Electrical Bonding for Ham Radio on a 2016 Jeep JK Unlimited

This is Part 11 of Outfitting a Jeep JK Unlimited for Ham Radio. In this part, I will explain how to electrical bond a Jeep Wrangler to improve radio performance on the high frequency bands.

Amateur Radio Equipment to Install

1. ABR Industries 235-5X-1 Ground Braid (2 Each)

Tools and Equipment Used

1. Power Drill
2. Phillips Head Screwdriver
3. Sharpee Pen

Earlier in this series, I discussed Engine Noise Impact on Mobile HF Radio Communication.

I found that the motor, exhaust pipe, and doors all contribute about 30 dB of noise on HF. Improving the antenna ground system by electrically bonding parts of the Jeep will lower noise.

I am taking this process incrementally. In this round, I will address the Cargo Door where the screwdriver antenna is looking for a ground plane. I also will address the Jeep’s hood, where vibration may be the cause of 90% of my noise problem. After installing ground braid, I will measure noise again to see if I need to attack the exhaust pipe.

Cargo Door Step One – Identifying Chassis Ground

Jeep has a lot of plastic in the cargo section. Fortunately, you can peel some of it back and find metal attached to the chassis. In this photo, I have removed the spare tire jack and Smuggler’s Box. I plan to run one ground braid between this point and the cargo door.

Here is the point where I will drill a hole for the ground braid.

Using a power drill and a small drill bit, make a small hole in the metal. Change to the next larger bit and make the hole bigger. Continue doing it until a sheet metal screw fits snugly into the hole, and attach the ground braid.

Cargo Door Step Two – Attach Ground Braid to Cargo Door

Using the same method as before, drill a small hole in the lower left-hand side of the cargo door. For me, I already made a hole when I installed a Smittybilt Tailgate Cover a few months ago. When you have the hole, attach the ground braid.

With this step complete, the screwdriver antenna picked up a lot of real estate for a ground.

Hood Step One – Secure Ground Strap to Chassis

This part of the work doesn’t require any drilling because I plan to use Jeep’s pre-drilled holes.

Using a screw driver, secure one end of the ground strap to the chassis. I have a nut on the other side of the assembly to insure everything stays attached.

Hood Step Two – Attach Ground Braid to Hood

Like the cargo door, Jeep put a few knocks in the Wrangler’s hood for the owner to drill holes. I found this pre-drilled hole more convenient.

The only drawback is that my ground braid is 12-inches long. If you want to swing the hood open farther than needed for the hood prop, use a longer braid. ABR makes several lengths. You can also make a custom length if you have the tools necessary to make ground braid.

Note my use of forceps. I found it easier to hold the nut in place while turning the screwdriver than if I had used my fingers. If I dropped the screw, it would forever rattle inside the hood and drive me absolutely crazy.

Here is the finished assembly.