FIRESTIK IBA-5 Indoor cb radio base antenna
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- Опубліковано 5 лип 2024
- Excellent solution for places where you are not allowed to install an outdoor antenna. Apartments, balconies, etc. Easy to set up, comes with a Firestik 5 feet antenna with tunable tip.
The 4 steel supports work as the ground plane for the antenna.
Link for the antenna:
www.amazon.com/dp/B000X3D6TG/r...
Link for the swr meter:
www.amazon.com/dp/B086QPTXQT/r...
Link for the swr meter cable:
www.amazon.com/dp/B07H584XTK/r...
Link for the President McKinley cb radio:
www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0A8GO2/r... - Наука та технологія
CB radios have an enormous presence among the populace. They are invaluable in providing the peace of mind that comes with a degree of preparation. Even if it's only a walkie talkie, which this would go well with.
Agree! Thanks for watching 👍
Oh yes, the would be a great portable antenna for use with President Randy II handheld and FM mode.
I purchased one myself about 2 years ago, and never put it together. Now I will, thanks for the inspiration. 21 S.C. Old Radio Night
Nicely done. Making things work with what you have. I respect that. Also that Mckinley is a nice looking radio.
Thank you! The set up still working very good and covers my needs. I agree, the Mckinley is a very nice looking radio.
Very informative video! I ordered one of these yesterday, and am looking forward to getting it setup when it arrives. Thanks for sharing!
You welcome. Enjoy the new antenna. Just take your time to try the supports in different positions.
How does it work?
Haha I saw your review on amazon. Nice that someone finally made a picture and video of this antenna. It was hard to find much details about it.
Thanks for watching 👍
Never doubt how well an indoor antenna can work. I run a piece of rain gutter (with a tuner) and a counterpoise in my attic, it works incredibly well. So good in fact I have been using it for two years!
Wow! You are a creative guy, good! 👍
ALLEN Can you please tell me how to make a antenna like yours and how long it needs to be???
@@mikericketts9664 Well the real magic is the tuner. The tuner is not down by my radio, but up in the attic. The tuner is a MFJ-934. This tuner has outputs for endfed/random wire, 4:1 balun and coax, as well as separate tuner for a tuner counterpoise. I have a short piece (about 18-20") of 14ga solid wire running from the tuner (random/endfed output) to a piece of rain gutter about 6ft long. On the ground lug there is a 3ft DIY base loaded "antenna" tuned to about 27.3mhz. On the tuned counterpoise there are two 8-10ft pieces of 14ga solid wire. The gutter is not perfectly vertical due to space restrictions. The tuner was adjusted with an antenna analyzer connected directly to the tuner (no coax). It's a very wide-banded antenna with 1:1 through the entire CB band and then some. You could run this from 12m-10m with lower than 2:1 everywhere. It gets out good locally and for DX it works great, Made contacts in Australia, Austria, Germany, France, Scotland, Ireland, England, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica and lots of the US with it over the past few years. The real "magic" is just the tuner being at the base of the antenna not down in the shack and getting the thing as close to 50 ohms with the lowest "imaginary" impedance (j-x) (I think that's what you call it.) I use it everyday.
I knew a guy who shunt-fed the aluminum siding on his house. The signal was equally strong whether you used vertical or horizontal polarity. But, he got out.
@@spaceflight1019 That's awesome! If I had a building to try it with I would. You just never know what might end being a great antenna until you try it.
As a “sad” ham, I can vouch for you regarding about radio frequencies is part science and black magic art at the same time. My cactus j-pole antenna tuned for my GMRS setup placed in a planter to disguise it up a little bit in my back patio. One corner, I could barely hear my local repeater let alone hit it at 50 watts. Move it 6 feet to the opposite corner and I can receive it full strength and hit it less than 1 watt. At least you have the second floor balcony to your advantage, able to tune it up, and get on the air is what counts the most.
Agree with you. Getting out there is what matters. Thanks for the imput "sad ham" 🤣👍
Thank you sir I've been looking for a video about this antenna it's very informative
You welcome. Good luck!
I am going to try your set up I have hoa and love to try. Thank you again
I love the President radios
That’s a good idea for ham radio operators too. Good job to get on the air.
Thank you for watching! 👍
i have the same antenna in my attic it works very good i get out about 5 miles and can shoot skip a good distance
I thought you might be in my state. Excellent!! Maybe I will talk to you on the air sometime. Subscribed and will be listening for you!
Awesome! I'm out 5 days at a time, but I'll try. Thanks!
Out of curiosity, you weren't able to use a stainless steel 9 ft whip antenna from a window? That's our go to here in NYC for apartments, 9 ft whip on a spring coil & mounted usually from a window guard. Performs great when hung straight outward. Thanks for the video.
Didn't know about it! Good tip. Thanks!!
Gran video sigan viniendo. Gracias.
Gracias Hector! 👍
cool setup!
Thanks for watching! 👍
Are you in the USA? I love your cool accent. Thank you for this video. Very helpful review. I am considering buying this. Thumbs up mr.
Thank you! Yes, I'm in Georgia, USA. My father was from Tennessee, but my mother from Latin America and I grew up down there. I came back 9 years ago.
I'm wondering if it might be possible to change the antenna with another firestik 6 or 7 ft antenna to increase reception range.
Yes, it's possible. Just unscrew and install the new one. Thanks for watching 👍
Cheers
Cheers! 👍
Hawkins Thunderbolt ssd12+ is a wire antenna, ot would work perfectl hung from a tree nearby.
I have the 3" screw in mine, it works with the A99 as a top section creating a ¼w over ½w.
thanks for the tip!
Magnet antennas are great but you need something that will stick to the magnet strongly, groundplane doesn't really matter as much as getting something ferrous enough for the magnet to have a strong bond with. Otherwise you'll barely get any power out.
Thank you for the info. 👍
My friend, how did you assemble this? It didn't come with any instructions. I'm looking at the mounting hardware and can't make heads or tails of it, being nothing with tools.
Did you ever figure it out?
Bro, you may have overlooked it, but you have a huge opportunity outside to put up an antenna.
Outside antennas are not allowed in the apartment complex. This one is doing a great job, so I'm fine now. Thanks! 👍
@@practicalgadgetsandstuff I saw a video where some guy has an antenna in his condo complex and he said there's some stipulation where having a Ham license prevents the HOA from banning his use of the antenna. Something about being able to use the radio during an emergency.
@@JoeR203 thanks for the tip 👍
@@practicalgadgetsandstuff Have you asked the HOA?
I was wondering why you chose a 5' antenna instead of a 1-2' taller one. For example, I know FireStik makes a 7" FireStik II antenna...could one of those be made to work with your ground plane/base? It would be 2' higher than your current one, still fit on your balcony in the same place you now have the 5' antenna located, and it also comes in white...so probably not that much more noticeable by the apt complex's Office staff. And you being in the back perimeter of the complex (facing some trees?) I doubt they'd even notice it.
As for the President McKinley radio, I'm waiting for them to add FM to it (so I'll have all 3 bands) and then I'll get one myself. Right now, I'm putting a (VERY tiny!) President Bill II FCC (AM/FM) radio in my Jeep and will be using a Cobra 29 LX for a temporary Base Station...that is, when I will have the time to finish doing all that. ;-)
-- BR
Good point. The kit comes with the 5' antenna, but if you still need more sure you can go with the 7'. Other way to go is to buy a longer screw for the tip. That's what I liked about the kit, gives you ways to improve.
My swr is very good and the reception is awesome, I was listening to guys all over the country on lsb last night. Need to do some testing on transmission. Thanks! 👍
I like your plan for that Mckinley and you base. Good luck
@@practicalgadgetsandstuff Well, don't know that I'd "need" more, but of course (as we all know) the taller the antenna the better the range so personally, I'd want a larger antenna that would fit on my balcony, especially since it will be a "base station" (meaning stationary, so antenna length is usually NOT an issue) and not being used for a mobile setup, as in a vehicle where "too long" definitely CAN be an issue.
For example, on my Jeep I'll be installing a 3' FireStik II...not anything longer to avoid hitting it on something overhead, not being able to get into a garage or underground parking places, bank or fast-food drive-throughs, etc., so 3' is a compromise but it's still decent performance-wise, especially for use on the hwy/Interstates. However, at my current apt, I could at least put a 7' FireStick -- or maybe a 102" whip -- and only put it up when using the base station, and not leave it up ALL the time (so it's less noticeable by Office staff). But at the very least, I'd use a Firestik 7' for a Base Station here at my apt where (as you said) you can't have a REAL (tall!) base-station antenna installed.
Sounds like your 5' FireStik II is doing very nicely though...and your SWRs are great! 🙂-- BR
@@practicalgadgetsandstuff Thanks...I'm sure President will add FM to the McKinley soon...then I just have to be able to afford it! ;-)
Cheers,
-- BR
Hi, does the antenna have any problems if it gets wet from rain ? Thx from Italy
Hello. No problem. Mine receives rain very often. I do wrap the connector in a plastic bag when not in use. Ciao!!! 👍🏻
Ok thanks. You Make a hole in a nylon bag and then pull it over the 1.5 m antenna so that the whole part with the 4 radials is wrapped?
@@dieterracing No, the whole antenna and radials are exposed. I wrap only the cable connector that goes into the radio
@dieterracing tomorrow I'll upload a short on the channel to show you
Here is the short
ua-cam.com/users/shortsWHDxn2CcSms?feature=share
What kind of power supply are you using for your set up?
It's a BTech 30 amp. I run my gmrs and my cb base from it. I left the link.
Also I use for camping the Westinghouse iGen 160s power station. Let me look for the link
@@practicalgadgetsandstuff ok thanks. What state are you in?
@@alexahedo85 Georgia
The only problem with an indoor antenna is the proximity to the living space. This will cause problems with RFI. Been there, done that.
Well. Since the inside is carpeted, I installed it at the balcony.