Mobile antenna mounts
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2005 3:55 pm
So what do you guys/gals think of 3/8 hole NMO mounts as opposed to 3/4 hole NMO mounts? I've been told that the smaller 3/8 hole makes the mounting significantly stronger.
While we're on the subject, what do you think of RG8X coax in mobile installations? I know, it's solid core. But man, the loss is so much lower. As long as I'm adding a NMO mount GPS antenna using RG8X, it would seem appropriate to just install all my NMO mounts with RG8X. Antenex also sells mounts with a (stranded core) Teflon coax that has low loss, but not as low loss as RG8X.
I'll be putting either a VHF/UHF/800Mhz antenna or just an 800Mhz antenna on one NMO mount and a (~1500Hhz) GPS antenna on another NMO mount. The first antenna will likely scrape my garage roof twice a day. I'd rather not throw away signal if I don't have to, particularly with the tri-band antenna which according to the specs is already -7dbi down on one of the bands (and this is a good antenna). The extra cost of 8X is just a few bucks, so I guess the only real question there is whether or not I'll be shooting myself in the foot by trying to install a solid core coax in a mobile installation (e.g., is 8X too easy to crush, bend too much, etc)? If 8X is too touchy, I should probably use Antenex Teflon coax instead.
While we're on the subject, what do you think of RG8X coax in mobile installations? I know, it's solid core. But man, the loss is so much lower. As long as I'm adding a NMO mount GPS antenna using RG8X, it would seem appropriate to just install all my NMO mounts with RG8X. Antenex also sells mounts with a (stranded core) Teflon coax that has low loss, but not as low loss as RG8X.
I'll be putting either a VHF/UHF/800Mhz antenna or just an 800Mhz antenna on one NMO mount and a (~1500Hhz) GPS antenna on another NMO mount. The first antenna will likely scrape my garage roof twice a day. I'd rather not throw away signal if I don't have to, particularly with the tri-band antenna which according to the specs is already -7dbi down on one of the bands (and this is a good antenna). The extra cost of 8X is just a few bucks, so I guess the only real question there is whether or not I'll be shooting myself in the foot by trying to install a solid core coax in a mobile installation (e.g., is 8X too easy to crush, bend too much, etc)? If 8X is too touchy, I should probably use Antenex Teflon coax instead.