UHF radio aerial

The GME AE4700 range of antennas allows you to swap between short (4.5dB) and tall (6 dB) antennas. These are ground plane independent so can be mounted anywhere, although if you intend to swap to the tall one then the bullbar would be the safest place to mount it.

Otherwise the taller high gain (6 dB or more) antennas are better in flat country and the lower gain (usually 4.5 db) are more effective in hilly country. To get an even signal in all directions I'd always recommend getting a ground plane independent antenna.

The higher you can mount an antenna the better, but often you have to consider car parks, etc hence most antennas end up on the bullbar. Also that makes wiring simpler as no holes need to be drilled. If you are putting the antenna on the roofrack then don't under any circumstances, have the coax just go through the door as the kink in the coax will remove any advantage the extra height would have given. If you go for a roofrack mounted antenna then you must have a hole drilled so that the coax can be run smoothly.

M......AE409L seems the best - is modular - can shorten or lengthen to suit varying conditions...being GME, it would be tailored to your radio choice anyway. As mentioned above, shorties work best in hilly terrain, and long ones go out further in flat country (but only if vertical - the signal mainly runs 90 degrees to the vertical wire, so if it flops around while mobile, you signal will swing up and down). Centre of the roof is the go for everything, but most of us compromise on location, to suit practicalities. Various bases available for the mounting options. Give it a run !

Michelle - I've just connected my TX 3400 using the ground plane. Cost about $90 and can fold flat onto the roof. Didn't drill any holes in metal and the cable runs up the rubber moulding to the roof rack. It is mounted on the driver's side so I can change the range etc Trev

A ground independant aerial is best.
RFI, Mobile One, Benelec all make an aerial with approx 8 inch 'ground' base with a 2 foot whip screwed on.
Note do not purchase the wire whip, get the thicker fibreglass core whip as the wire whips fatigue and snap near the base.
These aerials variously claim 4-5-6db gain and should cost approx $75.

Mounting;
Assuming damage from bush is not an issue, mount as high as possible (on roof rack?) and away from other metal objects.

Think about mounting on a bullbar (personal crusade);
do you really want to be calling for help in a situation where your mounting point (and aerial) may be seriously damaged ?

Cheers,
Burnie M