CB Radio & Antenna Installation Suggestions
Anyone have any pictures of their CB antenna mounting on their class c motor home? Any recommendations for CB and antenna? Thanks, Russ
Forum Discussion
Best option performance-wise is using a pair of antennas where the top 2/3rd of each antenna can "see" the other above the roof line. This requires specific antennas and coax intended for this purpose. Disadvantage is it is more difficult to set up, and you are going through the house portion of your rig to get above the roof line (antennas won't "see" each other with mirror mounts, and will be too close together to work well with hood-lip/fender mounts.) When correctly installed this setup works very well.
Second best choice performance-wise is using a "NGP" (no ground plane) whip antenna. These use a specific matched coax to "work" without a large ground plane. This would work OK high on your ladder using a mirror mount. This is the type of antenna that is factory installed on many newer RVs. Disadvantage is they give up quite a bit of efficiency to the properly-installed pair, or to a properly-installed conventional antenna on a steel vehicle.
Third best choice performance-wise would be a conventional antenna and coax installed on your ladder, fender, or mirror mount. Because of the lack of ground plane (if ladder mount) or the large reflective adjacent surface (if mirror mount) performance may be poor, but should work well enough for caravan communication without ruining the radio.
The 1000th best choice performance-wise would be a through-the-glass antenna which basically does nothing well other than non-obtrusive install. May work OK a caravan situation if the other radio is close enough. Receive will be especially poor.
There are many different brands of each type of antenna on the market to choose from. Firestick is one brand that makes whips in either co-phase pair, NGP, and conventional. But there are many others. With your smaller-than-average cabover I would probably go with the fender mount as J-D suggested.
Second best choice performance-wise is using a "NGP" (no ground plane) whip antenna. These use a specific matched coax to "work" without a large ground plane. This would work OK high on your ladder using a mirror mount. This is the type of antenna that is factory installed on many newer RVs. Disadvantage is they give up quite a bit of efficiency to the properly-installed pair, or to a properly-installed conventional antenna on a steel vehicle.
Third best choice performance-wise would be a conventional antenna and coax installed on your ladder, fender, or mirror mount. Because of the lack of ground plane (if ladder mount) or the large reflective adjacent surface (if mirror mount) performance may be poor, but should work well enough for caravan communication without ruining the radio.
The 1000th best choice performance-wise would be a through-the-glass antenna which basically does nothing well other than non-obtrusive install. May work OK a caravan situation if the other radio is close enough. Receive will be especially poor.
There are many different brands of each type of antenna on the market to choose from. Firestick is one brand that makes whips in either co-phase pair, NGP, and conventional. But there are many others. With your smaller-than-average cabover I would probably go with the fender mount as J-D suggested.
