Member Since: 20 Apr 2006
Location: Adelaide Hills
Posts: 183
Mounting a Codan Autotune Antenna
Has anyone found a way to mount a Codan HF Antenna to the Disco3? The ARB Bar is too close to the bonnet to allow the antenna to be mounted behind it and there is no room at the rear of the vehicle.
Last year Lex from Toowoomba posted pics of his, fixed to a factory bar but so far no answer to emails re details. Local Dealer gives blank look when asked!
Thanks,
Tony.Ex Defender 110 200Tdi owner.
22nd Apr 2006 4:04 am
Tony
Member Since: 20 Apr 2006
Location: Adelaide Hills
Posts: 183
Mounting a Codan Autotune antenna
I've had a helpful response from Lex who has confirmed that the factory bull bar has sufficient space to mount the antenna between it and the bonnet.
That's the way I'll go, but if anyone has an alternative, I would love to hear of it. Surely we are not the only ones brave enough to take the Disco3 beyond the range of our cell phones!
Cheers,
Tony.Ex Defender 110 200Tdi owner.
23rd Apr 2006 12:54 am
chex
Member Since: 06 Mar 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 47
heh in east africa you can get cell phone signals in the serengeti...so
23rd Apr 2006 1:15 am
Tony
Member Since: 20 Apr 2006
Location: Adelaide Hills
Posts: 183
Not much help to me - I only speak Swahili occasionally these days.....Ex Defender 110 200Tdi owner.
what happens if the satphone service has a day off ??
In the past 4 years, the most it's been off is 6 hours.
I've also used HF extensively and an HF user questioning a satphone network being down is a case of the 'pot calling the kettle black'.
Each means has it's pros & cons, but neither is 100% reliable! That's why it's good to carry an EPIRB as well and to tell people where you are going.Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
24th Apr 2006 4:59 am
Tony
Member Since: 20 Apr 2006
Location: Adelaide Hills
Posts: 183
G'day Jamo,
No, the antenna will not fit anywhere on the ARB bar. The autotune section has a 150mm footprint and the bar has been designed to fit VERY close to the front of the car. Hard to see why it has been designed like that - perhaps the Toorak Tractor market prefers it? It would certainly be no use when you hit one of our big grasshoppers - I had the ARB bar on the Defender pushed into the front when I collected a roo just before Christmas.
And from the discussions I've had with ARB, it seems that they simply did not consider mounting a HF antenna.
And I'll stay with HF thanks - it's a long walk to the top of some of those hills in the Flinders to get out of a deep gorge and line up a satellite; I know, 'cos I've had to do it!
I've never had much trouble in hilly areas, but I've got a vehicle kit which utilises an amplified antenna.
The ARB bar is close to the body because the tolerances of construction inthe D3 are so much better than in Jap 4WD. The reason that the bars are further away in other cars is there is too much unintended flex in the chassis/bodywork.
They were able to design it closer to the body, so did so to create a better look and to create easier compliance with vehicle laws.
It's actually less likely to cause panel damage than one on an older car or a Jap car.
As to the antenna, maybe fix it to a roof bar??Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
I have had a satphone for some years and i have never had a problem with the signals my phone is Motorola and on Iridium been in some very tit places and still had a signal .Home of RLD Hidden winch mounts Spare wheel Locks Trailer Body Fabrication ray@rld-tech.co.uk D3/4 sump plates MY 14 sump plates and the Discovery Sport wheel protectors Discovery 5 wheel locks
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24th Apr 2006 11:15 am
Tony
Member Since: 20 Apr 2006
Location: Adelaide Hills
Posts: 183
Thanks for your interest, Jamo -I wish I could agree with you, but when you get an opportunity to actually see one of the ARB bars fitted to a D3, you may be in a position to appreciate the problem.
The Codan HF Autotune antenna is not too common in your part of the world either (although various UN agencies use them). It's a big jigger, around 1 metre high and 150mm diameter for the tuning section and a long fibreglass whip on top of all that. It's a bit heavy too. Not really a proposition to stick on the roof. When I work out how this gallery operates I may be able to post a photo of the Defender with the antenna mounted.Ex Defender 110 200Tdi owner.
My part of the world??? I'm in WA - dont' they teach you geography in SA.
Kaymar are producing a rear wheel carrier. I've sent them an email asking for details. Maybe you could mount it to that?? Otherwise, That's one big antenna, so I'm not sure if there's a solution.
And I have seen the ARB bar - there's one on the front of my D3.
Sorry, but I have to go now. The UN food drop is due any minute and I'll have to get to it before the gangs of marauding drop bears steal it! Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
24th Apr 2006 11:34 am
Tony
Member Since: 20 Apr 2006
Location: Adelaide Hills
Posts: 183
Whoops! A bit of a mental block there! I thought you were resident in the Mother Country! Sincere apologies!!
For the antenna, think of your Perth-made Barrett HF, but bigger.
But fer Gawds sake don't hit anything with that bar - I don't share your confidence in the tighter construction tolerances. A lifetime in the motor industry has convinced me that they all bend, regardless of country of origin.
I've put some pics in the gallery showing the Defender. I will have to order a factory bar and hope to miss the wildlife in future, I think.
And don't worry about the drop bears - there's probably no vegemite or Swan tinnies in the UN food parcels anyway.Ex Defender 110 200Tdi owner.
Tony, if you're buying that LR 'Brush Bar', replace the bolts with bigger ones. There's been a few incidences of the bar falling forward off the car!!
I've got quite a bit of confidence in the bar, it's actually one of the better designed and fitting bars I've ever seen. At the end of the day, it's only there to reduce the likelihood of being stranded. I've hit the odd 'roo before (well, they looked pretty odd after I'd hit them anyway).
Living in the country, I know that there's too many folks out there that think the bullbar will be able to take a full strike and save the car. If the bar means the difference bewteen being stuck on the side of the road with a smashed radiator or being able to drive home with a dented car, then I'll be happy!
Plus, the ARB bar gives a better approach angle and better protection for the oil cooler. I think TJM also does a bar now. Have you though about mounting the Antenna in front of the bar, rather than behind?? Or would that contravene SA laws?Have a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
24th Apr 2006 1:09 pm
Tony
Member Since: 20 Apr 2006
Location: Adelaide Hills
Posts: 183
Must have a look at the TJM site to see what they have. The factory bar will be useless against a roo or even a sheep as it's too low and too light but it seems the only way to fit this antenna. Local coppers defect cars with sharp-edged bits protruding beyond the bar so it's not feasible to put the antenna in front.
We spend a lot of time in the bush and in fact live in a rural area so beasties on the track are too common. But we also have to park in the city sometimes and a swing-away mount at the back will often not allow access to the tailgate due to distance to the car inevitably parked close behind us.
And why do we need this accursed antenna? Well, we use a heap of HF channels for the VKS747 network and others to for work - sometimes have to talk to people at the other end of the country - also, I want to use my ham radio gear and it interfaces with that antenna also.
So there are not a lot of options left. When I get it sorted out I'll post some photos - in the meantime, thanks Jamo, and others who have helped.
Cheers,
Tony.Ex Defender 110 200Tdi owner.
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