Yaesu FT-8800R Need Antenna Advise

[KD8SIZ]

Thanks for everyone's input, I appreciate the help in getting up to speed.
K6LCS with regard to your question as to the type of glass the back window it is labeled “non tinted” and it appears clear. My truck is not the expended cab model. It is a great truck but it is very small with not much wiggle room to install and / or stash stuff. 73 / John Miles KD8SIZ

[KF5KEA]

I Use this antenna and a hood seam mount and it works like a dream: http://www.diamondantenna.net/nr770hnmo.html. And if I ever want to add and amp it will handle 200 watts.

[K6LCS]

>> ... the type of glass the back window it is labeled “non tinted” and it appears clear ...

My Larsen KG Series through the glass antennas are working excellently on the back of my Ranger's stationary sections of the sliding glass rear window.

Clint K6LCS

[KG8G]

John,
Just saw your post - have you decided on the antenna? I had great success with the Larsen KG2/70UDPL and would recommend it to anyone.
If you go through-the-glass, I can advise or you can get this info from the Pulse/Larsen antenna catalog. I also have one for sale!
http://dayton.craigslist.org/ele/3113408174.html
73,
Jerry KG8G

[N9RAM]

I'll toss in another recommendation for the Larsen 2/70 NMO. We drilled the hole and I've hit 2m repeaters 80 miles away and 70cm repeaters 50 or more away with great signal reports. I used a magmount with the same transceiver -- the FT-7900, which is very similar to your 8800 under the hood -- and did not do half as well.

If you're like me, you're going to keep your car until it's worthless anyway, so drill as many holes as you want.

For what it's worth, I personally would not have done the drilling myself without seeing someone else do it first -- I am simply not that handy at this point. That said, it appeared to be pretty trivial. However, your local HRO or AES or whatever can recommend a NMO installer they trust their customers to. Another option would be consulting your local land mobile radio dealer (just google for motorlola dealer or vertex dealer) and they'll do the job for you for $50 or so.

As a matter of fact, I'm considering drilling another hole -- one in the trunk deck for a dedicated 70cm 1/4-wave antenna for days when I'll be using parking garages.

[W6TMI]

I use a magmount only because my garage is quite a bit lower then the antenna. Performance wise, side by side I hit repeaters somewhat distant as well as someone next to me with a permanent mount, similar sized antenna.

Physically though, from experience, the mag mount if left on will damage the paint around it, as much as drilling a hole.. sans hole of course. My preference would be a permanent mount and be done.

I have a double cab '06 taco, not sure if the non double sized has the same areas, but there's a spot under the back seat and behind the back seat that are large enough to place an IC-7000. In a single cab, perhaps behind the front seat.

The remote head mounted above the dash via a window suction cup made from generic GPS units, audio & video goes to a channel of my nav/stereo.