R&DScott
Seattle
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Joined: 06/24/2007
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Looking to mount a 4 band (4btv) vertical on the travel trailer. Anyone have a mount suggestion. ground with radials is out for most parks I use, so somthing solid to bumper or somthing like that to hold it up?
R & D Scott
2008 Everest 322R 5th wheel
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John-in-SWO
Essex County
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Joined: 06/26/2007
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Maybe a welding shop can fabricate something that will mount in your hitch receiver, similar in principle to a bike carrier, assuming your TV is parked nearby? That should be mechanically strong enough for the 4BTV, although I don't know what to do about the ground plane problem. I had a 5BTV for a while and it was a great vertical until I bought myself a chainsaw and cut down a tree nearby with terrible consequences.
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Joined: 07/04/2006
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Well... On the back of my Class A is a Draw-Tight brand 2-bike bicycle carrier
The pipe is 2 1/2 inches (about) in diamater.. This is a "hitch mount" carrier and bolts to a "Tab" that Blue ox was kind enough to weld onto my hitch for me (it is a blue ox hitch)
Turns out the baseplate on the hustler 4btv I have is... 2 1/2 inches (about) wide
Well, of course the mount is not able to bolt to a 2 1/2 inch pipe
So I got some 1 1/2" iron pipe size "U" bolts at Home Depot. These are about 1/8" too small but you can bend the ends of the "U" slightly and still get 'em together
I did this, then ran the nuts down, trimmed a couple inches of excess bolt off the ends Out wards of the nuts) with my saws all and backed the nuts off a bit and dropped a drop of Locktite on 'em and ran 'em back down.
Result is a very nice mount and when I'm going down the road, bicycle on rack and all but the bottom section of the antenna in the basement storage
You can't even see it
Radials.. Well I feed it with an auto tuner so I really don't worry much about 'em though I do stick a ground rod in the ground on occasion
I try to stick the rod where the A/C condensate drips off when I can
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business
John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
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KeninAZ
SE AZ
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Joined: 06/22/2002
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You say a trailer. A 5th wheel or regular travel trailer?
With a standard trailer I don't know why you could not build a bracket to hold it right on the tongue of the trailer.
With a 5ver you could mount a pipe flange (1 1/4" pipe should work as that gives you a 1 1/2" OD) under the frame but drilling or welding. Then screw in pipe in various lengths with elbows to get the mount outside the trailer with a riser to get the antenna away from the side of the unit for SWR and safety purposes.
I have used both black iron and galvanised for this type of mount mounting big screwdrivers. Your vertical may have more wind surface resistance but I cannot imagine that this setup will not hold it. And you can unscrew the thing like an erector set when you travel for storage.
As far as the radials go yes a vertical normally needs them. But this is a mobile mount after all and bonding to your RV frame may work for you.
I use a CB whip and an AH-4 tuner for 6-40 Meters and it works pretty well. Just an idea.
73 de W7WV
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Tsalla Apopka
Pine Ridge, FL
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Joined: 06/04/2002
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The largest flat ground plain area would be the roof of the trailer if it's aluminum. It would be kinda easily seen up there so that may not be the best spot.........You could have the base mounted in the center of the roof and radials that folded out from there so it would go down the road or pop in place in a few minutes when parked.
Isn't there a mobile HF vertical with a tuner that doesn't require a ground plain? I'd check with Ham Radio Outlet..
Denny & Karen
Florida's Beautiful "Nature Coast"
Holiday Rambler Traveler 29' (A TREK in disguise!!)
Brit,TDI,BH & Claire,TDI (Belgian Sheepdogs)
Glady(Morgan Mare - retired),Toes & Beemer(Barn Cats-retired)
WA4OMG (Old Mangy Goat)
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stevelv
FullTimers at Last!
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Joined: 05/24/2006
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I have a drawbar extension that has a hole drilled through for my Tarheel screwdriver - It's electrically and RF connected to the RV chassis, but I really want an extending flagpole - saw some nice ones with a base plate that you drive onto for stability. Only issue is finding somewhere to store it.
RV Park Finder
Fulltimers
2002 Beaver Santiam 38DST + Banks + 99 Jeep GC
DH,DW,Jake and Indie
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R&DScott
Seattle
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wa8yxm wrote:
You wouldnt happen to have pics would you ?
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R&DScott
Seattle
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Joined: 06/24/2007
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KeninAZ wrote:You say a trailer. A 5th wheel or regular travel trailer?
73 de W7WV
Standard Travel Trailer. Id rather put it in the rear with a Bumber mount. My Bumper is 2 1/2" square tubing. Id like to get it on that and above the roofline.
Still looking
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KeninAZ
SE AZ
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Joined: 06/22/2002
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OK you have a TT.
How about going down to a good hardware store and taking a look at some UniStrut? It will mount to almost anything you can bolt to and it should provide enough vertical support along it's mount for your antenna. You could bolt it to your bumper and then to your RV or even your ladder for support. You can account for uneven surfaces with off setting steel rods or supports for the strut.
Then there are an amazing number and types of clamps for almost every type and size of pipe know to mankind for mounting pipe just the size you will need for your vertical antenna.
Then, if you really wanted to get fancy you could make a hinge for the top of your mount that would allow you to lay the 4BTV down along the top of your TT for travel.
Just make sure your bumper has good support (many don't) and that you have a good ground to the chassis of that unit.
And you may have to guy the 4BTV with some black dacron line for further vertcial support but that's easy too.
I love doing mobile installs. They keep you thinking.
73 de W7WV
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wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
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Joined: 07/04/2006
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stevelv wrote:I have a drawbar extension that has a hole drilled through for my Tarheel screwdriver - It's electrically and RF connected to the RV chassis, but I really want an extending flagpole - saw some nice ones with a base plate that you drive onto for stability. Only issue is finding somewhere to store it.
The flagpole, retracted, stores in any pass through compartment, if you don't have pass through you can bolt a PVC pipe under your rig (I will tell you how in a second) and store it there.
To bolt a PVC Pipe you cut a piece to length, take into account an end cap and a threaded adapter (With a threaded "plug" to fit it) Find the holes you wish to use to mount it and drill 4 holes in the pipe, two small ones and across from them two much larger ones (These pass the wrench)
Bolts go up through the hole into the frame of the RV and then bolt 'em down.
Pole stores inside the pipe I recommend stove bolts (The kind with the smooth head and the square shank) this will require careful drilling.
As for the drive on base
It fits well atop an entry step
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