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Antenna Questions

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bird704

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Im a newbie to some of the CB technology. I see all cb antennas have wattage specs. Where does the wattage come from? The CB Im assuming, for the people who push out more than allowed. Can a magnet mount hold a 102 inch whip as far as power? Thinking of slapping one on my metal roof at the house. Be easy. Im new. Thanks.
 

K4EET

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Good morning @bamminjammin and Welcome to Radio Reference!

The wattage specification of an antenna is the maximum amount of transmitted power that the antenna can withstand before the antenna suffers damage. You asked:
Can a magnet mount hold a 102 inch whip as far as power?
Mag-mount antennas can handle whatever maximum power rating is specified. For magnets to hold a 102 inch whip going down the road at 65 miles per hour, a special heavy duty four-magnet mount is required. Here is an example of such a mount:


4MAGTM-NOWM.jpg

Now you say that you are planning to place this on the metal roof of your house. Why not instead go with an actual base station CB antenna? Something like the following might be more appropriate:


pt99_pcgpk1-combo.jpg

That antenna, of course, would be mounted on a pole or pipe fastened to the roof or the side of the house.

Finally, these items are just examples to get a discussion going. They are not necessarily the best solution or best products for you. Let's talk about your application in a little more detail so we can all help you to get the right antenna system to meet what you are trying to achieve.

Cheers! Dave
 

slowmover

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It hasn’t occurred to me to make a comparison based on wattage. Brands found to be of quality, first, and (Mobile) preferably 5’ or taller, second.

How much wattage an antenna can withstand has more factors than just a “rating”.

.
 

DJ11DLN

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It hasn’t occurred to me to make a comparison based on wattage. Brands found to be of quality, first, and (Mobile) preferably 5’ or taller, second.

How much wattage an antenna can withstand has more factors than just a “rating”.

.
Not everyone understands that wattage is an operational tolerance rating for antennas rather than something they produce. I imagine that there have been some people taken in by the "1,000 watts!" antenna nomenclature over the years and who wondered why their radio didn't get out any better on the new coat hanger than it did on the old one.
 

slowmover

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Not everyone understands that wattage is an operational tolerance rating for antennas rather than something they produce. I imagine that there have been some people taken in by the "1,000 watts!" antenna nomenclature over the years and who wondered why their radio didn't get out any better on the new coat hanger than it did on the old one.

So, you’re guessing they believe it to be more efficient, right?

.
 

bird704

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How far would one person get out these days with a 102 whip antenna magnet mount on the metal roof of a house? Barefoot of course. Im thinking of puttin up a home made 102 inch whip later if it seems Im actually getting out. Thanks.
 

FiveFilter

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Lots of variables. It should be relatively easy to pop one up there and see what happens. Try to achieve perpendicular antenna configuration. For 11 meters, you might want to put a riser for a 108" length. Make sure the SWR is acceptable.

Seems like it would work OK, and the range should be as good as or better than any other quarter-wave stinger out there, with enhancement credits for the elevation and the giant ground-plane-type metal roof factor. Be very wary of lightning.

I would WAG you could communicate in the 10-mile-plus range on a decent day with capable vehicle targets especially if you are on a hill, and 20 miles or more with base stations. And if skip conditions are right, all over the continent and sometimes beyond.
 
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bird704

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Sliding ice and snow are a worry to. This antenna will be sideways which may hold out on getting out. Itll just be temporary anyways. Thinking of building a DIY pole and that will work better. Baby steps. Thanks for the replies. Keep em coming in.
 

jwt873

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How far would one person get out these days with a 102 whip antenna magnet mount on the metal roof of a house? Barefoot of course. Im thinking of puttin up a home made 102 inch whip later if it seems Im actually getting out. Thanks.

Depends on conditions...

Normally, you'll be able to get a bit over the horizon (as seen from the antenna). Probably in the 10 mile range that FiveFilter suggests. It also depends on terrain. If you're on a high hill. you'll be able to reach further than if you were in a valley.

During high sunspot activity there is enough radiation from the sun to ionize the upper atmosphere. When this happens, the band will open up and you should be able to talk around the country. Under absolutely ideal propagation conditions, it's possible to reach anywhere in the world.

Unfortunately it's been many years since absolutely ideal propagation conditions existed.
 

DJ11DLN

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How far would one person get out these days with a 102 whip antenna magnet mount on the metal roof of a house? Barefoot of course. Im thinking of puttin up a home made 102 inch whip later if it seems Im actually getting out. Thanks.
I did this back in the '70s, but it was a barn roof and about 35' up...and on a fair-size hill to boot. I never ran power (other than what I could tweak out of my Cobra 29 via "CB Secrets") but I was constantly accused of having at least a 250W "pump." I didn't know crap about how it was all supposed to work (heck I know just a little more now) but the point was that it did work and did so very well. I'm sure that there's a point of diminishing returns for ground planes but up to the point of that one, which was at over a half wave to the sides and about a wavelength towards the ends, mo' bigger meant mo' better. I talked all over the country and to some other countries on that stick...I still have it somewhere, probably up in the rafters of my garage.
 

bird704

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Would a 102 inch whip work mounted to the top of a wooden lamp post? I tried doing this with a mirror mount firestik last night and SWR wouldnt tune. Even tried grounding it. Coax is a cheap mobile brand but works on mobile application. Any ideas if it would work for the 102 inch whip on a wooden post? If not, why? Thanks.
 

slowmover

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Would a 102 inch whip work mounted to the top of a wooden lamp post? I tried doing this with a mirror mount firestik last night and SWR wouldnt tune. Even tried grounding it. Coax is a cheap mobile brand but works on mobile application. Any ideas if it would work for the 102 inch whip on a wooden post? If not, why? Thanks.

There’s plenty of discussion available.

Short version is that it’s a mobile antenna requiring the vehicle as ground plane.

Without the vehicle, radials need to be installed.

Height above surrounding buildings is a must.
As is lightening protection.
 

GrayJeep

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The whip needs a ground plane to work against. Think of the classic base station CB antenna- vertical element with 3 or 4 horizontal ones. The horizontal ones mimic ground.

If you were to hang a 102" piece of wire down the pole and connect it to the coax connector shield it might work as a simple dipole mounted vertically.

But what you really need if you're mounting on a wooden post is an antenna that's designed to work without ground- such as mounting on a fiberglass boat. Or an antenna with those horizontal elements I mention above.
 
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