CB reception much better if antenna mounted on headache rack/roof of pick-up?

[Joe46]

Well I guess that rules out that antenna for the Pacific Northwest! (Rain and clouds most of the time, except in the summer.)

Never bothered me at all. I was living on the Olympic Peninsula. I think I may have been in a few rain squalls:hmm3grin2orange:

 

[slowp]

I think all the antennae I had were steel. They worked. We get a bit less rain here than to the Northwest.

Sometimes I wished it didn't work.

 

[whslpnk]

CB reception

I am not an expert, but i have found that it depends more on quality of antenna than where you mount it. As long as you have a good ground plane, it really doesn't matter where. I have gotten best results with a 60" steel whip.

 

[HILLBILLYREDNEC]

The cb antenna on my old truck was center of the roof with a spring to prevent the Fire stick from snapping off. The antenna needs to be tuned and the coax used need to be well made with top quality shielding. Proper ground plain is critical for good radio reception.

 

[slowp]

Good Heavens! I'd best go warn my replacement. I just slapped the antenna on the roof--it was magnetic, ran the cord through the door, and plugged it in. Do ya think it will blow up? Reverse the magnetic poles of the earth? Send "Come on down!" messages to evil Klingons?

 

[Garmins dad]

Or just budget for an antenna replacement every few months. You know, stuff happens.

i found a wholesaler for antenna.. i get 12 of em for the price of 6.. They seem to last me 9 months (for the whole 12)... You get great pricing in bulk.. :msp_sneaky:

 

[Billy_Bob]

What is a "ground plane"?

I was wanting to mount the antenna on the top of the headache rack, but on the left driver's side. Trees overhang on the right side of the road, so I thought by doing this, I would avoid the antenna hitting some overhanging trees.

But mounting the antenna in the center (top) of headache rack would be better?

(No one is on these roads typically, so I can easily drive around any overhanging trees.)

 

[ridecaptain]

Center is better,but most important is base of antenna is above metal obstructions.lenghth of antenna only detirmines wave lenghth(1/8-1/4-1/2)the power of antenna comes from the base area thus any metalabove base area is interfering with signal.I always use a small weaker spring preventing antenna from being snapped off,also make sure you have a good ground

 

[slowp]

What is a "ground plane"?

I was wanting to mount the antenna on the top of the headache rack, but on the left driver's side. Trees overhang on the right side of the road, so I thought by doing this, I would avoid the antenna hitting some overhanging trees.

But mounting the antenna in the center (top) of headache rack would be better?

(No one is on these roads typically, so I can easily drive around any overhanging trees.)

Aren't they planes that can't fly because of weather or other problems?

Antennae are magnetic to tree limbs. You think you can drive around but hear that loud THWACK, and then the scraping noise.

I'm sorry, I just find this a humorous topic. I am not a fan of CBs, the endless chatter/gosoops INFORMATION going on it interferes with listening to meaningful classics, like Bubba Shot The Jukebox.

If only mile markers and loaded or empty were on the radio, it wouldn't be so annoying. And then you have to listen to some bored idiot back in Frogjump, Nebraska (not that there's anything wrong with Frogjump, Nebraska) whistling, or making pig calling noises on the blasted radio then wanting everybody to tell him where they heard him. Usually this occurs when you are driving against the loaded trucks, and heard one faintly say, "mmglubraba, Loaded".

I have heard, "How do I kill my wife?" "Lets run that van of Hippies off the road.", and "I'm sneaking out firewood in the box on my truck. The Forest Service will never suspect." and other wonderful things on the CB.

Rant over.

 

[Metals406]

Aren't they planes that can't fly because of weather or other problems?

Antennae are magnetic to tree limbs. You think you can drive around but hear that loud THWACK, and then the scraping noise.

I'm sorry, I just find this a humorous topic. I am not a fan of CBs, the endless chatter/gosoops INFORMATION going on it interferes with listening to meaningful classics, like Bubba Shot The Jukebox.

If only mile markers and loaded or empty were on the radio, it wouldn't be so annoying. And then you have to listen to some bored idiot back in Frogjump, Nebraska (not that there's anything wrong with Frogjump, Nebraska) whistling, or making pig calling noises on the blasted radio then wanting everybody to tell him where they heard him. Usually this occurs when you are driving against the loaded trucks, and heard one faintly say, "mmglubraba, Loaded".

I have heard, "How do I kill my wife?" "Lets run that van of Hippies off the road.", and "I'm sneaking out firewood in the box on my truck. The Forest Service will never suspect." and other wonderful things on the CB.

Rant over.

My favorite is the deer hid in the middle of the firewood stack. . . And the blood trail being left down the highway past the game check. "Deer, what deer?"

 

[Guido Salvage]

What is a "ground plane"?

A term he found on Wikipedia, don't ask him to define it (or "ground plain" either). However, If you are mounting the antenna on the roof of a vehicle the ground plane is what it is (the roof), so it then becomes moot. A ground plane could be any flat ferrous material surface, you could mount your antenna to a refrigerator in the back of your truck and get the same effect. Without getting too complex, you want the antenna mounted in the center of the metal (which need not be grounded).

The antenna needs to be tuned and the coax used need to be well made with top quality shielding.

I wonder if he tunes his antennas the same way he tunes his chains?

Well saws can be modded for power gain but a poorly tuned chain can make it as slow as a stock saw. The 385 with a well tuned full skip chain on 28" bar will run circles around a stock 441 running a 28" bar and a well tuned full skip chain. It has more to do how the chain is tuned then anything else when it come to performance.

 

[Joe46]

He really said that? Well I've never tried "tuning' my chains. I have been known to sharpen them however. I did have a serious talk with a couple of them one time, probably not the same as tuning though.

 

[Guido Salvage]

He really said that? Well I've never tried "tuning' my chains.

Absolutely, it was part of the MS441 or 385xp thread in the Chainsaw Forum. The link below will take you to Page 20 where he starts schooling us on "tuning a chain".

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/182020-20.htm

I have posted the links below his posted comments so no one will think I fabricated this stuff:

Well saws can be modded for power gain but a poorly tuned chain can make it as slow as a stock saw. The 385 with a well tuned full skip chain on 28" bar will run circles around a stock 441 running a 28" bar and a well tuned full skip chain. It has more to do how the chain is tuned then anything else when it come to performance.

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/182020-20.htm#post3194596

Most factory chains need to be tuned to fit the saw. For me riders then the teeth get adjusted to my preference.

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/182020-20.htm#post3194611

As as example ,if you have a saw that is used in softer woods and it is a 60 cc saw,you can tune the chain to get the most performance out of the saw. The way to tune a chain is by chaining rider height and changing the cutting tooth angle to be any were from 25 degrees to 35 degrees. Also can you tune a chain by sharpening the chain with no gullet for better chip severing.

http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/182020-21.htm#post3194645

I do not think that HBRN realizes that all of his posts are archived and available for review. This features makes it easy to discover the numerous discrepancies and errors in what he has written over time.

 

[Joe46]

Oh believe me, I know you wouldn't make that stuff up. He went on my ignore list very early on after I became a member. It was just to painful to read some of the stuff he came up with.

 

[Guido Salvage]

Oh believe me, I know you wouldn't make that stuff up. He went on my ignore list very early on after I became a member. It was just to painful to read some of the stuff he came up with.

You want painful? Take a look at these videos he posted of himself. You make the call on his experience level.

[video=youtube_share;l3IR7CHD1k4]http://youtu.be/l3IR7CHD1k4[/video]

[video=youtube_share;-834TlssXrM]http://youtu.be/-834TlssXrM[/video]

There are more out there if you want to watch and bump your skill level up a notch or two.

 

[HILLBILLYREDNEC]

The best ground plane be center of the roof or center of the headache rack. The one issue to be aware is the more electrical devices around antenna the more possibility of weak signal. A tuned antenna with high quality coax will receive better when the incoming signal is weak. Sometimes a noise filter is need to shield the power supply wire from emp pulses.

 

[Billy_Bob]

The best ground plane be center of the roof or center of the headache rack. The one issue to be aware is the more electrical devices around antenna the more possibility of weak signal. A tuned antenna with high quality coax will receive better when the incoming signal is weak. Sometimes a noise filter is need to shield the power supply wire from emp pulses.

Thanks!

I made a metal bracket with hand tightening screws for the antenna. I can loosen these with my hand and slide the antenna to either side of the headache rack or into the center, or remove it. (There is a groove in the headache rack for the bolts for these.)

And I have a SWR meter, so can tune the antenna.

I have tools for regular TV coax, large and small. Do you (or anyone else) know if I can crimp on an F connector to CB antenna coax? Then make an extension cable just like you could for a TV? Or is CB cable a different size coax cable?

BTW Mr. Redneck, I once got a Safeway (grocery store) customer card and used the name "Joe Redneck". At Safeway when you use your card, they can see your last name on their register, then they say thank you and your last name...

So they would say... Thank You Mr. Redneck!

 

[lfnh]

Emp pulses ? yup, got my tin hat right handy.

 

[Guido Salvage]

The best ground plane be center of the roof or center of the headache rack.

Wrong! Once again you have commented on a subject that you have no practical experience with and have given incorrect information. Obviously you failed to read my post above on the subject. It is the mass UNDER the antenna, not AROUND it that determines efficiency. Using the middle of a vehicle roof will be the best option in a mobile setting, using a headache rack or pole will be one of the worst. Any material between the antenna base and the ground plane (as in your example) only adds to ground loss.

 

[HILLBILLYREDNEC]

Thanks!

I made a metal bracket with hand tightening screws for the antenna. I can loosen these with my hand and slide the antenna to either side of the headache rack or into the center, or remove it. (There is a groove in the headache rack for the bolts for these.)

And I have a SWR meter, so can tune the antenna.

I have tools for regular TV coax, large and small. Do you (or anyone else) know if I can crimp on an F connector to CB antenna coax? Then make an extension cable just like you could for a TV? Or is CB cable a different size coax cable?

BTW Mr. Redneck, I once got a Safeway (grocery store) customer card and used the name "Joe Redneck". At Safeway when you use your card, they can see your last name on their register, then they say thank you and your last name...

So they would say... Thank You Mr. Redneck!

Your better off with no splices. The best cable is satellite
coax cable, the good stuff has three layers of shielding.