CB Radio - Page 8

BernieB · 11-03-2009, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradrhale

i dont believe that the 3ft will clear the adequate 60% you are refering to. although, it these are top loaded antennas, than that might not be an issue. or am i thinking about this wrong?? if the springs will keep them from getting beat up, that works good enough for me. if there is a low lying branch that i know will take it off, i will get out to save it so that isnt a huge issue. if the springs keeps me in the truck more, than i would like to do that. if i add another 6" to the 4ft that i got now, i know i will hit something in the drive-thru. the mounts are somewhere between 5' and 5'6, i would imagine. 4'6 would put me at the 10ft mark and being a rigid antenna could have ill effects.

Your thinking on this is right on the money. With a top loaded antenna as long as you have about half above the cab you should be good to go, which is why I'm "pushing" the 3' size. And, with the springs, you shouldn't need to get out and lower the antennas, just slow down a bit. Under 35mph you should be okay. Just watch out for low overheads in tunnels and garages. The springs will let the antennas bend, but then you'll be dragging the tips on the ceiling, sorta like one of those bumper cars at the fair, and that's not going to do the antenna a whole lotta good.

With the 3' antennas on the mirrors of my truck the tips reach just about 9'6", which just happens to be the exact height of the utility back (including the roof strobes) so I know when entering someplace that if the antennas touch then the truck isn't gonna fit. No need to get out and estimate. Just ease up slow and see if the antenna on the drivers side clears.

bradrhale · 11-03-2009, 11:31 AM

i knew you could learn me something. ill look into the 3fts then.
now about the splitter. how much better is the duals going to work versus the one and having a dummy?? if i have to spend a good bit more on the coax and splitters and such, i might just stick with the single. afterall, i am not talking with the spaceshuttle. i just want to be able to talk with those around me and maybe a few people down the road a spell in case there might be something dangerous around the corner like a bear or city kitty.

BernieB · 11-03-2009, 11:42 AM

Duals will always outperform singles, any day of the week.

What you'll find with just a single is that the radiation pattern for the system will tend to be longer in the direction of the most body mass, so if you mount it on the driver's side you'll transmit fairly well to the front and to the passenger side, slightly better to the rear, and very poorly to the driver's side. Switch it to the passenger side and you'll transmit better towards the driver's side, but very poor to the passenger side. This is why, when using a single antenna, you want to try to center it on the vehicle.

But, with a true co-phased setup, you greatly increase your range ahead and behind, and have very good range to either side.

If you can afford it then duals are the way to go.

BernieB · 11-03-2009, 11:44 AM

Oh, and you don't need anything "special", just a co-phased harness. It's like a regular coax lead except there's two cables coming out of the plug on the back of the radio, one for each antenna. Not much more expensive than a single.

hotrodpc · 11-09-2009, 08:31 PM

It appears I have missed this thread. As with many things, I know just enough to get into trouble and think I have installed the antenna's right and I probably haven't. However, I really do not use a CB much anymore since the speed limits have been raised to 65, 70 and 75 on the interstates, the truckers usually do not give Bear reports anymore being that many of the truck are governed at 65-70mph and not speeding anymore. I still would like to have a CB in my box van though. I have never done it because the box is fiberglass, and antenna mounts will not ground to fiberglass. I do not want to use mirror mounts because I eventually intend to replace my metal door mounted mirrors with later model mirrors that are plastic and mount in the vent glass area of the door instead of the sheet metal, therefore, that also will not be grounded. I have thought about putting antennas on the rear steel bumper, but those would have to be some pretty long antennas to clear the box. Anyone got any ideas? I sold my nice Cobra 29 with mod kits. That thing got out real nice. I might get me another one someday for the box van, if I could figure out a good way to get some nice antennas installed.

BernieB · 11-09-2009, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotrodpc

It appears I have missed this thread. As with many things, I know just enough to get into trouble and think I have installed the antenna's right and I probably haven't. However, I really do not use a CB much anymore since the speed limits have been raised to 65, 70 and 75 on the interstates, the truckers usually do not give Bear reports anymore being that many of the truck are governed at 65-70mph and not speeding anymore. I still would like to have a CB in my box van though. I have never done it because the box is fiberglass, and antenna mounts will not ground to fiberglass. I do not want to use mirror mounts because I eventually intend to replace my metal door mounted mirrors with later model mirrors that are plastic and mount in the vent glass area of the door instead of the sheet metal, therefore, that also will not be grounded. I have thought about putting antennas on the rear steel bumper, but those would have to be some pretty long antennas to clear the box. Anyone got any ideas? I sold my nice Cobra 29 with mod kits. That thing got out real nice. I might get me another one someday for the box van, if I could figure out a good way to get some nice antennas installed.

Why worry about clearing the box? It's fiberglass, and won't block the signal. As for antennas, look for "no groundplane" models. They're designed for vehicles that do not have enough metal to provide a decent groundplane, such as fiberglass boats and cars with fiberglass or carbon fiber bodies.

The only problem I can see you having with the box truck is picking a good mounting location. The roof would be great, but with any decent antenna you'd be well over 14', so that's not a great idea, but... There's another way, and rather sneaky to boot... Mount it inside the box, hanging upside down from the roof.

Crmzendrgone · 11-10-2009, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BernieB

Why worry about clearing the box? It's fiberglass, and won't block the signal. As for antennas, look for "no groundplane" models. They're designed for vehicles that do not have enough metal to provide a decent groundplane, such as fiberglass boats and cars with fiberglass or carbon fiber bodies.

The only problem I can see you having with the box truck is picking a good mounting location. The roof would be great, but with any decent antenna you'd be well over 14', so that's not a great idea, but... There's another way, and rather sneaky to boot... Mount it inside the box, hanging upside down from the roof.

WHAT! I guess radio signals can't tell up from down that is a pretty good idea.

Here is a pic of the base unit I received from the lady I work with's boyfriend.

BernieB · 11-10-2009, 09:54 AM

Ooooo... Is that a genuine D-104 mic I see there?

hotrodpc · 11-10-2009, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BernieB

Why worry about clearing the box? It's fiberglass, and won't block the signal. As for antennas, look for "no groundplane" models. They're designed for vehicles that do not have enough metal to provide a decent groundplane, such as fiberglass boats and cars with fiberglass or carbon fiber bodies.

The only problem I can see you having with the box truck is picking a good mounting location. The roof would be great, but with any decent antenna you'd be well over 14', so that's not a great idea, but... There's another way, and rather sneaky to boot... Mount it inside the box, hanging upside down from the roof.

I never thought of that, I figured the box blocked the signal. I could easily run a copper solid core wire for a ground to the chassis. I would like the stealth anyway. Its kinda cool sometimes to act like a trucker and get 2 of them arguing on the radio, and then just sit, listen and laugh. Then I could just cruise right by them, and them now know it could possibly be me if they did not see the antenna.

hotrodpc · 11-10-2009, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BernieB

Ooooo... Is that a genuine D-104 mic I see there?

I oughta dig out my grandparents old base system I think I still have it along with a mic very similar to that one, if not the same thing. Gma and Gpa were mega into their CB's. About like us and our computers.

11-03-2009, 11:42 AM	#73
BernieB Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 1,910	Duals will always outperform singles, any day of the week. What you'll find with just a single is that the radiation pattern for the system will tend to be longer in the direction of the most body mass, so if you mount it on the driver's side you'll transmit fairly well to the front and to the passenger side, slightly better to the rear, and very poorly to the driver's side. Switch it to the passenger side and you'll transmit better towards the driver's side, but very poor to the passenger side. This is why, when using a single antenna, you want to try to center it on the vehicle. But, with a true co-phased setup, you greatly increase your range ahead and behind, and have very good range to either side. If you can afford it then duals are the way to go. __________________ If the guys who design 'em had to take one home, use it every day for 2 years, and do all the maint and repairs themselves, cars would have a button on the dash to change the oil, filters & plugs.

11-03-2009, 11:44 AM	#74
BernieB Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 1,910	Oh, and you don't need anything "special", just a co-phased harness. It's like a regular coax lead except there's two cables coming out of the plug on the back of the radio, one for each antenna. Not much more expensive than a single. __________________ If the guys who design 'em had to take one home, use it every day for 2 years, and do all the maint and repairs themselves, cars would have a button on the dash to change the oil, filters & plugs.

11-09-2009, 08:31 PM	#75
hotrodpc Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 3,177	It appears I have missed this thread. As with many things, I know just enough to get into trouble and think I have installed the antenna's right and I probably haven't. However, I really do not use a CB much anymore since the speed limits have been raised to 65, 70 and 75 on the interstates, the truckers usually do not give Bear reports anymore being that many of the truck are governed at 65-70mph and not speeding anymore. I still would like to have a CB in my box van though. I have never done it because the box is fiberglass, and antenna mounts will not ground to fiberglass. I do not want to use mirror mounts because I eventually intend to replace my metal door mounted mirrors with later model mirrors that are plastic and mount in the vent glass area of the door instead of the sheet metal, therefore, that also will not be grounded. I have thought about putting antennas on the rear steel bumper, but those would have to be some pretty long antennas to clear the box. Anyone got any ideas? I sold my nice Cobra 29 with mod kits. That thing got out real nice. I might get me another one someday for the box van, if I could figure out a good way to get some nice antennas installed. __________________ *Winners NEVER Quit , Quitters NEVER Win !!!*

11-10-2009, 09:54 AM	#78
BernieB Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 1,910	Ooooo... Is that a genuine D-104 mic I see there? __________________ If the guys who design 'em had to take one home, use it every day for 2 years, and do all the maint and repairs themselves, cars would have a button on the dash to change the oil, filters & plugs.

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11-03-2009, 11:31 AM	#72
bradrhale Senior Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 8,030	i knew you could learn me something. ill look into the 3fts then. now about the splitter. how much better is the duals going to work versus the one and having a dummy?? if i have to spend a good bit more on the coax and splitters and such, i might just stick with the single. afterall, i am not talking with the spaceshuttle. i just want to be able to talk with those around me and maybe a few people down the road a spell in case there might be something dangerous around the corner like a bear or city kitty.

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