CB Antenna Mount

[TugCE]

I tried searching for an answer but could not find anything so here is my question.

How are you mounting a CB Antenna on the Truck once you have you Truck Camper on the Truck? He has a 2012 Chevy 300 Dually.

My Buddy is heading up to NH this weekend to pick up a New Truck Camper. They ware planning on making a trip to Alaska this Summer and do not what to drag their Fifth wheel up there. He has always had a CB in everything he has had and we are hoping to get some ideas on what you all have done.

Thanks

[Mike_and_Terry_]

Thank You Twodownzero . I want it to talk to semi trucks when traveling. although I'm going to check into ham radios.

[twodownzero]

Mike and Terry Ann wrote:
what is the difference between a cb and ham radio? what do the big trucks use?

Semi trucks generally use a CB. CB is at ~27 MHz, is AM only, and you are limited to 4 watts (or 12 watts on SSB, but that is rare). Communication is line of sight or perhaps 5 miles at most.

Ham radio requires a license to operate. There are allocations from 1.8 MHz to beyond microwave range and can use any mode (CW, AM, FM, digital modes, etc.). The cheapest/easiest to install radio would be a VHF radio on the 2 meter band, which is usually used in FM mode with a repeater. The typical radio is 50 watts and if you can hit a repeater, you can usually talk to everything around you within 30-50 miles. A radio costs about $150 for a new (mobile mount) one, but antennas are cheaper, shorter in length and hams are allowed to run up to 1500 watts on most bands (although on 2 meters, 5-10 watts will usually get you into the repeater, and 25 will nearly always do the job). A handheld radio for the same bands costs about $40 and can be used portable when you're away from the truck. The test is 35 questions and can be passed with 4 hours of studying.

I have talked to people on every continent all over the world with various types of ham radios. CB is great if you want to talk to the semi truck in front of you but for genuine emergencies, you really will be much happier talking to someone who knows what they're doing?

By the way, a "ground plane" has nothing to do with electrical ground. "Grounding" a mount will not create a ground plane.

[bobndot]

I was trying to find some info on this as well . I have been looking at truckers forums.

Personally im using a magnet mount Wilson on my trucks hood. It receives ok and seems to transmit well within a mile. Therefore it works well when I travel with an additional vehicle, convoy style.
If your looking to reach out in a 360 further.....maybe the hood mount magnet won't be up to the job.

On the camper roof rack might be a good place. Use a good cable .
If you need more length. Try to avoid an in-line connector , use a single length wire .


this was taken from a truckers forum :
"""" a few items need to be addressed here as a professional installer .....

1) steel OR fiber door ? .... ant needs to be grounded .

2) 18' of " Real Coaxle " is recommended for premium performance .

3) again , there is usually a rubber gasket separating your mirror hardware from the actual door surface which is considered " ungrounded".

Remove some gasket ,die grind to metal or ground your mount .

4) Stick with a WILSON antennae."""""

[Mike_and_Terry_]

what is the difference between a cb and ham radio? what do the big trucks use?

[trail-explorer]

fatmanobx wrote:
...use a finder mount

What is a "finder" ?

[twodownzero]

Bedlam wrote:
Has anyone tried using a marine mount off the TC ladder? You could position it so it is not much higher than your roof vents and air conditioner. It would not need a ground plane since it is for marine applications.

All mobile antennas need a ground plane. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise. The difference is substantial on an actual meter. If you're only talking to cars right in front of you it makes no difference.

The best CB antenna is probably a 102" whip no matter where mounted, though. All of the rest trade efficiency for length.

Then again, with only 4 watts it probably doesn't make much difference.

Every antenna is a compromise, but that's why a VHF ham radio in the car makes so much more sense; the same wavelength antenna is 19" long instead of 102".

[snakyjake]

What about a cophase antenna mounted wider than the camper/trailer (perhaps the the mirrors or camper sides)?

[AnEv942]

I use a short mag antenna on the camper. Used an old mirror clamp mount but replaced the mast mount half with a small piece of plate. Clamped to luggage rack.

Surprisingly works well.

Never got around to hardwiring so cable just runs down side & to front where its attached to trucks antenna mount.
Tons of different mounts here
http://www.truckers-store.com/cb-antenna-mounts/
There are few links to other CB threads in the TCU under electrical..other.

[Bedlam]

Has anyone tried using a marine mount off the TC ladder? You could position it so it is not much higher than your roof vents and air conditioner. It would not need a ground plane since it is for marine applications.

[Dave_Pete]

We used magnetic mount antennas for our hand held CBs purchased JUST FOR the trip out of Alaska to our home in Wyoming so we could stay in better touch driving two cars than the weaker two-way radios. On my truck (with a pop-up camper) I placed it just forward of the camper, centered on the cab roof. It angled forward slightly and probably bent backward a little underway. We had excellent signal for our communications. I never tried to raise others from a distance. If your friend uses magnetic and extra cable he can always stop and place it on the camper (higher) for an emergency contact.

[twodownzero]

My ham radio antenna is mounted in a fender mount.

It is true that an antenna will work much better with an effective ground plane under it, but I can't put an antenna on top of the cab with the camper on.

Fortunately repeaters are usually pretty strong and up high so it's not a concern.

I took my CB antennas off my truck a long time ago; nothing but garbage on them.

[languiduck]

You're going to get very poor reception on a CB with it mounted on hood and a huge metal box sorrounding it. It'll just be line of sight and from the front. I always use CBs too and I tried a few different configurations with the TC and none were worth keeping IMO. It would really need to mounted up high on the camper somewhere. If someone has figured aomething else out Im willing to try.

[Photomike]

hunterj wrote:
Go to www.firestik.com and look at their mounts. They have mounts that go under the edge of the hood using existing body bolts.

I was given a cb antenna that had a magnetic mount and went to a local welder and had him bend me some metal. Then I mounted this under the hood so it sticks out over the front wheel well and the hood still closes nicely, works great and cost $20.00.

[hunterj]

Go to www.firestik.com and look at their mounts. They have mounts that go under the edge of the hood using existing body bolts.