Your opinions please? (1 Viewer)

[Dave 2000]

I recently fitted an Albrecht CB into my LC. Great little unit and fits in the space where the ashtray was, antenna was a simple Midland mag mount, centre load whip about two foot long, put it on the left corner of bonnet near the screen, quick easy SWR, just temporary fit as I was pushed for time.

OK to my question.

A recent trip showed poor reception towards the rear, obvious as the roof rack and all the other camping/off road paraphernalia was up there. the narrow canyons we were in had a lot of bush so picked up the antenna a couple of times and pulled it off. I cannot have a longer antenna on the bonnet to get above the rack, this would foul the bushes even more, so I plan to do the following:

I plan to fit a quick release connector for the antenna on the panel at the bottom of the screen, this can be used when the rack is not on and I am doing the odd weekend.

On the roof rack another quick release connector bolted on. Run two cables into the car and use a CX 201 to make them switchable. Now I have one antenna that can be moved from one place to the other depending if the rack is on or not.

Reservations are, if I forget to switch to the right cable and key up on the cable with no antenna I can kiss the CB good bye.

I will need another connector from roof rack mount to cable leading into the car, concerned about loss caused by corrosion/another join.

Is there an alternative?

Assume I know enough to install, can sort SWR issues, but last CB was about 5 years back and only used on the odd trip, not up with current thoughts.

TIA

regards

Dave

 

[richardlillard1]

I've used mag mounts and the ease of use is nice, but the coax will eventually take a dump.

Switched to the yodateq mount and I like it a lot more. It works quite well when properly setup and using a firefly (a thinner, but too loaded option from firestik), the radio works quite well for my use.

If you're going to have an antenna obscured by the body of the vehicle, it needs to have a top load and needs to be tall enough to get out past the body. I'm fortunate in that firestik is a local company to me, so I got to go in and ask them a few questions before making a purchase, which is where I first heard about it.

A quick thought, before the CB vs ham BS starts, I hope everyone keeps in mind that it isn't about what's better or worse, it's about what the group you're going out with uses. I've used CB, ham, race radios, or even two-ways from the local electronics store. It all depends on what the group is using and each one has its strengths and weaknesses.

 

[Dave 2000]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thanks for the reply.

Yep the mag mount cable has started going to pieces, I only needed it for a few days so it did the job.

My plan seems simple enough (to me), when the rack is on the antenna is simply not long enough, but a longer one will simply snag more bushes that grow out of the canyon walls.

So the yodateq is some kind of quick release? EDIT: no quick release at Yodateq.

So, a mount that can be used with a quick release. The roof rack has a panel I can drill into, and so the same type can be used on the panel below the screen. I have had that panel off, it is a bit flimsy but can be reinforced easily enough.

I was thinking a three foot whip that could be used on the panel below the screen, and then when the rack is lowered into place I can move it to there?

Not interested in any CB/HAM wars, I am not that serious, just want better comms within the group of people that I'm out with, so a CB it is.

Thanks for your thoughts thus far.

regards

Dave

 

[richardlillard1]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thanks for the reply.

Yep the mag mount cable has started going to pieces, I only needed it for a few days so it did the job.

My plan seems simple enough (to me), when the rack is on the antenna is simply not long enough, but a longer one will simply snag more bushes that grow out of the canyon walls.

So the yodateq is some kind of quick release? EDIT: no quick release at Yodateq.

So, a mount that can be used with a quick release. The roof rack has a panel I can drill into, and so the same type can be used on the panel below the screen. I have had that panel off, it is a bit flimsy but can be reinforced easily enough.

I was thinking a three foot whip that could be used on the panel below the screen, and then when the rack is lowered into place I can move it to there?

Not interested in any CB/HAM wars, I am not that serious, just want better comms within the group of people that I'm out with, so a CB it is.

Thanks for your thoughts thus far.

regards

Dave

I bought a quick release from firestik. They make two kinds, both work well, but one of them requires a dry lubricant once dirt gets trapped in it. I'll see if I can dig up some pics.

 

[richardlillard1]

CATALOG Main Page (Frame Setup)

You want R-1A and a heavy duty spring. The lighter springs are going to whip that thing around constantly.

 

[Dazrin]

So the yodateq is some kind of quick release? EDIT: no quick release at Yodateq.

The yodaTEQ is just the mount for the antenna.
MOUNTS

I have both rear mounts and they have worked well. My CB is on the driver side and doesn't have a spring, just a flexible fiberglass antenna. A heavy spring would probably increase the longevity of the antenna but would increase how often it hits the back corner of my truck and, for my use, hasn't been necessary.

 

[Dave 2000]

Thanks for the link guys, it is appreciated. I have been wary of springs since I went under a low bridge in a truck, the antenna was on the roof spring mounted. Damn thing got caught on the bridge, when it came free it 'twanged' forward and then backwards taking out the back window of the cab, made me jump for sure!

I will definitely be ordering the QR mount, unsure if I can get it in Europe but happy to pay shipping from USA for a good product. The spring can be used as well as the tip of the whip will be higher than the screen, plus the glass is laminated, the truck rear screen was not.


Many thanks for thoughts thus far.

regards

Dave

 

[1911]

Re-tune the antenna after you have installed the quick-release mounts and spring(s); these both affect the SWR in my experience.

 

[ChaseTruck]

This has worked well for us: Yoda-Teq mount - Firestik heavy spring - Firestik antenna disconnect - FireFly antenna - (used...) Penn Championship Extra Duty Felt Tennis Ball, #1 - tune completed assembly for SWR.

 

[Dave 2000]

Re-tune the antenna after you have installed the quick-release mounts and spring(s); these both affect the SWR in my experience.

Yep got that thanks.

This has worked well for us: Yoda-Teq mount - Firestik heavy spring - Firestik antenna disconnect - FireFly antenna - (used...) Penn Championship Extra Duty Felt Tennis Ball, #1 - tune completed assembly for SWR.

Yours is in essence the same as mine in reverse (nice truck BTW), but the tip of your antenna is above your roof line so should pick up/transmit forward and back but, as soon a large roof rack goes on it wipes rearward signals on my install.

I will be going with the QR and spring that @richardlillard1 has suggested. So, panel below screen a permanent bolt through mount, QR and spring on antenna.

Repeat on top of the roof rack, both cables to CB with a decent changeover switch, seen one very cheap and one quite pricy, get what you pay for I guess. So, I will SWR the antenna's in with and without the rack on, might get away with not having to alter SWR when the rack is off?

Only query I have now is the antenna on the rack will need to have some kind of connector permanent on the car, is there a thru body connector for coax, that is easy to keep waterproof? I will fit the connector in the slam panel next to (or opposite) the mount for the vehicle antenna. I can then just run the cable up the gutter to the rack antenna.

I already have an electrical connector that connects tent lighting/spotlights although not fitted them yet. Coax I guess would need a particular type to work?

Just a note, I am not looking to run two antenna's at the same time, just the versatility to be able to quickly remove one and relocate it with the minimum of fuss.

Thanks again

regards

Dave

 

[ChaseTruck]

Th firefly antenna on the LX above is the 3-foot version - they make a 4-foot version as well. I think Richard runs the 4-footer.
From the YodaTeq mount, I ran the coax through the light fixture.

 

[richardlillard1]

Yep got that thanks.



Yours is in essence the same as mine in reverse (nice truck BTW), but the tip of your antenna is above your roof line so should pick up/transmit forward and back but, as soon a large roof rack goes on it wipes rearward signals on my install.

I will be going with the QR and spring that @richardlillard1 has suggested. So, panel below screen a permanent bolt through mount, QR and spring on antenna.

Repeat on top of the roof rack, both cables to CB with a decent changeover switch, seen one very cheap and one quite pricy, get what you pay for I guess. So, I will SWR the antenna's in with and without the rack on, might get away with not having to alter SWR when the rack is off?

Only query I have now is the antenna on the rack will need to have some kind of connector permanent on the car, is there a thru body connector for coax, that is easy to keep waterproof? I will fit the connector in the slam panel next to (or opposite) the mount for the vehicle antenna. I can then just run the cable up the gutter to the rack antenna.

I already have an electrical connector that connects tent lighting/spotlights although not fitted them yet. Coax I guess would need a particular type to work?

Just a note, I am not looking to run two antenna's at the same time, just the versatility to be able to quickly remove one and relocate it with the minimum of fuss.

Thanks again

regards

Dave

Should have mentioned this earlier, but the setup I have is pretty much a copy of @ChaseTruck's rig.

If you look through his thread on his LX and 80 he has some detailed pictures of how to run the coax through the tail light which worked really well for me.

 

[richardlillard1]

This has worked well for us: Yoda-Teq mount - Firestik heavy spring - Firestik antenna disconnect - FireFly antenna - (used...) Penn Championship Extra Duty Felt Tennis Ball, #1 - tune completed assembly for SWR.

View attachment 1348677

View attachment 1348678

Nice mud flaps.

 

[Dragos80]

A low SWR will not guarantee you good results for reception and transmission.

Antenna placement will dictate the efficiency as far the radiation pattern is concerned.
The best location will always be the middle of the car in order to have the best ground plane possible.

 

[ChaseTruck]

A low SWR will not guarantee you good results for reception and transmission.

Antenna placement will dictate the efficiency as far the radiation pattern is concerned.
The best location will always be the middle of the car in order to have the best ground plane possible.

View attachment 1349075

View attachment 1349076

Noted and agreed, but I've scraped countless mag mounts off the middle of the roof on my own truck. That one's not a cruiser, and you may blame it on flimsy GM sheetmetal (magnets do need some stuff to hold on to...). The firestik solution has held up really well so far. And it's been working well on the LX, too - Abstrahlrichtung (I served in a comm unit in the German military many years ago...) be damned.

 

[Dave 2000]

Thanks for the comments all, and of course the diagrams. I knew that coverage with the antenna up top would be better (more even?) in the middle of the roof but, I did not know the transmit/receive area went forward if the antenna was at the rear and vice verse, so thanks for that.

The main issue I think is that my antenna is below the roof line, that is the only reason I can give for poor reception/transmission from behind when it was mounted at the front. There is another variable in that the vehicles behind me (and allowing for terrain), may not have their setups in optimal positions, given that they were seasoned off roaders I doubted that, and would prefer to think my personal lack of knowledge and compromised antenna position was the cause.

You have also changed my install plans, I am going to go for a roof install (unless someone has thoughts otherwise?). I already have a hole there for the 'shark fin' radio antenna (that is rubbish BTW and was coming out), it is more rearward, but will use that to mount the antenna when no roof rack is installed.

regards

Dave

 

[Dave 2000]

Still studying/cramming and thinking.......

If I run one cable from the CB to a 'K4-A' stud in the roof, then I know the QR can go straight onto it. clip on the antenna and sorted.

Now if I have another stud on the roof rack again with the quick release, I now just need to have a patch lead, one end is PL259 to the stud on the rack, and now need a way of having a cable termination that matches the quick release on the car roof that I have just taken the antenna off from?

just looking for as much 'plug and play' as possible, this will get rid of the two way coax switch, and alleviate corrosion issues.

regards

Dave

 

[Dave 2000]

I am thinking this could work?

NO RACK, day to day use, quick release to access my under ground garage.

WITH RACK for off road and camping, the antenna simply moved to the rack.

I would prefer the patch cable connect to the antenna quick release on the car, it would mean one less hole in the roof, but no one seems to be able to come up with a connector so far that can deal with that.

Excuse my use of 'paint', it is quick and easy and I am tired and off to bed.


regards

Dave