CB Antennas

[DPellegrin]

Hey guys got a quick question I have had 4 foot firestiks for sometime but keep hitting them on things so I want to downgrade to 3 foot antennas. They are both mounted to my toolbox one on each side. My question is this I am thinking about buying wilson antennas has anyone had any experience with them? I love my firestiks they have worked great but wilson claims to work better anyone know? Thanks.

 

[DavidC]

While we are on this subject that is exactly where I was going to mount a CB antenna. Then I started to read different articles that stated 60% of the antenna needs to be above any sheet metal on the vehicle. I was thinking of a 3' until I read this but now according to said articles it needs to be more like a 6' antenna at least. From the box to the top of the roof of the truck is 25 inches. Any thoughts on this?.



Dave

 

[Pawpaw]

Then I started to read different articles that stated 60% of the antenna needs to be above any sheet metal on the vehicle. I was thinking of a 3' until I read this but now according to said articles it needs to be more like a 6' antenna at least. From the box to the top of the roof of the truck is 25 inches. Any thoughts on this?.



Dave

That is one of the benefits of a fiberglass antenna. They are "top loaded", meaning more of the antenna itself (the wire, not the fiberglass pole) is at the top. On a 4-foot antenna, nearly 75% of the wire is in the top 2 feet.



Bob

 

[JOdell]

I have a firestick 3' mounted on a quick connect in the stake pocket next to the cab and I get out very nice. The added feature of the quick connect is that I can take it off to get it in the garage or the carwash. -Jason

 

[GBobbitt]

I am very happy with my 3' wilsons. I am running the front fender mounts with the left antenna hooked to the CB and the right one hooked to a scanner. I bought mine from a guy on Ebay. His name is Steven Cole, his shop is cbradioworld.com, and his Ebay name is cbradioworld. He has good prices and great service. I think he is in Florida somewhere, don't remember for sure.

 

[R-N-R]

Don't duel antenna have to be mounted 8' apart from one another?

 

[JOdell]

Don't duel antenna have to be mounted 8' apart from one another?

according to firestick they can be mounted a truck bed width apart but they have to be insight of each other and you have to use a special kind of coax cable other than for a single antenna. -Jason

 

[Pawpaw]

Don't duel antenna have to be mounted 8' apart from one another?

The short answer to that is "no". Although theory says the optimum separation is 9', the real world rarely conforms to theory... or the lab.



As an example, years ago I put a cophased set of 18" center-loaded hustler antennas on a '76 Pinto wagon. They were mounted to the roof gutters... far less that the "optimal" 9 feet.



I hooked up to a little 23-channel Midland radio (this was before 40 channels) with a Turner JM+2U power mike - no mods. That setup out talked most of the truckers and several guys I knew that were running 100 wat linears.



The MOST critcal parts are:



1 - Use the best coax you can get your hands on. Yes, cophased antennas require different coax than a single antenna. Some cophase harnesses are just junk. Firestik, and others, sell high quality cophase harnesses.



2 - Go to a wide open area with no trees, buildings, or other obstructions and properly adjust your antennas to the lowest SWR you can get.



I had those little Hustlers down to a SWR of 1. 2. Everyone said I'd be darned lucky to get them down to 1. 5.



The bottom line is... If you like it, try it. Just don't cut any corners.



Bob

 

[Spooled-up]

Hey guys got a quick question I have had 4 foot firestiks for sometime but keep hitting them on things so I want to downgrade to 3 foot antennas. They are both mounted to my toolbox one on each side. My question is this I am thinking about buying wilson antennas has anyone had any experience with them? I love my firestiks they have worked great but wilson claims to work better anyone know? Thanks.

If you go with a Wilson whip antenna, you can go longer because the whip will bend and not break like a fiberglass antenna. I have a roof mounted mag mount that I am very happy with. SWR right around 1. 0. I can unscrew it from the mount to get into my garage or through a car wash. I usually leave it off except for long road trips.



I had a Wilson mounted on a front fender mount on my '99 and was happy with it. It was not obstructed in front of the truck and I could back right into my garage with it on and it would bend over and slap the door and make a racket when I pulled in, but no damage to anything.

 

[JayWm]

As an example, years ago I put a cophased set of 18" center-loaded hustler antennas on a '76 Pinto wagon. They were mounted to the roof gutters... far less that the "optimal" 9 feet. I hooked up to a little 23-channel Midland radio...

You have no idea how hard I laugh from the mental image that brings up... :-laf :-laf :-laf

I had forgotten about the old 23 channel radios... these are what my dad and grandfather ran with when I was a little boy

 

[Pawpaw]

You have no idea how hard I laugh from the mental image that brings up... :-laf :-laf :-laf

I had forgotten about the old 23 channel radios... these are what my dad and grandfather ran with when I was a little boy

I can imagine, but guess what... When the 40-channel radios first came out, nobody wanted them. The FCC put much tighter restrictions on bandwidth and modulation, so the early 40's just wouldn't talk. Most of them sounded "tinney". They've gotten a whole lot better since then.



Bob

 

[DavidC]

Thanks for the help guy's. I will try the 3' antenna first with the quick disconnect and see what happens. the article I was referring to is here

http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs/63Things.htm.



I ordered the stake hole mount, 3' firestikII antenna and quick disconnect here

http://www.1stopelectronics.com/



Dave

 

[evldsl]

Hey guys got a quick question I have had 4 foot firestiks for sometime but keep hitting them on things so I want to downgrade to 3 foot antennas. They are both mounted to my toolbox one on each side. My question is this I am thinking about buying wilson antennas has anyone had any experience with them? I love my firestiks they have worked great but wilson claims to work better anyone know? Thanks.

Just make sure you don't change your lead length.

 

[RickL]

The best of both worlds. A Hy-Gain III originally designed as a 23 channel but factory convrted to 40. All of the advanages of the old style with the extra channels. My last permanent mount : a K-40 in the center of the roof on a F*** van. Worked great.

BTW Geno's has a CB mount for the Gen 3 trucks.

 

[vssman]

... I hooked up to a little 23-channel...

Don't laugh but I'm currently running a 23 channel Pace in my truck now...

 

[Pawpaw]

Don't laugh but I'm currently running a 23 channel Pace in my truck now...

You won't hear me laughing. Put a power mic on that thing and you'll have everyone wondering what kind of mods you've done! :-laf



Bob

 

[OL RATLR]

I am running a souped up Galaxy 33 HML and a Wilson 2000 hood mt antenna.

Really good. Oo.