rixdafix
Member
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2022
- Messages
- 17
On today's episode of silly questions from a newbie,
My current mobile antenna is a four foot Firestik mounted on the fender of my Cherokee with a heavy duty spring. I paid special attention to good grounds and bonding of the hood. I'll eventually do a permanent roof mount with appropriate antenna. I usually wait until I'm parked somewhere to operate and am having fun experimenting with expedient antennas.
Here is a silly question to ponder. If I remove the fiberglass antenna (leaving the spring mount in place) could I bend the spring over and insert the bare end of an insulated 12awg wire allowing the spring coils to clamp down on the wire. I'd cut the wire to maybe 109 inches or so to allow for a hanging loop and tuning. I'd raise it with a nylon string to a tree limb straight up overhead.
I mean, I know I could physically do it but I wonder if it's worth the effort especially since it's still fender mounted. Could I expect it to be as efficient as a whip? How about ground radials attached the ground side of the fender mount and laid out on the ground away from the fender to supplement the less than ideal ground plane of the fender mount.
Thanks for your time and I hope I made someone smile, laugh, or shake their head this morning.
My current mobile antenna is a four foot Firestik mounted on the fender of my Cherokee with a heavy duty spring. I paid special attention to good grounds and bonding of the hood. I'll eventually do a permanent roof mount with appropriate antenna. I usually wait until I'm parked somewhere to operate and am having fun experimenting with expedient antennas.
Here is a silly question to ponder. If I remove the fiberglass antenna (leaving the spring mount in place) could I bend the spring over and insert the bare end of an insulated 12awg wire allowing the spring coils to clamp down on the wire. I'd cut the wire to maybe 109 inches or so to allow for a hanging loop and tuning. I'd raise it with a nylon string to a tree limb straight up overhead.
I mean, I know I could physically do it but I wonder if it's worth the effort especially since it's still fender mounted. Could I expect it to be as efficient as a whip? How about ground radials attached the ground side of the fender mount and laid out on the ground away from the fender to supplement the less than ideal ground plane of the fender mount.
Thanks for your time and I hope I made someone smile, laugh, or shake their head this morning.