| This is my mobile Hustler antenna on my 2011 Honda Ridgeline. |
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Here's a close-up of the antenna mount. I removed the upper cargo strapping bracket and used a slightly modified
Radio Shack mirror/luggage-rack CB antenna mount. It turns out that the mount takes a standard 3/8" stud, which
matches the Hustler threading.
Note that this mount has the quick disconnect bayonet mount and the spring wobbler. With the quick disconnect I can remove the antenna completely if I want to put a cover on the truck bed. Also note that the Radio Shack antenna mount has a ridge in the bracket, which prevents the bolts from sitting flush against it. This is just a prototype and I'll be making a new set of brackets, one for each side of the truck bed, that are flat. |
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Here's what it looks like with the antenna mast folded down. I use a bungee cord to anchor the tip
of the whip to the luggage rack.
Because I have the quick disconnect, this is only used if I want to leave the antenna attached when I park the vehicle in the garage. |
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Here's the intial installation of the VHF/UHF whip antenna. In this photo, I just clamped the
Radio Shack mount onto the cargo bracket and screwed my 144/440 whip antenna into it. It's a
litte below the lip of the cargo bed, so I will probably make a new bracket that elevates it up to,
at least, the height of the lip of the bed.
The reason I don't have this whip mounted on the top of the cab of the truck is that it's just a bit too tall to drive the vehicle into the garage. I can't do a through-the-window mount because the rear window of the cab is recessed behind the roof of the cab. An alternative is a lip-mount on one of the doors or the hood, both of which are mechanically bad ideas. Which leaves the final alternative of a mag-mount on the hood, which looks crappy. |
