Antenna mount for car roof rails

Equipment Antennas
21

Many thanks for the suggestions and ideas.

I have a magmount that would be fine for a small VHF/UHF antenna. The HF antenna I wanted to try is an old Webster Bandspanner that was left to me by the late Andre Saunders GM3VLB, it’s about 2.3m long and substantial. I am intending to use it “square wheels” as the CBers say. i.e. not when moving. But still I think it needs bolting to a rigid mount on the roof rail.

I’ve looked at roof bars to mount on the rails. I looked at Thule bars but I would have to sell a kidney to buy some. There are cheaper ones available from eBay or AliExpress. It may be that the boxy Jaecoo 7 has the same fit rails and there are many bars on AliExpress for them. There’s a guy in the next road with one so I may wander round and ask if I can measure his rails. Failing that I will speak to some people with better metal bashing skills than me to see if something can be fabricated.

Flush rails appear to be becoming common if not already common so I am surprised there isn’t a commercial off the shelf solution.

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22

Oh dear, replying to me. There is if you know what to search for, flush rails are often called “seamless vertical pole” and the rails where a u-clamp could be used are known as “hollow vertical poles” on AliExpress. Only £22 for two clamps but £25 shipping. Bottoms!

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23

Here’s a bicycle handlebar clamp mount for a camera - I wonder if you could adapt that?

https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005012666815721.html

I’d still go with the three magnet base rather than fixing anything to todays car roof “rails” though - personal choice.

73 Ed.

24

I have a GoPro mount very similar to that which I could try on my roof rails. I also have a 3D printed tripod to GoPro mount adapter so with that I could try using the Diamond TRS-3 and see will that work as it uses the same mount system.

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