Magnetic roof mount question

[WSKR524]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077HWTJTL/ref=ox_sc_act_image_7?smid=A2V1J05CGJHIXH&psc=1

Trying to get setup with a roof top mount for GMRS mobile antenna. I don't want to destroy my paint/prevent roof rusting. Will putting some 3m clear bra tap or something under this mount prevent grounding?
If so is there any other mount/bracket that doesn't require a ground that's compatible with the Midland - MXTA26? Or just any suggestions for a antenna + mount that will work with a Wouxun kg-935g plus to use as a mobile radio while in my vehicle. Already plan on getting the hand mic/speaker. Just trying to keep from having to get a complete separate unit for my vehicle. 

[SteveShannon]

2 minutes ago, WSKR524 said:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077HWTJTL/ref=ox_sc_act_image_7?smid=A2V1J05CGJHIXH&psc=1

Trying to get setup with a roof top mount for GMRS mobile antenna. I don't want to destroy my paint/prevent roof rusting. Will putting some 3m clear bra tap or something under this mount prevent grounding?
If so is there any other mount/bracket that doesn't require a ground that's compatible with the Midland - MXTA26? Or just any suggestions for an antenna + mount that will work with a Wouxun kg-935g plus to use as a mobile radio while in my vehicle. Already plan on getting the hand mic/speaker. Just trying to keep from having to get a complete separate unit for my vehicle. 

The clear tape shouldn’t hurt anything. Magnetic NMO mounts don’t require electric conductivity to provide a good ground. 

[amaff]

24 minutes ago, WSKR524 said:

Will putting some 3m clear bra tap or something under this mount prevent grounding?

Remember that 'ground plane' (a metal surface that will reflect radio waves from your antenna) and electrical 'grounding' (a return path for electric currents) are 2 very different things.

[WRYS709]

Yes, the Radioddity triple mag-mount comes with rubber cups that protect the paint.

Perhaps you can glue a rubber strip cut circularly and glued to the bottom 

I am going to glue my cups as they fall off easily when I move it around. 

[WSKR524]

9 minutes ago, SteveShannon said:

The clear tape shouldn’t hurt anything. Magnetic NMO mounts don’t require electric conductivity to provide a good ground. 

Thank you! I was reading mixed opinions on it. I'm new here but it was highly suggested to me by a friend for knowledge base so figured I'd jump in head first with a question. 
 

[SteveShannon]

Just now, WSKR524 said:

Thank you! I was reading mixed opinions on it. I'm new here but it was highly suggested to me by a friend for knowledge base so figured I'd jump in head first with a question. 
 

A friend of mine put the clear tape on his new truck’s roof to protect the finish. The tape doesn’t rub against the paint so the finish is protected. The rubber “protective” covers pick up dust and grit and vibrate against the paint like little sanders otherwise. My roof shows the marks but my truck is 28 years old.

[WSKR524]

Just now, SteveShannon said:

A friend of mine put the clear tape on his new truck’s roof to protect the finish. The tape doesn’t rub against the paint so the finish is protected. The rubber “protective” covers pick up dust and grit and vibrate against the paint like little sanders otherwise. My roof shows the marks but my truck is 28 years old.

Yes, that is exactly what I read can happen. So I was hoping to protect the paint at least for some time. My truck is new. One day it will be 28 years old hopefully too. Then I wont care either. But for now I would like to protect things when I can. 

[WSKR524]

6 minutes ago, amaff said:

Remember that 'ground plane' (a metal surface that will reflect radio waves from your antenna) and electrical 'grounding' (a return path for electric currents) are 2 very different things.

Oh that makes so much sense now! I'm still learning some things. New to the journey into mobile and external antennas. Thank you so much for making that sound a bit more simple than I was reading into it!

[WRUE951]

when I had a mag mount for my 10 meter I used a piece of wax paper between paint and the magnet. Worked good, never had any scratches in the paint. 

[WRUE951]

ebay had these… wax paper is lot cheaper.  https://www.ebay.com/itm/187907239242?_skw=antenna+magnet+mount+protector&itmmeta=01KETT8054TDATZZCT81C5P2ZV&hash=item2bc024ed4a:g:KLIAAeSwiK9pV-SE&itmprp=enc%3AAQALAAABAO7PUuNWmJ%2B%2BUShgI9tQz%2Fps01XQgusbyBFHoLH5SQftgn5WvCvB%2FMdFotPXAzzkLCVA%2FktGykr3fzysjrGOZ7wbXozgxOK%2BgMF88SpxuKbaCio%2FtVss9KbGWfQD1GDzqZMiLg8CCFPxzMpnd92ygBb5bPqfppVBtU1YpC%2BxwvPdIMsenQ5QIYOMmpnLeGt8%2F7rqH9FizDkwK5eVe82XZUw5aYCPcdTRoHMkJ37kTuupdvpIgaUF2SUuRS8E2xkHR3rMAjDPg7X28JdPDGY4%2FH03%2BEbpmxtmWCYlk55M0j6Z%2FHmyDcMOX2ytO0TEp%2FVf1mh%2B47fPgANUGd1s8U13hnk%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR9yCoNr2Zg

[WSKY567]

1 hour ago, SteveShannon said:

covers pick up dust and grit and vibrate against the paint like little sanders otherwise

Fun little tangent,  I worked for a good time while retired selling floor covering for a friend who owned the business.  I you install LVT do not use rolling office chairs with rubber wheels on it.  Same thing, collects dust, sand, etc. and will create micro scratches that will degrade the surface.  

[WRYS709]

4 hours ago, amaff said:

Remember that 'ground plane' (a metal surface that will reflect radio waves from your antenna) and electrical 'grounding' (a return path for electric currents) are 2 very different things.

I was wondering the same thing about the rubber caps on my Radioddity triple mag-mount.  So the metal of the vehicle will still operate to improve the "radials' of my antenna when mounted on my car even with these rubber caps?

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, WRYS709 said:

I was wondering the same thing about the rubber caps on my Radioddity triple mag-mount.  So the metal of the vehicle will still operate to improve the "radials' of my antenna when mounted on my car even with these rubber caps?

Yes

[WRYS709]

Well,it will still help with some elevation over my portable antennas(s) being at ground level. 

[amaff]

37 minutes ago, WRYS709 said:

Well,it will still help with some elevation over my portable antennas(s) being at ground level. 

That, plus getting the antenna out of the big metal box.

[WRYS709]

50 minutes ago, amaff said:

That, plus getting the antenna out of the big metal box.

I purchased this portable antenna for future POTA Activations* and as part of a Black Friday Bundle they threw in the triple mag-mount for free. As a bonus for me, it will tune on 80 meters as well  

*https://journal.seefar.dev/sections/New_Antenna_HF-008/

[WRYS709]

I just noticed that OP’s mag-miunt also comes with rubber cups as a protection 

[WRYZ926]

I use Midland or Melowave NMO mag mounts. They have a good rubber cover on them. I still clean under the mount and the rubber cover on a regular basis.

@WRYS709 I bought the same combo deal. I find that the rubber covers are really thin and they come off the magnets easily. I will probably do a permanent mount on the bed rails of my F150 if I ever figure out how to stop the injectors from causing too much noise in my HF radios.

[WRYS709]

1 hour ago, WRYZ926 said:

 

@WRYS709 I bought the same combo deal. I find that the rubber covers are really thin and they come off the magnets easily. 

Thanks for the tip: I am going to try glue. 

I also purchased the HF-009 on its own Black Friday Bundle and now, instead of using the ground spike, I can move the HF-008 PL259 base and triple mag-mount over to my 009 and use them there too!

[LeoG]

On 1/12/2026 at 10:24 PM, SteveShannon said:

A friend of mine put the clear tape on his new truck’s roof to protect the finish. The tape doesn’t rub against the paint so the finish is protected. The rubber “protective” covers pick up dust and grit and vibrate against the paint like little sanders otherwise. My roof shows the marks but my truck is 28 years old.

I have the MXTA26 and it has the little rubber cup that goes on the magnet.  Even if it did collect dirt and rub the paint off no one is going to see it anyway.  Plus my truck isn't as old as yours but at 18 years I think about it like you do.

[MSnow]

On 1/12/2026 at 9:03 PM, WSKR524 said:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077HWTJTL/ref=ox_sc_act_image_7?smid=A2V1J05CGJHIXH&psc=1

Trying to get setup with a roof top mount for GMRS mobile antenna. I don't want to destroy my paint/prevent roof rusting. Will putting some 3m clear bra tap or something under this mount prevent grounding?
If so is there any other mount/bracket that doesn't require a ground that's compatible with the Midland - MXTA26? Or just any suggestions for a antenna + mount that will work with a Wouxun kg-935g plus to use as a mobile radio while in my vehicle. Already plan on getting the hand mic/speaker. Just trying to keep from having to get a complete separate unit for my vehicle. 

just buy the midland nmo mag mount it comes with a very robust rubber cup around the magnet so it won't scratch anything.

[RoadApple]

On 1/12/2026 at 7:27 PM, WSKR524 said:

One day it will be 28 years old hopefully too. Then I wont care either.

HA!!  I always liked this one.  This is what your vehicle might look like when you stop worrying about the paint, and scratches, and holes...

 

Seriously:  Good luck with your mag mount. I too struggled for a solution so as to not damage my vehicle.

[gortex2]

Drilling a hole casues the least damage to a vehicle. In the end a proper install will outlast the vehicle, look cleaner and perform better. I see a mag mount as a short term solution. Like when I use my parents camper I drop a mag mount on the door so i can talk to thecar behind me. Thats about it. 

[amaff]

10 hours ago, RoadApple said:

HA!!  I always liked this one.  This is what your vehicle might look like when you stop worrying about the paint, and scratches, and holes...

 

Seriously:  Good luck with your mag mount. I too struggled for a solution so as to not damage my vehicle.

Looks like an incident command vehicle I saw this summer haha

[WSFN703]

I used one of these for my little magmount.  The 3M tape has held up good for the last 10 months.  Hot summer, dry all the time, car washes.  Seems to be doing fine.  

[WRYS709]

1 hour ago, WSFN703 said:

I used one of these for my little magmount.  The 3M tape has held up good for the last 10 months.  Hot summer, dry all the time, car washes.  Seems to be doing fine.  

Car washes? Do you unscrew the whip?