Glass Mount Mobile Ham Radio Antenna Install ~ VHF UHF Repeaters

Рет қаралды 87,008

Күн бұрын

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I install the Tram Browning 1191 Amateur Dual Band Glass Mount Antenna UHF 440-450 MHz and VHF 144-148 MHz PL-259 for Icom HYT Vertex Mobiles two way radio antenna
VHF 144-148 MHz 2.5 dBd gain
UHF 440-450 MHz 4.5 dBd gain
Max power 50 Watts
VSWR less than 1.5:1
28 1/2" Height
Easy installation. I chose this for my vehicle has glass. I used it in the "out of the box" condition and experienced poor performance. To properly use this antenna you will have to sweep it to check SWR. I used a MFJ-226 and was able to see the SWR change in real time as I adjusted the small screw. I was able to get the antenna down to 1.24, but when I added the clip for a ground plane it dropped all the way down to 1.19. Again simple to trim if you have the proper tools. The SWR at 144.100mhz was 1.45 and at 148.000mhz it was 1.50. It fell to 1.19 at 146.675mhz. I had a hard time trying to figure out the way to use the ground plane. I found it to be effective if you tighten the fitting on the hook to keep it in place. Look at the pictures. When you use the ground clip, be sure it is perpendicular to your whip.
00:00 Introduction
00:57 The Connector
01:30 Cleaning the Surface
01:42 Placement of the Antenna
01:55 Silicone Sealant
03:53 Testing the SWR

Пікірлер: 157

@midwestoffgrid9190 6 жыл бұрын

Great video! Thanks for the sub. This is exactly what I need. I tried a cheapo antenna from Amazon a while back that was a magnet bottom and wired down the side of my car door. After a while it just fell apart. I’ll try one of these. I’m a total noob at HAM life. But trying to learn a bit as I go. Thanks dude.

@hamradiocq 6 жыл бұрын

Midwest Off Grid this will get you up and running on local repeaters. We can radio talk sometime if you want. My Twitter is @MyWheelsRock

@whalerlife53 4 жыл бұрын

Trim the glass and antenna base out with blue painters tape. Run your bead all the way around then remove the tape. No mess and perfect lines. I do the same thing when i use a caulking gun. Tape both sides if necessary run your bead of caulking, smooth out with your finger then remove tape. Works perfect.

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

Great idea!

@brucel399 2 жыл бұрын

I've used several of these over the years on different vehicles. Never had a problem. I currently have one for GMRS use on my pickup and my inlaws RV. Due to restrictions in my neighborhood, I have one attached to the only single pane window in my home. They all work perfectly. CHEERS from Colorado

@MCCRITTERS 6 жыл бұрын

A tip my dad showed me many years ago, dip your finger in some liquid dish soap before you smooth out the silicone. The wet silicone will not stick to your finger and the fillet comes out very smooth and less cleaning up to do after it dries. ;-)

@hamradiocq 6 жыл бұрын

I think I saw the "this old house" dudes do that for caulking too! Great reminder. Thanks.

@kombibob 5 жыл бұрын

Mike Jacobs Or a little bit of spit in your hand.

@jay-rus4437 4 жыл бұрын

Mike Jacobs ....as a renovations contractor I can attest to this. Huge difference when using dish soap water. So much cleaner, and easier.

@mrfancypants29 3 жыл бұрын

The silicone sounds like possibly a good idea. I never would’ve thought of this either!

@hamradiocq 2 жыл бұрын

Old ham radio guy taught me that.

@jamesrussell7488 5 жыл бұрын

Interesting install! Silicone wouldn't have been something I would've thought of using for a good tight seal, especially on glass for an antenna but I understand as to why you use it. Been thinking about putting two different glass mount antennas on my car to do away with my two stud mount antennas and seeing how you've done yours, looks to be s very good idea. Thanks for your informal video! It's very helpful

@hamradiocq 5 жыл бұрын

Its still atanding strong too

@Neil_Morris 6 жыл бұрын

I had one of those aerials about 15 years ago. I don't think the glass I attached it to had a flat enough profile and it flew off into the distance some months later :( While I had it I was extremely impressed by how well it worked on both bands. I believe you've made a better job of sticking out on than I did so let's hope it stays with you for many years :) 73 de G0TVJ

@hamradiocq 6 жыл бұрын

Ideally one should put it out of the wind perhaps on the back window if you don't have those heating defrost lines. I think this silicone will keep water and dirt from getting in between and keep it on. Hopefully this will help out some new ham.

@sav7152 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for making this!

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for taking time for nice comment.

@sav7152 4 жыл бұрын

Really helped me as far as mapping out how I'm going to approach this. Can't believe the watts you can put through one of those antennas! Very cool!

@IsqueiroMusic 4 жыл бұрын

I didn’t know about this solution it looks awesome and very practical thank you for sharing this idea!! 73

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind comment.

@mackfisher4487 4 жыл бұрын

I work for a two-way radio shop we installed hundreds of ASP's glass mount 800 MHz antennas the installation kit came with silicon rubber and the instructions spelled out using silicon around the mount of the antenna on the outside of the glass to reinforce the 3M double-sided tape pad, We use silicon rubber on both the antenna and a coil on the inside of the glass.

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

Ok, tnx

@BakerStudiosIndy 2 жыл бұрын

Funny thing: I've been installing glass mounts for more than 30 years in both ham and commercial applications... Mainly Larsen, but quite a few Tram models... And I've never had one fall off. I've seen them last ten or more years in use. I've had my own last more than five despite Illinois winters and weekly automatic car washes. And I've never had to seal any of the hundreds I've installed and maintained. Seems like overkill, but if it makes you feel more secure, go for it.

@hamradiocq 2 жыл бұрын

Yeah thanks for the comment, probably don't need extra adhesion, but it makes me warm fuzzy

@tonymcgee1146 6 жыл бұрын

I've used glass mounts before with good performance. I'm not trying to hit repeaters 100 miles away, just local ones. No problems hitting some repeaters 40-50 miles.

@hamradiocq 6 жыл бұрын

I hear ya

@troypurnell7479 3 жыл бұрын

Im new to ham, but what is that moris code sound for?

@kj4ilk 5 жыл бұрын

I've talked to you I think before on the 210 EchoLink 73 de Ki4nzj Richard Waynesville Missouri

@dwgelle 5 жыл бұрын

Installed a ton of those for Cellular and worked well with out the silicone layer

@hamradiocq 5 жыл бұрын

Someone commented below theirs fell off

@r.w.7232 5 жыл бұрын

@@hamradiocq If the mount is installed correctly on clean glass, it wont fall off.

@lorneve1bxk897 4 жыл бұрын

I have found that by craping off the paint on the L shaped ground rod on the end that screws and attaches onto the RF connector, the SWR tuning is 100 % better than before with better return loss etc.

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

That is a great comment and idea, Lorne. Will do.

@juliusarnold2844 4 жыл бұрын

Off the entire piece or just the part that makes a connection at the bracket?

@justaguy4788 3 жыл бұрын

I used to live right down the street from you!

@hamradiocq 3 жыл бұрын

Ha. Where ru now?

@justaguy4788 3 жыл бұрын

@@hamradiocq I was a kid, San Diego now. We were actually out on Britton. K2IGO

@johnryding1630 6 жыл бұрын

My problem with a similar installation was not the mount itself, but the antenna coming loose from the mount.

@Captain-ku2rm 3 жыл бұрын

The silicone seems like a very good idea...but, really and truely, I've used these on-glass antennas for 30 years, and never had one fall off, not even close. In fact, I've often taken the old antennas off the cars when I got a new car, and reused the same antenna by using the remount kits with new pads, after cleaning off the residual adhesive pads on the used bases. The antenna bases are rock solid on the window using the adhesive pads provided, and when removing the bases to move them to another vehicle, I've had ro use Glue Gone, a putty knife to pry the bases loose, and it took some real elbow grease, and very cautious effort not to break the window. That's how tightly adhered to the window they have always been. Now, my vehicles are always garaged, and perhaps if vehicles are outside all the time, the silicone sealant is necessary. I live in St. Louis too, where Ham Radio CQ indicated he also lives. So the weather I experience is the same as he experiences. Perhaps it's something that someone would experience in a different climate where the sealant idea would be necessary. But, for over thirty years, and probably six or seven antennas, some remounted using the remount kits, sealant has never been necessary. Just my two cents that might save an extra step.

@hamradiocq 3 жыл бұрын

I hear ya. It's probably not necessary, but I like to add it on. I moved away from St. Louis. I live in NE Oklahoma City now. Loving it so far.

@Captain-ku2rm 3 жыл бұрын

@@hamradiocq Hi, yeah, it occurs to me that some may have purchased on-glass antenna brands that needed some extra help from Silicone sealant. I always puechased MFJ brand or Antenna Specialist Brand on-glass antennas, and with those two brands, the adhesion was always excellent. I'm not affiliated with either of those brands. But, with respect to Antenna Specialist, I began using them when I was employed in law enforcement, and that was the brand that was always installed on the patrol cars. Then, later on, over time, Antenna Specialist just seemed like they had lost some of their prominence in the market place as other brands started to cut into their market share. So, I started using MFJ brand, and it performed as well as what I experienced with the Antenna Specialist brand.

@Colonizedbrain 4 жыл бұрын

Saliva on your finger works fantastically to smooth silicone!!!

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

I hear ya

@denelson83 3 жыл бұрын

That's essentially a dipole, with one side outside the vehicle and the other side inside.

@hamradiocq 2 жыл бұрын

yep

@johnryding1630 6 жыл бұрын

Shouldn't this work with any dual band (VHF/UHF0 radio?

@SuAmigoElilegal 3 жыл бұрын

Ok so i tun on my radio and the red light on my radio is blinking. I oress one the side assign buttoms on my cp200 motorolla and im ablemto hear conversation. but as soon i let go of that buttom i dont hear anything but the light keeps blinkin so the conversation still there but i have to press the side buttom. Not the ptt buttom but the lower bottom side buttoms . How can i listen continuous without presssing the side buttom. Im doint something wron or that is how it works

@unluck75 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video . I've been eyeing this antenna on amazon for a while but was unsure if it would work. I think I will pick one up. How is it on 70cm?

@hamradiocq 6 жыл бұрын

All I can say is, I didn't tune it for 70cm, but I was able to hit repeaters using 70cm.

@rickymcdaniel6708 5 жыл бұрын

I'm wondering how this antenna will perform on the gmrs band. If you could let me know that would be very helpful..

@jlibertyparks8160 3 жыл бұрын

Probably just as good as 2 meters. Not far off from the same frequency.

@coryrussell79 4 жыл бұрын

Nice! I just ordered this antenna. My explorer plus antenna doesn't fit in the garage. I live in St Charles. Let me barrow that meter. I'm kidding of course. KD0LJK. Hope to hear you on the radio.

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

Ive had that antenna on there for over a year now and probably 10000 miles

@jent7981 3 жыл бұрын

What adapter did you use to step down connect the handheld to the antenna cable?

@hamradiocq 3 жыл бұрын

You will find it in this box. I have this: UHF Adapter Kit: amzn.to/2q3XvDu

@gordonlightfoot1333 Жыл бұрын

Hey man I'm in Florissant I'm new to this. I just bought a diamond mr77 uhf hooked to uv5r I just noticed you were in stl. The only repeater ive found was 145.320 just from scanning. Do you have a list of repeaters I could try. I don't really have a clue what I'm doing lol. Mostly just want to scan. For fun

@hamradiocq Жыл бұрын

Hey there, I moved to Oklahoma City about 3 years ago, so I dunno.

@dereklea1183 3 жыл бұрын

I’ll never trust another glass mount antenna ever again. I bought a new Dodge Dakota in 1999, didn’t want to drill a hole in a new truck and definitely didn’t want a mag mount scratching my paint. So, I bought the Larsen dual band glass mount antenna. It performed ok for about three years. I noticed a gradual decrease in received signal strength and I also noticed it was more and more difficult to get into my usual repeater (about 15 miles from me). It got so bad that I checked the SWR, which was acceptable right after installation, and it was in excess of 4 to 1. I was using a tri band Kenwood 742A at the time and the 2 meter module wouldn’t transmit more than a few watts no matter what the power setting was. I used a different antenna, temporarily, and still the same RF output was indicated. I rarely used 70 cm so it wasn’t affected. The glass mount antenna was removed and when it was, I could hear a sloshing noise in the plastic base the antenna screwed on to. There it was, water created a dead short and ruined the RF final on my radio. I examined the base and couldn’t find how the water entered the plastic case but, it did somehow. That was my first, only and last experience with a glass mount antenna. If they work for some folks, great. I ruined an expensive radio with one of them. Since I had that experience, I decided to drill a hole in the Dakota and have a proper mount. Every vehicle I’ve owned since has had a hole drilled and a proper mount installed. Not one issue with any of those mounts and I’ll never use anything else.

@hamradiocq 3 жыл бұрын

Ok, but I haven't had any problems with this.

@user-un1wq5cc4w 5 жыл бұрын

👍👍👍👍👍👍💎

@contacttimbre 3 жыл бұрын

I was wondering if I had to drill throw the glass on that or go over the edge and back into the car with the cable. Thank you

@hamradiocq 2 жыл бұрын

No drilling.

@paulcleary7437 2 жыл бұрын

wet your finger first when working with silicon makes it smooth

@gtaitbiz7787 2 жыл бұрын

Is there a more stylish antenna

@soupdragon12345 5 жыл бұрын

Great video, would this antenna work for a scanner or is there one similar for police scanners ? Thanks .

@hamradiocq 5 жыл бұрын

Good question. This would def work for police scanners. If you are receiving only you can be a lot more flexible than when transmitting. The police frequencies are pretty close to the same as the ones intended for this ham radio antenna. I say go for it! There is a link to this scanner in the description. If you use that link I get amazon credit for doing so. Appreciated. thank you.

@hamradiocq 5 жыл бұрын

Just make sure the connectors match your scanner.

@michaellin4553 4 жыл бұрын

Make sure you get licensed first Some states have laws that prohibit scanners, but there are always exemptions for hams

@markchase5323 4 жыл бұрын

As I've never used one of these antennas, I'm just curious about the field levels where the occupants sit. Have you measured it?

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

No I havent sorry

@jay-rus4437 4 жыл бұрын

With glass being such a good insulator, how in the world is this so affective? I would think the glass would negatively impact the reception. I realize that RF isnt electrical supply, but I wouldnt have thought an antenna like this would be good at all.

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

The spacing is minute. It is a compromise from drilling into the car, but it works.

@yager4092 3 жыл бұрын

What SWR meter did you use that was cool

@hamradiocq 3 жыл бұрын

I updated the video description, but here it is. 🏆 Rig Expert Antenna Analyzer: amzn.to/3kfwXG4

@1MinuteFlipDoc 3 жыл бұрын

@@hamradiocq ooh baby! not cheap!

@Proc3000 4 жыл бұрын

Did this work well with the coax pointed down? I just got one that says the connector needs to face right.

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

It works very well, it's been approaching 2 years since I made this video and still works great. But still follow the directions as they are specified.

@Proc3000 4 жыл бұрын

@@hamradiocq is yours the tram 1191?

@KenpoOjoko 4 жыл бұрын

Do you leave it on when you go to car wash? Or, do you just hand-wash?

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

Hand wash I would not leave it on.

@hamzah6251 4 жыл бұрын

How does the antenna transfer the radio signal to the box on the other side

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

I can't explain, but it works!

@oldmacktruck2002 4 жыл бұрын

What window Mount antenna do I need to get for a Motorola GTX radio I can't seem to find one can you please help me out

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

Sorry, I don't know that antenna. google the frequency.

@MightyMicrobes- 5 жыл бұрын

Spray it with windex before you do the bead..plumber's trick. The compressed bottles of glass cleaner work best.

@kevinkiernanoutdoors3413 3 жыл бұрын

Is there a slight curvature to the base of the antenna ?

@hamradiocq 2 жыл бұрын

I don't think so

@Ei2iP 4 жыл бұрын

Is it not crooked? why didn't you align it with the black seal going around the window!

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

Calm down man. It'll be ok. Breathe

@aussiegruber86 5 жыл бұрын

Wet finger is best to Smooth out silastic

@georgespiggot8502 Жыл бұрын

Wet your finger with windex

@mrm9218 5 жыл бұрын

someone please tell me how the antenna connected to the box THROUGH A CAR WINDOW?

@hamradiocq 5 жыл бұрын

It's not physically connected, but it's close enough to work.

@konradritter7543 4 жыл бұрын

Induction, basicly.

@dav8194 4 жыл бұрын

Magic

@alexanderrikmanis8753 5 жыл бұрын

just came across this video. Would be nice to have your tests done BEFORE and AFTER the installation, otherwise it is not quite clear how it works.

@rainerzufall689 3 жыл бұрын

That silicone skills ^^ 1.) apply silicone kind of like you did but dont put it on top - only in the seam 2.) make sure you have enough because you won't be able to add anything after the next step 3.) spray some soap water on the whole thing 4.) use a plastic shaper made for silicone work of your choice to remove anything you don't want and leave a nice CLEAN seal. 5.) dip finger in soap water and gently smooth out last imperfections. No extra time needed, just skill.

@davidwilliamson2115 6 жыл бұрын

Rub a clove of Peeled Garlic over exposed skin parts also helps

@gsaldana22 4 жыл бұрын

Five watts on 2-meters with a 2-second transmission is not going to hurt you. You could sit there for half an hour and have a qso and I doubt you would walk away with a third eye or something. More likely to get ball cancer from having a cell phone in your front pocket.

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

Only 1000 years will tell.

@dav8194 4 жыл бұрын

How has it held up ? Will it work thru tint ?

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

It will probably be fine thru tint I dont know. Its held up 100 percent.

@skipp3r 5 жыл бұрын

Will this still work in window glass with tint?

@hamradiocq 5 жыл бұрын

I believe so.

@vetham100 5 жыл бұрын

what kind of range are you getting? (Nice install)

@hamradiocq 5 жыл бұрын

Oh, with 5 watt handheld, 10 miles easy. Never really did a long range test though.

@anthonyrampino7734 2 жыл бұрын

Do they make a antenna for GMRS radios like this?

@hamradiocq 2 жыл бұрын

I'm sure they do.

@SuAmigoElilegal 3 жыл бұрын

What is a good antenna like this for my cp200 radios motorolla

@hamradiocq 3 жыл бұрын

I don't know, you'll need to look up the frequency and band and go from there.

@fa2ality 4 жыл бұрын

Is it worth avoiding the magnet mount on the body?

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

I think so. I just don't trust magnet MT.

@kd5you1 4 жыл бұрын

Mag mounts work fine, but its really easy to scratch the paint. Even though the mag mount is flat against the car's body, water can still accumulate between the magnet and the car's body.

@johnlagreca6288 3 жыл бұрын

Its not only about the body, it's about the feed line route too.

@rickramirez7710 Жыл бұрын

Can the antenna be removed for a car wash cleaning?

@hamradiocq Жыл бұрын

You can unscrew it, but the base still be there.

@EdwardVanNatta 2 жыл бұрын

I am looking for about your product place lace me a message . When I post this , I am looking for more information no this. Where can I find one of these at how much do they run looking for a cup of a

@hamradiocq 2 жыл бұрын

@ezralimm 4 жыл бұрын

How does this actually work? like.. physically... how does the antenna work through a non conductive material?

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

I'm not sure exactly good question.

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

But it works.

@kd5you1 4 жыл бұрын

There is a capacitance that is created when the two antenna pieces are placed on either side of a pane of glass. Actually I was surprised that it worked at all on a newer car. I used a glass mount from Radio Shack on a 91 Nissan years ago, but newer cars since then had glass encapsulated with tiny bits of silver in the glass which prevented the SWR from being adjusted to an acceptable level. I didn't use silicone, and with the 3M adhesive you really shouldn't need to use silicone.

@michaellin4553 4 жыл бұрын

The glass is a dielectric, making the two plates into a capacitor. Capacitors pass AC, but block DC. Since RF is AC at very high frequencies, it works well, and forwards power through the glass. It will also bump up your impedence, but there is always a price for convenience. Because reactance decreases with higher frequency (check your license exam manual), these capacitors work even better on higher bands (i.e. 70cm, 30cm, etc.) but will still work fine for 2m and 1.25m.

@jlibertyparks8160 3 жыл бұрын

Doesn’t the ground plane need to point down?

@hamradiocq 3 жыл бұрын

Nah, this is what the instruction says, there isn't really a ground plane.

@Johnny.P.Drizzle 10 ай бұрын

Kip?

@KuriosPC 6 жыл бұрын

I use the Tram 1185, magmount. Nice antenna. Sent you an email...........

@hamradiocq 6 жыл бұрын

Not sure I got the email...

@firemandanobrien7894 6 жыл бұрын

How does it do with a car wash? Can you take the whip off?

@hamradiocq 6 жыл бұрын

Fireman Dan OBrien whip will unscrew off

@dennispeake1877 6 жыл бұрын

God morning Tom with the Mosquitos try Johnson's baby creamy oil on the face and hands don't get any oil in your eyes. It should help you on my bush walks.73 de Dennis vk4oc.

@hamradiocq 6 жыл бұрын

Love that advice.

@Sanjuk0522 3 жыл бұрын

Can this work for home windows?

@hamradiocq 3 жыл бұрын

I would think so, but the problem would be the window is vertical and so your antenna would be horizontal. You'd want the antenna to be vertically polarized.

@budseltz340 4 жыл бұрын

Bob at 145.210 is the best.

@hamradiocq 3 жыл бұрын

@MikeJBlues 3 жыл бұрын

Use masking tape to keep the goo line crisp...

@hamradiocq 3 жыл бұрын

Yup, next time

@Evil-Jesus 4 жыл бұрын

Skip the Silicone, been using glass mounts for 20 years never had a problem

@mrfancypants29 3 жыл бұрын

How much did you pay for said glass mount antennas? I’ve tried 2 or 3 and they all came off within a number of weeks (maybe I didn’t follow instructions right. Who knows???)

@Ron_C 6 жыл бұрын

Only 4 mosquito bites....amateur....! Looks like a pretty decent antenna for the auto! Heck of a lot easier to install than running an antenna cable thorough a grommet, or making a hole.

@hamradiocq 6 жыл бұрын

Ron C I haven't raised the gumption to get through the firewall yet to do a permanent install

@Ron_C 6 жыл бұрын

I did on my old Cherokee, but it was a beater, ya know. I'm going to look at my truck this weekend and if I can find a way through the firewall without cutting, or drilling I'm going to use my old antenna (if the mount fits under the hood).

@Ron_C 6 жыл бұрын

By the way, I'm a bit jelly of that Rigexpert...I thought all I would need was the little AA-30...now I want to analyze all the frequencies!..lol

@hamradiocq 6 жыл бұрын

I bought that about 4 or 5 years ago. It was one of those things where I saw it and said, Yep, it's a tool I need in my arsenal.

@Aphony66 4 жыл бұрын

My God! what a mess! Have yo ever used silicone before? A finger dabbed in a bit of soapy water and half the amount of silicone would have done the job nicely.

@hamradiocq 4 жыл бұрын

This worked nicely. Still attached after a year.