Firestik 2' - Any good?

[quant]

Hi All,

For a CB, Im looking to mag mount a Firestik 2' antenna to my Saab 9-7x (SUV). Is this antenna any good? I do not need super range, maybe 15-20 miles. Im not that interested in talking just listening.

Thanks,

 

[rescuecomm]

Back when I was using CB, I found that the 4 foot antennas were the best of the shortys. I am running a 3 footer on my Isuzu Rodeo and it is okay for a mile or two, but not for 15 miles.

 

[RodStrong]

I do not need super range, maybe 15-20 miles.

You meant one or two miles, right?

 

[TooLate]

Agree with Rescuecomm... Stock, the Firestix won't do much more than 5 miles on a good day in ideal conditions on flat ground/water. That makes it useful for highway use for traffic information from truckers etc but not for caravanning if you get separated by many miles. The days of legal operation getting 15-20 miles are all but gone. Besides, if you want short range communication in metro area vs rural, you won't be able to hear much because of everyone talking at once. It's like walking into a convention of 1000 people all talking at once..you can only discern the conversations that are closest to you or those talking the loudest. The rest is just a back round mumble (roar in the case of CB). After 30 yrs of CB exposure, I've retired at least 4 FStix of various lengths/mounting configs etc and prefer the longer stainless steel base/center loaded types if making the connection to your party is to be reliable. Across the median on the interstate, the Stix should be more than adequate. Besides, I never had much luck getting any of the Stix tuned to an appropriate SWR regardless of the radio, coax, antenna location used.
Hope this helps.
TL

 

[Attackron]

get you one of those 200 watt linear amps and some 4 foot fire sticks and you could talk 25 miles plus, lol back in the day you could get linear amp for 1$ per watt if you could find a source, there not legal but very effective.