XJ owners: where’d you put your HAM antenna?

[stickandrudder]

Hello XJ gearheads! So I’m getting back into HAM, it’s been a few years, and I’m looking into installing a mobile setup in my Jeep soon. Just finished watching that 2 part ham install on the OB YT channel.

I didn’t find anyone talking about this before with the search function so figured I’d just ask. Any XJ owners on here have a good antenna location?

I actually have the JCR CB mount that mounts behind the taillight but that doesn’t have a good groundplane and it’s exposed, I wheel in the woods and it could definitely get snagged. Was thinking of maybe mounting a NMO on my bumper bullbar but I’d have to move my LED lights. Also was just thinking a rooftop mag mount but I’m also worrying about it getting snagged. Anyone here deal with this already? I saw on NAXJA a guy mounted a firestik on his fender.

I know I should probably just move my lights on my bumper but I’m just looking for a way out.

Thanks.

 

[Downs]

Well best bet is a NMO hole though the roof, which would give you the best ground plane possible as well. Next time I have to remove the headliner I plan on punching the roof for an NMO mount but I'm in no hurry.

Mine are mounted on my fenders. I have 2 NMO "L" brackets, one on each side. I don't even run the radio antenna anymore but have it tucked away in the Jeep if I ever want to listen in to FM radio for whatever reason.


The motorola isn't currently in the overhead spot I'm running my Dual Bander again. And the CB is a Radioddity compact CB just velcroed into the center console. It rarely gets used and I typically swap in another antenna for APRS use.

 

[Anak]

I have answers, but I am betting they won't be of much use for most folks.

First, is center of the roof. Best location you can hope to ever get. This is mine:



(Yes, I know, that is heavily biased to the front. Reasons. )

That's probably not exactly the installation a normal person would opt for. That is a directional antenna (cubical quad) that can be rotated from inside the vehicle while driving. T-hunters are an odd subset of an already odd subset of society.

A more "normal" antenna mount is this one:



But that requires that you have the armor with the rub rail. Again, not a typical option. Also, even if you do have the armor, it is still a bit of a pain. I had to machine an adapter to compensate for the angle on the rub rail. This picture should give some sense of what was involved in that:



I can say that both of those locations are excellent. I have run both simultaneously and they do not interfere with each other, nor have I noticed any loss of signal with the antenna on the side. I should also note that the antenna I am running on the side is a radial-less design dual bander. It does fine without a ground plane. If I were to ever have any issues with running it on the side I do carry an adapter that will let me run in in the roof position that exists for the sake of the quad. I have never felt the need to move it up there.

 

[stickandrudder]

Wow. Thanks guys. You both rock. I like the video. Also, now I feel like I “need” to add rub rails. To protect my antenna of course. I’m having my frame plated on Wednesday so I’ll put it on the to-do list lol.

ive never seen an antenna setup like that before. That is so cool. Is “T-hunter” tornadoes?

I thought maybe having one on the back corner like that would experience signal issues but that’s reassuring you’re not. I know the roof is the ultimate option but I park in the garage, and also I just hate the idea of putting a hole in the roof. And I already redid my headliner, taking that thing out is a pain. Thanks guys!

 

[Anak]

T-hunters are transmitter hunters. Or fox hunters.

A beacon is hidden and then the rest of the group goes looking for it. Sometimes the beacon is mobile. Then it takes the whole group to catch it.

It is an interesting game with real world application. Black boxes in airplanes have rendered it less important in that realm, but tracking down jammers (either deliberate or accidental) is still necessary.