I am wanting to setup mobile HF on my Ram 1500. I am familiar with bonding and all that, my big thing is I don't want to store my truck outside. Are there good mounts/antennas/setups that would allow for the antenna to fold before going in the garage? I don't want to mount in the bed as we only have 1 vehicle and we need the tonneau cover. Thoughts / ideas / suggestions? Thanks.
I have zero experience with the various folding mounts, so no help there, but have you considered one of those mounts that slips between the fender and hood for an NMO base?
I had that before with the tarheel antenna I used in the past. It wasn't my favorite location, but is also still a posibility. I was even trying to think about a quick connect/disconnect so I could put the antenna on when i was going on a long trip and take it off when going around town .
Check out Breedlove mounts.... https://www.breedlovemounts.com/ They have several fold over and mounts for pickups and it is all very high quality. John WD5IKX / m
https://www.breedlovemounts.com/fold-over-coupling.html That one looks like exactly what I am looking for. Then I can get a rubber plug or something to keep the water out when the antenna isn't on there.
Mine HF antenna is hardly "garage friendly" so I just leave the back of my 1500 sticking out from the carport. I can take the coil and whip off if I have to go under something really low. John WD5IKX / m
Here is what I did on my 2016 Ram. The antenna is a Tarheel M75a, and I started out with a breedlove clamp mount. It slid under the front of my tonneau cover. It wasn't quite sturdy enough, in my opinion, for the M75a, so I ended up bolting a piece of angle iron across the top of my front bed rail, and ran a vertical piece of aluminum between the cab and box. I bolted the aluminum and angle iron together to add rigidity to the mount. I modified the top portion of the breedlove mount, and it connects to my mount to hold my antenna. I still have full functionality of my tonneau cover, and a nice center mounted, high location for my screwdriver. When I want to park in my garage, I do have to climb into the box and tilt down the antenna by using the breedlove tilt mount. No tools are required, and it is quick to do. I can also fully unscrew the tilt mount, and place the whip into the cab of my pickup if necessary. The bottom portion of the tilt mount stays on top of the screwdriver, so no sealant required. Wane - KB7FSC
My truck antenna setup is not garage friendly either haha... Roy's image Truck stays outside haha Roy Ken
they are very handy for garages. However I had similar ones and both of them failed while driving the autobahn hwy 401 at the usual 80-85mph (everyone passing me of course) just keep an eye on the area where the 2 sides meet the bottom part, thats where the ones I used failed after about a year of use each. The brass just cracked then snapped, maybe a better metal would have lasted Those Breedlove ones may have better metal and the hex shape likely makes it stronger than the ones I used I ended up going to a bayonet mount and just putting the entire antenna in the back of the mini van
