CB Radio And Antenna Installation Tips and Tricks
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- Опубліковано 12 лют 2017
- Erik from Farpoint Farms Survival, talks about the various places you can install your mobile CB radio setup, including proper antenna placement to insure you get the best signal and range.
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Eric, this video really helped me. I predict, in the not so distant future, CB Radios will be back, strong. Thank you.
OUTSTANDING! Thank you for taking the time to put this video out.
This was really helpful. I'm watching a lot of your videos and they are all helpful for someone starting out with CB radios.
Thanks! This was surprisingly comprehensive and exactly what I was wondering about.
My car is similar to your Toyota but I thinking to put the antenna above the rear window as often as possible. I'd rather not go with an all-in-one but that may well end up being the only way.
Thank you for giving me so much to chew on.
So would a top load antenna work better than a base load or mid load antenna?
One of the best cb videos I've seen.
i really love your videos, they are helping me so much. I've gone for a 2.75m tank whip. I'm going to try a gutter mount to start with, but am aware on a mazda bongo the total height will be over 4.5 meters high !
Cool stuff. I’m working on grounding and mounting my TV/HAM antenna on the house today. I’m envious of your secluded location.
My understanding is that the DX Local position slightly attenuates a strong local signal to prevent overloading your radio and bleeding over to adjacent channels.
You have a great channel. I like pretty much everything you upload.
Also, you might want to disassemble the mic with exposed wires and put shrink tubing over that section.
Thanks for the kind words and for the tip!
im getting back into CB radio in England and i have a black cab (private use) so this video is useful, thanks from the old country.
Nice job ! Great illustrations for the basic user, which I am too. I don't need a MEGA WATT system with 3 or 4 alternators on my daily driver! I will watch the other videos , too ! Thanks! you have some great advice!
Glad your getting some info from them, and welcome to the club!
I mounted my Cb on the ash tray ! I don't use the ash tray anyway !
Good video. I opted to use a Wilson 1000 on my Silverado and Wilson 500 on my Colorado.
Interesting to see how far you have come in production quality sir.
I've had good luck with Co-Phased setups in a semi and they were only about 9ft apart mounted forward about 50deg angle so wind pushed the tips to plum at highway speeds.
You have to use 75ohm cable rather than 50ohm when you use cophased or it just acts weird. I have noticed that I have great coverage with my antennas mounted on the rear top of my car (14' Honda CRV) and had to get some antenna folders so I could still use parking structures. I run a Sirio 5k Turbo 10m/cb antenna with a base loaded coil and a 58" 2m/1.5m/70cm Ham radio antenna. Both of my antennas are mounted to Diamond K-9000tm Antenna folders and PL (so-239) sockets. I'm rocking a Kenwood TM-D710 radio and an Anytone AT-6666 radio now. I used to go between a Connex 4300HP and a Galaxy 99HP for my CB. I still have my Grandmother's Sears 23channel crystal radio and my dad's Cobra 19GTL and they both work flawlessly. I have not done anything to the sears radio but the cobra 19 has had some Toshiba pills dropped into it for those shtf situations when you need to get a signal out.
Thanks! This video was shot on a Digital 8mm camera from 2002. It was still working in 2017, but by that time the internet and the world had moved on to HD videos and cell phone cameras. Co-phased antenna's just don't get the respect they deserve here in the 2022! I had a set of 102 ships as my base station setup and they worked great!
@@FarpointFarms Oh I understand, I just got a Gopro Hero3 for use in my other channel. I don't need 4k 60fps quality to do and show what I intend to. Eventually I will get something nicer but a 7 generation old camera works just fine.
New subscriber here. Your presentations are great for a few different reasons, as I see now others have been pointing out.
Hey Eric love your videos. Just getting back into cb radios. Been since the early 70s. Had a Lafayette base station my dad had got me. But I have a Galaxy base station now it needs gone through no one in my area that repairs radios it comes on has a lot of static in the knobs and the meters are stuck. Wish you were closer to the mountains of West Virginia. I also have some old school boosters and 667 solid state tube tester and a elite I think booster it says power high low sm-am SSB and standby and I also have a coastal power deluxe base station power supply would be willing to trade or possibly sell abut the Galaxy base station I've already purchased a antron 99 antenna for it thank you again for your video sir
Interesting I never knew duel whips were not good on a pickup guess I’ll be changing my setup. Thank you for info and great videos sir. Looking to get a base unit in near future also. God bless
Great information. I’m checking out The New President Texas RW Antenna and put it on a magnet mount on top of my vehicle 🚗. Thanks
Thank you for your time , showing the proper way for Antenna's
No problem 👍
Great video. First time i ever seen an all in one cb radio. Good job!!!
Thanks!
@@FarpointFarms how about single mobile trailer home , cable into home drill hole & plug so no air or anything , cb radio cable trying to install
Top load antennas and/or top coil can be found in Wilson and Firestik antennas. They are cheap and work great!
I'm really interested in the all in one CB radios you showed. I have searched ebay for one but all I'm finding are modern ones that are around 100$. I'd love to use one of the classic ones you showed do you know there model numbers or if they were called anything else? Love your videos
Mention the 12 feet of RG8X coax cable you would need to install the bumper mount or the (rear) roof mount. The 108 inch whip is by far the best antenna you can buy. I put mine on the trunk lid to enable me to T-hunt jerks better. Point the car towards the jerk and zig-zag right to his door. Using 12 feet of coax gives you a more accurate SWR reading. Connect your radio straight to the battery. Do not go through the fuse box. That avoids engine noise and any voltage drop.
Bumper mounts, trailer hitch mounts and trailer A frame mounts (You know, where the propane tanks sit) are all not a great idea. All of them have a lot of metal right next to the whip reflecting radio energy back into the antenna. Ruins the SWR. If you're running extra watts it can ruin your whole radio too. Best to avoid all that and get a small ball mount and drill holes up near the top of your truck's rear fender. That way nearly no metal is there to reflect energy back. Yes, you do have to drill several holes (one large, three small) up where they can be seen. The ball mount covers the holes perfectly. When you go to sell the truck leave the CB setup in it and ask for more money!
Skip Shooters old secret trick: Get some thick metal braid and attach (bond) the doors, hood and trunk lid to the car's body with a short bit of that braid near the hinges. Believe it or not that makes your vehicle MUCH better as a radio transmitting system. When I tried it my friends across town all said they thought I had a new "foot warmer" when all I had was $5 worth of braid wire. Make all the connections to bare metal not painted metal. It sounds like bunk but trust me it works like a dream. There are guys on the CB that just sound like they are in another league from everyone else. Not just louder but hella louder. You hear them far away like they were sitting next to you. This is how they do it.
Great info, and thanks for the tip about using grounding straps for the doors. I'll have to give that a try.
You'll be surprised. I was. I had thought it was just CB bologna but the first time I tried it the damn thing worked! I became a force to be reckoned with all by a hand full of wire.
Quarter standing wave hehe.
I've had a confirmed contact to the UK with an Untenna mounted on the front quarter panel of my Honda Civic barefoot. Conditions I suppose, and a very high gain receive with that fellow. I think I oriented my car in a direction to take advantage of this antenna position. Get it? How you going with those fiat engines? The 1300 had great increase with torque, like I said, mine had the Rallye head and ignition module. But some say the Regatta engine, what was it 1500? It had the best head. I personally restored a Lancia with a 1608 engine. But I lost it in a fire. Hey I haven't heard from you for a while.
watching all the CB vids.
Glad you like.
Hey Eric I hope your doing well. I wanted to ask you about a cb install on a 2003 Dodge Dakota 4 door pick up truck. I might be purchasing my grandfather's truck it only has 72K on it. It does have a CD player and a cassette player in the dash. I wanted to see if the cobra radio with the front firing speaker would be a good choice. I have a few different antennas I could use most likely will be a magnet mount antenna but I do have a fire stick I could put on it. I wanted to see what your thoughts were being your a mechanic and have installed a few radios.
I was also wondering about range. How do those small GMRS "family channel" hand held shirt pocket radios compare with the 4 watt CB's for distance? I have a small set of the Midland rechargeables that we use around the house and they seem to do fine but sometimes pick up a lot of static for some reason. Mine says they have a 22 mile range over water but I doubt that. Any experience with these?
I really like the all in one models. It might explain why the Midland 75-822 is so popular now.
I remember when CB were all the rage I owned more than a couple of these. Truck drivers usually had duel antenna not sure how hard they are to tune and work well together. Have you ever done dual antennas? That explains why I saw a lot of those long ones, you sometimes don't realize how complicated this stuff can get, some guys were good played a lot of see if you can find me. I am sure you know what I mean. I see you talked some on dual antennas on the rigs thanks for explaining a little on that. Have you seen the radio CB unit all one radio, they were in some state police cars in the old days.Great vid.
We called "see if you can find me" a "Skunk Hunt". I played it for years. I loved that game.
Use a separate coax and tune each one separately...
Excellent video. thanks for sharing
I have a 2004 Sienna mini van, I'm using a Huslter mag mount antenna on the roof and get awfulm swrs. Lowest I've been ablt to get it tuned down to is 1.5 on Ch-1 and almost 3 on ch-40.
You need to trim the antenna. Take off just a bit and see it get better!
Good video. Thanks Erik. Do you think there should any real concern about a roof mounted magnetic antenna slipping off; other than maybe being struck by an object?
Sorry for the delay in responding. Somehow this message got lost in the mix.
I've been running mag mounts for over 10 years, and I've never had one even shift positions on my roof or trunk in all that time. I'd say its a safe option for any situation.
The top center of the vehicle is my favorite for a magnet mount. But for me. The 108inch whip is the top of the line for me. Especially on my pickup. I love my 108" whip. I refuse to go back to mag mounts ever again cause they rust too easy in the magnet base.
Can I put a 9ft steel whip antenna in a wilson 1000 magnetic base with good results or will it not be good ?
Erik, basic question. I’ve always been into gadgets but never did anything with CB radio growing up. I’ve decided to get into CB radio now because of “Stranger Things.” So I’m watching a lot of your videos. My equipment so far is a Realistic TRC-216 handheld. I’m wanting to get another 216, plus a compact mobile unit with monitoring. I drive a Ford Escape and plan to have a roof-mounted magnet antenna. So far, I’m just using the handheld in the car, and sometimes while parked I stick the antenna out of the moonroof. After 3 days asking for radio check on channel 19, I’ve not had any response, nor have I heard any transmission from anyone else. Is that normal, and is my problem likely technical or location? I live in southeast Michigan.
I have Honda Accord 2003 with cobra ultra 19 radio and a 64in Stryker 10,000 antenna does the wiring of the antenna have to run through special location or can it be just out where it gets moved a bit
Hi Erik, I'm not sure if you'll be able to see this comment,but I'll throw a couple of questions down anyways. Maybe someone else can help.
I'm picking up a magnetic base antenna and a basic cb radio. I also will get a swr tuner for the setup.
My questions:
Does a magnetic base antenna require grounding, or is it already grounded by the connection to the roof of the car?
How do I properly ground the radio? I plan on using a socket power supply for the cigarette lighter spot.
Thanks!
Best all around antenna that I've found that works for me and my set up is the 4 ft firestick. Used many different antennas before I got the firestick. Now I wouldn't use anything else
yup, those Firesticks are awesome- have you ever tried a 102 inch whip ? .... just curious I've played with a bunch, including mag mounts on the roof. Found a triple mag mount and either a Firestick or 102 whip to really walk-the-dog...hahaha
Great video! What are your thoughts on a Ford econoline van for antennas and placement? Thanks in advance.
They used to make a mount that fit in between the hood and I had a 4 foot firestick mounted up there. Worked really well.
@@FarpointFarms thank you! That’s exactly what I was looking at.
I love when you slap the vehicles every time lol... good info brother
Ha!
Love the videos keep them coming
Are u a technician?
Why on the passenger side?,I have always put mine on the drivers side of the bumper,when I mounted my 102 on the drivers side of the bumper on my 97 suburban the swr was flat and I could talk crazy distances with that and my first gen RCI-2970 amber display and I really had nothing but good reports,I have loved the 102"stainless steel whip antenna for so many years.
Great video but what happened the the mike cord
um, that's not the only installation methods or locations available. I have seen a mount made for the pickups that comes up behind the cab with a flange at cab top level. Some guys used this method, some would use a 9 ft whip, some would use an "ugly stick" wrapped fiberglass antenna about 3 to 4 feet long. I've also seen FRONT bumper mounts cophased with a rear bumper mount... I don't know all the technical details but that system seemed to work best of all, but I don't know why it would... the guy that used that one was a kind of pro, he had some setup that really made it work. They also used to make an antenna that looked for all the world like an ordinary radio antenna, and in fact doubled as the regular am/fm radio antenna.
You earned a sub from me! Thanks for the good honest info.
Glad to have you on board!
Great video, question out of all the new and used cb s on the market do any of them have significantly better receive than the average?
Not that I have found. There were some really great old base stations made by Uniden and Cobra back in the day that had excellent quiet receivers, but after all these years they perform no better and in many time worse than a modern radio.
@@FarpointFarms ok thanks. In car stereo they list fm sensitivity and there is a noticeable difference. Not so much in the cb world I guess.
Ok I want to make sure I’m correct , I have a 4 door cab pick up. I was going to set the Stryker towards the back of the cab right in front of the 3 break light, I was thinking I should have it centered as close as I can on the vehicle. I was told I should center it on the cab roof not center of the entire truck , what are your thoughts?
Center it on the on the truck, not the cab roof. So near the 3rd brake light is perfect!
Great Video!!
I did end up getting that 2003 dodge Dakota truck from my grandfather. It's now got 86K on it for miles and I have had to get all kinds of stuff replaced on it. Fairly major stuff to! But it's still rolling for now. I was think of throwing a CB in there. I did get that Cobra mini Ultra 19 V Cb radio. And I'm going to use a magnet mount antenna because it's just easier. With that antenna it's going to really look like a grandpa truck lol.
That would make a great setup!
@@FarpointFarms
Any ideas on mounting locations? I'm currently trying to rig up something for it. I'm always afraid I'm going to break something and I'm not handy at all so it's pretty bad lol.
How about the glass mounted antenna that use a magnet to hold the antenna to the glass? Would you recommend that for a car or pick up truck?
Skip those, they are very poor for CB.
Where would the best place be to mount the radio in a 2003 Ford Escape? Already have a magnetic mount for the roof, but where to put the CB is another matter. My nephew suggested that we mount it on top of the dash, but that might be a security concern. The radio is a Uniden Bearcat 830 or something like that.
If the current stock am/fm radio is double din, trash it and get an aftermarket single din. The 830 should fill the gap nicely.
Okay. I'll try that.
I did not wont to put holes in my 28 model A,so i covered the back of the unit with velcro tape.I can put it any were then peal it off for security when deeded.
I usually run my power wire through the firewall and connect directly to the battery but sometimes I still get some alternator "whine" static. Any suggestions for a better, less static power connect?
Use an rf choke and/or noise filter.
Great video got a ford ranger looking to put a radio in
good luck!
when you centered your antenna on the top of your car, is it centered on the hood or is it centered on the car? Front to back. Maybe I missed that in the video
Ok I think you answered my question with your mount diagram
I run a 102 antenna in the center of my roof no trouble talking but hits everything lol.
I have a Volvo wagon with a 7-foot Firestik on the roof. LOL.
lt1caprice57l nice💞
I love the Volvo wagons from the 80's!!! Always wanted one. I'm putting my antenna on a Ford edge right now...lol
Awesome vid!!
How do you route the coax on the roof mount? Does it go in through the door and if so is it getting pinched?
I run it through the window, so far I have not had any issues with pinching the wiring. A really heavy rain will let just a bit of moisture in the car, other than that it works great.
How does my wilson 1000 magnetic base get it’s ground? Will it work well on top of my f150 cab?
The magnetic base touches your car body to create a larger ground area.
Eric,here is the problem I have run into,I have a 95dodge ram van that is a handicap van,what I need is a good antenna to get the most distance. I know I can't put anything on the top of course ,so where do I put it to get the best gain and what kind should I go with. Lost and confused :(
Your best, and pretty much only options are a mirror mount antenna or a hood mount antenna. Both are not Idea, but due to the fiberglass roof, they are your only two options. You can still put a 4 foot antenna on either of those two options and it should be fine for a range of 4 to 5 miles.
You could also try and squeeze another mile out of that setup and go with dual antenna's mounted one on each mirror, but the cost jumps for the co-phased cable and an extra antenna.
Awesome video
Thank you Eric
Glad I could help.
I have a 93 f150 and I was thinking of mounting a 9 foot whip too the front of the box basically where a headache rack would be, I don't have on on so I was thinking of getting a bracket and mounting it too the lip, and grounding too the frame. Would that work well, because it is pretty much centre of the vehicle and the grounding point is two feet away.
That would be a great spot. Central location, and higher up than the bumper. Just make sure the bed is grounded well and you'll be A-OK.
ground point should be where coax connects area,not feet away,no more than a few inches away...Look into bonding and dont use awag wire with long lengths..Use short braided strapping 8" or less and ground many parts of your truck..
to not too... sheesh
Excellent!
What antenna do you suggest ?
I have my CB antenna installed on the back of my. I'm going to relocate antenna to the side of my vehicle. What's your thoughts on this?
Just be sure to recheck you SWR and you'll be set!
Thanks for video quality from 60ies ;-)
Hi ya Eric I’ve enjoyed your videos. My problem is I have a small car and not many options for mounting a small radios the car is a Fiesta. Any ideas please. Thanks.
Look at the President NewYorker. It's small and works well for it's size.
Same problem here' I'm thinking about fitting my Cobra 29 in my 2014 Hyundai accent!!!!!
Hi ya thanks for the help but it’s not available in the uk. Not many people use AM most use FM or have euros multi norms. I’ve now had a president bill and find it a good radio for my car.
One more question , and I swear I will leave you alone lol. When mounting to bumper do you have the plastic washer on top . And do you need to put one on the underside as well . I mounted mine to the bumper but can’t get swr down for nothing . Coax is good I tested it with ohm meter.
I've heard plastic washer always on top
i should sub you just for knowing how to spell your name correctly, gave you a thumbs up for that alone.
We are the few! It's with a "K" is a line I've repeated about 100000 times.
@@FarpointFarms doesn't it just piss you off when you spell your name and they still put a "C" , good video BTW, Thanks for taking your time to make these videos.
I've just recently got into cb radios. I have installed a small midland in my truck. At first it was powered by a lighter plug and it kept receiving interferance from everything especially the windshield wipers. Today after work I wired it directly to the battery. The noise from the wipers still comes through but not nearly as bad. Is there anything else that can be done to get rid of the noise completely?
There is something called a "Engine Noise Filter Suppressor Isolator Kit" that can help in cases like this. Here is an example of one.
www.ebay.com/itm/12v-Car-Auto-Stereo-Radio-Power-Wire-Engine-Noise-Filter-Suppressor-Isolator-Kit/122295234625?epid=931408241&hash=item1c795d3041:g:L6UAAOSwopRYai1f
That would cut out the whine you hear with the wipers on.
I've heard of those for car stereos. Don't know why I didn't think of that. Thank you.
I got a radio check this evening on the cb in my truck. They said I had a hum whenever transmitting and they had a hum when talking back also. What could that be?
thanks. great videos. liked and subscribed. :-)
For two antenna setup you have to placed them 96 inch apart with 18 foot coax cable for each antenna. Do Remember about SWR ...
What about installing in 949 Galaxy or an RCI 2950 in a compact car
mount what ever radio ya like in your car....
So is that antenna a 108 inch whip before the spring or after the spring ?
After.
I have got tje best performance with a wilson 1000 roof mount. Typically a flat match out of the box. Roof mount creates a ground plane and i get 25 mile range.
I am sure you did with the rood acting like a ground plane
How would a set up mounting the antenna on a roof rack be? The same as a magnet mount? My roof rack is bolted to the roof.
The Volvo wagon in the background has a roof rack, and I put a magnet mount antenna right in the middle of the roof as it didn't interfere at all. On another car I had that had a roof rack, I drilled two small holes in the rack, and mounted a screw in bumper mount to it. It worked fine too! The mount was just a simple metal l bracket that I picked up on fleabay, that had two mounting holes for the screws, and a stud to screw that antenna in on the other end. It wasn't the prettiest setup, but it was well grounded and worked as good as my magnet mount setup.
I have a Toyota FJ Cruiser and the factory aluminum roof rack. I want to still use the roof rack for hauling gear or putting a canoe on, so I guess I would go with the roof rack mounted antenna, but it might be off to one side. If the antenna is long enough it would get good range. What about the idea short antenna for hills or mountains and long antenna for flat areas? I hear some guys run two antennas front and back with a splitter, but that might be too much trouble for what it's worth.
I wouldn't mess with dual antennas on anything other than a base station setup, or a true 18 wheeler. for most other setups, they end up being less than ideal. Even with your single antenna mounted to one rear or front side of your FJ, you'll still get a pretty good signal in 3 of 4 directions. Your weakest direction will be pointed to the area where the least of your car body is. For example. If you mount it to the pass rear, your weakest area for receiving and sending signals will be the area that faces to your right rear. The strongest will be facing to the left front. For most setups that will be ok. Just make sure that your rack is well grounded, and if it isn't add a small wire from it to the body of your FJ. Other than that, you should be good to go!
Thanks!
I’m getting back in to cb radios. I have a f150 with a aluminum body. What’s a good antenna set up I can use?
Something that is bumper mount will be your best bet. Either that or a antenna that mounts to a bed mounted tool box.
Farpoint Farms ok thanks
Hey! What models were those all in one Cobra and Midland Radios?
cobra soundtracker mine works well, got in a electronic recycle bin
I am guessing that people don't typically drill hole through the body of the car but rather run it through the door/trunk gasket.
So quick question I've been getting mixed answers on this. Does it matter the length of coax you run on a mobile set up? I've heard there is an ideal length which allows for optimum swr tuning.
Yes, and I don't fully understand how or why, but 9 feet and 18 feet are sweet spots for cable runs. Also tight loops are bad when coiling up excess wire.
Farpoint Farms yeah I knew that about the tight loops. It's just funny to me that the length of cable plays that big of a part. Hey by the way sir i'm really enjoy your videos on the CB. I've found them quite informative. Thanks for posting. I have two pick ups and both are currently in the process of gettin radios.
Where can I buy the antenna that you have on the Toyota?
They used to have them at Radio Shack, but I think you can still get the "102" steep whip online.
Hey Eric, what is your thoughts on Francis pre-tuned antennas?
I've never owned one, but from everything I've read they are a nice high end antenna.
Francis was bought by BarJan a few years ago. They are not what they used to be. I remember in the 70s and 80s they were one of the best. Now they are worth about half what you pay for them. Firestik has taken their place along with Wilson.
The problem with duel antenna is it looks great however they cancel they're self out because it's too close. It works great for talking to the side of the road nothing for going from to back. Also never coil your antenna cable.
And where do you recommend antenna placement on a jeep jk?
The spare tire rack seems to be the most popular spot, but roof top center will get you the best range.
I am no expert, but I have ran resistances check and seems a bit to high.
And the roof is a hard plastic, or you recommend something like a Stryker antenna?
Thank you
What about lip mount Taurus for car trunk that’s all carbon fiber. 5 foot whip
you might have to modify it to work- maybe screw it into the trunk lid
Thank you I didn't now they hade all in one CB from George Montalvo from Puerto Rico
They sure do, and they work pretty good!
what about an antenna L Matcher is it a waste i have an stryker mag A-10MM
You can also use coat hanger wires and a pair of needle nose to mount the radio anywhere you want to.
The trunk mount does not look so bad?
I like the look, but not everyone does.
i kinda wanna stick one on my crown vic, but i think the straight standing antenna on the roof would look kinda goofy. would it act funky if i placed it on my hood off to one side?
Its not Ideal, but it would still work OK. by setting if off to one side it will change the pattern that the signal gets out. instead of a round bubble it will be more egg shaped and may work better off to the side that the antenna faces. Still, I had a trunk lip mount on my 86 Buick that was offset like that and it never really mattered in the real world. Your talking may a 1/2 mile difference if that.
why dot get a Wilson magnet mount and stick it on the trunk ! get something like a Wilson 500 or 1000 !
I have the 9ft mounted on a dodge ram directly on center of the aluminum tool box in the bed behind the back windshield.
Would being mounted to aluminum matter should I ground it to the body of the truck what's your thoughts? Thanks
how do you tune the nine foot whip antenna?
There is very little tuning possible. If you install the whip with a 3 inch spring, it should be tuned pretty good already. If for some reason its off, you can try adding very thin washers to the base to raise the height a bit. If that doesn't work, there is likely an issue somewhere else like the coax or the mount being grounded wrong. I've never gotten a 1.1 swr with a whip, but 1.2 or 1.3 is totally doable.
thanks
Glass Mount 2ft works fine for me
As they say.... If it works, don't mess with it!
what store buy this antenna
I get all my CB gear off of eBay. I like to help small sellers out.
All my radios are Peak and tune and I still only get out 5 miles even my hundred-watt radio only gets out like 7 to 8
Hmmm.. Maybe your location? Are you in a city? where is your antenna mounted? have you checked swrs? 5 miles is decent for a stock setup, but you should be able to squeak at least 10 to 12 miles out of it if its been tuned and had a decent antenna.
many put to much effort in adding power to gain range and forget about antenna theory n such..Ground plane(counterpoise)poor coax ,studs,coax ends all add up to loss and also depends on who tunes the radio..A tech can make your radio look good on a meter but perform poorly..My 955 has talked further and louder that some who have the trk stop super tuned,peaked n such and paid hundreds for all the extra work..
tie it it well sling around
73 om from France.
I remember as a kid in the 80s i had a 102 whip on the trunk of my caddy eldorado i hit eveything but i got out lol.
That 102" whip does have a load. The spring is a load.
The total Lehigh has to be 109. That's 1 quarter wave.
@@FarpointFarms So doesn't matter. It still has a coil/load.
No, that is incorrect. The ball spring at the base is not insulated from itself. It is not "loaded" as uncoiling it would equal a much longer length than the 5 inches it is. You are thinking of windings that are insulated from themselves to act as a length of wire that is much longer than the few inches they occupy.