Batboard

Guys,

I'm in the process of writing a procedure for where to install antennas on Dodge Chargers for 800Mhz radios. Our plan is to use the center of the roof for slicktops and just forward of the lightbar for regular marked cars. I'm curious if anyone out there has pictures of their own installs (Dodge Charger Only) that you might be able to share. I'm also curious if you've done your own experimentation that you might be able to provide. I'd like to show the differences between a trunk L-bracket mount and roof mount in terms of signal etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Keep in mind that many of our areas are only covered by one or two sites. There is no saturation of sites like there is in the cities, so I need to make sure I get the best signal possible.

My agency, Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, Arizona puts the antennas on the trunk for Chargers. I guess they did that on the CV's so why part with tradition? It's more of a pain in the butt to put 'em on the roof and route coax. Of course, we have dead spots all over the county with the digital 800 stuff. Enough so that they stuck VHF radios in for deputies to use as "car to car." They get as much use or more as the dispatch radio. Go figure. Some guys just use cell service instead.

I wonder if mounting on the roof would overcome the performance issue/dead spots?

The roofline will give you a better ground plane.

Do you cut your own antennas?

Jack - I have no advice to offer you but I'd LOVE to see pics of your install.
Are you hearing noise from the ignition system on the Charger?
Any alternator whine?

GroundRat wrote:The roofline will give you a better ground plane.

At the 800mHz that the previous poster was talking about, there's sufficient horizontal space on both the trunk-lid and the roof to provide for an adequate groundplane for an 800mHz antennal. The very minor difference in radiation pattern (due to the shadow of the roofline in a trunk-lid install) will make balls-odd difference if the system really has the coverage issues he's talking about.