For those with Ham Antennas on the hood

[ClamCakes]

How did you get the antenna coax through the firewall? I see the rubber boot on the passenger side, but it looks completely sealed?

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[Glocker]

How did you get the antenna coax through the firewall? I see the rubber boot on the passenger side, but it looks completely sealed?

I cut off the PL259 connector and used a wire insertion tool to pierce the rubber boot on the passenger side firewall. Here is what I used for my setup...

(These pic are from before my antenna cable was run. The antenna is mounted to the push bar and is just a stubby. I ran an additional line this past weekend for a CB radio antenna to be mounted up this week.)

Wire insertion tool:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073WZCL8Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Antenna and cable:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PQVPNLQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

PL259 connector (2 pack):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085MMRZDM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Adapter for handheld radio to PL259:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FC825HF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Cup holder radio stand:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081Y73B3L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

My antennas are mounted on my front push bar. I pierced the rubber boot from inside the cab, and then pushed the RJ58 cable with the PL259 connector cut off through the business end of the tool into the cab. Once you get enough into the cab to pull it through, you can pull the wire insertion tool out, and off the antenna cable, and then route your wire wherever you want in your cab. You'll have to solder on a new PL259 connector though.

 

[ClamCakes]

That’s a great job! I’ll be doing something similar until I get a true mobile rig. I bought the Diamond HD NMO mount that comes with the RG-58 already on it with a male SMA connector on the end, so it’s pretty small already. Came with a SMA to PL-236 adapter too, so it’ll be easy to plug and play when I get the larger mobile radio.

thanks for the links!! I really appreciate it!

did you have to Reseal the boot at all?

 

[Glocker]

That’s a great job! I’ll be doing something similar until I get a true mobile rig. I bought the Diamond HD NMO mount that comes with the RG-58 already on it with a male SMA connector on the end, so it’s pretty small already. Came with a SMA to PL-236 adapter too, so it’ll be easy to plug and play when I get the larger mobile radio.

thanks for the links!! I really appreciate it!

did you have to Reseal the boot at all?

Nope! That tool pierces it with a fairly manageable hole. Once you've run the wire through the tool, and then pull the tool back out, the boot kind of closes up a little over the wire. The boot is very thick. I did an off-road excursion with a river and several creek crossings without any problems.

The tool takes some working to punch it through and you'll need patience fishing your antenna wire through. The one I did Sunday morning probably took 30 minutes total (routing the wire from the front bumper to the firewall, through the firewall, and mounting the antenna base to my bumper).

I cant wait! My 4' fiberglass tunable CB antenna will be getting in Wednesday and I'll mount it up then!

 

[ClamCakes]

I’d like to do a dual antenna set up too! I’d like to Mount them to the RCI backrack I want to get, but worried they won’t clear the tent I want to put in it once it’s unfolded.

 

[Glocker]

I’d like to do a dual antenna set up too! I’d like to Mount them to the RCI backrack I want to get, but worried they won’t clear the tent I want to put in it once it’s unfolded.

Bite the bullet and get the ARB Summit bumper like I did. LOL

Or I think I've seen ditch light brackets with antenna mounts!

 

[ClamCakes]

Bite the bullet and get the ARB Summit bumper like I did. LOL

Or I think I've seen ditch light brackets with antenna mounts!

haha maybe at some point! I need to look into the ditch light mounts. That would be ideal!

 

[FiveChime]

I cut off the PL259 connector and used a wire insertion tool to pierce the rubber boot on the passenger side firewall. Here is what I used for my setup...

Needing to do this and wondering what tool you used to reattach the PL259 connector head to the coax wire once you ran it into the cab? Thanks

 

[Glocker]

Needing to do this and wondering what tool you used to reattach the PL259 connector head to the coax wire once you ran it into the cab? Thanks

I bought a solder pl259 connector. You strip back the coax cable, bend back the grounding part of the wire, and run the core of the wire through the center of the pl259 connector. Then you solder the tip of the connector (the center prong) and solder the ground wire to the outside of the connector.

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