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CB Antenna Locations

themauler

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Va Beach
Where is everyone putting their cb antennas these days? I have had a magnet base mounted antenna with a 3' antenna ever since I have had my cb and now after two years of getting smacked on tree limbs the base is ruined and the wires connecting the bottom are all frayed and disconnected leaving me with no more signal. I have read this is not the best antenna set up but I was never the one not getting signal in a group of other jeepers.

I want to move to a fiberglass antenna and mount it on the rear of the cherokee some where. While it looks like a cool idea I am not interested in putting the CB in the old radio antenna location because I still use my antenna. I would like to locate my next antenna in a permanent location if that helps. Is the rear of the jeep where a lot of people put theres?

Anyone got any links to some good antennas to go with?

TIA Nick
 
In the front middle, I have the whole hood as a ground plane and when I go into trees the antenna lays flat across the hood. I'm running a Uniden PC78 and a Wilson adjustable 4', Firestick MD spring and mount. I get a super low SWR on channel 4 of .7

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I had mine mounted on the roof rack. 108" stainless whip. The drive through people gave me dirty looks, but otherwise it worked good. Car washes were a no go but the rhino-nosed front bumper did away with that too.

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Back in the day I set up my first C.B., (using a K40 ant., up-watted tweeked Radio Shack, [U.S.A.], on my '79 Model 17 Cherokee), I learned something about an antenna on a rolling metal box. Think of it this way; your placement is useful to what, and where from, and where to you wish to receive and transmit. with the best possible reception. Think of a convoy. Everyone wants to be in communication. The lead vehicle has their antenna mounted on the rear. The rear vehicle mounts their antenna on the front. The middle vehicles mount their antenna's in the middle. Why, because the metal box, is disturbance, (for lack of better words), in the field signal. A way to illustrate a front mounted antenna is to think of your headlight beams. Mounted on the front, the signal is said to be like the headlight beams projecting way, way forward. Mounted in the middle, the signal is more like a hemisphere projection, which reaches/receives an equal radius to the front, sides, and to the rear. Mounted on the rear, the signal is said to be like a headlight beam projecting way, way rearwards.

My K40 antenna, with magnetic mount was never a problem for me, as IF I was in such a situation going through some tight areas with over hanging brush, branches, etc., I got my lazy ass out ot the vehicle, gave the antenna a simple twist, and placed it on my dashboard until out of that area, car wash, etc. I also completely removed the base, and antenna altogether in any area in so-called civilization where I felt there might be a situation in which I did not want my K40 ripped off, etc. (those were the days where C.B. was a popular item to steal, etc.). I can't talk about these days in such said areas, as I am about as far removed as I can be.:eek:wl:

Bottom line; Do what you want. Me, I'd rather upgrade to HAM. On the other hand, those little FM walkie-talkies do fairly well in little groups of vehicles. We use 'em a lot on 4 Wheelers, exploring, hunting, etc.:lecture:
 
Did a X2, sheesh...
 
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I currently have mine on a bracket that bolts in between the body and the rear taillight. Not ideal, but works fine. I plan on relocating it to the rear bumper when I get an aftermarket one.
 
Put your CB antenna where it works for you, based on your garage use or dimensions, and your 4x4 trail clearance. If you want a magnet mount antenna, Wilson 1000 is the best and all the others will get knocked loose of just fall off by themselves.

As a rule of thumb, the higher your CB antenna and the more centered on the vehicle, the better your CB radio transmit and receive range.
 
Made this mount in an hour or so, and used the right angle piece that came with the antenna I bought for $2 at a garage sale... goes right on the roof rack bar on the back.


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I have my antenna mounted on my driver-side fender.


What kind of antenna end do you have on there? I just switched away from the FireRing antenna because I had some problems with the end and it was just easier to buy a new antenna at the local CB shop, but now the new end I put on my Firestick is too close to the fender to screw it onto the cable.
 
I have my CB mounted to a flange I welded to my stock tire carrier, the stock tire carrier gives you a plethora of mounting possibilities.

I had another mount on my old jeep that I bought from CASM, which I think he bought on here, it mounts to the rear tail light and sticks a bracket out. I sold the bracket once I found a tire carrier because it wouldn't fit with the carrier in place. However I've always wanted to put one on the other side so I could put a 10/6m antenna on the jeep.

I may get around to re-designing that mount. If you're interested I'll take some measurements off my jeep tomorrow and see what I can come up with.
 
I have mine where you say yours was to begin with...magnet mount in the middle of the roof, behind the back cross rail (as close to the rear hatch as can be and still open the hatch).

It hasn't moved in 7 yrs.


I tried the mount TO the cross rail as someone showed above, and it was not a consistent signal. Like the ground wasn't staying made.
 
What I didn't show above was that I took a 4" wire and screwed it to the bottom of the cross bar and grounded it to the body with the last mounting bolt towards the back of the metal track of the roof rack.
 
I have a 4 foot firestick mounted on the rt rear corner. I put the mount under the tailight about halfway up in the pocket where the orange lens and the red lens meet.Ran the cable thru the inner 1/4 along the inside plastic down along the rockers mouldings and under the passenger seat to the radio that is on the transmission tunnel. the other thing is to adjust your antenna with a SWR meter to get the best signal...your antenna is more crucial then your radio..in other words...get the best antenna (in my case firsetick) and set it up right a cheap radio works real well.
my two cents
Cameron
 
What I didn't show above was that I took a 4" wire and screwed it to the bottom of the cross bar and grounded it to the body with the last mounting bolt towards the back of the metal track of the roof rack.


And the issue with that, is the bolts (at least on my cherokees) are mounted using well nuts...so there is no metal to metal contact.
 
What kind of antenna end do you have on there? I just switched away from the FireRing antenna because I had some problems with the end and it was just easier to buy a new antenna at the local CB shop, but now the new end I put on my Firestick is too close to the fender to screw it onto the cable.

I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean by "antenna end". I have no clue what kinda antenna I have (it came off of my father-in-law's old 26' box truck). The wiring and mount I got from a local CB shop when I was living in NC. The spring came off of my dad's CJ-7 (he had a SS whip).
 
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