antenna upgrade questions

[lonlywolf65]

Hello all.. I hope all is well . I will start with the fact that I am a newbie to this, there is alot to learn..
I purchased a cobra/uniden roadking it comes with a 24 inch mag mount antenna, most likely about the worst a person could get but will work sort of for now...
I am working with a tight budget for now but still trying to do an upgrade. I have a 4 ft fiberglass antenna but no mounting hardware.. I have checked continuity and all is good there.. I am looking for advice on the best way to use this antenna for now ... My thoughts are to get a ground plane kit for it and some RG-8 coax .. and some way to ground this this...
I have been windowshopping all sorts of options, but figured I should present my situation to those with more knowledge than me. I understand this will not be a great upgrade but it should be better that a mag mount on a pizza tin sitting outside..

I went outside tonight and looked up where I will be mounting the antenna and realised that I dont have alot of room to work with. I have a aprox 200 yr old Oak tree hanging over the mounting area.. so not alot of room to work with.... Another note I'm not sure if the city owns the tree or my neighbor.. another story but I cant do much about the branches.
I figure I will leave it at this for now untill I get more info... Thank you all in advance for the help and advice I already know there is a awesome group of ppl here thank you!!

 

[522]

If it were me... I'd make a dipole and get it on that tree.

I'll leave it at that. PLENTY of info on the webs... (try Youtube) with info on making one for the CB bands.
It's super easy and super cheap. Fun too. You'll learn something!

 

[MisterLongwire]

Just buy a freakin base antenna and be done with it

 

[dlaforett]

you can try the workman b100 base antenna it works great for me no ground plane needed

 

[522]

How about this... what is your budget ?

 

[prcguy]

A 4ft fiberglass mobile antenna with a tiny ground plane is about the same as a Workman B100, they suck so bad I can't believe anyone could get more than a mile range. Make a dipole as mentioned or for a few $$ you can make a very nice full size 1/2 wave end fed using a little transformer you wind and about 18ft of wire hanging from a tree. Please do anything other than the mobile antenna or a B100.

 

[DaveJacobsen]

You can make a cheap wire dipole to hand from a tree.
Avoid using mobile antennas as base...
I made a dipole out of two 5' firestik - simple and works great.
You can search eBay and find pre-made wire dipole for around 30. That'd be a better use of your funds than a ground plane kit.

 

[lonlywolf65]

I have decided to go with buying a dipole.. I saw a half wave on ebay ...https://www.ebay.com/itm/Half-Wave-Base-Station-Dipole-Antenna-CB-Radio-Band-11-Meters/123724165828?epid=1031620856&hash=item1cce88f2c4:g:GoMAAOSwz55cwfuU ... Would I run this horizontally or vertically.... I also see that the cable goes into the center section.. will this also need to be supported.. Yes I have seen some you tunes on this but still not sure what is best.. Next is cable I know I should get some sort of RG-8 can anyone recommend a good source ... thanks
Dave

 

[WB9YBM]

Personally I'm not a big fan of fiberglass antennas unless they've been painted with some non-metallic paint: UV from sunligt causes the fiberglass to deteriorate and shortens the life expectancy of the antenna. Also check out CB Radio Shop with Accessories & Radios for Sale: Walcott Radio, and Copper Electronics, Inc. | Copper Electronics

 

[lonlywolf65]

Which would be a better choice or is there much of a difference full or half wave... am guessing a full wave will be better but how much ??
Thanks Dave

 

[WB9YBM]

Which would be a better choice or is there much of a difference full or half wave... am guessing a full wave will be better but how much ??
Thanks Dave

The main differences are impedance & pattern. The higher the gain of an antenna, the less it "looks" upward and the more it looks "outward" (i.e. towards the horizon). Something in the middle (like a 3/8 wave) seems to be the best compromise and is used most often in the fringe areas of a city since it reached outward at such an angle that's best to reach repeaters on far away skyscrapers.

 

[prcguy]

Do you mean 5/8? Maybe in a ground plane type but I think the question was about a dipole and you would not want to use 5/8 wave measurements for that. A simple 1/2 wave dipole is easy and forgiving to build and hang vertical.

The main differences are impedance & pattern. The higher the gain of an antenna, the less it "looks" upward and the more it looks "outward" (i.e. towards the horizon). Something in the middle (like a 3/8 wave) seems to be the best compromise and is used most often in the fringe areas of a city since it reached outward at such an angle that's best to reach repeaters on far away skyscrapers.

 

[lonlywolf65]

I am referring to dipole antenna... I see a half and full wave for bout same price... the half will be easier to hang I guess... ? and will this dipole need to be gounded? If so what is the best way to do so..?? thank you for all the great input

 

[prcguy]

A full wave dipole sounds like an advertising gimmick, it would not match to 50 ohm coax and would not have a usable radiation pattern when set up vertical. It would also be about 36ft tall for CB. If you set a dipole up outside you should ground it to code, which can be found here: https://www.mikeholt.com/download.php?file=PDF/Radio_and_Television_2014NEC.pdf

I am referring to dipole antenna... I see a half and full wave for bout same price... the half will be easier to hang I guess... ? and will this dipole need to be gounded? If so what is the best way to do so..?? thank you for all the great input

 

[lonlywolf65]

I guess I'm asking where to attach the ground cable to the antenna?? I already have a grounding rod and clamp and the wire to run to the rod

 

[prcguy]

You can ground the coax anywhere before it enters the house to meet code but read the link I sent for all the small but important details. If you installed a new ground rod there are rules about bonding that to your existing AC entry panel ground, etc.

I guess I'm asking where to attach the ground cable to the antenna?? I already have a grounding rod and clamp and the wire to run to the rod

 

[lonlywolf65]

I haven't done a thing yet. Just reading finding the grounds, looking at trees.. my house is about 12 ft tall at peak.. my ladder is 17 ft... Am thinking horizontally... But not sure if it should be vertical.. .. either way I'm thinking it thru...

 

[prcguy]

If you want to talk to everybody local on their base or mobiles and also long distance skip you want your antenna to be vertical. If you only want long distance skip then horizontal is ok, but that won't work very well talking to locals.

I haven't done a thing yet. Just reading finding the grounds, looking at trees.. my house is about 12 ft tall at peak.. my ladder is 17 ft... Am thinking horizontally... But not sure if it should be vertical.. .. either way I'm thinking it thru...

 

[WB9YBM]

basically the bigger the antenna, the greater is your capture area for signals and the higher is your transmission gain (in general)...

 

[lonlywolf65]

This is the dipole I purchased HALF-WAVE DIPOLE ANTENNA FOR THE CB BAND (11 METERS) BASE STATION | eBay

Now for the hanging details. My ladder is 17 ft which is about where I plan to put the anchor for the perpendicular coax..
so in short will this be ok.?? I saw something saying where this point should be to properly radiate a wave or the wave starts to flatten as you go lower and then at some point the wave starts spitting up... Not sure if this applies to this situation but I watched read and tried to learn.

The hardest part to figure out is what applies to what band. The theory changes as does the frequency...

Ok next does anyone have some good advice about how to hang it..lol... I can see a good upper branch however there is not a lower branch under it to keep dipole 90 degrees from all angles..... this leaves me with the though of some sort of ground anchor to hold the lower end of dipole....
OK enough typing for now..... will drag out the ladder and see more exactly a better plan and wait for advice from here
Thanks a bunch !!! I am begining to learn more as I read but still along way from real understanding...
Thanks Dave