Ball Mount

[The Bull]

I am going to be getting a ball mount. what kind of coax will i need?

[SARGE]

explain more about your set up and equipment

[The Bull]

I was reading that with a ball mount you need coax with one PL-259 and one lug terminal. is the true or can you use 2 PL-259?

[slydog]

I am going to be getting a ball mount. what kind of coax will i need?

I

[SARGE]

yeah Bull, that is correct. one end will need a PL259 connector and the end going to the ball mount will use the lugs.

[The Bull]

ok thanks for the help SARGE

[SARGE]

sure thing!

[The Bull]

With the Ball Mount do you have to have a metal tool box dose that mean it can be aluminum also

[Foxhunter]

Here is a little article I pieced back together on ballmounts that may be of some use in making your selection and installation. Hope it may help.........


BALLMOUNTS:

Nowadays, most ballmounts aren't worth the effort, and the one in the photo below is the worst of the lot. I don't know the actually manufacturer, but Motorola®, Wilson®, Antenna Specialists®, Hustler®, and others currently sell the EXACT same one. It consists of two, stamped, stainless steel half spheres, separated with a rolled steel ferrule, replete with a cheap plastic insulator and thin backing plate.


url=[Please login or register to view this link]][ external image ][/url]


Note the teeth at the bottom of the ball. They're suppose to keep it from rotating. They don't. If you tighten the cross bolt enough to hold the antenna upright, the ferrule will unroll, and your antenna will flop over. If your antenna weights more than 2 pounds, forget about this mount! Worse, the various pot metal ones found in CB shops won't reliably support a Hamstick®.

If you can find one, the old cast iron GE Master ballmount is an excellent choice. They're probably the strongest ones ever made. The photo at left shows my GE unit with a home brew Delrin® insulator. I'm sure there are plenty of these ballmounts out there languishing in attics and garages.


[Please login or register to view this link]


The insulator (3 7/8 inches in diameter) was made from a one inch thick sheet of Delrin®. I used a combination of holes saws and Forstner bits to drill the holes, and counter sink the ball itself. There are press fit steel ferrules inserted in all of the drilled holes, and the ball is pinned in place to keep it from rotating. With a 8 x 12 x 1/4 inch backing plate, it easily held up a 14 pound, 16 foot long, HF antenna.

There is one all brass ballmount available (photo below) made by Breedlove Machine Shop. They come with and without the quick disconnect shown. The QD is also available as a stand-alone unit.


[Please login or register to view this link]


One model sports larger end bosses, rendering it sturdy enough for most screwdriver and bug catcher antennas. However, its small backing plate negates its use on body panels. It sells for about $100, and considering the quality workmanship, worth every penny.

They recently introduced their large ballmount, and it is indeed a work of art. As you can see from the photo, it has a large aluminum mounting plate, and under ideal conditions will hold about any antenna. The ball itself is pinned to prevent rotation, making for a very secure fit. The unit pictured in the upper left of the photo, is an SO-239 built as part of the center stud attachment bolt. This makes the coax connection very secure.

[Please login or register to view this link]


If you do use a ballmount for body mounting, you should endeavor to attach it near a major crease in the sheet metal to minimize flexing. You can just see the crease under the insulator in the left photo. If your antenna is a heavy one, internal bracing may be necessary.

[Foxhunter]

Flatop----is this the article you looked for??

[626]

So you just finish drilling four holes in the side of your favorite ride... you realize that the ball mount you have (hustler) is a piece of crap. what do you do. Do the CBRT gurus have a good ball mount solution for those of us who want to make it fit in those holes we just drilled. Lord knows that I dont want to drill four more holes...


Thanks all

S/F GUNNY

[Foxhunter]

So you just finish drilling four holes in the side of your favorite ride... you realize that the ball mount you have (hustler) is a piece of crap. what do you do. Do the CBRT gurus have a good ball mount solution for those of us who want to make it fit in those holes we just drilled. Lord knows that I dont want to drill four more holes...


Thanks all

S/F GUNNY

With all them holes just say you "were in a firefight"

[626]

thanks foxhunter LOL I said GURUS

You guys crack me up I just read the drdx Disneyworld thread and now this. God help us.

S/F

[Foxhunter]

I'd imagine if you got a better quality ballmount like in the article the mounting flange would be larger and cover the previous holes as well maybe......