Wilson Antenna Parts arrived

[rbryan4]

I agree Jon. The good thing about the roof mount and the cabinet 12v drop "built in" is that it's an easy job to repair or replace.

[slloyd47]

Thanks Bob, Jon and rbryan4 for your response. It sounds like there is a agreement that the solution needs to be flexible and easy to repair or replace. That is fundamentally my concern about adding a hole for a specific vendor's antenna, but that doesn't seem to be a real concern for at least two of you. It seems access and cable routing is the bigger concern. Bob's solution does avoid the hole, but I don't know how easy it is to get into the refrigerator vent.

Any opinion about the marine vs trucker antenna for use with Verizon?

[padlin]

If we are to believe the manufacturers specs, the Boatant looks better. Don't really know as I only have the one.

https://store.weboost.com/products/311119

BoatAntâ„¢ |

The fridge cover comes off by removing 4 rusty caulk covered screws and cutting a 3 sided hole in the critter screen. The1/2" hole I drilled into the cabinet is less then a foot down. Wire ties resecured the critter screen, SS screws now holding the cover on, gooped with Proflex RV. Which by the way takes days to set.

[tractors1]

There's a gain table with the Wilson I chose:

https://www.wilsonamplifiers.com/rv-...a-male-311119/

[Vermilye]

I've had both, and while I haven't kept accurate enough records of signal levels (and a suspect they change quite a bit even at the same towers), I believe I have had better weak signal results with the BoatAnt.

The gain tables seem to favor the BoatAnt, however is is quite a bit more, and if you are going to use it with an amplifier (which makes a lot of sense) the additional gain is not all that critical since the amplifier gain can be as high as 23db. That, and it is quite a bit more expensive than the Wilson antenna. The Wilson antenna is available in a couple of different versions, at least one of which can be side mounted it that is what you prefer, while the BoatAnt must be side mounted (or you fabricate a mounting block like Bob did.

One reason I like the BoatAnt is it has a connector at the antenna (the Wilson versions all have a permanent 20' or so cable attached to the antenna). Being able to remove the connector at the antenna could make replacement easier, as well as removing the antenna if you plan to cover the trailer. The standard versions of the Wilson antenna would probably poke through your cover, where the large rounded top of the BoatAnt probably wouldn't, even if you left it under the cover. I got real tired of taking apart the Wilson antenna (and managed to break a couple of radials) every winter...

[tractors1]

Breakage of the antenna in my case will be due to tree limbs somewhere, as I store my 21 indoors. That's why I mounted it where it's easy to access and just coil up the excess cable in the cabinet just underneath it.

[slloyd47]

Ron, what is involved in taking the antenna down for the winter? I assume the antenna unscrews somewhere below the grind plane radials. Do you have the BoatAnt on your Escape now? How did you mount yours? Like Bob?

[slloyd47]

Bob, what material did you use for the mounting block?

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by slloyd47

Bob, what material did you use for the mounting block?

I've got some 2 inch thick UHMW plastic scraps in the shop if you want something to play with.

[tractors1]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

I got real tired of taking apart the Wilson antenna (and managed to break a couple of radials) every winter...

How about buying one of those orange traffic cones at Home Depot and tape it down over the antenna before the cover?

[padlin]

Originally Posted by slloyd47

Bob, what material did you use for the mounting block?

Scrap 3/4" PVC board. I think it ended up a 3 1/2" x 3" cube before shaping the bottom to the roof line. Used 3M 5200 glue for building the cube and their 4000 to glue it to the roof after sanding the spot. The 5200 is permanent whereas the 4000 can be removed if you have to do so, not that it sounds like an easy task. I had both on hand and wanted to try them out.

Like the Proflex caulk, the 5200 takes days to set and comes out of the tube pretty slowly, it's thick stuff.

[skiman]

Originally Posted by tractors1

How about buying one of those orange traffic cones at Home Depot and tape it down over the antenna before the cover?

I was thinking plastic trash can. Need to start looking.