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New CB/GMRS/HAM Front-Mount Antenna Bracket

DanW

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I'm going to upgrade from a Midland MXT275 to the new MXT500 when it comes out. Midland told me it would be out in 4 to 6 weeks. 50 watts and split privacy tones for repeaters. I don't know what this does for me, but it has wide band mode, too.

Jeep Wrangler JL New CB/GMRS/HAM Front-Mount Antenna Bracket 1625929442891
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CoolTech

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Just adding a couple of more pictures of our front mount below. (Courtesy of our great customers!) It can be mounted to either the driver's or passenger side of the Jeep and it can be mounted to the forward cowl bolt or to the one closest to the a-pillar. In addition, you can use either the Midland 6db 32" whip antenna or the short, Ghost antenna. One of the advantages of the NMO-mount antennas as you can swap between them just by threading one off and another one on.

The great thing about the MXT275 is that it can be mounted up and under your dash or glovebox and then by using the remote mount cable, the only visible part is the full-function microphone.

www.cooltechllc.com

Jeep Wrangler JL New CB/GMRS/HAM Front-Mount Antenna Bracket RightSide_Ray


Jeep Wrangler JL New CB/GMRS/HAM Front-Mount Antenna Bracket Ghost Antenna
 
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Jeepā€™n Jay

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Nice looking brackets, but $20 to ship is a bit steep.
 
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CoolTech

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Uh, shipping is $10ā€¦. And have you seen the change in shipping prices in last 6 months? Itā€™s crazy!
 

VKSheridan

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Cowl mounted antennas (even non-plane) just donā€™t resonate with me. My 7ā€ AM/FM antenna encounters trail abuse, adding another just adds to the smack.

I guess if I was looking to frequently connect to repeaters a hundred miles away, my prejudice might change but thatā€˜s not the case. I use my GMRS for trail communications and maybe a little on the highway but thatā€™s it. If I need more distance than 5 miles, Iā€™ll take one of my handhelds up the hill and if that donā€™t work, carrier pigeon?

Jeep Wrangler JL New CB/GMRS/HAM Front-Mount Antenna Bracket 26229550-71CC-4B2E-BD5C-AF631016E903
 

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donmontalvo

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I have a 1/2 wave antenna mounted to my tailgate reinforcement bracket. Works fine even if it isn't elevated, and the 1/2 wave antenna doesn't need a ground plane. Luckily the bracket can hold two antennas, on opposite ends.
Jeep Wrangler JL New CB/GMRS/HAM Front-Mount Antenna Bracket 983B3528-1292-458B-8966-8B1F545D7044_1_105_c

Jeep Wrangler JL New CB/GMRS/HAM Front-Mount Antenna Bracket DonM-Smittybilt-7743-antenna-mounts
 

VKSheridan

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I considered a rear mount GMRS antenna but decided to orphan the Firesticks for my CB. Yeah, some clubs still use CBā€¦..LOL

Jeep Wrangler JL New CB/GMRS/HAM Front-Mount Antenna Bracket 21B68189-52C5-4B99-A554-DE9DEDA16491
 

Trek68

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Hoping CoolTech is still keeping an eye on this thread... The kit I received for use with an NMO mount was missing the spacer. Sent a note in but still waiting on a response. Feel free to DM me or reply so I can get this sorted and finish the installation. Thanks.
 

Trek68

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Hoping CoolTech is still keeping an eye on this thread... The kit I received for use with an NMO mount was missing the spacer. Sent a note in but still waiting on a response. Feel free to DM me or reply so I can get this sorted and finish the installation. Thanks.
Just heard from the good folks at CoolTech (great customer service). Spacer is on the way. Looking forward to rocking this setup.
 

donmontalvo

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I considered a rear mount GMRS antenna but decided to orphan the Firesticks for my CB. Yeah, some clubs still use CBā€¦..LOL

Jeep Wrangler JL New CB/GMRS/HAM Front-Mount Antenna Bracket 21B68189-52C5-4B99-A554-DE9DEDA16491
Easter Jeep Safari 2022 is all CB.
 

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DanW

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Hoping CoolTech is still keeping an eye on this thread... The kit I received for use with an NMO mount was missing the spacer. Sent a note in but still waiting on a response. Feel free to DM me or reply so I can get this sorted and finish the installation. Thanks.
@CoolTech

That should help get their attention to it.
 

SnoWhite

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Hello @CoolTech,

This really is a cool and simple mount; this is exactly what I have been looking for for quite some time now. Do you also ship overseas (to Germany)? Unfortunately, I can't place an order on your website with an overseas shipping address.

Or would anyone of you living in the U.S. be willing to buy a couple of mounts for me (I'd say: three) and just forward them to me? Of course, I would reimburse you for it. With something this small and light, it is not really an option to use one of the professional freight forwarders (price-wise)...

If so, please just send me a P.M.!

Thanks a lot in advance to @CoolTech for your reply / to anyone out there who might be willing to help out!

Cheers,

Michael
 

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So I ordered a radio package from you guys in Feb with the rear mount; I guess mounting the antenna on the back of my Rubicon is a bad idea then?
 
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CoolTech

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So I ordered a radio package from you guys in Feb with the rear mount; I guess mounting the antenna on the back of my Rubicon is a bad idea then?
No, not necessarily. From an aesthetics perspective, I think rear-mounted antenna are quite popular and will still provide very reasonable performance in many scenarios. The Jeep Wrangler is a bit more challenging than many other vehicles because it lacks a large metal surface to function as a good ground plane. I suppose if you were to look at the best place to mount an antenna , it would be a tall antenna smack in the middle of the hood.... although that probably wouldn't look too good. Front mount antennas to one side of the hood or the other will have an oblong performance pattern and may out-perform a rear mount antenna in one direction, but perhaps not the other. Suffice to say there's a lot going on which makes a definitive answer not so easy.

Wherever you choose to mount your antenna, make sure that the base you are mounting to achieves a very good ground. Painted or powder coated mounts may serve to insulate the bracket from ground which is not a good thing. (This is the reason that all of our mounts are stainless steel.) Then, make sure that the coax you are using also achieves a good contact with the bracket thereby providing a good ground (since the bracket is grounded). Finally, most antennas provide some means for adjusting the SWR. If you want the absolute best performance from your set-up, then use an SWR meter to achieve your best ratio for your chosen mount location.
 

Mx5red

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I have a 1/2 wave antenna mounted to my tailgate reinforcement bracket. Works fine even if it isn't elevated, and the 1/2 wave antenna doesn't need a ground plane. Luckily the bracket can hold two antennas, on opposite ends.
Jeep Wrangler JL New CB/GMRS/HAM Front-Mount Antenna Bracket 21B68189-52C5-4B99-A554-DE9DEDA16491

Jeep Wrangler JL New CB/GMRS/HAM Front-Mount Antenna Bracket 21B68189-52C5-4B99-A554-DE9DEDA16491
It seems difficult to search for antennas labeled 1/2 wave.
Can you provide a link to yours?
Thanks
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