Magnet Mount Question

If it helps any, I've talked 8-10 miles locally with a stock 4 watt CB and a Wilson 1000, no trimming of the whip either. Of course this was during non skip conditions.

 

I wouldn't want to run any kind of power with a magnet mount antenna. The antenna is capacitively coupled to your car through the magnet. I don't know what the breakdown voltage is, but an electric arc from the magnet to your car body wouldn't do the paint job a whole lot of good.

Speaking of paint damage, even without arcing, a magnet mount will damage the finish of your vehicle over time. I ran a mag mount on my parents' car one summer when we were on vacation for two weeks. The mount left a dull spot in the finish that we could never get rid of.

 

I ran a 40 watt radio on the Wilson mag mount.....no problem.
Also about 3 strips of electrical tape on the vehicle will keep the magnet from scratching the paint.

 

It would not hurt anything....I think i would let it dry out some and see if it goes back to normal.
Not sure if that center bolt on a K-40 is the ground side though.

 

I would drill a hole in the roof, put in an NMO base, and run a Larsen NMO27 antenna. A *lot* better of an antenna than anything you'll get at a truck stop.

Mag mounts can be touchy. A bit of water underneath can change the SWR.

Sure, if you keep the ground strap under six inches long...
Seriously, though, just put on a body mount with a 102" whip and be done with it...

 

Santa left a mag mount Wilson 1000 under my tree. Sitting on the more than adequate ground plane that my Econoline provides, it works very well. I've only used it with my spare 510xl so far, bur it hear really well. I'll try it with my custom 148gtl soon.

The 1000 has silver plated wire whereas the 500 does not. They say it is a better conductor.
I have a 102" whip which would work well and look really cool on a van, but is a real pain in all other respects.

Mounting a 102" whip is largely unpractical because of it's height. It often needs to be mounted on the side or bumper, where it is obstructed by the vehicle's body. Negating any benefit it's length might provide. If you're not going to drill a hole, the mag mount wins.

I'll do a hole mount once I figure out how big my safari roof rack will be, or maybe I'll mount it to the roof rack.

 

Mag mounts are really for temporary installs. I've used them with good results, but as somebody already mentioned, they will damage the paint with constant use, and I wouldn't run a very big linear thru one either.