uhf antena security

[stevogq]

ok early this morning i heard some noises outside my window so as i looked to see what it was i noticed 2 teens trying to pinch my uhf antena :furious: so quickly ran outside and gave them a hounding and a one and only warning before i send them to the hospital, now my question is what have you done to prevent the antena to be stolen eg: tacking a spotweld or something else.
cheers big ears!

[my third 256]

loctite mate works a treat

[Bigrig]

Yep, removable loctite is probably the best bet ... welding is good, but somewhat more permanent! lol

Should have offered to help them take it off, and then whipped the bejeezers out of them once it was off!!

[threedogs]

I drilled mine and tapped a roll pin into hole.
remember to if they get ticked off they may end up just snapping it for something to do.
Get back to my Pitbull bull theory again,

[stevogq]

you know i never thaught of loctite lol ill just put some on today,bigrig i got a scanner antena thats double in size so i can whipem with that hehe

[stevogq]

pitty will work a treat but i cant understand why my goldfish wont look out for my car

[BigRAWesty]

pitty will work a treat but i cant understand why my goldfish wont look out for my car

There a great intruder alarm.. But we can't speak bubbles... (the language of gold fish..)


Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[the evil twin]

If anyone does try a tack weld (which i don't recommend as I regularly swap radiating elements to suit the terrain or replace broken ones from low flying tree strikes) totally disconnect the set so you don't let the smoke out of the RF stages.

Unfortunately the scumbags normally either pinch or wreck whatever they want so sometimes the attempted prevention is more of a PIA to the user. Loctite is a good idea or a roll pin, or a small allen key or tamper resistant style screw drilled and tapped such as GME use on some antenna bases so people can't just unscrew them by hand.

[megatexture]

Locktight and I have my cord in copper plumbing pipe pop rivited to my bull bar as I've had some one pull the cord out of the base once before works a treat

[stevogq]

ok ill drill and put a pin though it

[BigRAWesty]

Quick question. Won't the pin threw the base create a short from the positive antenna and the negative base??


Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[stevogq]

DAMN delemas now ill just take it off every night, Best secutity lol

[the evil twin]

Quick question. Won't the pin threw the base create a short from the positive antenna and the negative base??


Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

I've never pinned an antenna but agree 100% with Westy it would need to be offset like a cotter pin otherwise exactly that will happen on some antennas. I prefer the GME method of a grub screw that clamps the thread.

If it is just the radiating element IE the antenna screws onto a thread that is insulated from the base then no probs

[megatexture]

Just drill the outer one tap it and put in a grub screw so you dont drill into the base

[threedogs]

It was one of the huge antenna I drilled And Inserted roll pin B and S style. Other I drill and tappe ,. needed to clarify,
Cheaper still go buy anti theft device at Super Cheap, easy fit

[BigRAWesty]

Good to clear that one up..
Cheers guys


Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[DX grunt]

If you want to spend a bit extra, try:
www.pefabrication.com.au.

I’ve attached pics of what I’ve seen, and, as a result, actually purchased 2 of them for my UHF and mobile phone. I haven’t got them put on as a mod just yet. The nut on the bottom of the aerial goes underneath and screws the bottom of the aerial under the base. Because they’re ‘tiltable’, you may need to put something on the nut to make sure they’re not removed.

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af279/DXgrunt/DX%20grunt/Aerial%20knockdowns%20HF%20UHF%20Mobile%20phone/013.jpg

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af279/DXgrunt/DX%20grunt/Aerial%20knockdowns%20HF%20UHF%20Mobile%20phone/016.jpg



Take care out there.

Rossco

[stevogq]

thats great rosco! although i dont live in the bronx nor frankston (no offence to frankstoners) i drilled my antena and screwed a one way security screw that holds the inner thread on the side

[Rayza]

on the topping of stealing... i was leaving for work the other morning and some little rat bags had taken my work boots from the back of my ute. It was the first (and last) time i left anything in the back. Some kids will just take things for the sake of taking things

[stevogq]

lmfao yeah or someone has a foot fetish of tradies boots bahahaha someone takes my boots there will be a ww3 best and longest lasting boots ive ever had "mack" with the high ankle support 7 yrs still going

[Robo]

Bet the little so and so doesn't were em working.
Just threw em in the bush and sniggered to his/her pathetic self.
I have to leave the front 2 lights on all night, fuel siphoned, barstools.

hijack sorry.

[Ben-e-boy]

I think loctite will be ok, but you dont use threadlock (blue 243,red 263) use the what I call green death (green 248) its a retaining compound for bearings etc. it not really designed for threadlocking but it wont come undone unless you heat it with the oxy.

[threedogs]

you used to be able to buy antenna locks, they were plastic jobs that covered the vitals, worked for me until I broke antenna on a branch, try google only cheap easy to fit.
Think what a theif would carry 6" shifter, plyers, not allen keys use a lock nut even easy to do just hard to explain

[mudski]

Unless you use is, just take it off. No point leaving it on. I even take my UHF out of the car and only put it in when I need it. No point giving dickwads more encouragement to pinch your gear.

[Agronaught]

Agreed. I recommend picking up a pl259 connector from jaycar, solder up the end and use it as a dust/water cover for the antenna base when you remove the antenna.

[stevogq]

my uhf is fixed permenently ( i learnt my lesson when the lil pricks stole my 7k system out of my old ed falcon) so i wont be removing it but ill need to step into jaycar to pickup some goodies to clean up my messy wiring that the previous owner done.

that reminds me i need a new aux batt this one is bubbling and leeking

[Winnie]

I am so glad I live in an area where I don't have to worry about this sort of thing. Never had anything pinched off my car.

[stevogq]

winnie i almost cried i had a complete cadence setup autosalon competitor 04

[lorrieandjas]

Slight hijack - but once had a couple of kids *try* and pull the spotties off the bullbar. Made such a racket I woke up and chased 'em down the street with a bit of timber. Caught them and then they decided to cry....... Beautiful thing - restrained them, called constable plod and they got a night in the watch house. Funny as - watching them wail about their parents killing them if they found out. Lucky I was feeling charitable that night!

[stevogq]

haha that would of been priceless lorrieandjas for me to see them crying would of made me feel guilty as im a softy lol

[NP99]

Locktight and I have my cord in copper plumbing pipe pop rivited to my bull bar as I've had some one pull the cord out of the base once before works a treat

Do you have a pic of the copper set up mate?

[threedogs]

You can drill and tap to 1/8th But if it wont unscrew they might break it instead

[commsman]

I still think the best option (depending on the type of antenna) is a drill and screw. If it is a standard 5/16th screw on whip type antenna drill straight through and put a split pin in there, if it is a GME type arrangement just screw into the outer of the base and a screw to hold the antenna tight.

The copper tube or other type metal over the antenna might work to stop the antenna getting stolen, but the problem is it will throw the tuning of the antenna right out as you antenna is trying to radiate electrical energy into the air, but there is a piece of metal (no doubt eartthed) around it trying to stop the transmission. Best case scenario you lose some power on your transmission, worst case scenario you blow a power amp on your radio from the energy fed back into it. Check the VSWR and see what it is saying about the pipe over the antenna.

I'd also be weary of using threadlock or anything of the type as well. Again remember the antenna is an electrical connection. If you pour threadlock onto the base of the antenna mount or into the antenna thread you are cutting don or eliminating any electrical connection between the radio and the antenna. Again best case is loss of power and worst case is a radio with smoke pouring out of it.

Different antennas mount differently I understand so some careful consideration needs to be given to each individual antenna and situation to deal with it the best way.

By far the only sure fire way is to take the antenna off, but this can be a pain in the butt sometimes.

Remember, especially in UHF the actual wavelength of the frequency is pretty small so a piece of tube could make a massive difference (in a bad way).

Regards,

Brian.

[megatexture]

Do you have a pic of the copper set up mate?

I think I have another pic on the comp.. Will check