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GMRS antenna mounting

kogar

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(People with opinions about CB vs GMRS, please find another thread )

For those of you running GMRS mobile rigs, how are you mounting your antennas? What lessons have you learned so far about GMRS antenna placement and (possibly) recommendations on mounts or antennas? Im guessing the usual suspects of UHF antennas, like Diamond, Larsen, etc are good choices, but wanted to know what people are seeing with real-world results wrt brand and placement.

Edit: I’m assuming best option is a 1/2 wave UHF-dedicated since no ground plane is required.
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I think I'm going to add a small Midland GMRS radio, if I can get a couple Jeep buddies to add them. I'll probably just go with a magnetic mount and stick it on the hood, since I won't be using it often. I'll just run the antenna wire around the A pillar on the passenger side. I'm thinking about the Midland Micro Mobile or maybe the Midland MXT 115. How much does a license run these days? Both those radios, btw, come with a magnetic antenna.

That micro radio looks so small, I might be able to mount it up high, near the mirror, or maybe just use velcro on the top of the dash. (velcro?)

As for CBs vs GMRS, well, I think I'm going to have both. No argument necessary.
 
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kogar

kogar

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I think I'm going to add a small Midland GMRS radio, if I can get a couple Jeep buddies to add them. I'll probably just go with a magnetic mount and stick it on the hood, since I won't be using it often. I'll just run the antenna wire around the A pillar on the passenger side. I'm thinking about the Midland Micro Mobile or maybe the Midland MXT 115. How much does a license run these days? Both those radios, btw, come with a magnetic antenna.

That micro radio looks so small, I might be able to mount it up high, near the mirror, or maybe just use velcro on the top of the dash. (velcro?)
There's a new mobile 15W unit that's about to come out, which is why I was asking about antenna mounting (https://midlandusa.com/product/mxt275-micromobile-two-way-radio/ )

I have a 5W Baofeng with a 1/2 wave whip attached to it, but I haven't had a chance to test it with anybody yet. In theory (and, oh boy, you can spend your entire life in antenna theory :) ), the 1/2 wave in the 70cm band should be ideal. I'm still trying to figure out how to mount the radio to give the best signal, but the longer antenna (about 15") makes things....fun :) (I have the remote speaker/mic kit, so I don't have to worry about banging the antenna on the roof as I try to use the radio).

The radio license is $70 for 10 years. It's a no-brainer compared to the other miserably low-powered, wrong-frequency, non-FM solution that is popular.

I'm ham licensed already (my username here is actually my callsign), so I have a Kenwood HT and a Kenwood mobile system already, but the Kenwood mobile system will go in the 2019 diesel Rubi I plan to buy next year. This year it's me modifying the wife's Sahara so that she will at least have GMRS.
 

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The price isn’t friendly, especially since I don’t know yet if I’ll have anyone to talk to, but the 40 watt Midland MXT400 is awfully appealing. Go big or go home.

I now have a ham license and a gmrs license and my only radios are CBs.
 

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Has anyone come up with an idea to permanently mount an antenna? I’d like to not have to deal with a magnetic mount.
 

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Has anyone come up with an idea to permanently mount an antenna? I’d like to not have to deal with a magnetic mount.
I agree. Magnetic won't work, anyway, unless the top is down. I'm hoping someone comes up with somethink like the JK fender mount. I haven't seen anything yet.

I'm soon going to order an MXT275 GMRS. I already have an MXT90, an MXT115, and two handhelds. The 115 goes in my JK, the 275 will go in my JL, and the 90 and handhelds will be for otherss and spotters. If no one else has GMRS, I'll have one for them. I just think they are vastly superior to a CB. Yes, I have my license, btw.
 
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macintux

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I'm soon going to order an MXT275 GMRS.
I’m planning on it as well, but after buying a Uniden CMX760 I realized I need a microphone extension cord for it to work the way I want. Uniden supplies one with the CB, but I don’t see one from Midland, so I’ve asked them for technical details.

I think it’s just cat-5 cable, so it should be pretty easy to build my own, or I may contact Uniden to see if they sell them separately and try that.

Makes it really easy for me to unplug the microphone when I don’t need it; otherwise I’d have to take apart my dash to get to the radio.
 

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I’m planning on it as well, but after buying a Uniden CMX760 I realized I need a microphone extension cord for it to work the way I want. Uniden supplies one with the CB, but I don’t see one from Midland, so I’ve asked them for technical details.

I think it’s just cat-5 cable, so it should be pretty easy to build my own, or I may contact Uniden to see if they sell them separately and try that.

Makes it really easy for me to unplug the microphone when I don’t need it; otherwise I’d have to take apart my dash to get to the radio.
Is the Uniden a Cat 5? If so, maybe they'll have a part number and sell it as an accessory?
 

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macintux

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I've ordered the Uniden accessory, and just got a reply from Midland verifying that a patch Ethernet cable should do the trick.
 

DanW

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I've ordered the Uniden accessory, and just got a reply from Midland verifying that a patch Ethernet cable should do the trick.
Great! I'm going to figure out an antenna mount (I have the larger Midland antenna and cable) and then place the order. I've got a feeling that with a nice, reasonably high mount and the larger antenna, the 15 watt radios will really reach out there and blow the CB away.
 

macintux

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Great! I'm going to figure out an antenna mount (I have the larger Midland antenna and cable) and then place the order. I've got a feeling that with a nice, reasonably high mount and the larger antenna, the 15 watt radios will really reach out there and blow the CB away.
Is this the antenna you have? https://midlandusa.com/product/micromobile-mxta11-6db-gain-antenna/

I'm considering the Diamond K400S-NMO Lip Mount for my hood, but I'm not certain it'll work with mine. I also have another Teraflex antenna mount for my passenger side taillight I haven't installed, but I rather like the idea of having the antenna where I can see it (I spend too much mental energy worrying about my CB antenna in the back).

One key reason I find GMRS appealing is the interoperability with FRS handhelds. I don't know how pleasant it will be on the handhelds, since as I understand it GMRS is roughly twice as loud due to the larger FM deviation, but at least everything works together. I have at least 6 handheld devices I can hand out to people in a group who don't have their own.
 

DanW

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Is this the antenna you have? https://midlandusa.com/product/micromobile-mxta11-6db-gain-antenna/

I'm considering the Diamond K400S-NMO Lip Mount for my hood, but I'm not certain it'll work with mine. I also have another Teraflex antenna mount for my passenger side taillight I haven't installed, but I rather like the idea of having the antenna where I can see it (I spend too much mental energy worrying about my CB antenna in the back).

One key reason I find GMRS appealing is the interoperability with FRS handhelds. I don't know how pleasant it will be on the handhelds, since as I understand it GMRS is roughly twice as loud due to the larger FM deviation, but at least everything works together. I have at least 6 handheld devices I can hand out to people in a group who don't have their own.
Yep, that's it! I've got one temporarily on a magnetic mount for the JK and again, the JL mount is what I'm seeking or going to fabricate. I think with these antennas, the radios will really reach out to some significant distance. I agree, the handhelds are great and quick to hand off to someone in a group lacking comm equipment.
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