Antenna Extension?

[Eaglefreek]

First off, I know absolutely nothing technical about CB's so don't skip the elementary advice for me. I installed a Firestik antenna with a Firestik DM4 mount. It is dead center of my roof because there was a previously installed antenna mounted there. I installed a roof rack and it gets in the way of putting stuff on the rack. I want to move the antenna and mount it to the rack. Is there a way I can keep the DM4 mount and use an extension cable to the new mount? It would have to be a cable that would have a 3/8-24 male thread on one end and a pl-259 on the other end. Or is there an adapter to go from 3/8-24 male thread to PL-259? I really don't want to take down my headliner if I don't have to. If this isn't an option, is there a bulkhead feed through that is recommended?

 

[Eaglefreek]

Doing some searching I found an SO239 to 3/8-24 adapter http://www.newhamstore.com/Coax-Con...Female-SO-239-with-3/8-24-Thread/prod_53.html . Will I introduce some problems with adding this extension?

 

[Mashurst]

How about a picture or two to see what your are talking about?
In general the co ax (the wire connecting the radio to the antenna) can have a joint in it and still work but it is better to have a single run all the way. The length of the co ax is not terribly important but shorter is better.

 

[Eaglefreek]

Here's the Firestik DM4 mount and antenna where they currently reside:

Firestik DM4 mount:

Antenna ********** dab in the middle of my rack:

This adapter will go into the mount where the antenna now is and then attach a 3' cable to move the antenna to a new mount at the end of the rack:

New mount:

 

[1911]

It may work just fine, but every connection you add is another potential spot for corrosion, resistance, or shorting. Test it with an antenna analyzer for sure before you transmit. If it were mine, I would leave the antenna where it is and just pack around it if possible.

 

[Mashurst]

It may work just fine, but every connection you add is another potential spot for corrosion, resistance, or shorting.

I agree completely with 1911. It should work just fine in theory but in reality keeping a CB setup reliable is always a challenge. I don't like the idea of packing around it thought. That just does not seem like a good solution. I would be looking at a way to turn the existing hole into a pass through for a contiguous run of coax. Have a look at Roxtec The EzEntry4 mini maybe just the ticket. It would also give you 3 extra pass thoughts for lights or whatever.
Cool AMC by the way.

 

[Eaglefreek]

Thanks for the replies. I have a watertight case that will not fit up there with the antenna in it's current position. Radio Shack had everything except the cable. A 2 way radio shop is making me 4' of cable. I'll try that first and if it doesn't work well, I will go the route of running the cable through the roof directly to the new mount

Have a look at Roxtec The EzEntry4 mini maybe just the ticket. It would also give you 3 extra pass thoughts for lights or whatever.
Cool AMC by the way.

Thanks for the link, that's a nice looking part. Here's a full pic of the Eagle.

 

[Eaglefreek]

I hooked everything up using the adapters and extra length of cable and it works fine. I don't know if it is the placebo effect, but it seems to be a little "clearer" now.

 

[Mashurst]

Getting it up on the rack instead of down in it should help it work better.