so ive been putting off doing a proper mobile install for way too long, just been using a mag mount on the roof which works fine but i want something more permanent. got a Yaesu FT-7900R sitting on my workbench waiting to go in and i cant decide where to put the antenna. truck is a 2019 F-150, has the full metal roof which should be great for ground plane but theres also a sunroof in the middle which kind of limits where i can put a lip mount or anything like that.

was thinking about doing a NMO mount through the roof somewhere toward the rear but my wife is not thrilled about drilling a hole in a truck we still have payments on, which honestly is fair. also looked at the stake hole mounts on the bed but i've heard mixed results with those for VHF/UHF, something about the cab being in the way messing up the pattern toward the front.

anyone dealt with this on a newer F-150 or similar? how much does it actually matter in practice, im mostly doing local repeater stuff and some simplex when im out hiking with my handheld and want the truck as a base nearby

the bed stake hole thing gets a bad rap but honestly for what you're describing — hitting local repeaters, doing simplex — it works fine. yeah the pattern isn't perfectly omnidirectional because the cab blocks some of the forward radiation but on VHF it's not like you're losing huge amounts, the signal bounces around enough in most areas that it doesn't matter much in practice. i ran a Tram 1185 in the driver's side stake hole on my old Silverado for two years and never had a real problem with it on 2m.

that said if you can sell your wife on the NMO through the roof it really is the cleaner solution long term. you can get a good weatherproof mount and it'll look factory if you do it right. tell her a properly installed NMO is actually less likely to leak than a hastily done mag mount rattling around up there, which is true

im in almost the exact same situation with my Tacoma lol, ended up just keeping the mag mount because i couldnt commit to drilling. the FT-7900 is a great radio btw you're gonna like it, the dual watch on that thing is really useful when you're monitoring a repeater and a simplex freq at the same time. good luck with the install whichever way you go