What about a dual band with the 3/8-24 mount? I had a dual band Yaesu radio years ago and would like to have another, but there's no sense spending the extra $$$ if I can use the 70cm band

Can someone point me to a mobile 2M or dual band antenna that will screw into a 3/8-24 threaded base? Thanks

Any sugesstions on where to mount a 2M radio in a 2000 Ford Cargo van. I don't want to give up my in-dash cd player. I've thought about building a wooden rack that would set on top of the engine cover. I'm not too keen on having it hang from the headliner "trucker style"..

It's a Yaesu FT-60R

I just picked up my first HT and am in the middlwe of the learning curve with it. I'm curious. is there a reason to upgrade from the stock RD that comes with the radio, relative to performance? If so, what is it that makes a third party antenna so much better?

Bob KC5MNG

I have contacted several sources about this and have received a variety of answers. The retail guys say it can be done using THEIR parts and just want to make a sale.. The antenna makers won't say much because it would be using their product under less than optimum conditions, so here I am, asking the guys in the know. BTW, I'm returning to ham radio after a several year absence and this is my first dual-band VHF mobil installation in some time.

My question is on antenna placement. I have a Ford extended wheelbase van that I'm converting to a camper, and I just had a hard fiberglass raised roof installed. The way it was installed was by removing part of the van's steel roof. The portion of the original steel roof over the driver/passenger area was left in place over the driver/passenger area for support, then the raise roof was set in place.So there is a ramaining steel shelf with about 20" of vertical space. So, my question is... Can I install a roof mount antenna to the remaining portion of the steel roof, using the rest of the van's body for a ground plane without being greatly affected by the fiberglass roof? It's effectively a roof antenna covered by a fiberglass bubble. This also assuming there is a whip that is short enough to fit, so how about antenna suggestions here.I'd also like to use that area for storage of non-reflective type soft items such as clothing and bedding, etc. Should that have any adverse effect?

If this isn't the best way to install the antenna, I'm open to suggestions. I'm not too keen about drilling exterior holes in the van or the top, but I would if that's the only way to do it. Are there any other possibilities. As far as using an exterior antenna, I'm receptive to that, but the height of the van with the new roof is already around 9 feet, so I really don't care to have anything very much higher than the roof top. I know that most of the antenna needs to be above the body of the vehicle, but I don't know if that applies only to steel bodies, or to the fiberglass top as well.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Bob Landry
KC5MNG