Date:         Fri, 8 Oct 1999 09:46:16 +0300
Reply-To:     Helmut.Zeidler@NOKIA.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Helmut.Zeidler@NOKIA.COM
Subject:      Re: 2 meter antenna installation
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

>Hello List,

>I'm trying to install a magnetic mount
>(mag mount) antenna for 2 meters on
>the roof of my 87 Westy. I have removed
>the luggage rack and found a lot of
>dirt and two rust spots. I cleaned up
>the dirt and attacked the rust with
>vinegar and steel wool. The gasket
>looked like someone had spilled coke in
>the luggage compartment so that needed
>to be cleaned. (This is starting to
>sound like the joke "I just went to
>drain the swamp"). The rust spots are
>painted and the top has two coats of
>wax. Now to why I'm here, I don't want
>to drill any more holes (there are
>already 12 on the front end) in the roof
>so how do I bring the antenna cable in
>side the cab. I have a 85 GL and the
>coax is laying across the top and comes
>inside the passenger door and works
>O.K. If I do the same with the 87 where
>is it best to exit the coax through
>the luggage rack, and how? I have
>searched the archives and only found
>information on CB or AM/FM Radio
>antenna's. Any help would be appreciated,
>thanks.

>Norm Swanson KF6GOF
>87 GL Westy
>85 GL
>San Diego, CA  =

Hello Norm,

I don't like the mag-mount antennas at all.
For my 2m/70cm dualband I added a small
horizontal plate above the left rear intake.
It is screwed with two small bolts through
the rain gutter. The cable is run through
the intake, under the floor and behind the
upper grille into the dashboard. Yes, it's a
real long way, but I used RG213 which gives
me back some of cable losses.

Another idea, which I realized for FM Radio
and cellular phone, is to mount them inside
the cover of the luggage rack. My pop-top is
a bit different, but on Westies it should work,
too. Drill a hole for the antenna mounts into
the outer sheet thin, just to get access into
the space between the thin roof an inner roof
cladding. The place of the hole should be near
to the front frame rail above the windshield.
It could be left or right side of the van, but
the antenna should find it's place inside the
luggage frame, so it will be hidden. The cables
you can run inside the frame rails, like it
is done for the roof light over driver's door.
The frame rail going down beside the windshield
does have two holes, one will end inside the
dashboard, just behind the door hinges, the other
ends down under the floor, just view inches
above road level. You have to have good luck to
find the right one, I tried it for at least one
hour for a speakers cable. If all holes are covered
by some anti-rust painting, there is no fear
about rust. Try to keep clean everything and
remove all borings.

Regards
Helmut, DB3JO
'80 Vanagaudi