Radios and Ariels on Roof Racks

Even with the ubiquity of mobile phones many 4WD vehicles will also install a UHF radio for talking to other vehicles. These have the advantage in not needing a network to function, as mobiles do. Instead, UHF radios work by a line of sight. Their signal will reach another radio as long as it isn’t blocked by a mountain or the curve of the earth.

Vehicle UHF Radios consist of an Ariel, the radio itself, and the power from the battery. Different models of radio can broadcast at different powers, with 5 watts being the maximum legally allowed. Lower wattage transmission is fine for shorter distances; high power goes further but drains the battery. A few radios allow you to switch between low, medium, and high power settings.

The Ariel is essential for UHF radios. Decent Radio transmission requires an Ariel length of 1/4 wavelength of the transmission frequency. Often this means an Ariel of several meters in length. Obviously, we cannot have such a long Ariel left vertically, it is far too tall. So Ariel is usually attached to the front and rear of the vehicle and bent over the roof.

Fittings for Ariel will attach to the front bull bar and the back of the roof rack. As long as the length of the Ariel is accommodated it is simply a matter of having secure attachments for the Ariel itself. Custom brackets for this are available.

Some higher-frequency radio units use a smaller Ariel. This can be mounted vertically if it is not too high.

4WD Roof Rack Supplier in Sydney & Melbourne, and Perth

Custom-designed roof racks, bull bars, and Ariel mounts allow you to set up the vehicle in a way that suits your needs.