Mounting ham antenna on Airstream trailer

[GM Airstream]

Some ask how to run the coax cable... inside or what ?... well we found that punching holes in the interior bulkheads.. is destructive... so instead what we do.. or did.. is run the coax under the bellypan... i.e. ground side... and use aircraft adel clamps located at each frame x member... I have seen others put the coax inside a piece of PVC tubing and attaching that to the under pan again using adel clamps at each frame x member using self tap'n sheet metal screws... either way it allows one to run the cable under the trailer till you find your operating position.. then you come up through the belly pan into the floor of the trailer... either with the gas line or other... so that you keep the hole drilling to a min...

As to the UHF/VHF antenna... one could get a second roof vent cover.. and put the mount in it... run the coax over and down through the refrig vent hole...

although a lot of others have built a 0.050 thick metal plate for the mount... that then is riveted to the refrig outside top vent lip... three 1/8 inch rivet holes are better than one big 3/4... and when you remove it.. just fill the rivet holes with rivets... none the wiser... and if you don't use a NMO or other mount... the magnetic mount then will pop on and off the plate... leaving only the coax connection to be made... to the antenna.
I have attached a pic of the whole assembly that is easy riveted to the refrig vent cover lip... this one has a 1 inch mini ball that can be adjusted so it folds over easy

Hope this helps...

[GM Airstream]

Question: mounting the UHF/VHF antenna on the airstream refrig vent....

No I wouldn't mount it directly to the refrig vent.. its not that strong... and if you put the plate over some of the opening.. you are restricting... some of the air movement...

No.. instead I would have a piece of metal that is about 050 thou thick alu... perferbly a 6061 plate that allows a 4 x 4 inch mount .. i.e that is what some of the larger ball mounts are...
I punched a hole in the center of mine... so that I can mount a NMO mount or any other later on.

With 1 inch tabs on the top and bottom of the bent piece.. you can either use rivnuts or if you think it going to be their forever.. go ahead and use some aircraft 3/16 cherry max rivets... I also use some of the aviation PRC sealant to keep the rivets from leaking.. but most of the time the cherry max rivets will seal up... without anything else being used... seal along the top of the lip of the plate and you can seal any water from coming between the bracket and the airstream hull... On mine I used 4 -3/16 cherry max on the top and bottom.. and I also have a lip bent over the edge of the mount to add to the strength of the metal... its solid... you almost could stand on it as strong as it is...

Run the coax on the cooler side of the refrig vent... no need to punch new holes.. as it can be fed through the screen and allowed to follow down the side of the refrig compartment... from the access already built into the trailer...

The coax cable I use is regular RG-58U... for the length is has little loss...

If you wanted a fold over antenna you can use a lot of the CB trucker parts... and attach them to the side of the mount...

[slowmover]

CB has suffered in quality all sorts of ways past forty years. K0BG mentions (and I’d second) the use of mounts, etc, by Hank Breedlove (Breedlove Machine) where they intersect with desire.

[stoneager]

My two cents -- I don't think I would mount an HF antenna on my trailer. Seems like an opportunity for a water leak. Instead, I use a Buddipole or an end-fed or dipole up in the trees. If there are no trees around, then a telescoping fiberglass mast.

~ Joe
K5BRY