Car top mounting options

For the roads warriors that live in there vehicles, how about a shark fin?

Justin

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@maingear neat idea!
Mount a solar array to the shark fin?
No need to wire power!

I added labels :wink:

Justin

1 Like

Interesting! What would you make it out of?

3d print with pla, then abs for functionality and aesthetics. Injection mold for production.

I’m pretty good with a Taz5

Here is a boat I printed for my son, that’s a .5 L bottle of water for scale.

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I’ve thought about just taping it to a plastic flag mounted in the window, they are VERY cheap. Run a USB cord through the door jam to keep charged. In testing I just hold it out the sunroof =)

image

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When I saw the topic I imagined something simpler like a mag mount antenna. If someone were to combine the idea with a flexible solar panel it would be kind of interesting. The car mount could use a nice Gotenna Mesh decal as well

I’m expecting cars of the future to incorporate a mesh networking system. We may as well be ahead of the curve.

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https://www.ebay.com/itm/Black-Universal-Car-Roof-Radio-AM-FM-Signal-Shark-Fin-Style-Aerial-Antenna-Cover-/113005760658?fits=Make%3ABMW check this out looks like it would hold one perfectly

To prevent your gotenna from being stolen off your roof as well as allowing the use of a solar panel that is equally protected from theft I recommed modding your gotenna to have an external SMA antenna connector. This allows for the use of an inexpensive and fairly low profile 900MHz magnet mount car roof antenna. Then the gotenna can be kept inside the car & powered by an inexspensive solar panel set on your dash, plus you get a much higher performance antenna compared to the gotennas internal antenna. I also use a USB splitter cable so the gotenna can be dual powered by both a solar panel as well as by a ignition wired 12v/USB car adapter that only draws power from the car when it’s running. This allows the gotenna to be kept permanently powered on 24/7 in relay mode.

Here are photos and web links to the equipment that I used for the setup in 4 family vehicles:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/800-900-Mhz-LOW-PROFILE-MAGNETIC-ANTENNA-SMA-MALE-8-5-RG-174/281266153262?hash=item417cc4e72e%3Ag%3AeMkAAMXQlgtS899r&LH_BIN=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MCXZJ8Y?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00M4SH7KW?psc=1&ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title

I also keep a tiny 900MHz ducky antenna in each car so the modified gotenna can still be taken out of the car and used portable. This antenna should be similar in performance to the original internal gotenna antenna.

https://www.amazon.com/915MHz-Antenna-Transmit-Aerial-Shipping/dp/B071XX6LK4?keywords=900mhz+antenna&qid=1537639048&sr=8-15&ref=mp_s_a_1_15

do you detailed instructions on your mod?

What I have posted already is about as detailed as I have. There are many other posts on this forum that give instructions for the mod if you do a search. I just followed what’s in the photos and improvised as I went along.

Best of luck.