Sinking Creek 4WD Association

I'm going to have to miss this up coming meeting. I'm working a swing shift for two weeks and will be at work that evening. I'll be at the next one if anyone has any questions or needs me to take a look at a setup. Just let me know ahead of time so I can bring my equipment.

Anyone interested in doing a CB session tomorrow night? I can bring my meters, do some trouble shooting and suggest antennas, mounts, ect that you can pickup/install before the next meeting and then we'll do some tuning/talking.

I'm certainly interested. I'll even show up for it! Oh and...bring links!

hklvette wrote:I'm certainly interested. I'll even show up for it! Oh and...bring links!

Hey, I'll bring them and even bring back you SWR meter if you want it...

TerryD wrote:

hklvette wrote:I'm certainly interested. I'll even show up for it! Oh and...bring links!

Hey, I'll bring them and even bring back you SWR meter if you want it...

You can keep the SWR, I don't use it. Might not hurt to have it at the tech session though.

Alright man, if you ever need it, you know where it is!

okay, so I'm interested in getting a CB for my rig and logan said i could buy his old Cobra (the mini-unit one) and an antenna for 40 bucks, buuutt after reading all this information im a little weary on what I should do/need. I wasnt aware that so much tech involved in basic cb operation. Is this for top of the line performance out of your radios, or will all these little things like mounting of a fiberglass vs. metal whip, length of the whip, location, etc. affect basic usage of a radio. I have a 93 Bronco and Id like to know if i should go with metal or fiberglass (logan has both) and what would be your suggestion on the best mounting location/setup (like on the side of the cab under the fiberglass roof w a spring mount??) I dont wanna do something and spend money only to find out that it was a bad idea or i shouldve done something different. Any help would be great. Thanks Terry

First, all this is important to simple CB operation. You may be able to fudge some things and sacrifice a little performance for the best mounting location like I have on my XJ. On the back gate with a 9' whip isn't the best idea, and I suffer from it some, but when I'm in the woods, I do not have to worry about breaking off a fiberglass antenna and I can and have talked upwards of 10 miles on this setup.

Bronco's are an interesting creature to work with, as well as Full Size Blazers and most anything with a removable top. For best operation, an antenna mounted in the center of the roof above the front seats is optimal, but this exposes the antenna to alot of possible damage here where trees grow. The next best thing as far as ease and operation would be a 3' fiberglass antenna mounted on a "fender mount" that goes between the hood and front fender, on which ever side you prefer with a spring to allow it to lay back when going through brush.

The fiberglass antenna is top loaded which means the majority of the signal radiates from the top of the antenna, which will be close to or above the roof. Wilson makes a good fiberglass antenna they call the silverload flex which uses a special formulation of fiberglass that allows it to flex extremely well and not break like the firestick brand has a tendency to do. You'll still need a spring, but you won't have to worry about the antenna near as much as with a standard fiberglass unit.

http://www.wilsonantenna.com/fg.htm#flex

If you need anymore help just let me know. I'm going to try to do a two part CB tech at meetings this year, probably after the Crozet trip. One part to diagnose problems with existing setups and the next to tune after everyone has a chance to get their stuff fixed/replaced.

cool, thanks alot. I think ill try out both of those idea to see which one i like/works better. I already have running lights up on my roof so i think i can put an antenna up there since i have things of value to worry about on my roof. But, you would recommend a physical mounting system as opposed to a magnetic wilson or similar? Is the whip falling off that great of a concern? JW cuz the whip i have access to is a magnetic one, but if it is that big of a deal ill look into a mount. Also, am i understanding correctly that u are suggesting solely fiberglass antennas for me? I didnt see any recommendation of metal ones. Is there a functional difference between how fiberglass and metal whips work, or is it just a matter of different materials with different features and drawbacks that need to be considered for ones specific application? Thanks again. BTW, first forum that I don't get flamed for asking about stuff I don't understand after reading up on it.

You rarely get flamed on this forum, unless you've been here a while and are known pretty well, then it's all in fun.

Mag mount antennas: The reason I don't recommend them for off-roading is that they fall off. It's not that big a deal, but you do run the risk of running over it, catching it between your vehicle and an obstacle, or possible damage to the coax/coil due to falling off.

Metal vs. Fiberglass antenna: The main reason I recommend the Fiberglass is because of it's top loading. With a metal whip, you can't have top loaded. You have Base Loaded such as a mag-mount, Mid-load like you see on big rigs, or full 1/4 wave such as the 9' whip I run. Base and Mid loading are fine if the loading coil is above the highest metal surface of the vehicle, other wise your RF energy is being absorbed by the body and not broadcasting like it should. This creates high SWR's and can damage the radio. A full 1/4 wave like the 9' whip is heavy, can be hard to mount (on v3.0 of the mount on my Jeep now) and usually requires drilling holes in the body. If you wanted a 9' whip, a ball mount through the B-pillar behind the door about 2/3's of the way up would be a good bet.

The top loading of the Fiberglass antenna places this coil above the metal mass, lowering SWR's and broadcasting better. Also, the shorter fiberglass antenna on the hood mount will improve clearance around town and on the trail, reducing the chance of snagging the antenna on something. The Fiberglass will be ~12-18" above the roof line, where as the mag-mount or 1/4 wave will be at least 3' above the roof line, and up to 8' depending on the one you choose.

cool, that clears pretty much everything up. Thanks alot. Ill be trying to get it done this weekend and hopefully done by Crozet. If i run into any problems ill be back haha

No problem man. Remember to check the SWR (should be close enough for temporary use) before a whole lot of broadcasting.

dont i need a meter to check the SWR?

Yeah. But if you limit the use of the radio to mainly listening and short transmissions, you should be fine during the ride. I'll bring my stuff to a meeting and we'll tune it up.

Terry, if you are able to bring the SWR meter to a meeting, I would also be interested in having you help tune my CB.