Topic: Best Antenna??

[BLACKDOG]

opinions?  I am thinking about getting a cb antenna with some of my christmas money    and i want to know the best kind i can get.

what is the difference between a whip antenna and such??

[hacksaw]

Most antennas now days are good, you have to figure out if it is going to be mounted to the truck or magnet.  Magnet offers the easy flexability of an easy install.  I have ran the magnet mount for a long time and have had very good luck.  Check out Willson antennas.  They offer great gains on TX and RX over most other magnet type.  The Firestick 2 is yet another great antenna if you are going to mount your antenna somewhere.  Problem is that if you do not use a spring and go  wheeling you may break it off.  Just remember, find an antenna that will work in the 11 meter range (40 channel CB frequencys) and get the SWR as low as you can on channel 1 and 40.  If you match channel 1 and 40 then you have tuned that antenna to work all across the 11 meter band. 1 through 40.  Make sure you read the instructions and try to find a good SWR meter.  You do not want the SWR to be higher than 1.5 at both ends.  Type in Keyword setting SWR and read about it if you do not know how.  Get a good idea of what you are doing before you start.  The life of the radio will depend on it.  See ya Hacksaw

[BigMike]

Thanks for the info hack-

[Cheesemaker]

Your antennnae selection all depends on the radio you are running!  Do you want to reach out or are you just comcerned about 300 yards ahead?!?!  Where I live (Tillamook, Oregon) we all have good quality or high end radios, due to mountainous canyons, (uniden/radio shack or cobra ultra classic, i know ther big, but?) with firestick or the old metal bull whip antennae's.  Most love the bull whip's for lot's of reason's, but mostly due to there endless uses!  We run our rigs out at sandlake, so we just clip a flag on them for day running, and night we run wires up to the top, to power a light for night running!  And if ya want to reach out, find a electronics wizard, or talk to a old trucker!  about turning up the power to tx & rx.  to tune in your radio and ant. we go to our local radio shack, and they will tune them in for us for free!!??  Where are you mounting your ant and the size length of ant will affect your signal.  if you run a short ant behind the cab you won't be able to reach out in front of you very clearly. If you want to run dual ant, they must be at least 6 feet apart!  If ya are wondering we grew up on cb radios around here!!

[RUGER]

i've had good luck with fire-sticks. i'm not a fan of whips.

when i rolled my rig my fire-stick snapped. i glued it back together with epoxy and slid a piece of pvc pipe over it for strength. still works to this day.

happy trails
rich *ruger*

[Cheesemaker]

I mount mine inside the bed rail, to protect the wiring, at the tailgate, so not to whack at the cab!

[Mega Baby Huey]

i just got a big white one from a friend whose grandpa was a trucker! i put it on my roof and now my truck has a clearance of at least 16 feet! i really like going through drive-throughs and hearing the antenna hit the clearance signs! it's never popped off (it's a magnetic mount) and it can bend almost flat without breaking!

[agrub22re]

go with a wilson 1000 great ant kc2jmu

[Tallchevy]

I have used both magnet mounts & solid mounts. I loaned a magnet mount to a friend & we went to Hollister. He didn't have a bed on his truck & a tree branch nocked it off the cab & the cable got caught in the driveline & ripped the cable out of the mount  Bought another magnet mount & went to Pismo Beach. Got a little bumpy & it fell off & I ran it over with the back tire & ripped that cable out too  Now I have a whip antenna cause I'm going to run a linear amp to get my signal out further 

[lowandwide21]

i have a cobra 29 gtl. old thing. i have that and a 102 inch stainless whip mounted just below the rear window on the driver side. i have been able to go out about 30 miles or more on top of a small hill. your local radio shack should have one of these antennas. they run a little over 20 bucks.

[dt]

36 ft. is aprox. a wavelength at this freqency ,so 102 inch antenna is a true quarter wave so thats your best pick ,they are virtualy indestructable

[79coyotefrg]

36 ft. is aprox. a wavelength at this freqency ,so 102 inch antenna is a true quarter wave so thats your best pick ,they are virtualy indestructable

it might be BUT  most OHV parks  and  sponsored trail rides   will not allow  these antenna's

if the truck flops  anyone nearby  can loose a

[crazymoritz97]

what is a firestick ?? i got some antennas frm a guy who ran trucks and i got some that are whips what is the best one to run on a truck  i'm thinking of putting my antenna on the rollbar or on the back of the bed ?? what do u think on it ??
frm moritz97

[DTB]

a firestik is a fiberglass, wire wrapped tuneable antenna

http://www.firestik.com/

[crazymoritz97]

what is the best  fire stick or a whip for wheeling i got both

[DTB]

both work....i have cracked a few firestiks on the trail..good mounting location and a spring is required....

on the other hand I have taken out car windows that were parked on the side of the street with a whip....some parks dont allow them..and it can be really noisy when trying to park in an enclosed parking garage (think metal scraping on concrete)

[dt]

I have a quick release I can switch my antennae for each condition,whip or firestick

[fordh8r]

  I love my whip antenna (102'' stainless) it's reliable and you don't worry about breaking it.  If having it whip around is a problem it can be secured. Just be sure to insulate your form of securement so it won't short the antenna to ground if you should happen to use it.

  Plus if you decide to run a linear you don't have to worry about smoking your antenna since it doesn't have any small wire in it, it's solid stainles steel.    I've seen enough power run through one of these that it will light up a small flourescent tube when held parrallel to the antenna and then stay lit while pulling it away up to almost 3ft while the mic was keyed up!     That was cool!

  The other antennas mentioned here are all good antennas you just need to consider your use and where you'll be wheeling to know what kinda durability you need or desire.

   If you solid mount yours get a good heavy duty mounting spring (whip or stick),  If you magna-mount find the strongest one you can get and put it on as flat of a surface as possible for best mounting. I have notice with a magna-mount though that if you try mounting if different locations it may change your SWR reading so try and be consistent with it's mounting location or find a couple or so locations that work well in case you move it for trail conditions.    Have fun and good luck with your set up  !