Ball mount with SO239

[W5DQ]

I doubt you will find what you are looking for because to get it to work the center pin and ground would have to be reversed. And to kludge something together will probably break off when stressed under load. Been there done that by having a hamstick break a homebrew mount and had it dragging behind the car (by the coax) in freeway traffic in OKC on I-40 till I could clear traffic and pull over. Lets just say the XYL was NOT pleased!!!!

You might want to look at the K400 mount from Diamond. It supports a sizeable antenna load if I recall the specs correctly.

Gene W5DQ

[K9STH]

I cannot locate the ball mount with the SO-239 connector on it right now. However, it definitely does not require any reversal of connections! Coming from the ball itself is the center pin of the SO-239. The outside insulator is somewhat thicker than those mounts that have a machine screw connection and the mounting nut on the ball is on the outside of the vehicle. The inner part of the mount has the outside of the SO-239 on it with a hole in the center to pass the pin from the ball mount itself.

The mounting holes in this inner plate match up with those in the outside insulator just like with a "normal" mount and its backing plate. When the machine screws are in place the inside plate (with the outside of the SO-239) centers with the pin from the ball mount. When the machine screws are tightened, the ground connection between the outside of the SO-239 and the body of the vehicle is made.

I can find a high power load for a low-band antenna that is made to replace the "buggy whip" type of ball mount. That load has a solid plate with the SO-239 mounted. When the machine screws are installed, the SO-239 centers in the original large hole for the ball mount and the ground connection is made through the mounting machine screws. Of course, with the load, the length of the whip is shortened.

Glen, K9STH

[KY5U]

I repeat, they make screws thread to so239 adapters. My previous message showed a female to so239 as an example and here's the male. Easy fix, cheap and fast. Does not require going around your elbow to get to your a$$. Just add ground between SO239 shield connection and ground.

http://www.hamcq.com/coax-connectors-and-tools/pl259-so239-uhf-coax-connectors-adapters/uhf-female-so-239-with-3/8-24-thread-coax-connector/prod_53.html

[WB2WIK]

The infamous ATAS-100 and ATAS-120 mini-screwdriver antennas from Yaesu both use a PL-259 mount format. I had one (-100) for a while and used the Diamond K400 trunk mount and had limited success with it. A buddy tried the same mount with a -120 and could never get it to work correctly.

Gene W5DQ

I think using the PL-259 as a mechanical fixing for an HF antenna is silly. Of course the ATAS antennas are quite small and low wind load compared with most HF mobile whips. It's remarkable they don't break (I suspect some do).

[W5DMG]

The High Sierra model has the 239 connector at the wrong location, where the coax connects.
The antenna I want to use is a new Diamond half wave 6 meter, that is 8 feet tall.
It has a PL259 connector at the base, just like all their VHF/UHF antennas
I have tried the Diamond K400C HD mount with a 7 foot tall HF antenna, bad idea.
The antenna swayed back and forth, would have required guying for it to work.

[W5DMG]

Thanks for your input KY5U, I will forward this info to Jerry and then maybe he can order one and figure out how to make a ball mount
with the adapter being physically part of the mount. Therefore making it stronger, and less parts to break.

I repeat, they make screws thread to so239 adapters. My previous message showed a female to so239 as an example and here's the male. Easy fix, cheap and fast. Does not require going around your elbow to get to your a$$. Just add ground between SO239 shield connection and ground.

http://www.hamcq.com/coax-connectors-and-tools/pl259-so239-uhf-coax-connectors-adapters/uhf-female-so-239-with-3/8-24-thread-coax-connector/prod_53.html

[K8JD]

I serviced a few low-VHF band systems and the vehicles that used the 1/4 wave whips got ball mounts with screw connections for the coax installed. It was a standard item.
It is simple enough to strip the end of coax and twist the shield up and crimp to a ring terminal and crimp another one onto the center wire and screw them down to the ball mount !
This arrangement stayed in place until the vehicle was retired !
Who is afraid to cut the factory installed PL259 off a hunk of coax !?

Thanks for your input KY5U, I will forward this info to Jerry and then maybe he can order one and figure out how to make a ball mount
with the adapter being physically part of the mount. Therefore making it stronger, and less parts to break.

[KY5U]

Thanks for your input KY5U, I will forward this info to Jerry and then maybe he can order one and figure out how to make a ball mount
with the adapter being physically part of the mount. Therefore making it stronger, and less parts to break.

No problem. I tried to listen to what you needed and respond to that, rather than Impress you with my knowledge. That was easy, I just ain't as smart as these guys.