basic CB antenna help please

[dbmoorelax]

Hi,
i have a 2002 crown victoria. I'm about to install just a basic CB radio, but i need the right antenna. I already have a 36" whip nmo antenna with a nmo trunk lip mount for a different frequency not applicable for CB radio.
I want one that i can screw into a NMO mount or a 3/4" mount that i will just screw onto my NMO mount. I'm looking for the steel whip type, not the fiberglass stick. And most importantly i DONT want to to be too tall, two huge antennas i have a feeling will be too much. I'm looking for one around 24" or smaller, is that possible for a steel whip? If so where can i find it? i heard the fiberglass ones provide horrible range, but i dont think i need the range that a massive 102" would provide. Any help would be very much appreciated!

Thanks very much

 

[prcguy]

What is a CP radio?
prcguy

Hi,
i have a 2002 crown victoria. I'm about to install just a basic CP radio, but i need the right antenna. I already have a 36" whip nmo antenna with a nmo trunk lip mount for a different frequency not applicable for CP radio.
I want one that i can screw into a NMO mount or a 3/4" mount that i will just screw onto my NMO mount. I'm looking for the steel whip type, not the fiberglass stick. And most importantly i DONT want to to be too tall, two huge antennas i have a feeling will be too much. I'm looking for one around 24" or smaller, is that possible for a steel whip? If so where can i find it? i heard the fiberglass ones provide horrible range, but i dont think i need the range that a massive 102" would provide. Any help would be very much appreciated!

Thanks very much

 

[dbmoorelax]

my apologies i meant CB antenna

 

[Redneck0410]

Hi,
i have a 2002 crown victoria. I'm about to install just a basic CP radio, but i need the right antenna. I already have a 36" whip nmo antenna with a nmo trunk lip mount for a different frequency not applicable for CP radio.
I want one that i can screw into a NMO mount or a 3/4" mount that i will just screw onto my NMO mount. I'm looking for the steel whip type, not the fiberglass stick. And most importantly i DONT want to to be too tall, two huge antennas i have a feeling will be too much. I'm looking for one around 24" or smaller, is that possible for a steel whip? If so where can i find it? i heard the fiberglass ones provide horrible range, but i dont think i need the range that a massive 102" would provide. Any help would be very much appreciated!

Thanks very much

First, Welcome to RR. You're looking for a CB antenna, I gather. Is it possible to get a 24" steel whip? Yes. Can you get decent range? Check Antenna Search - Cb radio, Nmo - at CB World This site should have what you're looking for. Make sure you obtain an external SWR meter. The built-in ones on the newer CB radios ain't all that accurate. There are topics on these forums that cover that subject.

 

[mmckenna]

Larsen NMO-27 is what would be compatible, however it isn't going to be that short. 49 inches is what I seem to remember.
I used to use NMO-27's on all my trucks, until I gave up on CB. Nice antennas, well built, and work well.

 

[KD0TAZ]

You really don't want to go with any antenna shorter than 4ft because then then it becomes more loading coil than radiator. The longer the whip is, the more efficient it is. CB is an extremely long wave - a hair over 36 feet. The 102" whip is a quarter wave antenna. Anything shorter than that requires a loading coil to make up the difference between the whip length and 102". Unfortunately anything with a loading coil is a compromise. To more coil there is versus whip, the less efficient the antenna is.

 

[Rt169Radio]

Almost all CB antennas are long because that is needed to properly transmit on that type of radiowave. The Larsen NMO low-band antennas are around 53 inches, some small CB antennas would be the Wilson fiberglass antennas or the Firestik fiberglass antennas. But they use a 3/8 type connection.

 

[dbmoorelax]

what about antennas like 12.8in Magnet Mount Cellular Look CB antenna or Roadpro 24 Magnet Mount Stainless Steel CB Antenna? These types seem to be about around 2 feet or so... do you think they would get good reception?

or what about a this one ebay Eager Beaver Mobile CB Radio Antenna Stainless Whip Ring Tunable Am FM SSB RV | eBay
-it has a 3/8 mount and is i think 26" tall


thanks

 

[mrweather]

I second the NMO27. It'll be longer than 36" but the antenna works well for CB.

 

[mmckenna]

what about antennas like 12.8in Magnet Mount Cellular Look CB antenna or Roadpro 24 Magnet Mount Stainless Steel CB Antenna? These types seem to be about around 2 feet or so... do you think they would get good reception?

or what about a this one ebay Eager Beaver Mobile CB Radio Antenna Stainless Whip Ring Tunable Am FM SSB RV | eBay
-it has a 3/8 mount and is i think 26" tall


thanks

No, it won't get good reception. Anytime you start shortening antennas for the purpose of aesthetics, performance is going to suffer.

You can certainly try one of those, and there are NMO to 3/8 x 24 adapters out there, but do not expect good performance. Those antennas won't perform well, and quite honestly, they look junky. If you want your CB to work well, don't compromise on the antenna. If you want the install to look good, then use quality products. NMO-27 is probably the best you can do on an NMO mount. It's going to be longer than what you want, but it will actually work and perform well.

 

[redneckcellphone]

Yeah the fiberglass whips have bad range same with thru the glass antennas. But what type of range do you want out of the radio? I have the 102 And yeah it looks weird but I'd rather have a big ugly looking antenna and have max range than to compromise with looks and have a crappy signal.

 

[ericextreme]

Yeah the fiberglass whips have bad range same with thru the glass antennas. But what type of range do you want out of the radio? I have the 102 And yeah it looks weird but I'd rather have a big ugly looking antenna and have max range than to compromise with looks and have a crappy signal.

I run the 102" on a tri-magnetic mount on the roof of my Toyota Yaris. Best mobile antenna that I ever had! Sure it is big but with a good spring it will bend back farther than you would ever need it to. I have had one for years and have only hit some branches on quiet country roads and grazed one bridge about a year ago. I don't care too much about aesthetics. I love the performance. Besides I love the way the antenna looks and helps me easily find my car in a busy parking lot!

 

[ke4pmp]

nmo mount to cb

Look for the Tram #1140 NMO antenna. It is tunable from 26.5 to 30 Mhz. It has a 49" steel whip. Longer than the 2 foot you stated but will outperform a 2' antenna by a longshot...also Tram part # 1295 is a NMO to 3/8 x 24 thread adapter but it cost almost as much as the 1140 antenna does. I have sold a ton of the 1140's in past years. let me know if I can help

 

[mrweather]

Look for the Tram #1140 NMO antenna. It is tunable from 26.5 to 30 Mhz. It has a 49" steel whip.

Sounds an awful lot like a Larsen NMO27.

 

[JayMojave]

Hello Dbmoorelax:

Yeah the NMO antennas for the CB Band are around ball park 44 inches long. They work ok but not as well as the full length antennas.

I used a NMO base loaded whip antenna on my car for local contacts for AM & SSB many years ago and it worked ok. Talked all around the San Fernando Valley area, to keep an ear out for CB Breaks and BBQ's.

Jay in the Mojave

 

[reedeb]

Still have my Larsen NMO 27 and have used 102 steel whips as well BOTH are good for their purposes 102 better range NMO looks better works good. YOU need to make the choice

 

[gewecke]

Still have my Larsen NMO 27 and have used 102 steel whips as well BOTH are good for their purposes 102 better range NMO looks better works good. YOU need to make the choice

I second the NMO 27 as well, and works fine for cb.

73,
n9zas