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Mobile antenna question

rixdafix

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Joined
Nov 5, 2022
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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.
 

slowmover

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You could also run some coax out from the radio to a remote antenna. A dipole, etc.

Keep a camp antenna rig in a bag ready to go. This is a standard item for me in the pickup. (Haven’t used it, simply made up a bag of gear needed).

Being able to use a CB in all scenarios is the idea. Hauling an antenna high into trees, etc.

A PRESIDENT Randy is a handy little portable. Performs comparably to a Uniden 880 given an antenna system is available.

Many ways to look at remote operation (fixed, versus mobile).

Good luck
 

rixdafix

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Joined
Nov 5, 2022
Messages
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You could also run some coax out from the radio to a remote antenna. A dipole, etc.

Yep, I've got an inverted v and a quarter wave ground plane antenna built that I connect to 50 feet of rg8x and hang at various heights. I imagine that length hinders performance but it does allow location flexibility and some decent height.

The single wire into the existing mount idea just came to mind this morning as the temperature dropped 50 degrees and I'm looking for quick deploy and better regional performance.

Having fun experimenting and trying to squeeze everything out of this barefoot rig that I can. The challenge is half the fun...
 

rixdafix

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Nov 5, 2022
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20221112_140015.jpg

This got me from Eastern Missouri to California and I didn't even use radials. The "mast" is the same 1/2 x 3/4 trim strips I use for spreader bars. SWR was great without trimming.
 

slowmover

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Yep, I've got an inverted v and a quarter wave ground plane antenna built that I connect to 50 feet of rg8x and hang at various heights. I imagine that length hinders performance but it does allow location flexibility and some decent height.

The single wire into the existing mount idea just came to mind this morning as the temperature dropped 50 degrees and I'm looking for quick deploy and better regional performance.

Having fun experimenting and trying to squeeze everything out of this barefoot rig that I can. The challenge is half the fun...

I agree about trying all angles.

Let us know what you find with current idea.
 

rixdafix

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Joined
Nov 5, 2022
Messages
17
The inverted V works the best so far but I'm still trying to find decent places to deploy. Lots of trees to get in my way and at 12 watts if I'm lucky I imagine they don't help. I briefly parked at a Subway Sandwich shop in St Clair Missouri this afternoon (excellent line of site to west) and made a good clear contact with Reno Nevada for a solid minute or so on my 4ft Firestick. Location location location.

He did confirm this radio is transmitting pretty much dead on frequency which amazes me and is awesome because the transmit is still factory locked and I don't want to be droid man or Donald....

I have a (straight) dipole wire antenna rigged up to test next in both horizontal and vertical positions, but I need to come up with a inexpensive telescoping or multi piece mast that I can carry in or on the Jeep and extend up to 18 feet or better. I see aluminum telescoping poles but I don't know how those affect antenna performance especially with low watts.

Check this beauty out. I haven't opened it up and the heads of the screws look untouched. Original mic and yep, it's plugged into the 12v outlet. I can't bring myself to cut the original power cable yet. I'd have to imagine some caps are getting weak and a tune up is almost surely in order but again I'm having fun with it as is for now.


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