Shorter mobile antenna

[PartsMan]

My free UHF antenna from work works great but it hits the carport hard enough that it falls down when I back out sometimes.

Any recommendations for shorter GMRS antennas? 16" would just barely hit.

Or is a tall antenna with a fender mount better.

FYI It is fairly flat country here so some gain would help my range.

[kidphc]

Most 1/4 wave for gmrs are about 6". Most 5/8ths are 16".

I would advise against fender mounts etc. Unless, clearance makes it really a "I have to".

The increase in gain won't make up for the fact you will have biased radiation patterns and shielding from the cab. You might find you lose quite a bit reception and what you get has more picket fencing. In honesty all installation mileage varies.

So any 1/4 antenna might fit your needs and wants, especially if you magnet mount is nmo style and not funky like Nagoya magnet mount was

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[PACNWComms]

I posted a similar combination, that I sometimes use on my vehicles. The antenna itself is a Laird QW450 NMO mount UHF, and is six inches long. The NMO magnet mount I use with it is the GB8UM mount that comes with a mini-UHF connector. Pictures are in the gallery under my screen name, if the attachment does not work. The mini-UHF connector fits Motorola UHF radio / mobile radios, but maybe not what you are using. Verify before buying of course. But, the 6 inch UHF antenna gets out very well for its size, and should on your vehicle as well, if you place it in the middle of the roof like your current antenna. It also looks like your current base is NMO, so it may screw right on. I go with Laird as I have used them for years and their build quality is great, but there are other 1/4 wave antennas that may work as well. You should not have too much trouble finding a UHF GMRS appropriate quarter wave that will be less than that sixteen inch length.

[JohnE]

have a look at the PCTEL (old antenna specialist) ASP7795 Mosaic antenna 3dBd

https://d3dqzy9ky05fbv.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/ASP-Mosaic-Series.pdf

been using them for yrs, mostly 5dB version but the 3 is short enough to clear most garages on top of an SUV or mini van.

[wayoverthere]

What kind of clearance do you need? 

If it will clear, I've had good results with midland's old 5/8 wave 3db whip mxta10, not the current ghost thing. It's a hair shorter than the 5/8 wave 70cm laird that I run for limited clearance situations, and it fits in the 7' clearance garage at work with a couple inches to spare, though my truck is smaller. Climbed up and measured just now and it's 13" from surface to tip, including the mag mount. Surface mounting would bring it down by about 3/4".

It's discontinued, though sportsman's warehouse shows having some in stock and relatively inexpensive:

https://www.sportsmans.com/hunting-gear-supplies/radios-and-weather-stations/handheld-2-way-radios/midland-micromobile-mxta10-3db-gain-antenna/p/1476042

 

I will say, though, that it's a relatively stiff whip, so not something you'd want to tap/drag on an obstruction.

 

[PACNWComms]

8 hours ago, JohnE said:

have a look at the PCTEL

I have never used the UHF PCTEL antennas, but have used many of the 800 MHz, whips and "thimble" or Laird Phantom looking style of PCTEL antennas. The whip versions work well until our drivers smack something, then the base portion and the upper part just spin freely, the electrical connection is them broke. However, this is usually forklift drivers going into conex boxes, so we have had to instruct them to move the antennas to a horizontal orientation when they go into conex containers. The thimble version also help with this, at the sacrifice of some signal. Good antennas for their price point. If OP gets one that is less than 16 inches long, that should work. 

[PartsMan]

Does anybody know how tall a Midland MXTA13 is?

[wayoverthere]

18 minutes ago, PartsMan said:

Does anybody know how tall a Midland MXTA13 is?

About 6 7/8" inches, including it's little mag mount.