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CB Antenna Mounting - Ideas for trees?

Z

zith

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Green Mountain Falls, CO
I've got a 4ft firestick antenna on a spring, and for a few years now I've used a mount design which attached just above the drivers side tail light. While this has worked pretty well, I wasn't clearly thinking when I designed it, so it stuck out far and kept catching trees.

I would like to re-mount the antenna in order to hook less trees! I've come up with two solutions, and am looking for opinions on these methods and alternatives. I've considered mounting to the rear bumper, but It's still stock and getting into the hatch would be a problem.
1) Simply re-design the mount to hug the body closer than it previously did. I'm worried about the antenna bangnig against the body since it's on a spring.
2) I was thinking about trying to mount the antenna to the rear hatch... but it's a '96 with the fiberglass hatch. This firestick mount would be ideal: http://www.firestik.com/Catalog/M-2.htm
Although it only reccomends 3ft max. I could always make a mount, and I was thinking of using some flat rubber to allow the rubber to sligthly twist and hopefully not destroy my hatch.

Anyone done the second option before on a fiberglass hatch? How's it holding up?
 
IF YOU MOUNT THE ANTENNA TO FIBERGLASS YOU WILL HAVE TO RUN A GROUND CABLE TO IT OR USE A "NO GROUND PLANE" ANTENNA
 
Do you have factory crossbars?

Get a mount from Ham Radio Outlet.
 
I solved the problem with my roof mounted 4' Firestick antenna by replacing it with a 3' antenna. It's still on the roof and, yes, it still hits a few branches on ocassion, but the shorter antenna made a huge difference. It doesn't whip around nearly as bad, which also means it doesn't stress the mount like the 4' antenna did.
 
essentially, your whole jeep is an antenna, however the only real admitting part of it is the whip, because it has the direct connection. that is why on your cb you can sometimes hear window motors, water pump feul pump and such. (others if you dont calibrate it right)

laying it down would only shorten your range because,
A. the emmiting point is lower, and directed in one direction,
B. if you had it attached to the rail (you would need to have the copper actually touch the metal on the rail for this to work btw) all you would have is an antenna that is less powerfull do to powerloss in the poorly conducting roof rail.
 
I fixed that/those problems by doing a glass mount in the upper right hane corner of the windshield. figured nothing SHOULD smack or smear there right! and it flexs well so I thin kit will be ok
 
I had the same problem with my antenna mounted in that spot. Kept getting caught on things and bending the bracket. I relocated it to the roof and promptly destroyed the antenna on trees and garage doors. I finally just said screw it and mounted it right on the front bumper (5.5' K40 fiberglass whip) and it's been there ever since. I still get decent reception and transmit range, it never hits or gets caught on anything, and the top of it is about a foot taller than the roof so it makes a nice height gauge for pulling into low places.
 
heres where imounted my 4ft FireStik II. Its doesnt hit much except real low trees but any antenna is gonna hit low trees.
P1010019_1.jpg
 
I was under the impression that 2/3 antennae length should be above the roof, but I know that my set-up as well as many others do not follow this rule of thumb. Mine still worked fine anyway, but I'm sure it could have gotten better reception, and truckers rarely heard me down I-95 unless I was within 100ft. of them.

Any feedback of how much of a difference this actually makes? It could significantly change possibilites for the mount.
 
NJ95JeepXJ said:
I was under the impression that 2/3 antennae length should be above the roof, but I know that my set-up as well as many others do not follow this rule of thumb. Mine still worked fine anyway, but I'm sure it could have gotten better reception, and truckers rarely heard me down I-95 unless I was within 100ft. of them.

Any feedback of how much of a difference this actually makes? It could significantly change possibilites for the mount.
Click to expand...


I always ran mine with a good section above the roof. IMHO it won't get/send signal in the direction it is being blocked by the rig. Are you hooking it up to a SWR meter and getting it adjusted correctly also? I also run a ground to the mount regardless just to make sure I'm getting a good ground, then again I'm kinda anal....:shhh:
 
serialphreak said:
heres where imounted my 4ft FireStik II. Its doesnt hit much except real low trees but any antenna is gonna hit low trees.
P1010019_1.jpg
Click to expand...

I can already see me ripping that one off on a tree.

I might have to go to a Magnetic roof mount.
 
XJCasper said:
I can already see me ripping that one off on a tree.

I might have to go to a Magnetic roof mount.
Click to expand...

Do you have that fancy-dancy compass/temp display on yours? If so they recommend against it cuz the magnet is supposed to mess with the compass. Just thought I might throw that out there. I'm going with the fender mount, the one that bolts on to it under the edge of the hood. I don't really like the way it looks, but it works. I'm running stock bumpers right now. Haven't really found a way I like to mount one there. On the TJ I used to have I took off the 3rd brake light and put one there. At one point in time I was talking to someone 20 miles away. I'm pretty sure it was catching a skip. My dad's a truck driver, so we usually have a little over-kill on the CB stuff.
 
I guess I should clarify just a little bit on my original question. My original mount stuck out to the side too far, and I caught it on trees that way. Antenna height is not too much of an issue, but mounting a 4ft fiberglass antenna from the roof doesn't seem practical for trails with trees. (I know it's the best for trasmitting, but...)
I'd love to keep buying new parts to a minimum. I have all the vital components and just need to find a new mounting solution. The idea to mount on the front bumper is intriguing because it wouldn't get in the way of the hatch opening, and I can remove the antenna (got a disconnect) when I'm doing work on the engine. Oh, and I do have a compass, so roof mount mag probably isn't the best solution ;)
In my searches I found more than a couple people suggest hatch-mounts, but so far it seems like no one has ever done it. Still hoping to find someone who knows if the fiberglass is strong enough. (will it withstand a 4ft fiberglass antenna on a spring?)
 
Where I had my antenna before, the plastic covering ended up coming off because it hit so many trees, leaving the wire exposed. The wire also somehow got ripped out, leaving the coax end still on the mount.
CopyofMP21_STUCK.jpg


Now I mounted it to the back after I covered it in some electrical heat shrink rap. The only problems I have had with it was trying to drive into a low garage, no problems on the trail with trees or anything. Have great RX and TX, I was the only person to hear a Jeep who was off the trail helping our buddy who broke his axle on our last trail run.
CopyofCoyHill117.jpg

I imagine that with a big enough backing plate the fiberglass would hold, and a spring would make it better because if it did end up hitting something, the spring would bend, and not the bracket.
 
Last edited:
I mounted mine opposite of the radio antenna on the inside of the DS fender. I would ditch the spring and just use the whip. In the Northwest we have lots of trees and I've found that the 2 antennas, one on each side of the hood, tend to act as a way to carry tree branches and brush up and over the windshield onto the roof keeping that junk from smacking the glass. The antenna has a ground plane and works really well in that position and has for 5 years or so.
 
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