Hello,

I am an amateur radio op here with Rick at the Arizona Science Center.
I use a High Sierra screw driver antenna which I have owned for 5 years. I use mine on my Suburban but I am sure it would work well on the Explorer. I mount mine in the rear trailer hitch using a special fabricated mount which High Sierra sells.

I operate 80M to 10 M using a Yaesu FT900. Works great.

73. John. AA6HA.

An additional bit of info. Successful HF operation in the Explorer almost always requires the installation of a filter kit on the electric fuel pump.

Specific details are available in the Explorer Tips section.

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Rick Horwitz
Editor
rick@4x4central.com
www.explorer4x4.com (http://www.explorer4x4.com)
Ricks Explorer (http://www.explorer4x4.com/tech.html)

Is anybody using a DK-3 "Screwdriver" antenna or one of its Clones on an Expplorer?

What kind of results are you getting?

Care to share Mounting details?

I can't give any specific info. about mounting a screwdriver type HF antenna on an Explorer, but Rick is definitely correct about the fuel pump noise. Not only is the rf filter kit for the fuel pump ESSENTIAL( Ford Part NO E7PZ-9B357-A, "Fuel Pump Noise kit", about $40). but antenna location is also a factor. My CB isn't bothered too badly, but when I run a real radio with some respectable sensitivity specs, it becomes a big problem. Anywhere around the rear area of my car, especially the Left side where the tank and pump are located is BAD. ( I usually use an Alinco DX70TH as my HF mobile).

I've experimented considerably, and

1. the noise is coming in on the antenna feedline (disconnect the coax at the radio, and presto, the noise goes away, so its not on the 12V DC supply. Also you can toggle the noise on and off b y pulling the fuel pump relay with the engine running and the radio on, of course.
and 2. The best location for the antenna is dead center of the roof. I have tried Hamsticks 10,20,and 40M, an Outbacker Perth, and a Wilson 1000 10-12M . all with the same noise results. An alternate location, but not quite as quiet as the roof, is up front of the grille on the front bumper "Auzzie style". Looks a bit goofy to us Yanks, so I opted for the roof, but if I ran a tall antenna it would go up front.

Hope this helps and 73,
Ray, AE6H