What is the best mobile antenna for a CB with WX band?

[redshift]

Hello,

I'm putting a Cobra 29 with WX in my truck and I want to have my best shot at being able to pull down the WX channels and alerts. I'll be primarily camping in an area that is 50-70 miles away from the two nearest NOAA transmitters so I'm looking for the antenna that is going to give me the best available reception in the 162 MHz range and won't completely destroy 27 MHz. (I'm not looking for the greatest CB reception, I just want to monitor the loggers that are using the roads in the area to stay out of their way -- they post the CB channels they'll be using at the entrances to the area)

Are those fiberglass coil antennas like the Firestik that say they are "designed for WX reception" worth a damn? Can I just connect the radio to a VHF antenna without completely destroying the CB reception or tuner itself? Or, is there a practical way to use two antennas -- one for each band?

Thanks,

Chris

 

[SmitHans]

For WX radio reception, most any antenna will do the job. Just get a good CB antenna, you'll be able to transmit on CB if you choose, and your WX reception shouldn't suffer noticeably.

If you hooked up a VHF antenna, you might gain a bit for WX radio reception, but your CB reception would suffer.

Or you could put in an antenna switch, and run 2 different antennas.

 

[LtDoc]

Do the CB antenna, 'SmitHans' is correct. Any anenna maker that brags about how their antenna will also pick up the WX band is practicing what is normally called 'advertising'.
- 'Doc

 

[nd5y]

There used to be some fiberglass CB antennas that had a separate VHF element for weather channel reception. I don't remember who manufactured them or if they are sill available.

 

[redshift]

That's what I'd like to find if possible. If this weren't for a mobile, I'd seriously look into homebrewing an array for both bands, but I don't want to mess with putting any extra equipment or elements onto a vehicle, and when I'm at home I'm about 15 miles away from the NOAA station with direct line of sight, so I don't need any extra antenna -- I could probably pick it up on a paper clip.

I wish I could find some decent tech specs on the fiberglass antennas -- most of the sales outlets just list length and color. I'll do some more research on those.

 

[rfradioconsult]

Search for a multi band Diplexer sometimes they will refer to them as a duplexer but they are really diplexers. You can find one that connects to your radio and then to 2 seperate antennas, one port would be for up to 30 MHz and the second port for VHF. You could then have an antenna for CB and a separate VHF antenna, this would allow you to listen to either band without any switches or other modifications.