What is an NMO Mount? How is it used? Do you need it?
An NMO mount, pictured to the left, stands for "New Motorola." It's a popular type of mounting base that's frequently used when installing mobile antennas. It comes in two different installation types, thru-hole and magnetic. Thru-hole mounts typically need a small hole, around 3/8" to 3/4", to be drilled through the surface the mount would be resting upon. It's the best choice for an extremely rugged installation. The thru-hole mount comes in two colors, chrome and brass. The magnetic mount is similar to the thru-hole mount, but the applications are different. The magnetic mount can be placed onto any metallic surface and has a pull of about 8 lbs. It comes in two colors, black and chrome, and won't damage your appliance since its application doesn't involve a drilled hole.
The idea of the NMO mount is simple. NMO mounts are devised to have a standard threaded connector where you screw on the antenna of choice to the mount. It connects to the antenna and provides the antenna cable as well. There are a large number of antennas that are built to screw on to the NMO mount, simply look for an antenna with an NMO base.
NMO mounts have two waterproof seals, so if installed right it should prevent the car from rusting out. The first seal, or waterproof gasket, is placed directly against the metal of your vehicle or another metallic surface, while the second sits inside the antenna. This keeps the connection point of the antenna dry. You would also be delighted to know that once you connect an antenna to this mount, it isn't permanent, therefore, you can remove the antenna and switch it with a different one.
Once mounted, the NMO mount only occupies 1/4" of the height above its mounting surface, meaning that it's low profile and unobtrusive. Recently, we've unveiled 15 new NMO mounts from RFMAX, ranging from brass thru-hole mounts to chrome magnetic mounts, so don't forget to check that out! The thru-hole mounts begin with RNMOT while the magnetic mounts start with RNMOM. Enjoy! If you have any other questions regarding the topic don't be afraid to reach out!