Antenna Mount

[Joanne]

Hi all,

I'm getting ready to install the AM/FM/CD radio in my trailer along with the XM radio receiver and that got me thinking about how to mount the antennas. The XM radio antenna is a magnetic mount so I had to make it out of steel. Here's what I came up with.

The welding is done and now it's time to start sanding and getting ready for paint. This would look right at home on Doug's RocketTear.



I want to trial fit everything.



It's painted to match the frame of the trailer.



The wires are routed through the back of the mount and down through the bottom. I'll drill a hole in the trailer roof for the wires to pass down through.



Although it won't really be seen much, I think the mount will look pretty neat. A friend of mine laughed at me when she saw it commenting about my typical "over doing" it.

Joanne

[bledsoe3]

Let her laugh all she wants. I think it looks great. Just like your light mounts, you've come up with a solid solution to fit your needs.

[madjack]

...what Jim said.....................................

[Miriam C.]

Yeah what they said. Does you XM need to be on a grounded surface. You may want to ground the the mount to your chassis. ( I am not sure what a XM is but betting it is a satellite radio)

Real stylish.

[sdtripper2]

Joanne:

I like the style of your antenna bracket for sure.
In looking at this video I see where they want it grounded to the frame of
the trailer or car. Grounding may be an issue for you to address?
http://tinyurl.com/2dm2na

Looks like your making progress inside as well.
Good energy is yours ...

[ARKPAT]

Joanne
The antenna mount looks great!!!!


You might want to use Sealant Tape arround your AM/FM antenna base connection and sealant where the antennas pass thru the Mount Hole at the back where the rubber gromet is in the Mount. Water has a habit of finding a place to enter. Radio Shack has a Sealant Tape as well as others.

I know about the water running Up Hill by leaching upward and help from the wind.




Pat

Joanne Posted: Tue Feb 27, 2007 12:18 am Post subject: Antenna Mount

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi all,

I'm getting ready to install the AM/FM/CD radio in my trailer along with the XM radio receiver and that got me thinking about how to mount the antennas. The XM radio antenna is a magnetic mount so I had to make it out of steel. Here's what I came up with.

The welding is done and now it's time to start sanding and getting ready for paint. This would look right at home on Doug's RocketTear. ........
........The wires are routed through the back of the mount and down through the bottom. I'll drill a hole in the trailer roof for the wires to pass down through.



Although it won't really be seen much, I think the mount will look pretty neat. A friend of mine laughed at me when she saw it commenting about my typical "over doing" it.

Joanne

[bobhenry]

Every coaxial cable ( round ) I have ever seen Radio , shortwave , tv (dish and cable feed or newer antenna) have a sheath cable wrapped around the actual antenna wire this is the ground and grounds itself back to the unit chassis directly. This provides a shield for static radio waves. Remember the 50's when the neighbors car going by gave that popping sound on the TV caused by the motors spark plug static. We can thank those flat 2 wire leads that looked like a ribbon . The only need for a ground on your mount would be if you want to use it as a lightning rod. Don't forget to drive a copper grounding rod in the ground if you do , cause your setting on rubber.

[tonyj]

Pay no attention to those who say you are overbuilding--you are adding personal, functional artistic pieces to your creation that will make it stand out. Great job! Wonderful craftsmanship. And as I have said before--nice nails!

[emiller]

That's pretty neat and I like your finger nail polish color

[Miriam C.]

Every coaxial cable ( round ) I have ever seen Radio , shortwave , tv (dish and cable feed or newer antenna) have a sheath cable wrapped around the actual antenna wire this is the ground and grounds itself back to the unit chassis directly. This provides a shield for static radio waves. Remember the 50's when the neighbors car going by gave that popping sound on the TV caused by the motors spark plug static. We can thank those flat 2 wire leads that looked like a ribbon . The only need for a ground on your mount would be if you want to use it as a lightning rod. Don't forget to drive a copper grounding rod in the ground if you do , cause your setting on rubber.

I was refering to the magnet mount XM. Normally a magnet will ground itself to the surface of the vehicle. My concern was whether the mount had enough surface area to act as a ground.

[Joanne]

Thanks all!

I really enjoyed making the antenna bracket. Things like that give me a bit of a creative outlet. I think it's going to be a fun detail on the trailer.

With regard to the XM antenna needing a ground, I have one on my truck that sits on paint and works fine. The bottom of the antenna has plastic on it so it doesn't scratch the paint either. I've also set it out on the concrete so I can listen while working on the trailer. I'll see how it works.

Oh, thanks for the comments on my nails. They take a beating when I work on the trailer though. What you can't see very well is the burn on my hand from by bread baking class I'm taking at the community collage. I bumped the pizza oven and had an instant blister. The bread was good though! Gotta start practicing in the DOs!

Joanne

[doug hodder]

Joanne...as usual...your metal working capabilities are outstanding....really a nice design and executed to perfection....Doug

[DaveandDebbie]

Although it won't really be seen much, I think the mount will look pretty neat. A friend of mine laughed at me when she saw it commenting about my typical "over doing" it.

Joanne

Joanne
As bobhenry stated above as long as the am/fm antenna is grounded to the mount it will provide you with a ground to the mount via the shielding on the am/fm antenna lead.Provided your dc system has a chassie ground IE battery neg post to trailer frame. I think it will work just fine.
P.S. I wont coment on your nails but the antenna mount looks great and so does the display mount you are using here
Dave

[Gerdo]

Looks great! To help prevent water form running down thr cables and into the hole, have a little more sag in the cables so the water drips off the low point that is lower than the hole.

[DaveandDebbie]

Looks great! To help prevent water form running down thr cables and into the hole, have a little more sag in the cables so the water drips off the low point that is lower than the hole.

Good point Gerdo Its always a good idea to create a drip loop any where a wire or cable enters a dry area from the exterior to prevent moisture from gathering at the entry point even if you seal the gromet you should create a drip point on the wires below the gromet