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CaptainSkip · 06-30-2015, 08:20 PM

I would like to put a CB into my Forester Class C. It has Velvac model 2020 mirrors with the sideview cameras in it.

I don't want to drill any holes in the body of the coach so a side mount antenna is out. What I've been considering is to use a flat or clamp type mount on the end of the mirror arm. (see red arrow below)

Either this type of mount:

Or this type of mount - the one above would clamp to the mirror arm. For this type I would need to drill into the arm and bolt it into the arm itself to hold it. The arm is made of what appears to be cast metal, it's not plastic.

Here's where I'm thinking about either clamping or bolting the mount, it will clear the side of the coach by about 6 inches or so. I figured I'd mount it so the antenna is in front of the mirror.

Figured I could snake the antenna cable through the mirror arm and into the door. (the mirrors are heated, remote controlled and have the cameras so there are wires in the arm)

The other issue is that to really clear the roof of the coach I would need a 5' antenna (they don't make them) so I'd probably end up using a 4', that's why I want a heavy duty mount.

I'm not interested in talking to everyone on the highway, I'm more interested in listening to what's going on for traffic issues, etc.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

wa8yxm · 07-01-2015, 05:58 AM

On your photo I mounted mine just to the right of the mirror (Well my 2meter/70cm antnna) I found snaking wires into the mirror head is a bit tricky.. But snaking into the arm not so much.

Some suggestions: Use a PL-259 mount not a NMO (I used an NMO)

Drill STRAIGHT DOWN and you will need to snake the double female into the arm (that may be a job but the arm is often bigger at body end

It is very thick metal do get the dobule female later.

Lock Seal it (GOOP) to the mirror,, use the proper tapered washer to match the arm, seal that and lock it down with the nut provided.

Or it looks like on yours you can clamp on to the arm.

An alternative which I used makes the antenna multi-purpose

I took a different type of mirror mount.. This one is like the second one you showed but 90 degree bend with a backing plate.. Designed to attach to eithr a horzontial or verticle pipe.. I dropped the supplied bolts and backing plate and used lags to lag it into the body of the motor home near the top of the "A" pillar.. (First non glass part of motor home).

The cable runs up the A piller (Completly hidden) out a small hole (I took the end off) which is sealed with GOOP and is actually under the bracket (The bracket has a half-pipe shape to clamp on a round tube).. Out from around the back of the bracket to the PL-259 fitting.

height of Fiberglass wire wound NGP antenna (No Ground Plane) is set to an inch or two higher than my Air Conditioner covers (highest part of Motor home) so if I come up to an "I'm not sure" over pass I can approach at a slow crawl.. IF the antenna hits.. GO AROUND (no damage).

Works good there.. Not in my field of vision as I drive.

CaptainSkip · 07-01-2015, 08:40 AM

Thanks - I meant I was going to snake the cable through the arm, not the mirror head. I've heard that the arms are really thick metal. I've been giving serious though to using the flat mount (last two images) and securing them to the bottom of the arm. There's a small plastic trap door on the bottom just to the right of the mirror itself. I think that's where the signal light option is mounted. I though about drilling a hole into the plastic trap door as an entry location for the antenna cable, then seal that up really good. I also figured by bolting into the underside of the arm I've got less risk of water intrusion into the arm.

My other concern at this point is that a 4' antenna won't be high enough to receive any signals. As I mentioned earlier, I'm not concerned about talking to someone 5 miles away but I would like to hear what's going on a mile or half a mile ahead of me.