so ive been trying to figure out the best way to mount an antenna for my FT-7900 in my F-150 and honestly theres too many options and i cant decide. right now i just have a mag mount on the roof which works fine i guess but it slides around a little when i hit the highway and i always worry about it scratching the paint or just flying off one day at 70mph.

been looking at the lip mounts that go on the door frame or maybe drilling a hole in the bed rail but my wife is not thrilled about me drilling into the truck. i mostly use it for the local 2m repeater and some simplex when im driving around for work. range seems decent but i wonder if a better mount would help or if its mostly just the antenna itself. anyone done a permanent install they're happy with? or found a good no-drill solution that doesnt feel sketchy

i went through the same thing with my tacoma a few years back. ended up doing a mount on the trailer hitch receiver - there are these little adapters that slide right into the 2 inch receiver and give you a solid base for a ball mount. no drilling, no scratches, antenna is back behind the cab so it doesnt interfere with anything. only downside is the antenna is a bit lower than on the roof so you lose a little in terms of line of sight but honestly for repeater work it hasnt mattered at all. i run a Diamond NR770HB on mine and it works great.

if you really want the roof mount without the mag mount headache, look into the fakra antenna mounts that go in the roof rail channel on some trucks. not sure if the F-150 has compatible rails but worth checking. the lip mounts work too but ive heard mixed things about how they hold up in heavy rain.

mag mounts are fine tbh, i wouldnt stress too much. mine has been on my jeep for like 3 years and hasnt moved. you might just need a stronger magnet base - the cheap ones that come with starter antennas are kinda weak. i upgraded to a comet one and it hasnt budged since even on gravel roads. as for the paint, just put a little piece of felt or a thin rubber mat under it and youre good.