My Top 3 Picks For Mobile CB Antennas.
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- Опубліковано 13 січ 2025
- Well, Here they are. Each one of these is a perfect pick for your new CB radio setup!
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Eric, you brought back memories. Back in the 70’s I had a 102” whip with a large spring. The mounting bracket that affixed it to my metal bumper had a small metal chain that went around the bumper. There was a way to adjust the chain for different size bumpers and a way to tighten it down. Most cars back then had a water gutter above the doors. You could buy a plastic piece that attached to the gutter and had a place to bend the whip and connect it. You may see this in police movies or tv shows of the 50’s and 60’s. I’m sure it affected the signal but it kept the antenna from hitting things.
I'm restoring a 1972 E100 van and have been looking for this water gutter whip holder you mentioned, if anybody knows a link for one id greatly appreciate your help with my boogie van and era correct style cb setup!
102"whip.
Kicks
I had a 108" from Radio Shack chained to the bumper of a 78 Chevette. I swear the antenna could tip me over. Sure got out though. Helped for REACT events too.
@@satyavratadas1640 I bet you could have a 3d print made!
The 102” whip is still top dog , had K40 years ago and it worked good too. Enjoy your videos!
102" good if you have a truck to put it on!
I’ve still got my K40 antennae. With the mag mounts as well. Gonna dig them all out again. 👍🏻
@@FarmsVilla I got a big stick out in my falling down shed an a bunch of mobile whips. A new mobile antenna cost nowadays as much as a base unit! 😲
@@wallychambe1587 I had a 102inch on the back of my ford pickup back in the day. I started with CB is South Africa when they first hit the scene. They were illegal but that didn’t stop any of us.🤣 the K40 was the most sought after mobile antenna. We learned very quickly NOT to leave them on the car or even in sight in the car. No matter where you parked you would lose it. The CB radio was also installed so it could not be seen.
@@FarmsVilla I had a 1966 Plymouth Fury with a 102" whip and a Johnson Viking I tube radio cranked up to 20 watts. Pulled up to a bar and everyone scattered, at the time Police were using Plymouth Furys for patrol cars! 🤣🤣 I could go by a drive in hamburger joint and announce my order over their PA system!🤣🤣
I had a President HR2510 converted to CB, with a High Drive Killer Bee 250 and with a Wilson 1000. That was the most awesome setup I ever had!
The 102” Whip will out perform them all! I have tried them all with even a 2510 backed by outside power and I still stomped all over Wilson’s. Please understand that I have put it up against all of them now I’m running an internal Amped DeltaForce running wild and I’m having zero issues out to 25-30 miles on AM and SSB there’s very few radios that right from the radio can run with the DeltaForce that I Redesigned and gave it extra kicks
@@FreeSpiritPressNews I agree on your thoughts about the 102" whip as superior, however my mounting options at the time were not conducive to it, that's why I had the Wilson 1000.
Kudos on that setup.
@@FreeSpiritPressNewsare we talking about using these on semi trucks? I am driving dump truck and it has a cobra 29 ltd and I am sure just stock antennas, I have no idea what they are. I know it can use a better antenna
With all things considered, price performance, ease of tuning etc
1. Skipshooter 6 or 7ft toploaded antenna
2. GR 45 top loaded antenna by lightning antennas
3. SIrio Performer 5000 mag mount
4. Stryker A10 Mag mount
5. 102 in steel whip
6. All other coil antennas, Predator, Monkey Made, Coily, Fatboy, etc. They all perform nearly the same with the main benefit being power handling.
Fun fact, on a truck bed you can bolt up a metal plate and run a fiberglass antenna. I ran the cable for the antenna over the truck bed then through a body plug into the cab.
Good to know!
Not a store bought antenna, but worth it for its purpose. In the Army we made emergency field antennas out of only coax cable. A lot easier and quicker with vhf or uhf than with hf. (Learned this in AIT, never used it in the 12 years of active duty) I did make a CB, about 8 ft, hf antenna for a friend. Throw a line up in a tree, hoist it up, and works better than a store bought. Works like a vertical dipole.
We were coming back from an exercise about 120 miles from Ft. Bragg and had a vehicle go into the ditch. We put our GRC-106 on the CB freq and I put out a call for home help. Word was I melted many a receiver. LOL...
@@theoldshooter9011 old memories 🙂 106, ugc74, kg84, can't remember the nomenclature of the vhf and uhf radios we had in the RATTs. Oh we had two PRC 77s in the RATT also, don't know why (was in ADA at that time, think they were for the FOs). In the Ordinance unit I was in while stationed in Germany, was the first time I saw the Super RATT. Was the size of a SatCom (mounted on a 5 ton) had microwave antennas. Side note, that was the only time I really used vhf. We did ATC for the mission birds.
@@2326TX We were in the 82nd Abn Div so our AM RTT rig was in a jeep conifig. It had the big 106 where the two parts were connected by the "dog bone" and a whip antenna when on the move. We also had a modem and keyboard in there. I knew the CB freqs and they could be dialed in on the 600 Watt 106. Woke a few people up that day!! Miss the good old days.
Back in the 90's I had a dodge Dakota with a light bar in the bed that went up behind the cab roof. I drilled a hole in that and mounted a 102" whip on top. That thing worked great but needless to say I couldn't go through any drive throughs with it. It also had a kink at the very top from smacking a train overpass in town. Those were the good old days for sure...
The highest point on the truck and nearly dead center on the body? Must have really been a great setup!
@@FarpointFarms can I attach a 102" inch antenna whip onto a magnet mount
to the top of my car roof ?
I see some CB websites that sell real strong magnet mounts.
I ran Hustler Twin Gutter antennas on a '72 Gremlin X. I was pretty darn good at Fox Hunts, with those on board! The performance was top notch, and the SWR was stable, and my signal was rock steady. I even managed some skip talk from my back yard, on occasion. Not a continuous thing, but it did happen. Had a Radio Shack AM/SSB 40 channel hooked up, and it could be misused, if a issue arose. Used the same radio at home as a base, except the mic was swapped out for a TUG8-D104 Silver. Was accused of running linear amps more than once. My CB days weren't a waste, as I wound up an Electronics Technician, for the last 45 years.
Thanks for a great video!! 👌👍👏👏👏
Twins! Loved that look on cars back then.
@@FarpointFarms I ran a couple Motorola Mocat antennas (2 in a row) for a minute.They worked great, but didn't seem too robust.
@@FarpointFarms On a red and white 1972 Gremlin X, as decked out as I could manage with limited funds of a soldier, It looked pretty darn good! Thanks!! 👏👏
102" ss whip with the spring has what I've used on my pickup bed toolbox for last 45 years and works great. 1.2 swr.
There is nothing wrong with the classic 102
I have a hybrid . . .kinda I have a 4' firestick mounted like you show on my chevy toolbox and it works really good; But i have a 102" on the big spring and when Im going to be out hunting\ exploring I just screw the big spring and whip on and I'm golden. I live out in the high desert in Western NM so that 102 really kicks it out!
Sounds like a cool setup- I am sure the 102 does wonders out there
Wilson 1000 hands down my favorite mobile antenna for a 4wheeler (car) and 4ft tunable tip firestik's for the big truck
Ran a.few k 40s back in the day never could get a good swr.went to a Wilson 1000 never looked back.was out of radio for 25.years took my Wilson out and bought an Alan 9001.with a 400 watt amp.and I'm back having fun.thanks for video.
I'm a fan of Tram myself, but all three are made in the same factory on the same line. It's all marketing and luck.
102” on my 69 Chevy 4x4 works great! Old trucks rule! I would never waste money on a plastic vehicle.
They just don't make cars like the used too
Ha!!! I had a 102” steel whip in the center of my 1981 Camaro Berlinetta’s roof, mounted with that ball mount, and had a little palomar 150watt amplifier, and a President Jackson radio. Those were fun days, shooting skip to the Caribbean, and Europe while driving around.
A 102 on the roof!?!? Sweet!!
I ran a 250 watt Palomar on a 102"
I’m an NMO mount guy, for those a Larsen 27 works great. The downside of a lot of magnetic mount antennas is the puny coax that comes on them, usually RG-58. I’ve got a K-30 I run on my ‘73 Super Beetle that works pretty good, getting a good ground plane goes a long ways.
As a newbie to CB radio your videos are super helpful!! Thanks for making great quality videos with great information.
Glad you like them! I appreciate the kind words.
I’ve had the Wilson 5000 for years but replaced it with the Diamond CL10HF which way outperforms the Wilson 5000 and the cost is around $68 and it’s super well made and it’s without tuning flat on 27 MHz and 28 MHz
Good luck trying to find a Radio Shack.
When you were comparing the Tram 300 to the Little Will you showed the Wilson 1000.
I run the Wilson 1000. I got it from Copper Electronics. It was only $10 more than the 500 and $20 less than a K-40.
I have been on CB since 1969.
Back in 1985 I had a Mustang GT. For an antenna I ran a Francis 4 foot whip with a side mount on the hatchback. One day I was with some friends and one of them ran a K-40. We also had a friend in Staten Island who was a Ham and he ran a Halicrafters SX 101 receiver with a tight meter. We did a big time radio check. I was running a President Grant and he had a Cobra 29. My radio with the 4' whip came in higher than the K-40. Then we swapped radios and his Cobra running on my 4' whip was higher than my Grant on his K-40. Both of us has an almost perfect SWR. The big difference was his K-40 Mag mount was on the roof which had a 3 foot higher advantage didn't beat a simple 4' whip that got me out all over. BTW we did have a tape measure to check the height.
Back then many people used antennas by Antenna Specialists and High Gain or 102" whips. I could not see many people using a 102" whip on newer car. I know some semi drivers that have them mounted to the back of the cabs just high enough to peak over their 13'6" trailers.
As far as that Stryker S-10 it may work ok and look fancy with the blue lights but it's also drawing power from a stock radio. Maybe not much for someone running a linear.
I co-phased two 102" whips on my truck. I had one on the rear driver's side bumper and one on the passenger's side front bumper to try and get them approx 18' apart. It was very directional and did out perform a single 102" whip. But I had to point my truck in the forward lobe position for the best results. 75 ohm coax to 50 ohm coax. I had plastic antenna clips that I bought from radio shack that were mounted on the truck and when I would bend the antenna over, the end of the antenna would fit into the plastic clip which kept the antennas low to enter parking garages etc... It was fun to experiment with antennas.
You are bringing back memories! I had two 102 steel whips co-phased and mounted to my old metal roof mobile home when I was just out on my own. Directional in the direction I wanted. It faced towards the Raleigh area so I could chat with the Channel 35 club there from Apex. Good times!
After years of absence I have been watching your videos and decided to get back into CB. I am installing a President Lincoln 2+ with a Wilson Antenna in my Buick. I play on SSB and channel 19 while traveling. I also always monitor channel 9. I agree with you that a good clean installation is more important than high wattage.
My first radio was a tube job, and I can’t even remember the name. I had 1963 Ford Galaxy 500 with a 102” antenna.
Glad to have you back in the hobby!
@@FarpointFarms Thanks. I enjoy your videos.
One of my favorite antennas personally is the full size Wilson 1000 because the antenna is broadbanded enough that as a ham operator, I can use it on both 10 and 11 m, and with a tuner I am confident it would do 12 as well
I have the K30 because of cost. The only problem I had was I have a 2018 F150 which is all Aluminum. Not thinking about the make up of my truck when I bought it I had to buy a special steel plate to mount it on the third tail light. But it works great good swr and distance.
45 years ago, I was working at our local Rad-Shack. So, I had access to all the goodies when it came to CB radio. When I started there, I had a Chevy Vega and I put a 102" whip on that, but with a clip toward the front so I could lash down the antenna when not intending to use it. It was just OK.... Certainly, the range was totally dependent on the ground plane afforded by the car. My next vehicle was a CJ-5 Jeep and of course I moved the 102" to that. Agin, it was just OK... One thing that WAS a little different is that I had a 200W linear amp for it. Yes, not really legal and it used to actually make the headlights dim! However, standing around it with fluorescent lights was fun as you could light up a whole bunch of 8' lamps just by keying the mic!
Time marches on and the K40 came out. I LOVED it when they came out with the magnet mount for it, and I was hooked! The magnet mount gave the antenna at least 25-50% more range. It is something I still struggle to understand to this day as to why magnet mounts improve performance. I kept that antenna through sedans, station wagons, SUV's, etc. I'd always place it for the best ground plane of course. All of that came to an end when cell phones came along. However, witht he current state of affairs in our country, I'm rethinking that!!
I am sure that you saw some great things working at the RS/ I am glad to hear that you took pride in the whip to move it from car to car- I am sure that amp would light up the world!
@@FarpointFarms Also, my next door neighbor sold me his 1/2 wave 4 element yagi with a rotor. I then got a bulletproof old tube set linear amp for that. Wow, that was fun!
In my career as a long haul truck driver i used fire stick 5 foot mounted on the top arm of the outside rear mirrors they worked best on my cab over truck that flat top was a great ground plain .pilot car drivers would use the K 40 OR THE WILLSON 1000 on there roofs .when i get done putting my old ford pickup back together i will put those firestick on the mirror mounts .for my base station i use a antron mounted on top of a 20 foot length of galvanized water pipe that i drove 2 feet into the ground giving me about 30 feet of elevation bonus is i live at the top of a hill overlooking many miles of area in any direction , so my range is considerable better than most .
I would bet that your reception would be great. Smart use of the truck as the ground plane
@@FarpointFarms Thanks there used to be a top notch C.B ,shop that i used he tough me a lot about C.B.s and how they work ,I used to go thru the gorge at the north end of California and i swear i could transmit over 7 miles or more thru it if i was out in the desert or an open plain it was line of sight .All of this was with a cobra 29 .one time I was able to get a skip from so. east Cal too New york city that was so cool .it was a strong signal and i was able to talk with him for almost 30 minutes .I have tried different types of antennas over the years but have never found anything better than a Fire stick .for a mobile radio ..
Ordered a 102” whip and yes, the shipping was expensive. Really excited to try it out. I’ve also purchased a Firestick and a Stryker to experiment with and will try some other brands as well. I have two peak and tuned Cobra 29LTD Classic’s (running through Lil Wills)and just ordered the new President am/fm/ssb, and a Uniden 885(peaked and tuned). Will also add a Stryker and a Galaxy to the mix eventually. I’m a Steerman/Pilot Vehicle Operator with the wind turbine blades and so many of us have bad equipment so I’m going to learn what works and what doesn’t so that I can communicate clearly with my team.
You will LOVE the 102!!
After some in depth research I decided to try the k40 “k30” antenna with my McKinley in my 2018 Silverado. It's yet to arrive but I'm looking forward to finally having my first rig up and running!
Good Antenna. Good luck!
I couldn't agree more about the 102" whip. I don't run into mounting issues because I drive older (early '70's Ford up to early '90's Chevy) trucks but I did drive my GF's '03 Ford Escape for about 6 months while working on my truck and she didn't want any permanent alterations to it. Unfortunately, a speeding 1-ton pickup who's driver was texting at the time made some major "alterations" to it while I was stopped at a red light.
Anyway. I just formed a mounting bracket for the antenna that I mounted to the rear quarter panel behind the left wheelwell that I screwed on behind the plastic fender flare. You couldn't see the mounting screws unless you removed the fender flare and the 1/8" bracket just stuck out between the flare and the panel. I run a President McKinley because of your videos and of course I don't run an RM Italy amp. with that setup I've spoken all across the US, Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas when skip was cooperating.
I hope you do a live stream sometime soon. take care!
Great mount idea! Hide the holes and still get a good spot. Cool idea!
I plan on returning to monthly shows soon.
I ran 2 wipes on my truck back in the 60. I found out it was like running a set of beams
Very directional. But was also running A 300 kicker
All you Gotta do Tie, fishing string on it and type down the way down in the old Days, the Wilson 1000 is your best antenna today.101 Charlie whiskey 1 SSB 101 Tennessee Are Night owl.
I remember those days!
Back in the 80's I had a 102" whip on my Pinto pony on a bumper mount with no spring. I had the chain mount and had lean it forward to keep it from going too far back.
I remember those chain mounts. That feels like a lifetime ago!
great video, thanks. Ijust ordered the TRAM 3500 and was very hard to find and best price for the kit was $67.
Yea I still can't find it.. lol
My favorite Mobile Antenna was an old Francis 102" fiberglass antenna really long one and I added a spring on the bottom. It worked great for skip. I wish I still had it. Mine was on an old ford Granada I mounted it on the trunk lid. Thats what I used in the early 90's. I still have and use my old Wilson 1000 mag mount.
102 fiberglass? I've heard of them, but never seen one.
@@FarpointFarms I wish I still had it. I don't even recall what ever happened to it after i removed it from my car.
102" hands down. Ran that on my Jeep up until I sold the Jeep in June. Have not figured out how to mount it on my new truck yet, but I have some ideas that involve a custom bracket and some serious creativity. My issue is mounting the radio inside a modern truck without drilling holes in the dash and not mounting it under the seat (i want to be able to access the radio). Right now I am just running the handheld mobile President Randy FCC, but I really NEED my SSB back! Only other CB antennas I have run in the last two decades were a Radio Shack and a Fire Stick. Working on a bracket now to possibly turn my 102" into my base station antenna. Just for other viewers, 102s can routinely be had at "ham fests" for about $24. Almost bought 2 last weekend in Indiana for that price.
Sticky backed velcro found in the craft section of Wal-Mart is what I use to mount my radios, far better than drilling holes & makes removal & adjustability alot easier.
Check the links in my post for antenna mount for that 102". I will ad a HD quick disconnect under the spring on my pickup for quick easy access to garages/carwash...
If your new truck has a trailer hitch for hauling a trailer i would suggest mounting a 102" stainless steel whip to it and run the coax along under the body then up between the bed and the cab into the cab.
I run a 102" steal whip on my F-150 and a Wilson 1000 on my Toyota Camry, I like them both, but 102 is my #1 go to.
My 102 is mounted to the top of my headache rack, the spring is above the roof line, yes it hits everything. I use the small spring just for reason, it has a lot of flex, but I love it!!!!
I've been toying with putting a 102 on the roof of my Volvo. I picked up a 3 magnet mount that claims it can hold the weight.
Hey Brother so I can hear the skip from all over but why can’t I get out and they hear me? I’m guessing they’re running more powerful base stations? I have a Cobra 29 lx with a 102 whip. What do you think?
I never had great performance with the whips at all. I tried a K-40 (bottom loaded) and couldn't adjust the SWR for it on my SuperStar120 and returned it. My tried and true hand down from the family is a wire wound top loaded magnet mount ground plane antenna. It's a vintage Anixter-Mark BroadStick (heliwhip) which gives constant VSWR across all 40 channels. It's wound with 32' (7/8 wave) 16 awg solid copper wire. (can be found on some auction sites) The closest performance of the same would be the Firestik top loaded antenna. Back in the 90's it was easy to key over the drive through headsets at the local fastfood joints (Most of them operated on the 41mhz AM band) with only 4watts it was easy to splash them. Typical range line of sight at sea level was 30 miles with ground plane facing in direction of travel. The CB is in cold storage ready to go at a moments notice, but I haven't used it in years.
Mounting location also plays a very large amount when setting up a base loaded antenna.
As said in other, yeah 102" whip on the '89 Jeep Wrangler (YJ) ~ It took a bit trying to find a spot to drill into the side to enter the cab 'n not the wheel well. Cool beans, right below the side of back seat 'n able to snake the coax. ~ grounding the radio. I've always used the seatbelt bolt...a tad far, but it worked without clowning around the tight dash area. (oh yeah, Palomar 400 under the seat)
~~ Other of the Jeep/whip install: I slid a rubber ball down the antenna to where the antenna banged the Jeep fairly often. woot!
~ Wilson 5000 was talked up when I got my '98 Dodge Ram. oh...I often got up to speeds of 85-90mph and wondered of the magnet flying loose.
lol, shoulda seen it. Huge arsed Tri-mag base, small sweet ground plane, quick disconnect to get it in the garage. It did good...Galaxy 99, Texas Star 500 wattage in the cottage. ~ No clue if the ground plane helped as it was always in the setup.
Some folks raised an eyebrow at the antenna. One guy at work called my truck Dorthy. (-:
I've never had a mag mount fall off due to speed. I guess it could happen, but...
Everything this video talks about, I have been saying for years. But, people look at me like I have three heads. I'm a retired truck driver, and used a Cobra 29 LTD Classic for years. I ran that radio as a base station before I started driving big rigs. Now I run a Galaxy 55v with a Wilson 5000 mag mount in my pickup and a Galaxy DX2517 as my base station with on a IMAX 2000.
That Imax 2000 really is a great antenna!
I have tried, used and tested so many mobike antennas that I ran out of new ones to try, lol. My first vehicle after graduation in 1986, was a clean and straight 1977 Toyota Corolla that I paid $990 for from my first job after high school, framing houses. So, a 102" steel whip was not my first for a small car, lol. Out of all the antennas for mobile i tried and used, the 5' Firestik 2 with the tunable tip, was the best performer as well as the 5' Firestik with the wire you had to trim under the red tip for best swr match. I did run a little power here and there from 100 to 200 watts but never needed to, I could talk to anyone out in skip land without running any power, just what the am/ssb radio would do. I just hate to think of all the money I wasted on antennas that were supposed to be better than Firestik! They weren't at that time and still use one today. When i bought a 4x4 truck, the 102" stainless steel whip is all I used, it always performed.
I feel like a truck isn't a truck without the good old 102 on it!
@@FarpointFarms I couldn't agree with you more! I used to mountain top with all my radio gear packed up in my truck. I had made an antenna mount to set down into the trucks' bed stake pocket that held an A99 in place. Yep, an 18' Antron 99 way up in the mountains, lol
I have used a wilson 1000 magnet mount for years. I also used a browning big single open coil antennae on a tram 3 magnet mount base. The wilson 1000 did well, but the browning big single open coil antennae on the tram 3 magnet mount was easily the best on receive and transmit. The browning has far more metal area. I am sure that was the difference. My radio i used was a Rci 2970 first generation with the orange light display doing 150 watts. Am was ok, but Sideband was amazing. 426 Big Red central Indiana.
I remember the craze in the late 90's for those huge external coils. Always thought they looked cool.
Over the years, I've used a K40, Warrior centre loaded antenna, DV27, a Thunderpole base loaded antenna and a Sirio 4000 and out of all of them, my favourite is the Sirio.
Sirio turbo 4000 and 5000 are very good!
I actually rate the wilson 5000 as a mobile unit altho have owned many antennas including pal firestik a warrior centre load and half breed but tbf the latter always seemed to perform exactly the same so when i bought the wilson it was like a night and day difference..
I have an old avanti moonraker mag mount too which is the six foot version which i find is really good for an old antenna and performs nearly as well as the wilson which proves the avanti stuff was the best back in the day for quality and performance
For the 102” don’t forget a few more bucks for the quick disconnect. Had one on my 1991 F150 with a ball mount
I used the 102" stainless in the 1970s, yet today I'm getting great performance with the Wilson 1000 10-12 meter hard-mount, hard-mounted on top of my roof of one truck (birds look out)! .The other truck has an NMO-mount Browning BR-140, 10-11 meter in black. It performs well too with a decent ground plane tho' not as well and the Wilson 1000, however the 1000 is around 6 foot tall so it ain't for everyone! Fun stuff, you do a good job helping new CBer's and Hams, as well as us older ones. BTW: HamCation Orlando this weekend should have perfect, cool days and cold nights with No rain. `73
Cool! I haven't been to a hamfest in a while.
Only just found your channel. Ruddy great to see someone on about CBs. I'm running a Midland Alan 42 Multi married up to a 150cm Springer antenna and I have had clear signals out to 23Km in my 4x4.
Welcome to the channel!
I have a 03 silverado as a work truck and i got a headache rack for free from a oil feild company it was broke in some spots and had the fins rusted out but i welded it up and put expanded metal in it and i welded a tab at the very top of it to mount a antenna and i rattle canned it and put a beat up whip on it that somone gave me and i ran it for years without a spring and i hit everything including traffic lights but eventually i got a spring to put on it even though it doesn’t talk as good but it still does good with my galaxy 99
Sounds like a cool setup!
I have 2 Sr A 10 Stryker antenna and they are awesome. Also have a 102 inch whip with mount and spring, but have yet to use it uet
Well agree with your evaluation for 4 wheelers but for big trks i used a browning in the oil field for many years it was pretty much indestructible and preformed very well
Glad to hear it!
Stryker SR-A10 mounted permanently into my trunk lid 62+ inches in a great height. Thanks.
Perfect! Love mine as well.
I currently run a K30 and it suits my needs when I go off roading with friends. Early 90's it was the K40 as I ran a foot warmer. love to hear about base antennas . just seen a vintage still in the box Starduster.. $600.. wow.
I've always love the Antron Solarcon A99 for a base antenna. Works, and it lasts forever.
I have the Stryker antenna on a roof mount on my Durango and its awesome.
Same here, originally on my Durango, now on my Honda CRV with a President McKinley .
I also tried my Wilson 1K and the Stryker gets a notably better SWR and sounds better with less noise
on both transmit & receive.
I’m looking at putting the Stryker SR A 10 on my Grand Cherokee. Your Durango is similar in size.
I’m wondering how much trouble you have with clearance? I’m thinking I can always stand up through the sun roof to unscrew the antenna and bring it inside.
Any advice or tips?
7' Firestik w/Cobra CB . . Best range ever was sitting on beach talking to base station 20 miles inland . . Late 80's
20 miles is not bad at all!
I don't know much about the tram antennas but I know without a doubt a Wilson 1000 will beat a k40 or 30. Wilson has a silver coated loaded coil that is way better for receiving and transmitting and I've also seen the k40 whip AND the metal part the whip mounts into works itself loose and loses connection and/or falls out because it whips back and forth so much. your right about the 102-inch whip being best but you also pick up so much static with a 102 because it's so wide-banded compared to the Wilson or k40. spend the extra money and get a Wilson 1000, I ran mine with a galaxy pluto and a messenger 750 and it was unstoppable.
Amen! I've been running a Wilson 1000 for many years and I'll take it any day over a K40 or a Stryker.
It's also quite broadbanded and works well on both 10 & 11 meters. I always get great signal reports on groundwave & skip contacts.
I use a Wilson 1000 mag mount on my 1997 Honda Civic with excellent results SWR's 1:0 to 1, great receive and transmission, although i do agree that the 102" steel whip is superior, but i didn't want to drill a hole in my trunk lid to mount it, but a friend of mine who happens to own a fiberglass bodied Corvette actually welded a A- Frame made out of 2" square steel tubing to the frame of his car to mount his 102" whip to.
Now that is crazy! Love the 102, but I hear you. I have a Tram 300 on mine and it is a good sized antenna for sure.
I have a little wil in my dump truck, p/u, and my car have always had good luck with them
Excellent video :) also I used for my first antenna was Delco Am/ Fm car radio on front windshield then went Radio Shack magnet mount with coil spring also 4 steel whip on trunk lid in middle on first car had as 1980 Pontiac Grand Le Mans 2 door and then heard about K40 magnetic mount for years to with President P200 like Uniden Pro 510 XL but only red led bars plus TX light but got better stock microphone on with long cord on it compare small one came with ! Then put First truck a K40 to with Uniden 76 XL plus external speaker also work super and years later bought Wilson 1000 for Car and Truck plus got lots CB radios used since but got Uniden 68 DSC only no Weather channels , Uniden 76 XL basic model from 1996 and Uniden Grant XL from 2002 ! A friend of mine gave me for free in 2018 a K40 magnetic mount in mint condition also hardly used ! Plus my Cousin Nancey husband Steve put himself in draw at truck stop at one in USA because transport truck driver also own truck to as owner and operator too! He won Brand New Uniden 68 XL D.S.C. basic model from 2010 also External Speaker, Little Will Wilson antenna also pick up also got me for my Christmas and Birthday gifts ! So in 2020 he forgot about he was sure put to and Wife my Cousin Nancey ask me come on by house on my birthday and have for something! So Steve, Nancey plus 6 kids said her go for Happy Birthday presents 🎁! Open up and notice box of Uniden 68 XL radio said radio all tune up also peak plus updated get out DX transmission plus had chrome Void sticker tell technician did work on too! Also put match and watt meter to see if proof at home station and had been true tune up! Glad got Uniden 68 XL because my 40 channels Cube leds burn out of age on orgnail I have so got be fix sometime soon ! But so happy and have not try out Little Will yet ! But lots antenna out to agree to do try also!
Ty for that update? " I have the tram 300 works well and I switched to the wilson 5000 for skip I love it running off a Galaxy 959B with a hand held D104 mic! I'm out of east coast of Boston my handle is #806 again ty 73s and keep the cb going because more & more people are coming out on radio / over & out
The 300 is great for local, and the 5000 is really good at skip talking for sure!!
i use a gum drop antenna mount for my tacoma. i bought a bracket from amazon that allows it to mount on the bed rail where you open the tailgate, then i did have to open up the center hole of the bracket but the gumdrop antenna mount works great for the 102 and great swr.
Very cool! Thanks for sharing that- I am sure that it will give some people ideas
@@FarpointFarms I always had problems with the hex screw on the ball mount not having enough real estate to tighten it after running thru these South Carolina swamps.
My 78 Bronco had a 102 ball mount with that mount in the rear quarter panel when I bought it.
Heck yes! That was the ultimate setup back then.
I have a tram 300 on my old Camry, it does it’s job well. I also have a Wilson 1000 I mostly use on rental cube vans, just stick it on the roof of the cab. I’ve tried the Wilson 1000 on the car, it does get better range than the tram 300. I’d prob keep it on the car but I’ve had a few people laugh and tell me it looks ridiculous on the Camry.
I’d like to try the hustler 27, it’s the slim centre loaded 55” whip, with a ball mount on the trunk.
I think for aesthetics. The Tram 300 is king. It's smaller size and decent performance makes it a great pick.
I just got a Wilson 1000 for my Camry.
I messed around with several antennas on my Cherokee from a lil will. Then a 3, 4, and 5 foot firesticks. They all had tunable tips and non firefly models all firesticks were used with a firering magnet mount. The best performers were the firesticks. The 3 foot was good but the 4 foot made a big difference the 5 footer seemd to be about the same as the 4 footer. I tried a big monkey made antenna on the same radio and vehicle. It didn't work any better than the firestick and at 40 mph it would start shaking and would get worse the faster I went. I know we tried other antennas that worked good. I used a hustler that looked like a lil will and it worked well but over the years I had several go bad because of water getting inside. I also used a antenna specialist in a trunk mount and it worked but I don't think any better then the others. I think easy and looks wise the tram/lil will are great for the price. The 4 and 5 foot firesticks with tunable tips and not firefly models cost more because you need a base and antenna but I have had better performance out of them. I think they are 5/8 wave top loaded vs the 1/4 wave base loaded. But you need to go with what fits your style and needs.
I have a 4 foot firestick mounted on a DIY bracket bolted under the lip of the hood of my pickup near the base of the windshield. Seems to work really well.
I was running a 3000 watt linear on my Wilson 1000 and it performed awesomely when talking skip. I even put a little red light at the tip of the antenna so every time I key the mic the light would light up. that was about 15 years ago, I still have all that stuff....somewhere in my garage😆
I bet that thing lit up at 3k watts
LOL, sure you were. You would have destroyed that Wilson 1,000 with a true 3,000 watts. Your vehicles charging system and battery wouldn't have been able to run anything close to a true 3,000 watts. Just another guy telling old wives tales.
@@vegasfordguy obviously you don't know how linear works or what audio swing is. but that's ok .😎
@@picklesgherkin LOL, I know exactly how they work. You aren't running 3kw in your vehicle without an upgraded alternator, batteries and huge wire. You've already shown that you don't have any idea of what you're talking about. This is what's wrong with the Internet, a bunch of bad information.
@@vegasfordguy you're making my brain hurt with your senses Babble.... stop it
I have the 102" whip mounted on my front bull bar. Yes, the performance is excellent. I live near the beach, so I have to make sure they are made out of decent stainless steel. I initially had a standard steel spring and that became rusty pretty quick.
Cool sounding setup I've heard that being close to a large body of water really helps with range as well.
@FarpointFarms . I had a friend during the mid 1990s who would use a arch welding cable with a spring style grouding clamp when parked on the beach in Norflok Virginia. With the clamp hooked to his trucks leaf spring he would throw the cable into the salt water to act like a ground. The performance was night and day as apposed to not using it. AM was OK, but sideband was really good. He ran a Rci 2950 with a Wilson 1000 and a small Texas Star skeleton modulator. I remember country boy like it was yesterday. We both served in the Navy then. 426 Big Red. Central Indiana. Cheers. 🍻
I have Stryker A 10 on my F150 with Cobra 29, and at home, I have antron 99 with uniden washington. I can reach out from Maggie Valley where I live to north Canton area. Now they are a place or two in between signal is spotty. However, I think the range is great on a Stryker A 10...
Both are great antennas!
I like my Little Will it’s mounted near the hatch of my 1989 Tercel. Took me a while to get used to the look. Just remember to take it down in car wash. And get used to the banging in parking garages 😅
Oh yes, my antenna is always slapping trees and roof tops.
Eric…….Greetings from the Sandhills of North Carolina. Yes, Eric I am a firm believer in stainless steel. I have a stainless steel 102 inch whip, a 6 inch stainless steel spring and a heavy duty Hustler stainless steel ball mount through the right rear quarter panel of my 2009 Nissan Xtera. From the radio to the ball mount I use RG-8X 50 ohm coax. I know the rear quarter panel is not the best place for optum radiation pattern. Being a compromised, it still gets out good. I wonder if you remember the gutter tie down clip for corona ball at the end of the 102 inch whip. A great way to prevent the whip from branches etc. when not in use. I have a modified clip that is attached to the front exterior car radio antenna. I almost i could send you a picture. As you mentioned going through drive-thrus , etc. will wear off the corona ball of the end of the whip through constant scraping. I seen it happen to other 102 inch whip installations. Thanks again!
I have seen those tie downs and should get one. Where I have my 102 whip now (on top of my Volvo wagon) it would be hard to use- I hit everything with it now
I have set up many Antennas and have sold many 4FT 1 and half wave which is a Trick to get SWR set but its all about a Formula and a Wave and half is a lot of Copper Wind, and the ASTATIC 1 K & 3K. is another with a bunch of Copper 102 inches in fact just requires some revamping they have a Flaw from the Factory which I purchased several of them Antennas play the key Role in Performance
Antennas are the key to a great setup for sure!
Wilson 500 and Wilson 1000 mag mount antenna's,I have used both and never been sorry or had any problems with either one,both tuned up well (swr) and carried out the Signal very well,jmo!!
Three of the best antennas I've used over the years have been a 102" whip, left rear corner of the bumper on my 92 Dakota in the 90's (148 GTL from 1992, Boomer Deluxe 250 Gold and an original handheld D104 7volt battery), the next one would be a Wilson Lil'Wil I use when I want to put a radio in a car quick and temporary (Uniden 510 w/ lighter plug), next would be the Hustler HQ-27 (President Lincoln II ver 3 and the same Boomer Deluxe 250 Gold) with trunk lip mount on my 08 300C. The latest setup cuts through a decent pileup on 38 LSB fairly easy and I've had many compliments on this setup on DX. "383 Northwest Indiana Cornfields in the mobile."
I was on channel for many years, and spoke to some lovely people from all over the world. I’ve given it up now, as there’s simply no one on now in the UK, and I moved to a low reception area. I do miss it though.
Thanks for sharing!
If Wilson made a Little Will with a spring it would be great and switch to a better coax with braided core instead of solid wire would be good also. Hustler has both and is made in USA. LOL.
I still love the Tram 300.
Saw one of your older radios on EBay. I’m happy to see how well it’s been taken care of. I wasn’t in the need for it, or I would have snatched that up! Race Care!
Glad to hear it. I do sell radios from time to time. It helps fund the channel.
@@FarpointFarms oh, I don’t blame you, and I understand! I will continue to watch EBay for anything in the future. I like to buy from a trusted source such as you.
Thanks the video I use the Tram 3500. I have forgot about the 102 steel whip I'll put one on my truck.
You will love that upgrade!
@@FarpointFarms Where are you located in NC? I live in North Wilkesboro!
I have a Wilson Trucker 2000 I bought in 1998 that I still use today.
Great antenna for sure!
Wilson 1000 has been my favorite it’s always on the roof my pick up for optimal range and propagation. The wip bends easy enough for low clearance they are roof mounts I’ve also used mag with no troubles. I’ll never forget hearing my friend with a 102 on top of truck when he’s talking you Hurd the antenna hitting things haha so funny.
Thud! Yup my 102 is always hitting branches.
I have a 2004 Toyota Sienna, and am using a magnetic mount. The pesky luggage rack makes my run the coax over the rack. Doing it under the rack is too cumbersome to remove the antenna for car wash, because I'd have to unhook the cable from the CB. I would love to use a 102 whip again, but unlike my old 73 Super Bettle, the Sienna has no metal bumper, not to mention the rear door swinging upward.
Hi Eric, Good video. Sorry, but I only care to have antennas that totally perform. The K30, Little Will, and the small Tram just do not cut it for me. Their range compared to the others is two thumbs down.
Yes the 102 whip is great for some applications and I would definitely use one.
As for the rest of my picks, my recommendations are the K40 (trunk, roof or magnet mount), Wilson 1000 (trunk, roof or magnet mount), Sirio 5000 Trunk, roof and magnet mount), and the Hustler HQ27 (trunk, roof and magnet mount). Although the HQ27 is a super top performer and extremely well made, if you like to go beyond the 40 channels, you will find it is not as broad banded as the others (but the top load is incredible).
The K40 Magnet mount (if you need a magnet mount) uses an incredible odd ball 8 pole magnet, so with a vinyl top or other poor ground plane / counterpoise installations, the output performance (with a poor ground plane, like some RV's) with the K40 mag mount is more than impressive when compared to all other magnet mount antennas with similar less efficient magnets.
Most people are not aware that the magnets are not just for the holding strength.
The Hustler HQ27 I find is a much better performer than the Fire sticks for a top load. The Sirio 5000 even though it is tall is the King of base loads. It is a serious performer when put up against all the other base loads (transmit and receive). Additionally for a UHF / SO239 style magnet mount the Sirio large magnet (they make two sizes) blows away ALL other Magnets of this type (the K40 is a different bayonet style not a UHF mount).
Just for one comparison on the Wilson magnet you will only be able to get the base loaded antennas to go about 3 turns on to the Wilson magnet vs about 8 turns on the Sirio Magnet (so the Wilson magnet is not insulated as well leaving a spark gap between the center and the shield inside the assembly) and the Sirio has a much better protective rubber seal between the magnet and the vehicle. Keep up the good Videos. FYI, If you put a Wilson 1000 on a Sirio Magnet you will see increased performance over the Wilson magnet.
I agree with you on the HQ-27. I've been using one for a few years now and it works great wit a trunk lip mount. Using a President Lincoln II ver3 on 10 meters (Licensed HAM) with 20 watts I've talked to Brazil, barely. I recently dug out my Boomer Deluxe 250 (Gold) I've had since 1996, hooked it up and now can get through almost any pileup on 38 LSB. The antenna is tuned for 11 meters but the SWR's are good enough, less than 2:1 on 10 meters.
I'm currently running a 6' SkipShooter 5/8ths wave with a 3 magnet mount on the skip talking Subaru. It performs quite well locally on a barefoot radio, and has made the trip from 80 miles North of Trinidad, Colorado to the island of Trinidad with a SMALL box. It also helps me avoid fast food, too.😆
No doubt I got a 7 footer same setup
I look like a giant RC car when people see me driving. I have my Stryker SR-A10 in the stock antenna placement of the vehicle, in the center rear of the roof. I removed the sharkfin antenna that came with the vehicle and ran my coax through there. Sealed it with black silicone. Pretty clean install. Just looks funny seeing a Volkswagen Jetta with a 6.5 ft antenna on it...people laugh. I enjoy it, and I just smile. When people ask, and they do..I just explain to them that I have a CB radio. They usually look confused. Or ask me if I can talk to the space station with that antenna...Fun times.
I've gotten used to the looks.
I’m not sure if this is optimal, but I mounted a 102” whip on the upper part of the inside wall on my pick up. I dont have a tool box. The antenna is on the drivers side of the bed and I use a heavy L bracket and a heavy spring. I’m also using a skinny President Bill. I hope I’m getting good forward range on the Interstate. I’m not so much concerned about transmitting range as I am receiving range. I dont have much to talk about anyway. I guess I dont have to worry much about SWR from what I read. Great videos by the way
That should be a fine setup!
I have a wilson 5000 on top of my pickup. I find it's a very good compromise. 62in above the roof and the coil and whip unscrews from the mag base so I can go in parking garages or other low clearance areas.
Good point, other wise it makes an awful racket in low clearance areas-boing.......
Yeah these are a superb antenna i have owned mine since 2005 and was mounted on a mirror mount on the truck i was driving back then and that thing hit bridges everytime i went under but still works really well and eventually i bought a replacement whip and its still in top working order today even after being dropped from a height when i had to remove it to board the channel tunnel train to france as they have low hanging power cables..
Very rugged sturdy and well built antenna and my go to everytime
Eric, a caveat is avoid top /roof mt long whip when going through drive through and some gas station with exposed florescent light in ceiling of the gas pump area. I know how expensive that can be and how little sense of humor the owner can have. Doing Motorola HF mobile tests of special whips. Oooops! Seriously the Mark Products top loaded whips ( firestick and copied) are the best for a given size. The higher the loading coil the more efficiency and lower angle of radiation. These are the fiberglass rods with windings that are straight or wound slightly at the bottom but the winding gets tighter at the top. They are covered with a vinyl like cover for protection of coils and to reduce rain static. An advantage over 102 " whip in rain. The 6ft is best deal. There is a way to adjust freq SWR of the non- tunable type ( tape around upper coil, to lower center of best SWR point/ channel, remove a turn or 2 - not more- and flatten wire down flush with rest of coil top with thin screwdriver and replace cap). But better is the type with a fine tune rod. The coil at top does not radiate much but it places the high current area at base and middle of whip. Center loaded is next best. Large coil conducter is preferred. Worst is base loaded. We found that a 6 ft top load on trunk top or roof top ( watch for low bridge/ gas station lights) out performs 102" on car bumper due to greater height / clearance. We had specials tuned to various HF freaqs as long as 10ft and fatter than CB types. Oil companies in desert, govt orgs , etc. An extra advantage over whip is the narrower freq response acts like a broad filter on somee freqs with nearby shortwave broadcasting and general static. 73
I've made that mistake exactly one time, and never again!
102" whip is a great radiator, but considering the top half only adds 1/10th S_Unit to your signal, there a bit unwieldy for there performance. The best CB antenna I've ever had was the Top Loaded Shakespeare VIP Trunk Mount 4 ft. fiberglass. It gave the high current feedpoint signal of a 102" without its size, and you didn't get the signal loss of the base loaded antennas that are so popular. Talking to Mol Belgium with 12 watts on SSB proved its performance to me (Since it worked Great and was inexpensive its probably no longer available). Another Great option would be a Hustler MO3 Mast (MO1 or MO2 for fold over) with 10S resonator (3/8-24 thread mount like the 102" and 1500 watt rated ~$65) on whatever mount you prefer.
You just don't see top or even mid loaded antenna's on cars and trucks these days. Big rigs? Yup!
Many years ago(30 years ) we tested a few of the best around . Wilson 1000, 9 foot whip, sirio 3000/4000, firestick amongst others from point to point sea path around 20 miles .
Aberdeen to Peterhead Scotland. The winner was surprise was not even a cb ant , it was a vhf 5/8 over 5/8 for 2m vhf . A Diamond NR22L ! No this is not an April fool the best and still avaliable today , not only is the 2m VHF 5/8 over 5/8 Diamond NR22L a killer 2m ant, it just so happens to be resonate on 27/28mhz and a fantastic cb ant . Downside it's almost as big as the 9 foot whip, it is expensive.
Interesting.
Aberdeen to Peterhead Scotland thats only a 36 mile trip as the bird flies probably 30 - 32 a Predator 10K/27 or the 102 could cover that distance easily. Cost difference between the three will vary about 30-50 dollars. Please don't think I am knocking your comment about the Diamond NR22L, I am actually thinking about ordering one so thanks for posting your comment about an antenna I was not aware of.
You Got It Just Right, Man! Always Enjoy Your Videos. Yeah, I Was Thinking About Mounting A 102" On A Trailer Hitch. Thank You.
Right on, go ahead and mount it!
I really should have went through your videos before I ask any questions glad I found this channel
Welcome aboard!
This reminds me of the old Fox Hunting days! I will add that I was never found as the Fox! Thanks for the videos!
Glad I could bring back some memories
Thanks for the Explanations. I'm looking to install a rig in my 2016 Ford Focus.
Glad to help. Good luck!
I've run the Wilson 1000 for years. Great durabel antenna. I also like a 5 foot Firestick or Wilson Silver Load but both antennas are heavy and whip around a lot. I just got a 5 foot Francis Hot Rod. Works great just has a lower wattage rating than the Firestick and Silver Load. It's advertised as being a double quarter wave because it has two sets of wire windings in the fiberglass rod.
The wilson 1000 is a top tier antenna if you are running a stock setup for sure.
@@FarpointFarms modified Galaxy DX-959
@@FarpointFarms my Dad installed a Realistic TRC-414 radio CB he bought new at a Radio Shack store for his farm tractor and for his farm dump truck sometime in the 20th century. My Dad sold the tractor and dump truck a few years ago before I had a chance to take the CB radios out. My Dad didn't know I wanted to keep those two CB radios.
Please make a video about the Radio Shack Realistic TRC-414 radio CB.
My Dad put this model of CB radio in his farm tractor and farm dump truck in the early 1980's.
These CB radios functioned amazingly good for our 2 mile range farm work communications !
Got a 102 on the fender of my f-150 and a Wilson 1000 mag mount on my Honda car! I run power in both! 533 Washington State got down!
Good choices
OMG - In 84 I put a 102 on my new Toyota Pickup (jacked up, big tires, 4X4) rear bumper. I had to go into Savannah for a business meeting. Pulled into the parking garage and kept hearing horrible noises. After traveling the length of the garage and heading to the next level I realized that I was taking out all the florescent lights in the place. There was no other way to escape other than continue up to the next level, drive the loop to the down ramp, and go out a different way than I came in. I'm pretty sure I took out all of the 1st and 2nd floor lights in the garage. I left, found a street parking spot, and all was good.
My 102 whip has had a few run ins over the years, but that takes the cake!
I had a 102” whip with the ball mount on my 78 CJ-5 in HS. I now use a Wilson 1000 on my Silverado with my Cobra 25 and works great.
I used to have a 102" on my 78 CJ-7, mounted to a custom step bumper with a large stainless steel spring.
Do you have a magnet Wilson? Where do you have it mounted ? I’ve got a Silverado and want to get back into having a CB with me
It is a magnet mount. I have it on the center of the roof. All the reports on my setup have been great.
@@hatchetjackphillips thanks. Where do you have the coax coming to the cab?
I ran it behind the weather stripping of one of the doors for the extended cab. I thought about running it through one of the vents on the back of the cab.
First a thank you to the creator of the video for a stroll down memory lane...
My top 3 are based on reasoning and use...
1. 102" Steel Whip (For those days when you wanna rock out with yer *cough*)....ehem..., anyway...
2. Procomm QW45BG 4.5' fiberglass Quad-Rod (For those days that your paint needs detailing and you use nature to apply pinstripes)
3. Predator 10K-1-17 (For those days that you want to rock out but need to keep it in your pants, due to height restrictions.
My favorite kit that I now miss was a Uniden President HR-2510, connected to an SWR meter via RG8? (It was fat, stiff and was the 2nd best that I knew of at that time). Connected to that was a Killer Bee 300, that connected to the 102" whip which attached to my 1986 Chevrolet Caprice Classic rear bumper. Whenever I got home, my radio came with me because it doubled as my base, so I obviously had everything set up for quick disconnect. I had 2 base antennas. One was an original 70's model Starduster, the other was a DIY beam which the cookbook back then called a Dream Beam; which depending upon your permanent installation could run vertical, horizontal, or circular if at a 45 degree angle?? (I wish I could find the instructions for that one again). Anyway, the Dream Beam would pretty closely trade blows with an ANTENNA SPECIALLISTS AV-122 PDL-2 which my friend and I tested it against. My desk mic was an Astatic D-104 Silver Eagle.
For those still reading and who have any interest, here are 4 moments with that equipment that remind me of all the fun I had back then (2 base, 2 mobile).
1. The noise floor had been horrible for several days, so no one was really talking. I had been busy working every day, and since I had to be at work at 04:30 every day, I hadn't really been affected by it too much. I got off early that day, and was headed back to my house. I was so excited that I hadn't realized just how quiet the radio was. Suddenly as I am rolling down the highway at 55 mph, a call for break called out (Ch. 4 AM). It was at that moment I realized how quiet it was. Most were either at work, or had likely given up thinking the noise would continue. I answered the guy, and we just talked. It hadn't occurred to me that he wasn't a local because his signal sounded like it was near me in town. He asked me if I was near a road that he named...I had no idea what he was talking about. After stating our locations, I found out that while I was in Roanoke, Virginia, he was driving his rig in the mountains of Canada and by that time; minutes from crossing into Alaska. When I asked about what equipment he was running, I found out he was running the same equipment (2510 and Killer Bee).
2. I ended my conversation with the truck driver now in Alaska, because I arrived at my house. Because of that contact, and the rest of the day off, I decided after eating I would leave my house in the foothills and go up on the mountain where it was cooler. 9 am and 75 degrees I got up on Mill Mountain and started looking for skip. I was quite disappointed because it was highly uneventful. After being there for about 3 hours, I was getting ready to go back home, but a conversation on Ch. 38 AM caught my attention. There were 2 guys talking about pools, one of which was an installer. As I had some friends who installed pools, and most of the pools hadn't yet opened in our area because it was still too early to open, I wondered who he was. I switched between 39 and 37 to see if there was any bleedover as that would indicate how close they might be, but there was nothing. I ended up chatting with them a while, and around an hour later, the installer said he had to go, so I asked him what his location was. I don't remember what area, but he was somewhere in southern California.
3. It was December and a couple of weeks before Christmas. We got hit hard with a winter storm, so everything was closed. I looked outside and anything not covered in snow, was covered in ice. Because I had become friends with many of the local CB community, the CB was the first thing I turned on when I didn't have to work. I was supposed to pick up Critter's wife to take her to an appointment. I heard Riviera's voice, then a response to him via a lesser known local, and then Critter. I jumped in, greeted everyone and asked if his wife's appointment was still on schedule. Just before I turned my radio on, Critter had apparently told Riviera that he had to go, because he had to call me on the landline. The appointment had been canceled. Because of Critters system and location, I usually received him at S9+, and he usually received me at S9. Riviera at home was usually S8, and he usually received me at S8 but today Critter was S3 and Riviera S2. Riviera used a 2510 and a 1/2 wave ground plane, Critter a 146 GTL and A99. In the ice, their systems were horrible. My iced over Starduster was louder than ever across Roanoke. It was odd to me, but funny. Skip began rolling through later that day, and it was so regular in timing that for a week straight, I talked to an entire family of CBers in New Brunswick (Ch. 1 LSB).
4. That following summer, I temporarily moved the beam to a location where I could access it's coax from the basement. Where I would normally sit was excruciatingly hot. It was 102F outside, and I lived in a house with a metal roof and no AC. The basement was much cooler. The usual big boy chatter on Ch. 6 and 11 AM caught my attention. Ch. 6 was the usual dog pile and the usual crowd. Triple 8 who lived in Salem (I have no idea how much power he ran, but he had a Super Laser Beam 500 sprouting from the middle of his house), John Brown the Shackle Breaker, Skywalker and some others. Ch. 11 was a more regulated dog pile that day, and 818 the Crazy Jamaican had the floor. I hand turned my beam until he was really loud, and at the next opportunity, I among the masses called out to him.; and he answered me. He received me S9, and asked my location and how much power I was running. I told him my location and that I was running a DIY beam and barefoot 2510. Until my friend Sandman over in the Moneta area confirmed to him that we were friends, and he knew what I ran, he didn't believe me. Sandman's system...I don't remember his radio, but I know that when he was talking to them, he was running 10K watts. 818 claimed 20K, and because Sandman had visited Skywalker's house, I know that he quite regularly ran 100K. Either way, that was my only time visiting the big boy channel. Before Sandman died (he had first gotten sick), he gave me first dibs on buying his system. I of course graciously thanked him for the offer, but I didn't have that kind of money, and I seriously doubt that I had the right power outlets to even run that thing. LOL
Thanks for sharing the stories and info. Appreciate it!
@@FarpointFarms I enjoy writing, and enjoy radios...and the dopamine of nostalgia felt pretty good too. Looking forward to my move back to Roanoke area in around a month and a half. Once we get settled I hope to get back on CB and Ham bands.
I’ve been in to CB radio since 1978 Your advice was spot on. Especially about 102 inch antenna I ran one of those on one of my trucks for quite a while. I got into ham radio in 2003 and I still have my old CB antennas in gear.
Thank you, when Helene came through CB radios were one of the ways people were communicating. Cell service was non existant
The 4" spring is added to the whip. Have to trim it. Finest antenna ever made. Near unlimited wattage.
Agreed!
If you used a heavy duty 6" spring instead you wouldn't have had to trim the antenna.
I put a 102" whip on my 2008 Ford Focus with a tri- mag mount. You do learn to renegotiate the drive-through pretty quickly.
Do those tri mounts really keep a 102 from flying off?
@@FarpointFarms Oh yeah. I'll probably need a hand removing it! 65 mph on the highway in a 50 mph Kansas wind easy.
I had a 73 Firebird Formula 400 with a Gumball Mount and a home brew coily antenna. Would drive under the overhead of a gas station, turn on the Texas Star 667V driven by the Galaxy DX 88HL and would turn on all the Flourescent Lights, almost like the station was open for business! Was a fun time back in the 80's...
that must have been putting out some serious power
@@FarpointFarms Right around 800 watts...
Texas Star did not have the 667 in the 80’s
BAJA-the best antenna i found/it is stainless steel with a stainless coil in the middle of it 48 or 52 inches long/bought it at a truck stop-an was expensive/i talked over 12 miles bare foot/no-skip ether/swr on meter was .2 less than 1 on a professional swr meter/sold out fast at truck stop back then-could not find another one-an yes i have my first an only one-do not want to sell it ether/an the link of coax makes a big difference-10feet an 3 inches long i believe-of good coax too-shield cable/an use the mount for antenna with the plastic washer too/thanks much
hadn't heard of that one. I'll check it out.
Cant beat a 102" whip,I bought a new 74 Jeep Renegade and installed one,it surprised me with how much better it recieved and transmitted with just a small Midland CB,much better than the roof magnet antenna,and yes when conditions were right,you could pick up foreign language conversations!
The 102 is the king of mobile antenna's!
I’m new to this world and it’s pretty awesome
I am glad that you are liking this world- It is a fun place
So if I wanted to mount a antenna on my old windmill tower like it’s almost 50’ high and another 50’ to the house in which I thought about burying in conduit with will need another 50’ to get up into the house so one run about 150’ would that work or am I wrong to think that long of a distance would work? Looking for a base station yet but just hooked up my old cobra 21 LTD with the power supply
I ran a little will for over a year. I had a kl-203 running into it. Great for local talk.
I used to get 6 miles off a Lil Will. Impressed me.
@@byerenny Nice!