.

[@DCDura]

Hi Peter, suggest that once you get the braid length to where you want it, use aluminum foil tape to adhere it (cover over) to the roof of your mobile home, just be sure to clean the surface beforehand. See how that holds up. You may want to configure some sort of easy disconnect so you can leave the braid when you remove the antenna/mag mount. K2DCD

[@watersstanton]

Many thanks for the suggestion. Will put it on the list to test.

[@DCDura]

@@watersstanton Good will be curious how well it works. Take Care.

[@dennisbauer3315]

Well I seen this video of Peters, I had not read your comment Dennis until now, This is for Peter also if he gets to read it. After seeing this video of Peters, I had a HF80CL Diamond I was having a little trouble to get a low swr, etc, I only had a small VHF type Mag Mount, but it would hold the HF80CL on the Toyota Hi-Ace Van long wheel base. I also welded to stainless steel large washers to the top on the edge of Mag Mount, I then put this on Van roof, removed the stainless steel rod and used copper rod for the top part of whip, I then got Alfoil the normal Alfoil I pulled out a couple lengths of about 500mm each side of mag mount, and pegged it to washers on Mag mount I held the foil down on Van roof with bits of timber, just to try, so it does not seem to matter the length but folded Alfoil each side of Mag mount pegged to washers on Mag mount and it was 1:1 swr, but the result on Morse code and SSB at 50 watts was amazing I was getting 5 9 9 reports over 800km to 900 km 80 meter band early morning. All it took was the added foil for the capacitive AC reactance coupling to ground. No psychical ground just capacative coupling to ground, works like a charm. Aluminum foil 30cm wide or 300mm wide. Works like a charm but held down on Van roof with bits of timber to stop blowing away.

[@Crusty_Camper]

My problem is that my van has an aluminium roof and body so the magmount is not attracted to it. I am trying out a stainless steel plate, 25cm square, to which I will attach the magmount and then sit the whole lot on the roof. If it works, I will permanently adhere the plate to the roof so I can mount and remove the magmount as I do on my car. Do you think it will work?

[@A___Way]

Fasten with a few small neodymium magnets on the braid, should keep in place

[@usernamemykel]

Peter, it appears that you and shirt collars are always at odds. But we love you anyway.

[@philgodbold9429]

Move the mag mount near to the awning rail, a large croc clip on a short piece of braid from mag mount then clip to the awning mounting bracket = perfect ground connection, I have operated on 160/P with this.

[@watersstanton]

I tried that but got better results using my braid arrangement. Not sure why but will do some further tests.

[@frankwc0o]

I tried that last year to get more capacitance, but I used two thin wires, I'm guessing that didn't work for it didn't have enough surface area. Well, it turns out that I did buy a try-mag mount and tried it yesterday. You are right, those ridges sure get in the way, but I got two of the three to latch on the surface of the roof. Results? Well the bands have been really bad near my house. I can definitely say I had a much lower SWR, and a much higher return loss at about 25. Can't wait to try your idea and I also want to see how efficient 40 m is with a tri-mag mount. Good luck on your trip, be safe.

[@watersstanton]

Hi there. If the VSWR improves then it is all going in the right direction.

[@frankwc0o]

@@watersstanton Super. And, I didn't have to use a choke. Although, I will use one - I just don't have an extra one.

[@izzzzzz6]

Cut your own steel plate to make all 3 fit and replace the current plate that holds them all together.

[@hamradiomobile]

If you have flip open fixing points for roof bars, you can modify a roof bar leg kit. They have rubber feet so not scratches, the bolt is a direct earth to the roof so a great earth. I can even have a 160m mobile whip and no tuner in line. My tip would be have two mounts either side for different bands, use mono band antennas keep it simple so no tuner in line and keep the mount as low to the roof as possible. Having the antennas at the back especially with that van is that you will directivity like a beam. I use the centre loaded diamond CL range that I bought from you and yes you may have to swap but at least if you see the swr deviate you know you have a problem. Seriously since using these mounts with those antennas and the pro7 headset it has been a game changer.

[@watersstanton]

Thanks for sharing. But there can be some major problems with roof bars as they often don't pride the earth return expected. I have dealt with many problems where roof bars actually appear to the coax feed, as an extension of the antenna. I have dealt with so many customer problems caused by this, that as a general rule I would urge caution. It is very much a case of suck u an see.

[@hamradiomobile]

@@watersstanton I don't use the roof bars only the foot packs you can buy separate. The bolt the holds my antenna mount is bolted in directly to the fixing point which is a direct earth. This means the antenna mount is about an inch above the roof.

[@hamradiomobile]

@@watersstanton I can't attach a picture but my qrz page has some pics of the mount. P. S just worked Hawaii, NewZealand, Australia, Panama and French Polynesia from the car this morning 👍

[@dennisbauer3315]

The CL the best

[@andykeddie7602]

Hi Peter, would the Diamond MAT 50 magnetic capacity plate not be a neater solution? M0KED.

[@watersstanton]

Yes, but I did not have one and the point of the video was to solve the problem at zero cost.

[@dennisbauer3315]

Put this here for Peter and all. Well I seen this video of Peters, I had not read your comment Dennis Dura, until now, This is for Peter also if he gets to read it. After seeing this video of Peters, I had a HF80CL Diamond I was having a little trouble to get a low swr, etc, I only had a small VHF type Mag Mount, but it would hold the HF80CL on the Toyota Hi-Ace Van long wheel base. I also welded 2 stainless steel large washers to the top on each edge of Mag Mount, or 2 sides only, standing up, I then put this on Van roof, removed the stainless steel rod and used copper rod for the top part of whip, I then got Alfoil the normal Alfoil I pulled out a couple lengths of about 500mm each side of mag mount, and pegged it to washers on Mag mount I held the foil down on Van roof with bits of timber, just to try, so it does not seem to matter the length but folded Alfoil each side of Mag mount pegged to washers on Mag mount and it was 1:1 swr, but the result on Morse code and SSB at 50 watts was amazing I was getting 5 9 9 reports over 800km to 900 km 80 meter band early morning. All it took was the added foil for the capacitive AC reactance coupling to ground. No psychical ground just capacative coupling to ground, works like a charm. Aluminum foil 30cm wide or 300mm wide. Works like a charm but held down on Van roof with bits of timber to stop blowing away.

[@watersstanton]

Very interesting. Sounds like oyu will nhave fun. 73 Peter.

[@dennisbauer3315]

@@watersstanton Is that, "Sounds like you having fun". Yes Peter, and learning all the time, never stop, that's the engrossing happy part, hi hi. Thanks Peter 73

[@petermajor4599]

Agree

[@littlebear5219]

Can you attach the braid to a metal part of the vehicle ? Peter G0LVG

[@johnhumphreys9879]

That was my thought as well

[@watersstanton]

Yes if you care to scrape of some paint! Not my recommebdation because you then have to fasten it to the surface. Capacity is just as goid and easier!

[@littlebear5219]

Peter I was thinking maybe you would be able to use a solder lug on the van hinge bolts that was my thinking. Thank for your videos Peter

[@frankwc0o]

I hope it's placing two mounts together to make one. ;)

[@G_C340]

Biscuit tin? Baco Foil?

[@rubbersurf]

Why not add a crock clip and clip it to the rail to the sun awning

[@Dan-56]

That was my thought ! If you stop the video at 3:44 there’s the aluminum rail for the awning that runs the full length of the van, and it even has some “convenient” bolt on hardware close by 😉.

[@watersstanton]

Yes thar is an option but as many vehicles don’t have this feature I wanted to try something that would work on any vehicle. Will report on that in some future video.

[@usernamemykel]

Interesting that you use the term "croc(k) clip, as we refer to it in the USA as an "alligator clip".

[@wrote8]

Gorilla tape will hold the braid to the roof in all weather no problem. Just watch it doesn't pull the paint off if you try to remove it 😊

[@watersstanton]

Thanks. This is only a temporary arrangement. I have other ideas!

[@rogerNKWYNNVIDS]

Waters? My mother's maiden name is waters.