CB Antenna Options

[swensond]

Hey all,
I'm working on installing a CB, among other things, in my car. I have a Uniden 520XL, which will be hardwired into the car. The antenna cable can be run from that to the trunk, where I can drill in a hole to mount the antenna. What I'm wondering, is what kind of antenna to get. I would prefer it to be a minimum of 6ft, for performance reasons, and preferably the steel, or more bendable style, for convenience, with such a large antenna. I don't know that much about the technology, but I'm trying to learn quickly. It looks like the coax cable should be 18ft ideally, and it seems like the ideal antenna height is 102". That's about 8.5ft which is quite high for daily use. If possible, I would like to stay right around 7ft, but I'm not sure how doable that is.

In any case, could anyone recommend a company that makes good, tall antennas? Most that I see on various websites only go up to around 60". Perhaps someone makes good custom ones? Price is not an issue, since without a decent antenna, the CB is useless.

Best,
Dave

 

[SCPD]

firestik makes the orginal firestik part # kw7, 7 foot tall, find them on ebay, i think you should really try a wilson 1000, almost pound for pound as good as a 102" steel whip, easier to tune, and you can unscrew the load coil and whip and install the weather cap for security and convience like garages and carwashes. hope thius helps

 

[canav844]

I'm a fan of the Larid/Antennex CB27; it's 48" with a base load, but as for performance reasons I've been thrilled with it.

 

[reedeb]

Wilson 5000 is agood long magmount antenna OR go with the tried and true K40 trunk mount. BOTH are very good high quality antennas as is the old reliable 102" steel whip antenna.

 

[ksphotoguy]

The 1000 from Wilson would get the job done for you almost as well as a 102. Thats what I run on my car, a wilson 1000 trunk mount and a Cobra 148gtl radio. I have a Suburban and run a 148 into a 102 monted on the left rear fender and I really don't see a lot of difference between the two. Yes the ideal would be the 102 but the Wilson would do an excellent job for you.

If you really want to make a statement and money is not an issue, you can always get the big open air coil antenna like a Predator 10k but I think having one on a car make make an easy target for theft, which would be less likely with a less showy antenna like a wilson. Another factor to keep in mind is you will need a very sturdy location to mount a 10k type antenna as it's size will cause more drag in the wind on the highway.

 

[CoolCat]

If you like the 102" whip but don't want the antenna sticking up more than 7ft, then you could mount it to the rear side of the car instead of the top of the trunk.

 

[Daniel_Boone]

I had a link somewhere that explained about coax and loading and how it was not necessary to use 18 feet of coax to have a balanced line.
That myth is about as old as the hills.
I think you have the right idea - about wanting to use a long antenna, and I am sure that there is still some spring mounted antenna's available for purchase, but what I would be more concerned about is the proper mounting position on the vehicle since there is nulls and voids depending on which corner or where on the deck lid of roof that you mount it.
The long antenna takes care of that - where as the rubber ducky or fiberglass stick does not.

 

[LtDoc]

Lots of considerations in picking an antenna. In general, the longer the better until you get to a 1/4 wave length (around 102" at 27 Mhz). Antennas also like to be above metal rather than beside metal. After that, it get's to be a matter of it being practical, something you can live with. Lot's of variations in that!
Almost anything can be made 'usable'. All mobiles will always be at a disadvantage when compared to a base station, there just isn't all that many mounting options that are 'perfect'. 'Close' really does count. Use the mounting option that's best for you.
- 'Doc

(Tune the antenna, not the feed line. There's always two parts to that antenna tuning, matching impedances (SWR), and making the antenna resonant. Of those two things, resonance will make the biggest difference in performance.)

 

[swensond]

Thanks for the comments everyone, and sorry I couldn't get back to this sooner.

I've looked at a lot of antennas, including all the ones mentioned. The wilson's look good, though the Laird/Antennex CB27 looks like exactly what I was hoping to find, though a little on the short side. The whole antenna seems very low-profile, which is going to be important for air resistance for relatively high speed highway driving. Does anyone else have experience with these?

My plan is to mount the antenna using a whole mount in the top of the trunk, in the rear passenger's side portion of the trunk, so that most of the ground plane will be directed in front of me, and slightly to the direction of opposite highway traffic (the people I'm most interested in talking to), and run the cable through the headliner of the car, to the front above the center console, where the CB will be located.

Is there any particular way to choose a CB cable/mount? I'm very interested in finding a high quality mount / wire that has good resistance against other electrical devices and wires around it.

 

[Highlander_821]

Thanks for the comments everyone, and sorry I couldn't get back to this sooner.

I've looked at a lot of antennas, including all the ones mentioned. The wilson's look good, though the Laird/Antennex CB27 looks like exactly what I was hoping to find, though a little on the short side. The whole antenna seems very low-profile, which is going to be important for air resistance for relatively high speed highway driving. Does anyone else have experience with these?

My plan is to mount the antenna using a whole mount in the top of the trunk, in the rear passenger's side portion of the trunk, so that most of the ground plane will be directed in front of me, and slightly to the direction of opposite highway traffic (the people I'm most interested in talking to), and run the cable through the headliner of the car, to the front above the center console, where the CB will be located.

Is there any particular way to choose a CB cable/mount? I'm very interested in finding a high quality mount / wire that has good resistance against other electrical devices and wires around it.

Sounds like the Wilson 1000 trunk lip mount would fit your needs. (You get the mount with the antenna, no need to buy anything else.)

 

[ZigZag747]

I had a link somewhere that explained about coax and loading and how it was not necessary to use 18 feet of coax to have a balanced line.
That myth is about as old as the hills.
I think you have the right idea - about wanting to use a long antenna, and I am sure that there is still some spring mounted antenna's available for purchase, but what I would be more concerned about is the proper mounting position on the vehicle since there is nulls and voids depending on which corner or where on the deck lid of roof that you mount it.
The long antenna takes care of that - where as the rubber ducky or fiberglass stick does not.

Agree, the reason for the 18ft length of coax is to act as the 1/2 wave ground plane for a no-ground plane antenna which would use the coax shielding as the ground plane or the neg side of the antenna...18ft being 1/2 of the wavelength of 27Mhz...But for most of us installing our antennas on the metal portion of our vehicles we use 1/8...1/4...1/2 lengths of coax to keep even multiples of the wavelength of 27Mhz so that any interference from outside RF doesn't cause issues with our signal, does it really make a difference in a car that acts like a second shield to unwanted signals anyways, not really...18ft of coax is easier to run in a vehicle than 9ft also only because you have to route the cable in and around things that eats up the length real quick...better to have 18ft and excess then 9ft and coming short...hope this helps.

 

[booksbenji]

Choices!!!!! So many!!

swensond, Been a Cber since 1971(Marine, 69-75, radio operater, MARS, MCBCAMLEJ). Move to Houston when I got out in '75, went to RS got a mini23b, 102" right rear bumper. Drove from Wilington, NC to Houston in 26 hrs!! Got CB license in 77(KBAX 5769, Flying "L", Leatherneck)
Need a Marine's wife as pass /driver. Stayed a cber until I moved to Midland Tx in 88. went thru all kinds of equipment. Found certain things do work & perform ifin U match equipment to yr needs.
Bout 82 I found my perfect radio equipment: SBE LCS4 CB/SSB. AUDIO KING ANTENNA. They have stopped making the VAN ORDT but Trucker Specs make a excellent copy($25). The SBE is no longer @B had, too but can find on ebay, amazon and other auctions site or on line radio shops.

These 2 served me well, worked several disasters, wrecks, talk almost round the world(Marines, talked the moon & back, 1971 via Echo 1 & 2). This's the Audio King repro page: TruckSpec Oil Filled Antenna | Copper Electronics .

Also noticed that you wanted to put yr antenna rear left bumper, VERY BAD LOCATION. As u see in my pic of idea antenna location on a car right bumper would the best performer or roof mount is the best!! All yr transmissions goes all to the right, not in the direction you are going!!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v331/allstok03dmax/Antenna9pattern.jpg

 

[booksbenji]

A few ?'s on antennas, guys

I know that I will be using Trucker Specs Audio King copy but was wondering about this antenna!!!
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTg3WDMyMA==/z/CQsAAMXQL99SaxFw/$(KGrHqF,!rcFJk2kSlRPBS,)FvtnPg~~60_12.JPG

Also several more from Siro, Nevada, ???