C.b. Antenna

[AHuber]

Got to have a C. B. while towing or going on a trip with the Dodge. Just wondering if it hurts to mount the magnet mount on a small plate attached to the bed rail under the fiberglass cap. ? If I put it on the roof it scratches the paint and it gets raked off pulling into the garage.

Just wondering if the TX and the REC. will be the same ?

Thanks

Al

 

[Deezul1]

I used the mount that uses a front fender bolt and puts the antenna about the same place as the radio antenna except on the drivers side. I found that my SWR was lousy and couldnt get it any better till I changed from a 3' antenna to a 4' then the match worked real good.

 

[Pogodually]

CB antenna

Try putting a plastic bag over the magnetic base. Or even Suran wrap will work just as well. Have done that and it didn't scratch the paint on my car roof.

 

[WadePatton]

The best mount is the stake pocket job, but they're $60 each and I need two.



Magnetic mounts give excellent performance, but as you have found out, can be hard on the paint.



Is the fiberglass going to be between the mount and the plate?



Antenna-wise bigger is always better. If you can mount the venerable 102" whip somewhere you'll have the best TX/RX and a durable/cheap antenna.



Get a ham license and learn tons more about it and expand your radio horizons exponentially.



When I get my truck fully radio-rigged I'll have three xmit antennas, three radios, and will transmit on 1 UHF, 2 VHF, and 9 HF bands. I will have receive from 100kHz (below AM broadcast) to 1. 2gHz (above cell). And for you who like high-power CB, it will be perfectly legal for me to transmit 1,500 watts on most bands.



73 W1ADE

 

[Casey Balvert]

Man you must glow in the dark when you drive down the highway.



Casey

 

[skobylenski]

Another note - If you go with a Firestik or similar fiberglass center antenna, make sure you get a spring for the bottom. It's amazing the drag a 4' Firestik has - doing 70mph, mine bends back about 8 inches or so. Before I got a spring base, I was afraid my mirror was going to break off from the force.

I picked up the spring at RadioShack for $10. Just my 2 cents.

 

[dewdo]

I too have the 4' Firestick mounted on the driver side on the bolt between the hood and firewall. I had the 8' at first, which worked much better, but it was hitting the front of the camper. The 4' doesn't move, but doesn't work as well either.



Dewdo in the other Washington

 

[WadePatton]

Originally posted by CBalvert

Man you must glow in the dark when you drive down the highway.

Actually you can attach a flourescent light to an HF antenna and light it up when you transmit. I haven't done it on the ham bands, but I did it once with a 4-foot tube when I had a "BIG" CB. A couple hundred watts will do it.

 

[dewdo]

That reminded me of my old airborne radio operator days in the Air Force. I use to check the load on my HF transmitter using a flourscent lamp held next to the antenna outlet on the cockpit wall. The brighter it was the more power I had. Nice memories.



Dewdo in the other Washington