Practical CB antenna locations on pick up truck.

[gohring3006]

Just picked up a 4ft Firestik antenna for my cb in my pickup. I'm wondering where the best/practical place to mount it for good transmission and reception short of drilling a hole in my roof top. Thanks

 

[lancetkenyon]

Magnetic mount on the roof. Take it down and stick it under the bed rail when not in use.

 

[gohring3006]

Magnetic mount on the roof. Take it down and stick it under the bed rail when not in use.

I thought about that, but the SWR tune with the antenna would probably need recalibrated every time I moved it, even if I marked the spot, I bet it would be off calibration. I could be wrong though. And most of my time is off road working logging. I worry low branches would move it and knock the SWR off.

 

[gohring3006]

I'm really trying to find a useable ground plane in a position that's practical. I thought about front left fender mount, I've seen some on the rear bumper, tool box. I'm not sure where to put it.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I had mine turned by a shop, and took it on and off all the time and it worked phenomenally for years....until my wife knocked it off driving down the highway dragging it along for several miles before she noticed.....

 

[gohring3006]

I had mine turned by a shop, and took it on and off all the time and it worked phenomenally for years....until my wife knocked it off driving down the highway dragging it along for several miles before she noticed.....

Yea, that would suck. It's one of my worries. Lol

 

[Gwine]

I built a bracket that went on the driver side bed rail behind the cab. With a half turn loosening a bolt it would lay down towards the passengers side and tighten the bolt back up. Worked great for years before I sold the truck.

 

[Heavyiron]

I thought about that, but the SWR tune with the antenna would probably need recalibrated every time I moved it, even if I marked the spot, I bet it would be off calibration. I could be wrong though. And most of my time is off road working logging. I worry low branches would move it and knock the SWR off.

Swr will hold good enough to take it down and reusing it in the same spot.i am a ham operator and this question comes up a lot. Cheers n4alr

 

[Heavyiron]

Set your swr on channel 20 and you can work the whole band with no problems. Lot of the modern radios will not even key-up if the swr is much beyond a 2. Try to get a 1.1 match on your antenna. I go out sometimes to work portable with all my antennas lying in the bed of my truck. We (hams) have 15 different bands to use and maybe one antenna port to use that particular time so we set all the antennas before portable operations. And use them as we go to that band. And use them on at a time.

 

[gohring3006]

Set your swr on channel 20 and you can work the whole band with no problems. Lot of the modern radios will not even key-up if the swr is much beyond a 2. Try to get a 1.1 match on your antenna. I go out sometimes to work portable with all my antennas lying in the bed of my truck. We (hams) have 15 different bands to use and maybe one antenna port to use that particular time so we set all the antennas before portable operations. And use them as we go to that band. And use them on at a time.

So you don't recommend tuning SWR at channel 1 then channel 40? I have heard about the channel 20 set up, but only once, it's not discussed anywhere.

 

[Heavyiron]

If you set it on channel 40, swr will be high on 1, same if you set it on channel 1, swr will be high on 40.
Always set your antenna on the center of the band.
Your antenna should be as close to the center of the vehicle as possible. If you need to remove it just make sure your antenna set screw is snug.

 

[Buck Buster]

I had mine turned by a shop, and took it on and off all the time and it worked phenomenally for years....until my wife knocked it off driving down the highway dragging it along for several miles before she noticed.....

Don't feel bad I'm married to a blond too ! She has the habit of backing into things, my buddies pickup parked in our driveway, trees, she even backed into a bulldozer one time and said OH! What did I hit ? She don't look where she is backing to very good ! Not trying to take anything out on you wife, I don't even know what color hair she has, but I couldn't resist the blonde joke. My wife is blonde !