CB Antennas - Do I need a "No Ground plane"?

[Mactruck]

Hello. I'm planning on mounting a CB Antenna with a Stake Pocket mount on the bed of my truck. I have a Cap on my truck as well and my question is:

Due to the Topper do I need a "no Ground Plane" Antenna to Improve reception and Transmission? Or is the "No ground plane" designed for actual mounting on Fiberglass???



It will be mounted in the rear corner on drivers side. A Scanner Antenna will be on the opposite Passenger side.

I already have a low band radio (for fire) mounted by the drivers hood. (for those who were wondering) And I am trying to avoid a hole in the roof.



Any Help would be appreciated.

 

[TowPro]

I am confused here. You mounting it in the stake pocket, Plus running a cap? I guess this mount is a thin plate that attaches into the stake pocket, then sticks out past the edge of the cab.



No ground plane antennas don't work near as well as a regular antenna. I would use this mount you are talking about, but be sure its grounded to the truck body, even if you have to run a short bradded ribbon cable between the mount and the truck body and it will work great.



Do you have a name or URL for this mount your using?

 

[Mactruck]

Here you go.

Firestick extended stake pocket mount This will allow me to mount the cap and not interfere with the stake pocket.



Sorry for the confusion. I just wasn't sure if a NG antenna is need when you can't ground the antenna or if the standing wave interferes with a fiberglass surface.

Sorry if it's confusing - I'm confused myself

 

[Ted Constantine]

Kevin,

I had that CB mount on my last two trucks until it was vandlized last fall. I got good grounding by scraping some of the finish off the bottom of the stack hole were the mount contacts. You do not need a no gound plane antenna for this application only if you were to mount it on a none metal surface (fiberglass, plastic, etc)

Ted

 

[WadePatton]

correct

When you have two-way communications questions look for a ham (amateur radio operator). Not all, but most of us have learned many of the basic principles of antennas and feedlines and radiation and efficiency AND ARE GLAD to help.



None of that smoke and mirrors CB shop stuff. (BTDT).



I'm constantly amused by some of the antenna installations I see. But the guys are right here. You'll be fine working from the bed rail provided that the mount grounds the system and that the camper shell is non-metallic. BUT if you were mounting to a fiberglass surface, then you would need the other type antenna.



Just about the best CB antenna going (especially for the $) is the good-ole 102-inch whip mounted off the bumper. Can't burn it up, break it, or beat it's simplicity as a 1/4 wave vertical.



W1ADE -that's my call sign.

 

[TowPro]

Re: correct

W3WJR is mine. As a matter of fact our Dodge is a great ground plain. I can run 7Mhz on up with my Yeasu ATAS-100 antenna. It don't work on my camper much below 50Mhz, so I found I can run a coax jumper from the camper to the truck with great results.



I am sure our trucks will go lower in frequency, I just don't have the antenna for it, or the desire to hang some real large clunker on my truck.

Originally posted by WadePatton

When you have two-way communications questions look for a ham (amateur radio operator). Not all, but most of us have learned many of the basic principles of antennas and feedlines and radiation and efficiency AND ARE GLAD to help. .



W1ADE -that's my call sign.

 

[TowPro]

Here is the mount I use #ad
I realize it don't work if you run a cap. With this mount you still have the pocket available, and your antenna is on top of the bed rail. To mount it, you turn this mount upside down, and the set screws that would clamp down on your trunk lid lip will grab onto the inside of the bed rail up toward the front. When I started running the ATAS-100 #ad
I decided to put 2 screws through the mount into the side of the bed to assist in holding all that wind load.

 

[willyslover]

so a GENUINE DUMAS rookie question here... How about the best way to "tune" a lil cheep K40 radio with a Wilson 5000 4' Mag mount antenna... went to MM with it for the first time and could receive from good distance but up close two Dually's with 5 er's one in front and the other in the rear of me couldn't hear me worth a crap... how do you know if it's the Mic or the radio or the antenna. . [it was in the center of the roof or the cab] that are not doing the job

 

[WadePatton]

High and Clear is the rule for antenna mounting.



And if you're too close to someone you get "frontend overload" with anything but the lowest power settings.



Check your coax for damage, use a meter to check/set the SWR. Then have a radio shop check out the radio/mic setup if you still have problems. Try to find a CB or two-way shop that owned by a ham if you want really reputable service. But then not all "pure" CB stores are bad.

 

[fest3er]

Originally posted by Mactruck
... if the standing wave interferes with a fiberglass surface...

For what it's worth, fiberglass should be transparent to RF.

Fest3er

 

[WadePatton]

Re: Re: correct

Originally posted by TowPro

W3WJR is mine.



I am sure our trucks will go lower in frequency, I just don't have the antenna for it, or the desire to hang some real large clunker on my truck.

I'll be hanging a screwdriver-type on mine eventually. It'll do 80m. I'm already covered for 2m, 440, and 220. And I have a 6" bugcatcher that'll work 160. But the HF rig isn't in the truck yet.



So I'll be good for 1. 8 to 450mHz with the exception of 6m--when I get done.

 

[Johnny5]

speaking of mag mounts and ground planes... Is it a bad thing if a paper towel or rag is placed in between the mag and the roof?



Johnny5

 

[WadePatton]

not if the magnet still sticks to the roof.