Antenna removal (again)

[Mc4by]

I have attempted to remove my broken mast and cable.
I successfully removed all the mast above the break (which was low down)

The chrome retainer came off easily as did the black plastic bit.

The remaining bit of mast rotates but does not pull up!!!

I have a 2002 GUIII. Has anyone heard of the base being flanged?

All the threads I have read say the mast just pulls out. Mine won't.

Ideas? I will pull it all out tomorrow if that is what must be.

77328

[the evil twin]

Never heard of a 'flanged' one, every one I've ever seen they all just get spat out after the chrome ferrule is removed... dunno how you would load a flanged one in the first place

[Mc4by]

I may just have to apply a bit more pull when I attempt again tomorrow ET. It seems counter intuitive to have to remove the whole unit to replace a mast.
The fact that it rotates is what made me think of a flange.

[Bidja]

The chrome retainer came off easily as did the black plastic bit.

So now if you turn power on the radio, thought the mast and tail would just spit out?

[threedogs]

Same with mine but im tempted to put am AM/FM style CB antenna
I had an isolation switch fitted but it stays uo all the time now.
ill talklk with my mechanic whats the best way to go, cost and time wise

[PeeBee]

On the GQ factory power antenna, there was a small M6 bolt that has up and almost invisible. It took me a while to find it, then the antenna just fell out. Unsure about the GU though but suspect it would have something similar - I think it also held a clamp in place around the antenna body.

[Mc4by]

So now if you turn power on the radio, thought the mast and tail would just spit out?

The mast minus that which is in the pic came out easily, along with the rope. This last bit rotates buy won't go up or down.

[Mc4by]

Same with mine but im tempted to put am AM/FM style CB antenna
I had an isolation switch fitted but it stays uo all the time now.
ill talklk with my mechanic whats the best way to go, cost and time wise

TD I will keep an eye out for your update on the antenna you go with. I am using a coat hanger for now :)
It's like the 70's all over again.

[the evil twin]

Very strange... I lost count of the ones I busted over the years.
So many that I used to carry an Aerpro 272 in my touring spares with the belts, hoses etc.

That "bit" that is left behind was def part of the existing mast and not the conducting tube, yeah?

You also said "again" ... did that mean last time you replaced it everything went as expected?

I recollect that every now and then other people have said they had similar problems so wondering if maybe Mr Nissan used a different antenna on occasion.
Reason I say that is I was told that the Patrol and Maxima Antenna was the same and that was def not the case on any of my GQ's or GU's.

Anyway, good luck and following with interest

[Mc4by]

ET the (again) was to acknowledge that antenna's have been discussed previously on the forum. This is my first attempt and it didn't go as easily as the previous write ups.
The bottom piece is definintely part of the mast.
I have decided to remove the unit completely and pull it apart. A good excuse to do a clean up around the guard as well.
There was a comment I found somewhere on google that mentioned a flanged bottom that required disassembly. They then had to flange the replacement mast.
I will take pics and post up the result.

[Bidja]

The mast minus that which is in the pic came out easily, along with the rope. This last bit rotates buy won't go up or down.

My GUIV with mast fully extended, there are 5 telescopic sections. At full extension (controlled by the rope engagement with antenna motor drive unit), by hand, I can lower/raise and rotate each section independently of each other. The fully extended travel is limited by the rope position/engagement with motor unit. IMO the 5th(bottom section) should have a plain end that allow it to be removed from body assy and the other top sections have a circumferential rolled lip that locates with and lifts the subsequent lower sub section as mast is extended.

Think your bottom section may be damaged / deformed, allows it to be rotated but not lifted to facilitate removal from antenna body.

Interested in what you find when pulled apart. Maybe drill a hole thru the sidewalls of the remaining stuck section, feed a piece of wire thru and try and pull it out of body sub assy on the bench.

Whilst you have the complete assy out, check the snorkel bolts for tightness and if you have not already, U could seal up the snorkel entry joint thru the guard if water ingress is a concern. Give it a general clean as well.

[the evil twin]

ET the (again) was to acknowledge that antenna's have been discussed previously on the forum. This is my first attempt and it didn't go as easily as the previous write ups.
The bottom piece is definintely part of the mast.
I have decided to remove the unit completely and pull it apart. A good excuse to do a clean up around the guard as well.
There was a comment I found somewhere on google that mentioned a flanged bottom that required disassembly. They then had to flange the replacement mast.
I will take pics and post up the result.

No worries, that makes sense.

Because the 'rope' is plastic but the antenna has to make electrical contact for the signal wire (centre coax) but be insulated from body there is a contact sleeve in the antenna assy that the bottom section slides thru.
I was just making sure you weren't trying to pull that out... it's been a few years since I did one.

[threedogs]

TD I will keep an eye out for your update on the antenna you go with. I am using a coat hanger for now :)
It's like the 70's all over again.

I was sick of breaking antennas all the time, so I might get a universal
cb style antenna great reception and not breaking them all the time
just use a uhf connector. think I will go this way a lot cheaper imo
Will talk with my mrchanic and see what he says

[threedogs]

DO you think a decent UHF antenna would work,
they appear stronger than a CB style antenna
thinking one of the silver base loaded might work as weii
decisions decisisions

[Mc4by]

UHF uses fm frequency but in a different range I believe. So you should be able to use a UHF antenna without interfering with reception.

[Mc4by]

I decided I needed to follow through on this project and so I set about removing the antenna unit from inside the guard.
Everything was going much easier than anticipated and that should have been my warning.
1 rusted, burred screw that is flush with the unit body stopped me dead.
By now it was getting dark and so I pushed everything back up into the recess and will set about extracting the screw tomorrow.

[the evil twin]

UHF uses fm frequency but in a different range I believe. So you should be able to use a UHF antenna without interfering with reception.

FM Broadcast Band is VHF band II ( 88 to 108 Mhz)... UHF CB is UHF band (477 MHZ).

Because you aren't txing on FM only listening almost anything including the coax itself will act as an antenna... a metal whip, a length of copper glued to the window, coat hanger shaped to look like Oz etc etc

Same thing works for CB as long as you don't transmit... tx and then the smoke appears if the swr is really bad or at best the signal goes 5 feet

[Mc4by]

Pulled the unit apart this morning.
Used the dremel to cut a slot in the rusty, stripped screw.

77343

Found 100 mm of rope wrapped around the centre.

77342

All back together now but with the guard cover still loose, just in case.

Now I just have to thread the new cable and mast in.
Arms aren't long enough and I am not fast enough to do it solo.
Will wait for wife to return and then 'fingers crossed' it will be done.