Go Full Wave or Go Home!

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.

Moderator: Queue Moderator

Post Reply
grinthock
Posts: 162
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2003 4:39 am

Go Full Wave or Go Home!

Post by grinthock »

Sometimes the only way to transport an antenna home is on the car.

Ouch.

(large pic warning)

http://www.grinthock.com/2MFullWave.jpg
ESDA20
Posts: 163
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2003 7:11 am

...

Post by ESDA20 »

That poor Impala. I would never do anything like that to my baby. :(
User avatar
jedi_saber
Batboard $upporter
Posts: 573
Joined: Sat Jun 08, 2002 1:09 pm

Post by jedi_saber »

omg...parking garages and such must not be a place this dude frequents a lot...
Is this an official vehicle? Anyways, I think VA state police uses pretty long antennae too (I am sure ppl will correct me with the exact specs on VASP)
User avatar
apco25
Posts: 2685
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2001 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: APX / Astro 25 / Harris

Post by apco25 »

That's really not that bad - at least it looks like it was done professionally.
"Some men just don't know their limitations"
ESDA20
Posts: 163
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2003 7:11 am

Post by ESDA20 »

I wouldn't want to be in that car during a lightning storm. :)
User avatar
007
Posts: 1546
Joined: Sat Nov 23, 2002 5:22 am
What radios do you own?: W7 FPP lowband MaraTrac w/AES

Post by 007 »

VSP uses Antenna Specialist NMO mount based loaded antennas, nothing fancy...only reason I know is I did something very similar on mine, based on the the below pic:

Image

And this pic is just because I think this car looks good:

Image

jedi_saber wrote:omg...parking garages and such must not be a place this dude frequents a lot...
Is this an official vehicle? Anyways, I think VA state police uses pretty long antennae too (I am sure ppl will correct me with the exact specs on VASP)
Anyway, I'm surprised that the decklid hasn't started to peel back like a sardine can....I wouldn't even consider that on anyting less than a ball mount.
Do not make Sig angry...he'll just keep ringing the bell.
VE7NGR
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 2:58 pm

Post by VE7NGR »

It didn't strike me as being that big - but then I've got a 10.5 foot antenna on my Dakota, with the lower 4.5 feet being 2.5 inches in diameter... (it's an HF antenna for my ham radio).

What did catch my eye was the way it's laying back in the wind - that must really mess up the radiation pattern.

BTW, the file name calls it a full wave - not likely. While adding length does add gain, anything beyond 5/8 wave has a rather high angle of radiation. If you want more gain from a vertical, you need a collinear (got one of those on my Dakota too :) )
KitN1MCC
Posts: 1890
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2002 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: ht1550 XLS,6 MT-1000,

Post by KitN1MCC »

that VA car is one nice lookin car
User avatar
kydeputy1463
Posts: 72
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2003 6:39 pm

Post by kydeputy1463 »

Not on subject, but I think the Kentucky State Police has the nicest looking car scheme of any state police in the country. I have noticed this by looking at the complete hotwheel car set in the shop.

http://lavender.fortunecity.com/westsid ... rs/ksp.htm
grinthock
Posts: 162
Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2003 4:39 am

Post by grinthock »

I was simply transporting the antenna for a fellow amateur back to his place, it happened to be an NMO... I was actually worried it would rip the trunk.
gws
Batboard $upporter
Posts: 283
Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2002 5:06 am

Post by gws »

You need a real whip to stand out.

Image
Gary N8EMR
User avatar
nc5p
Posts: 293
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2003 6:52 pm
What radios do you own?: XPR5550 XTL5000 XTS2500(V&U)

Post by nc5p »

I had a 16 ft. collapsable antenna (old military) on my old '82 S-10 for HF, mounted on the top of the tool box. I would open it up all the way when parked for better performance. Once I was over in East Texas and forgot to run it down. I ended up going down the road dragging a few hundred feet of phone drop wire that it "caught" between the poles. Heard this funny sound after a few miles and stopped to my horror finding the "trailing wires". Actually, the antenna survived without any damage.

Doug
User avatar
nmfire10
Batboard $upporter
Posts: 4109
Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2002 4:41 pm

Post by nmfire10 »

HAHAHAHA. Now, did you un-hook it and high tail it out of town or politely wait for the telephone company?
"I'll eat you like a plate of bacon and eggs in the morning. "
- Some loser on rr.com

eBay at it's finest:
Me: "What exactly is a 900Mhz UHF CB?"
Them: "A very nice CB at 900Mhz speed!"

:-?
User avatar
x1sspic
Posts: 261
Joined: Thu Apr 11, 2002 4:00 pm
What radios do you own?: AstroSpectra XTS3K XTS5K APX7K

Post by x1sspic »

that's not an antenna! That's an electric powered Chevy :lol:
User avatar
nc5p
Posts: 293
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2003 6:52 pm
What radios do you own?: XPR5550 XTL5000 XTS2500(V&U)

Post by nc5p »

that's not an antenna! That's an electric powered Chevy
No, the only electricity it "caught" was static during lightning storms. The bnc connector when unplugged from the radio would "pop-pop-pop" across the end. Interestingly enough, a truck that looks just like the one I had is electric powered. A local ham drives it around town. The cab is full of Motorola radios, too!
http://www.qsl.net/k5lxp/mobile/QSTarti ... ticle.html
Post Reply

Return to “Vehicle Radio Installs”