This forum is dedicated to helping people with questions about installing radio equipment in vehicles. This can include antenna installs, electrical wiring questions/problems, and mounting systems. Pictures of installs are welcome.
Note: Discussions regarding lighting, sirens, and other equipment now has its own forum in the 'off-topic' section below.
Ok, got my AVA today (Thanks RADIOINSTL) and I am going to put it in my Jeep Wranger (1999). My only problem is where to put the antenna. I don't really want anything on the front, or to reuse some type of CB antenna. I haven't found a mount that I like yet.
I was thinking about drilling the 3/4" hole on the back bumper by the licence plate. Its out of the way of the tailgate. Its mostly going to be use to RX (99.9999%) of the time. I am planning to use my older Diamond dualband ham antenna. Yes, it will get rusty etc, and maybe not the best place, but should this work? If not, any suggestions?
Lowband radio. The original and non-complicated wide area interoperable communications system
I've mounted them on the top of the spare tire bracket. Carefully route tha cable through the body and gate. I've installed lowband radios in these using a 4' CB antenna trimmed down to 33 MHz. and it tuned just fine.
Ya know, I was down at Whelen yesterday, and there is no snow to be seen down your way. Up here, I still have a couple of inches of ice on my driveway, and plently of snow in the backyard. Must be nice to be in the 40's all the time
Lowband radio. The original and non-complicated wide area interoperable communications system
Try living in the Catskills. I have 6 inches of ice and snow in my driveway and a town DPW that doesn't plow until it stops snowing. But I'm not bitter.
Anyway. You try one of those NMO "L" brackets or the flat ones meant for the larger Dodge RAM trucks?
JAYMZ
"Mom and dad say I should make my life an example of the principles I believe in. But every time I do, they tell me to stop it."
Calvin
I manufactured a mount for my '97 that seems to work pretty well. It mounts to one of the Torx screws on the windshield frame just above and forward of the driver's side view mirror. If you like I can make one up for you, or mail you the plans.
I run one of the mounts a guy from Arizona sells on eBay. I think he is Arizona Rocky Road or something like that. It gets the antenna mount right where the 3rd brake light is.
I use the dual antenna mount, thick mount NMOs, and Antenex 'no ground plane' antennas.
911_guy wrote:I manufactured a mount for my '97 that seems to work pretty well. It mounts to one of the Torx screws on the windshield frame just above and forward of the driver's side view mirror. If you like I can make one up for you, or mail you the plans.
How the hell did you get it out? I destroyed literally three size 45 torx bits trying to get them out of my door. Even an impact wouldn't do it. I eventually had to drill and easy them out. I found that the things take a lot of paint off around them too when they are backed out.
Do you have a CJ, YJ or newer TJ?
I've stayed away from all the neat torx bit mount accessory mounts on the market because of the horrible experience I had with those screws. Do you have any suggestions on an easy removal?
I have a 99 Wranger Sport (TJ for those Jeep guys) and the paint was a tad thick with some of the screws. Lucky for me I have a whole torx set, but I still managed to strip a couple. Jeep puts them in really tight, then the paint doesn't help either. Worse case I took a larger torx and a hammer and that worked. Now everything is stainless and no problems. Downside is the mirror movers hide the passenger side mirror out of view when the door are on in the winter.
Lowband radio. The original and non-complicated wide area interoperable communications system
This might sound weird... but i've done this a few times...
For receive ONLY antennas (80% with radio antenna, but 20% of them i've done were for receive only other applications) you can actually mount it in the wheel well
Yep, this sounds weird, but you grab an antenna, it will bend slightly (5-10 deg) and put it inside the wheel well between the wheel well inner plastic cowling and the body. It's totally hidden, but you get half decent performance.
No it's not perfect. no it's not the best, but it WORKS!
I've used it mostly in situations where people want to remove their antenna for a "cleaner" look (mostly sports cars and the like)
For scanner antennas, I've already sliced a slot in the foam in the top or the back seat rear area and inserted a Radio Shack scanner in the slit and hot-glued it shut. It worked almost as well as on the roof! This was for a county narc car, so it couldn't have anything visible.
But I'm not bitter. 
