HF Autotune fixing to bull Bar

Is it a Codan or Barrett Autotune??

Vince,

Before you go and fix the auto tune aerial to the bull bar, I think that you will find that it is not allowed.

My understanding with aerials in front of the windscreen is that they can not be any bigger than 30mm in diameter. The UHF aerials are fine because they are small in diameter but the HF is a lot bigger especially the auto tune aerial.

VKS might be able to clarify if this is the case.

As for the aerial coming loose. Is the nut bottoming out on the thread before it becomes tight on the bracket, or is the thread damaged and will not allow the nut to tighten on the bracket. A thick washer or a spacer placed between the nut and the bracket should solve the problem if it is the nut not setting properly.

Wayne

Gaday Vince,

The biggest problem is alot of installer they think the best place to mount a HF antenna is on the bull bar and in most installs it is the easy option.

1) Nearly all bull bar antenna mount are not strong enought or designed for a large antenna.
2) If you run into bushes or a tree branch you may rip the antenna off or damage it..
3) If you run into something you may bend or snap the bull bar making the antenna more horizontal and bad for radio coms.
4) If you have a roll over the chances of righting off the antenna is higher.
5) It gets annoying at the front.
6) You get more vibrations at the front mainly due to bull bar mounting points.

You may all say Oh it wont happen but when it maybe a life or death situation and I would sooner have the cards in my favour.

We always try to fit the antenna at the back of the vehicle with the auto tune section not much higher then the roof line.

When we did our loctite training they said loctite and nylock nuts loosened quicker then loctite and standard nuts.

They said the ideal setup was Loctite 270/272 a flat washer and a standard nut.

Remember when using loctite make sure you earth the antenna out from the antenna earth point and the bracket or vehicle body, under some conditions Loctite can act as an insullator.

Regards Richard

And one other thing we try to do is .....when the nut is tight drill a 3/16 hole 2/3rds the way through the nut and the mounting bolt and fit a roll pin, this will stop the nut comming loose and also people with a spanner trying to steal it.

Make sure the roll pin sticks out enough to be able to get side cutters or locking pliers on it to remove it.

Regards Richard

Thanks for the comments. I will try drilling the bolt and put a cross bolt in.
I was aware of the problem with the legal situation of having the autotune on the bull bar, but, it is bolted to a section behind & through a gusset so is very strong & not in front of the bar. As for the visibility situation. This was a worry until I read an article in the Sunday telly about a cop in the far west of NSW with a pic of him standing in front of his Toyota with Autotune on bull bar. Carry the article in the glove box.
I will be picking up a Multi tap from William in July, so that part will be solved & in the process of putting together a Di-Pole for emergency use.
Thanks
Vince

Vince,
As said before:
'And one other thing we try to do is .....when the nut is tight drill a 3/16 hole 2/3rds the way through the nut and the mounting bolt and fit a roll pin, this will stop the nut comming loose and also people with a spanner trying to steal it.'

I use a padlock rather than a bolt. Easier for you - harder for them.

alastair

The reason of putting a roll pin NOT A BOLT is to stop the nut comming undone, not security, if you put a padlock through it the nut will still looses and the size of the hole you have to drill will be alot larger then 3/16 and may weaken the mount stud.

Regards Richard