VHF/UHF Radios

What can you tell me about the HF antenna mount? Looks like the tailgate still closes. Nice.

 

Hey Chunk,

The antenna mount is from Rago Fabrication and is made for 3rd gen Tundras. They make them for either side, specified when ordered. There is a video on the install also. I had to grind paint away on both my truck and the Rago bracket where the metal-to-metal contact is made, but it works great. And yes, its made to fit perfectly for using the tailgate as expected. I really like this particular mount and will get one for the other side after while. The bigger challenge was the stakehole mount since the bed rail cover snaps in and I had to use a really large and long pair of needle nose pliers which I fortunately already had from Harbor Freight Tools. You pry it up starting at the taillight and work your way to the front of the bed using the long pliers to squeeze the locking tabs as you go. Since my radio has two antenna jacks, one for HF and another for VHF/UHF, I will probably replace the stakehole mount with the right taillight mount from Rago. I am curious though about retaining the stakehole mount and installing a custom whip style for HF that would make use of both mounts on the left side (or the right side) where the whip would function like a horizontally polarized dipole. I would then use the ATAS-120A for VHF/UHF and maybe blend things up with a combination duplexer and coax switch. Here is the link for the Rago mount:

 

@Sunnier Here's some mounting solutions I looked at when I was sorting out my navigation.

 

Thanks, Des!