from personal experience, the Diamond NT770 which I believe he wants to use,
is probably about the best option. I have 1 of them, used to use it mobile
but on the new family vehicle I elected to get something else a little
smaller because of some areas we go and the higher roof on the vehicle but
I'm thinking about adding that to my portable stuff to take on vacation if I
can just find a way to mount it so I can run it with the 706 but I might
just use the J pole this year and save that idea for next year with the
diamond antenna since I don't need near that much gain.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Colin McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2005 12:21 PM
Subject: Re: suggestions needed for simple and quick mount 2-meter/440
antenna


does the trailer have any sort of gutters at the roof line?
or any kind of protrusion at the roof line?
I am thinking of a gutter mount type bracket which could then support a
5/8's wave antenna of some sort.
Ultimately, since you want it for recreation which potentially means some
distance from repeaters, as well as emergency which could mean  the necesity
to use simplex, you want something with as much gain as possible...i think
something like the tram 1480 which is only 8.5 feet long, probably less then
$50 off ebay (which is where i got mine) and exhibits 6 db on vhf and 9 db
on uhf.
If you devise a method of mounting the antenna to the side of the trailer
with a quick release adapter, you could easily use the siding as the ground
plain and not have to use the 3 ground plain radials that are usually used
with the antenna.
If the idea is just to use an antenna during fixed or stationary
applications, maybe another painters pole rigged up to a bracket on the side
or end of the trailer would work nicely.
Remember you really dont want to put a vhf/uHF antenna below or very near a
vertical HF antenna unless the 2 are going to be used at separate
times...you will find that the VHF/UHF antenna will have an unacceptable swr
if mounted near another antenna especially below it on a mast.
The other possibility is to use a trunk mount or hood mount bracket and just
bolt it to the side of the trailer at the roof line then use an NMO mount or
something similar to attach a 5/8's wave antenna...again, the siding will
act as a nice ground plain.
Given your specifications of economics, the least amount of holes and easy
to store, i think this last one would be the way to go...because you
wouldn't actually need to take it down since the 5/8's is only 4 feet long
and a stainless whip can withstand going under low objects if you need to
drive under something lower then the tip of the antenna.
Instead of a trunk/hood mount, you could use the antenna mount half of a
mirror arm bracket which usually has 2 or 4 holes in it and bolt that to the
side....