A-pillar lights and Ham antenna mounted

[Squirrel13]

Mounted the @Baja Designs LP4s and ham antenna. Used a @SPVPARTS single on pass side and a double on drivers side. The double provided a spot to mount the M2M antenna mount. I modified the M2M mount to accept a true NMO mount. Antenna is a Comet CA-2x4SR NMO. Antenna looks great front to back but has a slight lean side to side. Have to see THE SWR once I get the Yaesu FTM-500DR installed.

K9ADD

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[WarthogJr]

Clean.

 

[Baja Designs]

Man that looks good!

Best,

Brahian Herrera | Forum Sales & Support
Email: [email protected] | Phone: (760) 560-2252 Ext 201

 

[Squirrel13]

Man that looks good!

Best,

Brahian Herrera | Forum Sales & Support
Email: [email protected] | Phone: (760) 560-2252 Ext 201

 

[Scoop]

Everything looks great except the connections on the back of the ditch lights? I've mounted a number of LED lights (none were Baja Designs) and have not seen any connections that plug into the back of the lights. All had sealed pigtails. Are these Bronco Designs connections weatherproof? Not to distract from Baja Designs as I've always thought they had a great reputation. Do the bumper lights have the same connections?

Great idea using a double mount on one side for raw antenna and a single mount on the other side. Nice work.

 

[Mr Bacon Jr]

Everything looks great except the connections on the back of the ditch lights? I've mounted a number of LED lights (none were Baja Designs) and have not seen any connections that plug into the back of the lights. All had sealed pigtails. Are these Bronco Designs connections weatherproof? Not to distract from Baja Designs as I've always thought they had a great reputation. Do the bumper lights have the same connections?

Great idea using a double mount on one side for raw antenna and a single mount on the other side. Nice work.

That’s the way LP4s wire up- have 3 in the bumper of my rig.

 

[ksdon]

That is a nice install and should work very well. I ran that antenna for years and I want your lights!!

The only other comment I will make is that your antenna is excellent but very stiff. Be careful with hitting low ceilings in parking garages etc or limbs. If you don't have the spring they make for it, I would recommend getting it. I tore my NMO out by hitting a very low parking garage ceiling. In the wild I have never hit anything. Good job!

 

[Squirrel13]

Everything looks great except the connections on the back of the ditch lights? I've mounted a number of LED lights (none were Baja Designs) and have not seen any connections that plug into the back of the lights. All had sealed pigtails. Are these Bronco Designs connections weatherproof? Not to distract from Baja Designs as I've always thought they had a great reputation. Do the bumper lights have the same connections?

Great idea using a double mount on one side for raw antenna and a single mount on the other side. Nice work.

Scoop - the Baja Designs housing is the mate to the Deutsch DT plug that has a rubber seal as seen in the puc

 

[n0xlf]

Looks great! There are pretty much no good locations for an antenna on these. I haven't checked SWR on mine but I suspect it isn't spectacular. Just a lot in the way and no ground plane. I did an Anytone with the BT-01 bluetooth mic. It's wife approved

 

[Squirrel13]

That is a nice install and should work very well. I ran that antenna for years and I want your lights!!

The only other comment I will make is that your antenna is excellent but very stiff. Be careful with hitting low ceilings in parking garages etc or limbs. If you don't have the spring they make for it, I would recommend getting it. I tore my NMO out by hitting a very low parking garage ceiling. In the wild I have never hit anything. Good job!

KSDAN - yeah this antenna is taller than my F350. So far the garage door hasn’t torn it off

 

[Baja Designs]

Everything looks great except the connections on the back of the ditch lights? I've mounted a number of LED lights (none were Baja Designs) and have not seen any connections that plug into the back of the lights. All had sealed pigtails. Are these Bronco Designs connections weatherproof? Not to distract from Baja Designs as I've always thought they had a great reputation. Do the bumper lights have the same connections?

Great idea using a double mount on one side for raw antenna and a single mount on the other side. Nice work.

Hey Scoop,

We use a mixture of Weather pack connectors and Deutsch connectors on our lighting. Our LP series lights use the Deutsch connect simply due to the design. It is very popular when it comes to wiring in racing applications. All our lighting is IP9K rated meaning it is Waterproof up to 9ft and Pressure Washable.


Best,
Brahian Herrera | Forum Sales & Support
Email: [email protected] | Phone: (760) 560-2252 Ext 201

 

[Scoop]

Hey Scoop,

We use a mixture of Weather pack connectors and Deutsch connectors on our lighting. Our LP series lights use the Deutsch connect simply due to the design. It is very popular when it comes to wiring in racing applications. All our lighting is IP9K rated meaning it is Waterproof up to 9ft and Pressure Washable.


Best,
Brahian Herrera | Forum Sales & Support
Email: [email protected] | Phone: (760) 560-2252 Ext 201

Brahian, thanks for the additional information. So I see the connection is a good weatherproof and secure connection which is great. Now my comment is purely aesthetic and mainly applies to ditch lights where the wiring is in obvious sight. Do you make a connection that looks more "finished"? Having the 3 individual wires exposed coming out of the Deutsch connector in plain view would be unacceptable to me. Perhaps the OP can add some wire loom or black heat shrink?

For comparison here's a pic of the back of my RC ditch/A-pillar lights which use a pigtail to a weather proof connection. (Pease excuse the rust on the bolt! I need to change them out.)

 

[ksdon]

If I was making a light, I would take note of the above picture. That looks much better. Not just cleaner but it looks like it will last much longer than an external clip.

 

[KD4RHO]

Local guy made the aluminum bracket - had to add a piece of steel for the GMRS antenna. Can reach it to fold over from the driver's seat.

 

[DaveInSA]

Any problems with hood or windshield wiper clearance?

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