| Author | Message | ||
     carl J. Drumgoole (Carl_kps) Member Username: Carl_kps Post Number: 62 Registered: 02-2003 |
Where would be the best place to mount an antenna for offroading to maximize range with out getting it broke off while offroading. The roofrack would be the best place but it would last only a little while offroading the GWNF. I was thinking about seeing if one of the brush guards would be strong enough and ground it to the same wire my rear spot light. Any suggestions? | ||
| Paul D. Morgan (V22guy) Dweb Lounge Member Username: V22guy Post Number: 1919 Registered: 02-2002 |
Hi Carl, Some folks prefer using the mount on the ARB, but many others use the rear tire carrier as seen here: http://www.expeditionexchange.com/cbantenna/ | ||
| Axel Haakonsen (Axel) Moderator Username: Axel Post Number: 299 Registered: 02-2003 |
I have mine on the roofrack. I use a long one for highway travel, and a short whip for tight spots out in the woods. I use quick disconnects so that I can swap the antennas easily whenever I need to. - Axel | ||
| Joey (Joey4420) Member Username: Joey4420 Post Number: 194 Registered: 04-2003 |
Whatever set up you go with make sure that you check your SWR or you will be burning up you CB. If using two differnt sized antennas, the you want to check SWR on both units..... Remember a high SWR will ruin a radio in very short order. | ||
| carl J. Drumgoole (Carl_kps) Member Username: Carl_kps Post Number: 63 Registered: 02-2003 |
My CB has an SWR meter in it. I just bought a fiberglass antenna. At the moment it is on the roofrack and is doing great. I am just trying to get some suggustions. Axel: How is the range of the short one? Is it good enough for offroading? I was thinking of doing that too. Also if I tilt the antenna mount sideways on the roof rack will that effect the range? | ||
| Perrone Ford (Perroneford) Member Username: Perroneford Post Number: 212 Registered: 02-2003 |
Don't trust the internal SWR meter. -P | ||
| Joey (Joey4420) Member Username: Joey4420 Post Number: 196 Registered: 04-2003 |
Any time that you tilt a antenna it will effect the Rx and Tx of the unit. Picture the top of the antenna as a pie (8 slice pie that is) with about 3 slice gone. Now invision that the center or the missing slices is facing down on the top of the antenna. That is basically how it Tx and Rx's, now any time that you change the angel of the antenna you move the open part of the pie higher up and you will not Tx or Rx as well from that direction. Hmmm did I make any sense. | ||
| carl J. Drumgoole (Carl_kps) Member Username: Carl_kps Post Number: 64 Registered: 02-2003 |
Thats what I thought. I think I am just going to buy a little whip antenna used of offroading. | ||
| Chris Browne (Chris_browne) Senior Member Username: Chris_browne Post Number: 321 Registered: 02-2003 |
I have a short one, mounted on the bracket of a Thule High foot. | ||
| Axel Haakonsen (Axel) Moderator Username: Axel Post Number: 302 Registered: 02-2003 |
Carl; the short whip I use (It's a tuneable Wilson) works fine for offroading. Both antennas have been tuned for the rest of my radio setup. - Axel | ||
| Greg French (Gregfrench) Senior Member Username: Gregfrench Post Number: 588 Registered: 11-2002 |
Could someone explain to me the basics of tuning a CB antenna? What is SWR? | ||
| Paul D. Morgan (V22guy) Dweb Lounge Member Username: V22guy Post Number: 1922 Registered: 02-2002 |
Greg, From the archives; see the below links: http://www.k40.com/Technical/antennafaq.html http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs.htm Paul | ||
| Roger Sinasohn (Uncle_roger) Member Username: Uncle_roger Post Number: 42 Registered: 06-2003 |
Chris, any chance of seeing a pic of your thule mount? | ||
| carl J. Drumgoole (Carl_kps) Member Username: Carl_kps Post Number: 65 Registered: 02-2003 |
I just bought a 8 ft whip from for $15 at radio shack. It seems to work very well, (but SWR is a little higher than fiberglass antenna. (about 1.5 on all the stations compared to 1.2 on ch 20 on fiberglass antenna. I am currentsly checking my ground. I am thinking of mounting the whip on the rear bumper, passenger side away from the door. If I mount it there only about 4 feet will be above the roof rack. I could use this on and off road. (the whip is really flexable and small. just have to take it off while in city.) The only thing is that I will need to run a ground wire to that area. I will just have to get 4 small bolts, 8 washers, 4 nuts. The plastic rear bumper should be strong enough to hold. | ||
| carl J. Drumgoole (Carl_kps) Member Username: Carl_kps Post Number: 66 Registered: 02-2003 |
I am still getting high SWR readings (About 3) on the the long whip antenna, (I think it is 104 inchs or something like that.) When I hook my short fiberglass antenna up I get an SWR reading of 1.2 on 20 and 1.5 on 1 and 40. What could cause the high readings on the long whip. How do you tune a whip that long or do I not have to (because it is 1/4 the wave length or some crap like that). Do I have to ground the antenna mount differently for the long whip antenna? (I have use the same base for the two antennas? do you have any ideas or suggestions. | ||
| Koby (Koby) Senior Member Username: Koby Post Number: 552 Registered: 02-2002 |
Check your coax connectors and check your antenna ground with a continuity meter to ensure you're getting a good ground. If you're using solderless coax connectors, ditch those for soldered connectors. | ||
| carl J. Drumgoole (Carl_kps) Member Username: Carl_kps Post Number: 67 Registered: 02-2003 |
I think I am having a problem with my ground on my CB mount. I have my CB on the roof rack and the rack is not grounded. I have a ground wire running from the CB mount to underneath the hood. My CB mount consist of a two plates (one plate having mount) that bolt together on the roofrack. (It is a Radio Shack roofrack CB mount). It seems that when the car is off the SWR reading are really good. When the car is running the SWR readings jump over 2. Any suggestions on where and how I should ground this mount or what the could be causing this problem. Thanks for the help. | ||
| Jerry Crawford (Jcrawford) Member Username: Jcrawford Post Number: 91 Registered: 08-2002 |
if you take a look at the Outback antenna mount it will solve your grounding problems (all other things being equal) and it will put the antenna up where it's suppose to be. You won't brake off an antenna if it's mounted right - these things are very rhobust and take a hell of a beating. Use something about 3 or 4 feet tall - that's all I ever use. Jerry Crawford www.out-backeam.com | ||
| carl J. Drumgoole (Carl_kps) Member Username: Carl_kps Post Number: 69 Registered: 02-2003 |
I bought the soderless coax and it worked nice. thanks. |
