so ive been running a Diamond NR770H on a mag mount forever and finally decided to do a proper NMO install on my F-250 but now im second guessing where to put it. roof center seems obvious for pattern symmetry but my buddy says the cab roof is a pain to run coax through and suggested the rear quarter panel or the rain gutter area instead.

I mostly run 2m and 70cm, mostly local repeaters and some simplex when im out in the field doing ARES stuff. not chasing DX or anything crazy. but i do want a decent ground plane and clean pattern. anyone have real world experience with roof center vs off-center placements on a full size pickup? curious if the pattern distortion from a quarter panel mount is actually noticeable in practice or if its one of those things that only shows up in antenna modeling software and not on the air.

also is the NR770H still a solid choice or should i be looking at something else for a dedicated NMO install, maybe the Comet SBB-5 or something in that range

ran an NMO on my Silverado for about 4 years, had it center roof and honestly the coax routing wasnt that bad once i figured out the headliner. popped the A pillar trim, ran it down and under the dash. took maybe two hours total if you dont rush it. the pattern being centered matters more than people think if youre doing ARES stuff because you want reliable coverage in all directions, not just off the front or sides.

quarter panel works in a pinch and yeah its easier to route the cable but youll get some blockage from the cab and bed depending on geometry. for repeater work it probably wont matter much at all honestly but if youre ever trying to hit something thats off to the side away from the mount side of the truck, youll notice it. NR770H is a perfectly fine antenna, no reason to change it out just because youre going NMO. the Comet is good too but its longer and whippier, seen guys snap them in car washes.

the pattern thing is kind of overblown for typical repeater use imo. i have mine on the passenger side rain gutter with a gutter mount and it works fine, been doing it for years on two different trucks. yeah its not perfect but were talking a few dB here and there in certain directions, not like youre going deaf on one side.

the coax routing is the real argument for picking your spot. figure out where you can actually get the cable inside cleanly without drilling extra holes and go from there. i used a door grommet on mine and its held up through some nasty weather no issues.