bending magmount antenna?

tod · EVDO Newbie Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Indiana

I just purchased a magmount antenna, intending to simply stick it on my steel roof where the signal is best.

Does the antenna work best when exactly vertical? (if I put it on a section with some slope, it will be off vertical by ~20 degrees)

If the antenna wants to be exactly vertical, can I (gently) bend it to compensate for the roof pitch, and if so, where in the antenna should the bend be made? Will this degrade performance? Does the ground plane need to be perpendicular to the antenna?

Alex · Site Admin Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1899

i would not bend the antenna, and i still want it vertical.

find another way to make it vertical. some metal fabrication, perhaps?

tod · EVDO Newbie Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Indiana

I can build a bracket to get it vertical. Does it matter if the ground plane (the roof) is not horizontal?

Alex · Site Admin Joined: 19 Sep 2006 Posts: 1899

never thought of that. if you have the ability to, make the surface you magnetically attach antenna to, at least 12" round/square. that should do it.