CB anten on class c

[mredneck]

looking for the best place to put my cb antenna. Do I want twin 4ft fire stix on the mirrors, single 4ft fire stick on the ladder, or a 10ft wire whip on the back bumper
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[Sam_Spade]

j-d wrote:

Oh, with Fords, can't take a magnetic mount and go "unicorn" like ^^^ pic. The hood is plastic.

Oh yea, forgot about that.
I knew there was a reason that I stuck mine to the fender instead.

[mredneck]

I hadn't thought of the hood lip mount. I like that idea. I want to be able to talk to the rigs I'm traveling with more so then the trucker jabber.

[AJR]

Interesting topic…. As an OLD amateur radio operator that has made many antennas for my use. I got to wondering how to fix up an antenna for my camper. I knew the camper frame was aluminum. So there could be problem hearing behind you. A local truck stop CB guy recommended a hood lip mount as the way to go. I really think he was right for the best commercial use. Easy to install. Good hood ground plain. But would look, well, not so pretty.

My thoughts went towards what do I want to hear? Do I really need to talk? If I need to talk, how far?

For MANY years I have used center loaded magnetic mount antennas on my trucks and cars. On the cars they banged going into the garage. But they kept working.

So, after some testing, my solution was to (get ready for this all the Hams out there) put a real large steel baking pan on the floor of the cab over and mount a mag mount, center loaded, antenna to that in its center. I do not use the cab over for sleeping. So half of the space was available and is out of the weather.

I can hear truckers coming at me from a reasonable three or so miles. So far without tuning the SWR is less that two to one. So I can talk if I want to. That is all I need if something happens to me.

I do like KISS

[jaycocreek]

I use a hand held CB when I need one or to talk to someone but I do have a metal plate silicone'd to the roof for a cell phone antenna or CB magnetic mount.I just run the coax through the top window above the cab.

[j-d]

Be warned about mounting the antenna on the laminated body widewall materials. Hit a branch with the antenna and the base mounting holes can loosen or enlarge the bolt holes in the sidewall. Then it's a leak. We had such a mount, such a leak, and an expensive body repair. This time I plan to use a mirror bracket mount. We have the tripod "box truck" mirrors, not the single arm Velvac's. On our Ford Class C, the doors are NOT grounded. I grounded them with wire for another project, so that's behind me. The braid from antenna cable is probably better as an "RF ground" so I may do an upgrade.

Oh, with Fords, can't take a magnetic mount and go "unicorn" like ^^^ pic. The hood is plastic.

[Sam_Spade]

When I use mine, I do something similar to that......only off to the side, knowing that your range to the rear is probably compromised a bit.

[Healeyman]

mredneck wrote:
looking for the best place to put my cb antenna.

Tim

[Gonzo42]

I vote for twin firestix on the mirrors with a no ground plane cable/antenna setup.

[KD4UPL]

the 8' (not 10") whip should perform the best but also the most troublesome with it hitting on everything.
I would use a single whip on the driver's mirror (farther from trees at the side of the road). You will need to make sure the mirror arm is grounded well to the chassis. The longer this whip the better. I'd look at a K40 antenna instead of Firstick. Maybe a 5' or 6' if they have one that size.
The K40 has a lifetime warranty. My dad runs them on his 18 wheeler. He's snapped a few over the years on low hanging branches. He takes the stub to the CB shop and they give him a new antenna.

[Sam_Spade]

IF the mirror mounts are metal and grounded, I'd put a single 4 ft on one mirror. The second one gains you little or nothing. This choice is for ease of installation.

If you want a little better performance, which really might not be desirable, put a single one on the ladder. If you do that, be aware of the new total height you will have and make sure your antenna flexes easily.

The point about not having a metallic ground at the mounting point is a good one. If you don't have a good grounded mounting point, the antennas designed to work without that are sometimes designated as "marine", since boat bodies are almost never metal.

[RoyB]

I have a CB installed under my front seat in my truck set for CH19 with the squelch turned up all the way... Have never talked to another RV Camper since 2009...

I use mine just to monitor the truckers in close vicinity to me...

Maybe the motorhome guys gets to use them but no results on my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer setup...

The Wife and I keep in touch when camping using FRS radios and Cell Phones...

Roy Ken

[navegator]

I placed the antenna on the side just behind the cab over window and used a marine trough hull fitting for the antenna, this gives me the shortest run to the radio.

navegator

[Kit_Carson]

I mounted my antenna on the ladder. Ran the coax underneath the coach along the frame and came up and through the firewall. My unit has a fiberglass roof so I purchased an antenna that requires no ground plane. It works good for me.