Checking in

[w5olm]

General class but have not been real active. Bought new motorhome and everything is fiberglass, so am at a loss where to put all my antennas.
I want to put my 2M and 10M in first, but my travel partner(wife) ain't too keen about me putting holes in the top of her new motorhome.
We are going to be on the road for about a month, so maybe I will have time to figure something out when we get back.
Lee

[w6pea]

Welcome to the group.:welcome:

I would get a Larsen Glass mount and mount it as high as possible.
For HF DX engineering has a couple of great mobile antennas. I would get a screwdriver (high sierra, tarheel, larry's antenna, or mfj) and mount it to the ladder or get a tripod set up like I have.:think:

73
w6pea

[Radio]

:hello:

We have several MH folks looking fot places to mount antennas.

Welcome to the forum and I'm sure all you folks will figure this one out.

Radio

[wa8yxm]

2mtr and 10mtr you can get "No Ground Plane" antennas, Diamond makes the 2-mtr version and Radio Shack the 10, I put the 2-mtr on one of the arms for the VELMAC mirrors on mine and on the 10 mtr it's jamed in beihnd the couch INSIDE the rig (Fiberglass does not block rf) SWR on the 10 mtr antenna per the cobra is 1.0/1 Which is not only not bad, it's perfect.

2mtr is not quite as good (like 1.1 or 1.2/1)

ON many rigs there is a handy hole in the brackets holding the hitch receiver, You can extend the rail out by adding a single bolt to a properly cut and bent piece of metal and mount an antenna there. One on each side.

For other antennas, consider no-ground plane designs. One such design is a dipole A dipole antenna needs no ground, in fact it works best if it's a mile or so above the ground (rather impractical) but 20 feet is good and 20 mtrs you can hang a full size dipole on the average motor home. I use a Sunsetter flag pole, drive on base, 25 feet

[Dizzy-Dick]

Welcome aboard.

I, too, am having antenna problems. I am used to using a Hustler tri-band mounted to my rear bumber on my tow vehicle. I usually ran 15-20-40 meter resonators. Now, with the motorhome, not quite sure what to do. Bringing the coax into the home is my biggest prolbem. I went to Radio Shack and got some through wall rain proof connectors for coax. Will probably try that, when I get the time.

Again, welcome aboard. I am sure you will enjoy it here.

73's

[Doug13589]

I was able to inter the inside of the motor home through a hole in the fire wall(right next to the fuse block) that Ford used to run power through . I ran rg 58, rg 8 and antenna control wires along the framefrom the back of the motor home and through the hole to the operating position with space left over for more wire if needed.
However,be sure to plug the hole when you are done or you will have a cool breeze when going down the road not to mention a great access place for evey mosquito in the country to find it's way into the motor home at night.

[N7OQ]

Hello Lee and glad to have you aboard :welcome:. It seem that Antennas are a hot topic here lately. I had a Ham friend who has a fiberglass MH and he took it to a welding shop and had them weld on a piece of steel to the fame that came out the back where he mounted a screwdriver antenna and he really liked it. A local Ham here use to use a full size screwdriver antenna on his van and he went to a smaller version that went on the middle of the roof of the Van, he was at a antenna shoot out and found that his signal was better that the full size overall, the full size one only beat it slightly in one direction. Of course you could not use it in that way on a all fiberglass MH but it might work well on a Ladder sense the wind load is much less than a full size one.

My XLY does not like me to put antennas on anything, even the house. She does not see the beauty in a antenna farm. When I bought a my Tahoe it was to replace the car she drove so she looks at it like it is her vehicle and has a cow if I even think about putting on another antenna. She didn't like it when I put antennas on the car I drive. She satnds by the rule of: "what's Hers is Hers and what's mine is Hers" :)

[wa8yxm]

As I said before, On many motor homes there is a bracket with a hole on the back on the hitch receiver frame where it attaches to the frame rails

Even if that does not exist you have a nice square very strong steel beam that runs the width of the frame rails on the back of the "Bus" (The hitch receiver mount)

Using bolts and clamps you can mount a second square tube to this (heck, you could mount a 2nd hitch receiver) and mount your antenna on this bracket. Run the coax along the frame rails along with the other wires and bring it up through the FLOOR, sealing the opening with "Great Stuff" Spray in foam sealer (There is a lot of that in your rig already)

It is that simple Remember top of antenna needs to be under 13.6 or low-bridge will get you

[_L7]

Welcome aboard Lee!

That sure is a nice MH. I am also leery of drilling holes. I currently have a 2m/440 glass mount on the top of the front windshield. It works "ok". I have a comet mount on one of the air horns on top to mount an HF mobile antenna which is ok except I have to climb up and take it down and put it up each time we move or stop. I plan on doing something with the tow hitch for HF which should work out ok.

I just have to find a place inside that is acceptable for a "shack"!!