I advise useing a "Hustler" bumper mount on the luggage rack with a "quick release" mast with mag mounts they are good but after time water seep under the mount and cause rust and then you will have to do a paint job... doing this way no drilling no fuss ez peasy... unless you wanna drill get a "gumdrop" and 3/4 in drill bit and drill a nice hole in top roof..choice is yours....

 

I have the magnet mount they stink! i hate it if it hits on any thing it flips over!

 

The easiest way to do it would be to remove the entire antenna (magnet and all) from the roof when you're not using it. You could leave the magnet on the roof and unscrew the base/whip, but then you would need to put the weather cap on the magnet base to prevent water from getting into it.

I used a mag mount for years on several different vehicles before going over to hard mounts. I've been playing radio (CB) since the mid 70s and also have an extra class amateur radio license. I have installed numerous antennas over the years. I have seen a couple of whips bend, but I have never seen a mag mount antenna flip over. I have never seen a problem with water accumulation under them either. I'm not saying that it can't happen, but if the antenna is properly installed the chances of it happening are slim to none.

As I previously stated, a hard mount would be the best option but I can understand being reluctant to drill a hole in your roof. Bumper mounts, mirror mounts, etc. are another option, but can be a real pain when it comes to providing adaquate counterpoise for the antenna and obtaining an acceptable SWR. BTW - High SWR from an improperly installed antenna is the #1 cause of radio failure.

 

I would take the whole thing off when not in use, my concern there is storage. I don't want a base with 3 foot (or however long they are) antenna rolling around in the back of my truck, so if they made a magnetic base with an antenna that retracted, there's that much less disassembly to do and it's easy to store when not in use.

 

Well if you go and get a cheap 20 lb {weight pull draw magnet } like low end Radio shack or cheap truckstop rejects you will get what you pay for Wilson 1000,5000 mag mounts would be the way I would go and did for years but I never moved the mount..lol there other good mounts as well but again you have to know where you going to place it and also set the "SWR's" or tune the antenna for the band with etc..

thats just my humble opinion ...

 

One final thought about the mag mounts. If you don't want the antenna rolling around, find a place to store it, and attach a piece of metal for it to attach to, inside the truck.