CB Antenna mounts - RRC

[dormobiledisco]

Trying to figure out a good place to mount a Firestik II CB antenna on the RRC. Unlike the Disco "standard" spare tyre location, there doesn't seem to be any super-popular RRC mounting location. Did a search, but couldn't find anything RRC specific.

Here's what I'm considering so far:

-Front wing/bonnet channel, like a regular antenna.
-Mounted on the ARB.
-Inside of the rear quarter panel, on the jamb on the inside next to the tailgate above the taillight.

Any other ideas? And if you've got a photo, all the better.

And before the Ham people come in here...I want a CB just as much for the highway benefits as anything else. I'm also planning to get an amateur license, and would run both systems on the truck eventually...no such thing as too many ways to communicate.

 

[Ronnie]

I don't have a photo right now but I have option 3. I think I even got it from Firestick. It's just two different pieces of plate that mount just inside the rear lower gate right around the taillight. It works pretty well and looks pretty good too.

 

[carlosz]

I have an extension mounted on the fender sandwiched by the hood cowel just ahead of my mirror. as the hood ends and meets the cowl, i removed the small screw and the spacer and used the antenna mount as a spacer and voila. I run a k40 whip pushing a cobra 19+ running about 40 watts on the high side and 3 on the low while moving a 5 pill 500w hot box just in case i need to walk over other communications.
of course the box is there just in case, it does not get used on a regular basis.

 

[RETROV]

I have an ARB bracket welded to my ARB bumper. It works well there.

 

[luvs2getmuddy]

Mine is on my front ARB bumper.

 

[gmookher]

mine is on my front rte bumper(but its not a RRC but thought i'd chime in)

 

[mmathews]

I mounted mine on the passenger side of the rear bumper. I cut a notch out of the end cap so that it will slide into position. I do need to take a picture of it. I have a 5' Firestick. This is my first CB so I have nothing to compare.

 

[Michael Slade]

I have an extension mounted on the fender sandwiched by the hood cowel just ahead of my mirror. as the hood ends and meets the cowl, i removed the small screw and the spacer and used the antenna mount as a spacer and voila. I run a k40 whip pushing a cobra 19+ running about 40 watts on the high side and 3 on the low while moving a 5 pill 500w hot box just in case i need to walk over other communications.
of course the box is there just in case, it does not get used on a regular basis.

I've mounted this exact same way on three different RRC's. Works perfect. There's even a nice grommet in the firewall to route the wire through...be careful though, it does get HOT right there.

 

[azarmadillo]

I have my Wilson 1000 on the roof. Sure it's taken a beating. But it's never broken and the roof panel looks the same as it did when we installed it. The base is protected by the roof rack. Works better than anyone else's I know.

This weblink is many years old, but shows some of the details. http://www.geocities.com/azarmadillo/cbdetails.html

I've since moved the CB from the back of the console to the roof facing forward behind the sunroof. Very clean out of the way install.

 

[fal]

 

[dormobiledisco]

Some interesting ideas here so far...

I think I'm going to go for something on the front end, though I do like some of the rear end concepts mentioned -- they just don't work with the truck's setup, current or future.

Thinking the front end is the way to go, with design plans and so I can "keep an eye" on the antenna. I like the idea of sticking it in the cowl...was running an XM antenna through there today, and noticed that screw (meaning, I tried to get the tiny XM wire through and cursed it many times). It's either that or the ARB mount. But the cowl might be nice, as it's not sticking up in my field of vision all the time.

 

[stevo]

If I understand my RF physics correctly, the top center of the roof is the best point (and it is steel) since the roof acts like a "ground plane" or reflector - this only works if the "ground plane" is steel I think. Mounted on the the front end should give you the second best results because the hood would act like a ground plane (actually that only applies if the hood is steel - I can't remember if it is on the RRC and its too rainy to go outside with a magnet).

Putting it on a back corner bumper will cause a lot of the RF to get absorbed into the body of the vehicle and kill the efficiency. You need at least some of the antennae above the vehicle. If you can only get a little above the roof line, then a top loaded antennae work even better as it tends to radiate more near the tip. Of course for a trail CB, it would probably be fine...

 

[Velocewest]

Hood is steel. Roof is aluminum.

 

[skydiver]

Here are some photos of my 5' Firestik II & its mount.
I've tuned the antenna w/ an SWR meter, and it seems to work well in this location.

I believe the DiscoWeb sticker increases the range quite a bit too.

-Tommy

 

[gmookher]

where does one get discoweb stickers?

 

[skydiver]

where does one get discoweb stickers?

I bought some videos from Dweb a few yrs back and got some. Axel also donates them to the MAR event. I think I still have a few left over... PM me your address and if I can dig one up, I'll send it your way.

-Tommy

 

[DougG]

Hey Tommy,
Just wondering if your antenna is a Firestick, and do you have a spring at the mount? I'm shopping for antennas for my cb now.

 

[skydiver]

Hey Tommy,
Just wondering if your antenna is a Firestick, and do you have a spring at the mount? I'm shopping for antennas for my cb now.

The antenna is a 5ft Firestik II. I don't have a spring mount. It's mounted directly to my ARB bumper. The brush guard protects the bottom of the antenna/mount and it bends as needed... it's a really flexible antenna.

If you want more photos, just tell me what shots you want!

-Tommy

 

[Ronnie]

where does one get discoweb stickers?

store

 

[DougG]

The antenna is a 5ft Firestik II. I don't have a spring mount. It's mounted directly to my ARB bumper. The brush guard protects the bottom of the antenna/mount and it bends as needed... it's a really flexible antenna.

If you want more photos, just tell me what shots you want
-Tommy

Thanks, that looks like a good spot for it. I was looking at the Firestick II also.