Just got a new truck today. What do I put in it?? Hmmm

[RapidCharger]

I think I got my radios picked out, but need some ideas for antenna placement. Got a nice spot picket out for the radios too.

The roof is obviously the best spot. But I just can't bring myself to do it just yet. I will have to graduate to that after some time. I am in that googely eyed stage where you park in the deserted part of the parking lot etc so you don't get dinged.

I had originally planned to put the antennas on the bed rails, only there are some nifty rail guards installed there, so... so much for that idea.

Ok, here's an idea, tell me what you think. The rail that spans the width of the box that is closest to the rear window does not have a protector there. I am thinking that will work, but with short antennas, they might not get out too good because they will be blocked unless I am travelling away from the repeater or whatever I am trying to communicate with.

And it's a lease, so no holes in the roof.

And I usually put my radios in wired directly to the battery. Does anyone have any better ideas for that?

And where to run the antenna cables through the back seat so they are not visible and are not dangling

[Jim202]

A lease is not always a good choice. Many of the dealers get to be so nit picking when you go to turn the lease in that they eat up the deposit. Don't plan on getting that money back. If you do, your lucky.

Any dings, scratches, wear or the likes are hits on the cash back. I leased once and will never do it again. You have to keep the milage lower than the lease limit. If not, it's like $0.50 to over a dollar a mile when you turn it in. Any rust is your problem. You thing the dealer cares that the paint was bad from the plant.

Stains on the carpet or just frayed from use. They call that abnormal wear and tear. Another ding on the cash.

Chips or cracks in any of the windows, they will say that it wasn't that way when you took delivery of the leased truck from us. Another ding on the cash.

Holes drilled in the dash, "We didn't supply it that way". Ding goes the cash again.

Hope your happy with the lease. Have fun trying to install any radios and antennas.

Jim

[ASTROMODAT]

You definately do not want to place any antennas on the rail immediately behind the cab. The vertical back of the cab will cause extremely poor performance of your antenna, regardless if you are driving to/from the repeater.

The rooftop with an NMO mount is the very best way to go.

Unfortunately, if you want to mount a radio in the cab, and install any sort of antenna other than a glass mount, the leasing route can be a big problem.

If you already executed the lease, then a glass mount antenna will be your best bet. Not sure what to do about the radio mounting, though. A temporary mount can be very dangerous in an accident, in that you will have a 10 pound brick flying around the cab, and it ain't a good thing if it hits you in the head/face, etc. Ouch!

Larry

[topcat270]

As far as mounting the antennas, have you considered a Back Rack type of unit mounted on the front end of the bed? Then you could mount all you antennas there and run the leads between the bed and the cab, and either up through a small hole drilled the floor, or into the engine compartment and through a hole in the firewall. There are lots of places a hole can be drilled that will not be noticable at the lease end inspection, unless they are using a really fine toothed comb

[KG6EAQ]

The local Ford dealer never noticed the 3 holes my neighbor had plugged in the roof. Our dealer is the largest in the USA (Or so they claim - Galpin). So I think if you do a god enough job on repairing it they wouldn't notice it. Especially with a tall truck which I doubt gets more than a quick glance on top due to it's height.

[topcat270]

When I bought my current truck, I didn't realize until I got it home that all I had to do is screw a new whip on the mount the previous owner left in the roof when he traded in the truck. The coax was neatly coiled behind the FM radio and ashtray. Saved me a lot of work fishing a new antenna lead!
Some times you just get lucky!

[Znarx]

Find or make a good box cap made of aluminum/steel & mount the antennas in the middle of that..remove the cap when the lease is up..no problems...Z

[RapidCharger]

Thanks for all the really good ideas.

I am not new to leasing vehicles, and I baby them always. I have other vehicles for when the mileage is up. And I paid a little more in the front end for extra miles. A lot of times, when you turn in the car, if you lease a new car from the same dealer, they will either roll those miles over to your new lease or cut you some slack on it in some way or another.

In my other trucks, I have made plastic 45 degree consoles for the radios that sit on the center hump on the floor. Those trucks have rubber floors and I used a lot of velcro to secure the consoles in place (not that I needed to, but whether I turn in a leased vehicle or sell one that I own, I don't want it to be full of holes) Heck, I haven't even taken this new truck out in the rain yet... Don't want to get it dirty!

I highly recommend those floor consoles by the way, as opposed to drilling holes in the dash, the cables are clipped so that they are not visible and it really does look professional. I made my own because I needed to have a certain angle (about 35 degrees) but they are available from /\/\ parts also in a set size. The big plus about those consoles, it you simply pull up the entire thing when you want to program it and then mash it back down to the velcro when you're done. The radio itself is bolted to the console, so it looks like it's hard to steal, when in reality, you just pull it off the floor.

As for antennas, you have given me some things to think about.

[RCVMO]

I don't think I got the model of truck you recently purchased. Have been doing the new Dodge power wagons w/ 440 hemi, new Ford rangers......Be careful of trying to place the antenna in the center of this roof. There is a support right down the middle and a support that goes across side to side. I had to grind a special hole in the support about 2 inches forward of the interior light to make accomodations for the NMO mount. Works great. Yes you get to pull the headliner and all the screws and plastic mounts, and .....walla! There you have it.
Wife has a 94 Ranger, I installed the antenna on the back bed railing, but installed a gain NMO antenna. We are using VHF out of a 45 watt maxtrac. Works great, as long as you have the gain antenna. Base to truck, about 25 miles by the way the crow flies.
Jimmy