Junk Yard Finds And CB Antenna's

[Ironhead]

My main question is about mounting my CB antenna. I want everyones two cents as to where the best location for this is, what experiences and complicatioons and advice there is to be given.
Also I went to a junk yard over the weekend and scored a few awesome goodies. I found a ladder for my roof rack $10.00, a 180 degree swivel seat mount $5.00 and a spare tire mount $5.00. While I was there I saw an old ambulance van that had a fiberglass top that was in great shape (picture below). I thought I would mention it to anyone looking (sorry forgot to ask how much they wanted). The address and phone number of the place is also listed below.

Trans West Auto
3586 North Highway 126
Farr West (Ogden)
Utah
84404
(801)732-8400

 

[CUMMINSDIESELPWR]

the higher the better for antenna placement. you want minimal metal in the same plane as the transmission waves emanating from the antenna as this will increase SWR/reflection and reduce you transmission distance/strength. i have mine mounted at the top rear of the cab and i can talk for miles on a tweeked and peaked cb pushing 40w. good grounding as well for both antenna (if required) and the cb itself.

 

[1sweetvan]

As high and in obstructed as possible. So on a van that would be right ********** in the middle of the roof. Unless you have a roof rack. I use a Wilson 1000 mag mount and it works great.

 

[1911]

The best place to mount any mobile radio antenna for top performance is on the middle of a metal roof, that's where the best ground plane is. If you don't want to mount it there, then a lip mount on the hood is pretty good too. If you end up mounting it on a bumper, you'll more than likely have problems getting enough ground plane for it to tune-up with adequate SWR. The solution in this case is to use a 1/2-wave antenna which is much more forgiving of ground plane conditions than the 5/8-wave antennas that are usually sold for cb.

 

[Ironhead]

Awesome info, thanx guys. It looks like for now I will mount it on the hood/fender until this spring when I get the roof rack built and then put it up there.

 

[Stumpalump]

9' wip off of the rear bumper.