CB Antenna ?

[gary in ohio]

Run a wire from the antenna mount to a near by bolt then run a wire on the inside of the vehicle near the mount to a ground point. The metal rack is bolted to a metal roof. There is a ground there, you just need to help it along and get around some rust and paint.

 

[DaveInDenver]

That is the ARB antenna bracket, right? My bumper mounted antenna (I only have one now, used to have two) follow pretty much what Gary says. I ran a ground strap from the frame of my truck to the bumper and then each of the mounts got a short ground strap to the bumper. I would also suggest you knock off some of the powdercoat around the hole for the antenna and the hole the grounded bolt goes through. This helped a lot for me, it seems the powdercoat is a pretty decent insulator and equally tough for the mount to bite in to. It finally took a Dremel and a mini wire wheel to get the powdercoat to come off, sandpaper didn't do it on mine. I put dielectric grease under the mount when I installed it to keep the bare steel from rusting.

 

[hattrik21]

Yeah Dave it is the ARB mount used in another way . Gary thanks for the ideas. I'm off to get working on it now.

 

[Jacket]

CB antenna revisited

I'm in the process of switching from a roof-mounted magnet antenna to a flexible whip antenna that I plan to mount to my front ARB. I plan on drilling a new hole into the bumper for the mount, and my question is whether it will make any noticeable difference in performance if I mount it near the front corner, versus mounting it in a more central location on the bumper.

By the by, it's a 4' whip with a spring and quick disconnect, plus 18' of cable.

 

[gary in ohio]

I'm in the process of switching from a roof-mounted magnet antenna to a flexible whip antenna that I plan to mount to my front ARB. ..
..
..
whether it will make any noticeable difference in performance if I mount it near the front corner, versus mounting it in a more central location on the bumper.

By the by, it's a 4' whip with a spring and quick disconnect, plus 18' of cable.

If the SWR is good, the antenna is good for CB. Your not going to talk for more than a few miles anyway. Roof is best everything else is a compromise. You will have a better signal forward and off to one side than to the rear but more than likey you will never see the difference.

 

[mag232]

Multiple antenna roof mounts

Thanks for all the info in the thread.

I bought the 8800 and the Diamond 2m/70 cm antenna. I'll mount through the roof, no problem. I'll also want a CB and through the roof antenna. I haven't found a simple answer to the question of how to best install 2 antennas. I can put either mounts close to the center, but how do i optimize placement for both Ham and CB antennas? Thanks for any info....

 

[DaveInDenver]

Thanks for all the info in the thread.

I bought the 8800 and the Diamond 2m/70 cm antenna. I'll mount through the roof, no problem. I'll also want a CB and through the roof antenna. I haven't found a simple answer to the question of how to best install 2 antennas. I can put either mounts close to the center, but how do i optimize placement for both Ham and CB antennas? Thanks for any info....

There isn't really anything to optimize them so much, it's more a matter of keeping sufficient spacing. The antennas must NEVER touch, that would make for a couple of very unhappy radios. As long as you keep enough space between the two, they'll basically be ignorant of each other. Personally I find HF antennas too tall for the roof and moved my CB antenna back to the bumper. Even a short CB antenna is gonna be about 4 feet tall and I got tired of it smacking everything. For the ham antenna I have a stubby dual band that I use on the trail, it's only 19" tall and has a spring.

 

[xcmountain80]

For the time being I have eliminated use of my cb, the ham took over the antenna position on the bumper and I have a mag mount coming for the roof (little redundancy never hurt anyone). Keep thinking of where the cb antenna will be relocated. Was thinking of drilling a hole on the opposite side of the bumper and placing it there. Not related my diamond antenna recently folded (in case you go in to a garage of tree branch) going 85mph on the interstate. I wasn't sure if it was gone gone but I stopped and it was still there just folded over.

Aaron