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Posted: 7/14/2013 3:54:42 PM EDT
[#1]
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Posted: 7/14/2013 4:05:48 PM EDT
[#2]
I went with a hood mount similar to this, and attached it under an existing bolt location. No drilling, no alteration.
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Posted: 7/14/2013 4:50:42 PM EDT
[#3]
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Posted: 7/14/2013 5:22:34 PM EDT
[#4]
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Posted: 7/14/2013 5:27:57 PM EDT
[#5]
Chamtech Enterprises
This company will revolutionize all antenna applications, that's if the government allows them too. Lets see how fast they delete this info? Look it up. |
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Posted: 7/14/2013 5:52:32 PM EDT
[#6]
I had very good luck with a Larsen "thru-glass" antenna. It mounts with an adhesive pad on both sides of a rear window (or any other glass). It worked surprisingly well. My 95 Camaro had factory tinted rear window but it did not affect antenna performance at all. I think it was a 1/2 wave single band antenna (2 meters).
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Posted: 7/14/2013 5:53:13 PM EDT
[#7]
Comet makes a clamp mount for hoods/doors/gutters that has rubber guards on it (don't know how effective that is). Better option than the cell look-a-like as far as signal goes though.
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Posted: 7/14/2013 6:12:01 PM EDT
[#8]
Thanks for the quick replies and great info guys!!
Derek, I have used glass mounts before for receive only with scanners and had great success, that might be the way I go. The window mount is also interesting, I have not come across that before, my m3 coupe has an interesting window setup though so i don't know if it will work but i like the idea... on my car the door does not have any metal around the window, the second the door is opened the window drops a few millimeters and when the door is shut the door goes up again a few millimeters to make a waterproof seal, i think that might hinder me using the window mount. I think I will use that window mount on my work vehicle though. As for the last post about Chamtech, that is very interesting and borderline scary technology... extending an RFID tag range from 5' to 700' with nanocapacitors is insane, i hope we can get this technology soon. I read a bit about it here. Out of curiosity, anyone have any ideas about HF mobile under the same circumstances? |
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Posted: 7/14/2013 6:34:48 PM EDT
[#9]
Here is the Jeep I sold... had it from 2004 until yesterday.
 pic taken in flagstaff in 2007
 pic taken at home 2 years ago
Here are some pics of the m3 :) Bought it out of storage from a retired PG executive, it sat there for 10 years, never has been intended as a daily driver.  e90 in background is my mommies car
Cant wait to have a dual bander in it, also already had plans for some X, K, and Ka band microwave transmitters also. 
Also have a lot more plans for the drivetrain as well.    
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Posted: 7/14/2013 6:37:05 PM EDT
[#10]
Perhaps your only reliable HF option is to install a small trailer hitch and go from there. You could also make a bracket extending from under the rear bumper and use a smaller size Tarheel "screwdriver" or just a Ham-stick antenna. Either way it won't be a "chick magnet" and will spoil your car appearance, unless you find a GF with a HAM license.
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Posted: 7/14/2013 6:43:57 PM EDT
[#11]
Quoted:
Perhaps your only reliable HF option is to install a small trailer hitch and go from there. You could also make a bracket extending from under the rear bumper and use a smaller size Tarheel "screwdriver" or just a Ham-stick antenna. Either way it won't be a "chick magnet" and will spoil your car appearance, unless you find a GF with a HAM license. I tried hard at dayton at the YL forum... I have been using this antenna for mobile HF with AWESOME results... no moving parts, cheap, and doesnt get destroyed by trees or mud offroad like a screwdrivers motor can.(obviously not going offroad in the m3 but i will end up getting a truck this fall for my DD) Only has a 5.5 foot whip and a transmatch integrated. Maybe I can use my stock towhook mounts for one with no mods... http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/10340 |
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Posted: 7/14/2013 7:20:30 PM EDT
[#12]
Maybe you could go to a sign shop and ask them for a 4" piece of scrap 2mil vinyl. You cut it in a circle the size of a small mag mount and put it on your deck lid. Or look into a lip mount for the front of the deck lid. |
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Posted: 7/15/2013 3:10:19 AM EDT
[#13]
The Chamtech guys are complete and utter charlatans. Snake oil. And printed antennas are nothing new. I had a beautiful wideband log periodic that we did on a roll up vinyl substrate back in 1984. Maybe I should put up a mysterious sounding website with stock photography for images...
Covert antennas are NEVER as good as regular antennas. Sometimes they are "good enough", but they are never as good. You can bend metal into interesting shapes and do funny things to it to get it to present a good VSWR to the radio but it isn't going to radiate as well as a the more efficient shapes. There is a whole spectrum of efficiency between 1:1 VSWR full wave radiator and a 50 Ohm load which also has perfect VSWR. |
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Posted: 7/15/2013 5:29:08 AM EDT
[#14]
If you go with the thru-glass model, make sure it's clear of the rear window deicer traces.
I put a trunk-lip mount on my wife's car. After about 10 years, I took it off when we traded and there were no signs of marring of the paint job. If you keep the plastic disk on the bottom of the mag mount clean, you should not have any trouble with scratching. I haven't. |
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Posted: 7/15/2013 7:06:44 AM EDT
[#15]
for HF, get a K-400 3/8 trunk lip mount and a TARHEEL II
http://www.gigaparts.com/store.php?action=profile&sku=ZDM-K400-38C 
for VHF/UHF get a NMO trunk lip mount http://www.amazon.com/Trunk-Lip-Mount/dp/B004SJNWN6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1373900555&sr=8-2&keywords=nmo+trunk+mount 
mount them on opposite sides of you trunk When I sold my car, I removed them, and waxed the area a bit, and you could never tell they were there. |
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Posted: 7/15/2013 1:00:08 PM EDT
[#16]
You probably don't want to hear this but unfortunately your options are pretty much limited to drilling a hole or not mounting an antenna. A properly installed NMO mount will not damage the paint in any way, anything mounted to the paint via magnet, suction cups etc will damage the paint long term................. guaranteed.
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Posted: 7/15/2013 7:14:51 PM EDT
[#17]
Quoted:
You probably don't want to hear this but unfortunately your options are pretty much limited to drilling a hole or not mounting an antenna. A properly installed NMO mount will not damage the paint in any way, anything mounted to the paint via magnet, suction cups etc will damage the paint long term................. guaranteed. I sure wouldn't poke a hole in that car (and I've done two in my truck) some of the trunk lip/hood lip ones posted would work pretty well but still may be too close to damaging for that car... glass mounts universally are pretty crappy |
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Posted: 7/15/2013 7:46:35 PM EDT
[#18]
Found an interior shot of the fender mount I have. The bolt holding it on is a factory bolt in the factory location.
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Posted: 7/15/2013 7:49:05 PM EDT
[#19]
Quoted:
Found an interior shot of the fender mount I have. The bolt holding it on is a factory bolt in the factory location. http://www.gamiviti.com/images/tallowpot/antennamount_installed_close.jpg Did you Make or Buy that? |
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Posted: 7/15/2013 8:50:12 PM EDT
[#20]
A trunk mount, hood channel mount, or NMO are really the only ways to go. Trunk mounts shouldn't damage the paint on the exterior (maybe where the set screws tighten on the inside of the lip but there is touchup for that). NMO isn't really a big deal, especially if you can get enough of your paint to have a NMO cap PTM. Some might even think it is a satellite or gps antenna then. Drilling holes in the roof isn't a big deal to me…then again I've never really cared about the paint of my vehicles due to things like frequent dust storms and the fact one of them is a hunter green XJ which has a clear coat problem just like all hunter green XJs seem to have (actually getting ready to pop a hole or two in the roof of that one).
The cell look a like antennas, they aren't worth it. Glass makes a good insulator though… |
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Posted: 7/15/2013 9:34:11 PM EDT
[#21]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Found an interior shot of the fender mount I have. The bolt holding it on is a factory bolt in the factory location. http://www.gamiviti.com/images/tallowpot/antennamount_installed_close.jpg Did you Make or Buy that? Bought it. http://www.gamiviti.com/html/products_antennamounts.html There are more generic ones available, and you drill the bottom of the mount to fit whatever screws/bolts are available in your car. |
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Posted: 7/16/2013 6:52:59 AM EDT
[#22]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Found an interior shot of the fender mount I have. The bolt holding it on is a factory bolt in the factory location. http://www.gamiviti.com/images/tallowpot/antennamount_installed_close.jpg Did you Make or Buy that? Bought it. http://www.gamiviti.com/html/products_antennamounts.html There are more generic ones available, and you drill the bottom of the mount to fit whatever screws/bolts are available in your car. Thank you (I really need to put some radios in our vehicles) |
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Posted: 7/16/2013 1:53:54 PM EDT
[#23]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Found an interior shot of the fender mount I have. The bolt holding it on is a factory bolt in the factory location. http://www.gamiviti.com/images/tallowpot/antennamount_installed_close.jpg Did you Make or Buy that? Bought it. http://www.gamiviti.com/html/products_antennamounts.html There are more generic ones available, and you drill the bottom of the mount to fit whatever screws/bolts are available in your car. Thank you (I really need to put some radios in our vehicles) Some are vehicle specific. They have them for 05-07 classic GM pickups (07+ GM NBS will take the generic style), 94-01/02 Dodge Ram, 02/03-09/10 Ram, 09/10+ Ram. Firestik used to make Jeep TJ/YJ mounts for both the back bumper and hood. Basically the only ones you really have to start getting fancy with is when the hood has rolled edges that go over the fender panels. My 06 Dodge has to have a specialty mount for example to do a hood channel. My 04 Trailblazer will take a generic mount as will my XJ (I have one for the Trailblazer for APRS, just haven't installed yet). Just depends on the vehicles (Antenna Farm has a decent selection of vehicle specific mounts). |
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Posted: 7/17/2013 8:14:02 AM EDT
[#24]
Quoted:
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Quoted:
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Quoted:
Found an interior shot of the fender mount I have. The bolt holding it on is a factory bolt in the factory location. http://www.gamiviti.com/images/tallowpot/antennamount_installed_close.jpg Did you Make or Buy that? Bought it. http://www.gamiviti.com/html/products_antennamounts.html There are more generic ones available, and you drill the bottom of the mount to fit whatever screws/bolts are available in your car. Thank you (I really need to put some radios in our vehicles) Some are vehicle specific. They have them for 05-07 classic GM pickups (07+ GM NBS will take the generic style), 94-01/02 Dodge Ram, 02/03-09/10 Ram, 09/10+ Ram. Firestik used to make Jeep TJ/YJ mounts for both the back bumper and hood. Basically the only ones you really have to start getting fancy with is when the hood has rolled edges that go over the fender panels. My 06 Dodge has to have a specialty mount for example to do a hood channel. My 04 Trailblazer will take a generic mount as will my XJ (I have one for the Trailblazer for APRS, just haven't installed yet). Just depends on the vehicles (Antenna Farm has a decent selection of vehicle specific mounts). Just an FYI for any Tacoma owners out there. I couldn't find a Tacoma specific mount from anyone but a company called WestCrystal out of Canada. It fits perfect with no rubbing and it used existing bolts. With shipping it was about $20. |
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Posted: 7/17/2013 6:58:04 PM EDT
[#25]
Well, good news is no antenna needs to go on the M3... I bought a 7 series yesterday (which has a 110 amp hour battery in it
)
I may still get a through the glass one (i know it isnt optimal) for the m3 just to hit the local repeater though. Thanks for the replies guys. |
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Posted: 7/17/2013 9:09:36 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Well, good news is no antenna needs to go on the M3... I bought a 7 series yesterday It's kind of funny, there is a guy online that uses my call sign for forums and his You Tube account. He is a 7 Series fanatic, and goes by his state abbreviation coupled with "7S". Just happens to match my call sign. :) |
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Posted: 7/18/2013 6:59:20 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Link http://www.mfjenterprises.com/pictures/thumbs/MFJ-310.jpg slides over the glass on your window I have one of these for use on rental cars when traveling for work, and it works pretty well  I think mine is a Diamond brand though.
For my own car, I use a Comet CP-5M clamp-on mount: 
More info here: LINK The only permanent modification I made was to use a drill bit on the underside of my deck lid to to break the paint, in order to get the two grub screws down to bare metal. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 7/18/2013 7:42:06 AM EDT
[#28]
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