Toolbox antenna

That is typical of using the toolbox to mount an antenna. I've tried it on several different trucks and never could get it satisfactory. First off, it's aluminum. In answer to your question, you don't ground, you bond. Yes, braided straps are best. Large gauge, fine wire like they use in big stereo installs seems to work well also. Second, you need more than one strap. Bond all four corners. Be sure you grind attachment points down to bare metal. The last truck I tried this on I found the bed wasn't bonded well either because even mounting an antenna to the bed did not solve the high SWR problem. I read where someone had to bond all four corners of their bed to get good results. I gave up and mounted it on the left front fender with excellent results and finally just drilled a hole in the roof and mounted in the best possible place on a vehicle. And, I am planning to drill a hole in my 2015 GMC pick up as well. It won't hurt the value and If I'm gonna put a radio in it, I want it to work as well as possible, within reason,.... as in I won't be mounting a 102" whip up there.

 

I made a bracket for the antenna and move the grounding point back to the body, which made a huge difference because I could put an additional ground going to the base of the antenna.

 

No I don't, that was 20 plus years ago. However I can give you some details if that helps.

I made the bracket that went above the tool box by a couple inches so I could open it, it had one lid that you lifted. I tried to make it out of 1/8" sheet metal that I had laying around but I could not get it right so I used a thin wall 3/4 square tubing with a base welded to it that was made out of the 1/8" sheet - it was about three inches or so in length and one inch wide. The base was mounted on the floor of the bed by two 1/4" bolts and that's where the grounding straps were attacked under the bed to the frame and added a couple more to the cab to the frame. I later added on a cross piece welded to the mount making it into a "T" of sorts which was bolted to the bed. Nothing move that mount. The antenna was mounted on the top of the 3/4" tubing, once it had a base loaded whip and then I extended it up above the cab on the mount (added 1/2" tubing that slide into the lower one then welded that up) with a 5 foot whip on it.

 

Just try this, return the power how it was setup before see if that helps.

 

If you plug it with one of those little black rubber plugs made to do that, they don't even mention it when you go for trade in. Too many trucks used for business get those same little plugs when they are traded in. I've talked to car dealers and they say it won't hurt the price at all. Plus, on a full size PK you can't really see it anyway. Makes the truck look more "balanced" to have the antenna right in the middle also, and it works the best there. I got $6000 for my trade in and it had a plug in the roof. 2000 GMC Sonoma SLE, King Cab, 4x4, 4.3L, Auto w/ 150,000 miles on it. Ended up not trading it in and sold it to an individual for that price. Neither the dealer nor the guy that ended up buying it were concerned about the plug.