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New install...102 or Wilson roof-mount?

T

The Jerk

Active Member
May 6, 2008
647
66
38
Reading, PA
If you had a choice between a 102 or a Wilson 5000 drilled and roof-mounted; which would you do?

I'm buying a new truck shortly...so I get to do a new install. Based on what was said in the other thread about running an amplifier in a new vehicle (potential interference with the vehicle's computer), this setup will just be a Uniden Grant or PC76Xl and the antenna, no amplifier.

I see each having their own pros/cons...the 102 is tall, but durable; the Wilson is more compact, but has potential water intrusion issues.

Thoughts?? I don't mind drilling holes in a new truck.
 

If you dont mind the size, use the whip since all others mobile antennas are just shortened 1/4 waves anyway. If size matters, choose a loaded antenna with a good reputation and warranty. Look at the ham antennas for ideas. Remember that anytime you shorten an antenna, you lose some performance.

PR
 
First of all, all of the antennas shorter that a 1/4 wave length are a compromise. A 1/4 wave antenna is a 'unity gain' antenna. So; anything shorter than that (Sirio, Predator, or the Wilson) will have less than a 1/4 wave antenna performance. Doesn't mean they are bad either. They are all well-made - IMO. I use the Sirio on my mobile because it is the tallest yet shorter than a 1/4 wave antenna.

A tall antenna can be a problem. Especially if it is on the roof of your vehicle. My Honda CR-V is ~5 ft 5 in from the pavement to the top crest of the roof. A Sirio antenna is ~7 ft 2 in. Total height is ~13 ft 7 in. Which is a desirable thing in some ways. Bad in other ways. Forget the drive-thru an burger King (not that I miss it much - BTW) or any drive-thru for that matter. It is desirable because it makes the best of an antenna that is less than a 1/4 wavelenth.

Now a puck mount is only going to give you a db or so of better receive/transmit - at best - over a mag mount. 1 S-unit is equal to ~6db's. It is time-consuming to put in a puck mount. You have to peel the headliner, drill and wire the coax in and then replace the headliner correctly. Or have a shop do it for you at an added $$. Now a mag mount can be taken down and stored in the vehicle quite easily. I use my Sirio on a Wilson mag mount and it does just fine that way. I also keep the Wilson 1000 coil/whip as a backup antenna with me.

I have hit more than a few trees with the tall Sirio antenna and had to repair the coil once already. It broke the solder joint at the top of the coil. Luckily, I have not broken the housing. If I go to a downtown city area, I just take the mag mount and the antenna down at the same time and toss it in the back of the CR-V. Don't haave to worry about vandalism or theft that way.

I couldn't drill the roof of my new Honda and have an antenna puck put in.
If it was a beater car; then yeah - sure - why not?

Whatever you chose to do is 100% your choice. Just thought I'd share some of my experience and thoughts with you. Hope to talk skip with you sometime.
 
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Bonding straps attached from the framework to the doors, firewall, body panels, hood both sides to firewall, trunk lid both sides, exhaust to body and engine is a way to make the reciever quite. I dropped the S meter reading from an 6-8 down to a 2 or lower by runnning 10-12 straps. If the noise floor is low the meter does not moveat all! Some contacts Ive made are heard but cannot be seen on the meter at all....I just hear the audio. I fully believe these bonding straps can make a good matched antenna into a great performer. A great site to check out is K0BG.com he covers in great detail mobile radio installations from wiring sizes, coax losses to reducing injection noise. GREAT SITE!! The site covers it all and debunks some of the myths about installs. A 102 whip matched to a bonded chassis would be hard to beat. you might mag mount a 102 with one of the 3magnet setups? I do not have first hand comparisons about noise and performance mag mount VS drilled mounted antenna....I just know the mag mount has worked well for me.....But I do think the best part of my install was the bonding straps....made a HUGE change in the noise thus my ability to hear stations.
 
If you can use a 1/4 wave whip, it is the best choice. If you are looking for shortened antennas, BM has some suggestions. But the 102" whip will provide the best performance if it is usable in your application. Make sure you use a good quality spring with it, stainless steel, not chrome plated.
 
<Very liveable home-made 102">

Buy a 4' Wilson 5/8 silverload.

Cut off the shrink tubing covering.

Unwrap almost all the wire.

Get rid of the wire except enough to do 3 lazy wraps from bottom to top where the tuneable tip is located, then solder it to the brass tip housing top.

Remove the 3" tuneable tip and replace it with a 60" Wilson 1000 whip.

Cut & tune for lowest swr & X.

Now you have the slinkiest, least lay-over-at-speed 102" around, and if you do hit anything it won't ruin it or the antenna.
 
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Well, I had decided on a 102", even built a new mount for it; but I pulled the trigger on a new Wilson 5000 roof-mount on Friday.

In this truck, it will be really easy to install...pop out a interior reading light, drill a hole, fish the coax, reinstall the light...probably have the hole drilled and based mounted in less than five minutes.

I have owned a lot of Wilson 1000s and 5000s, and never had an issue. I often wonder if the drain hole gets plugged and doesn't allow the water to drain?
 
gamegetter said:
i did not know they had a drain hole, afaik they completely sealed...?
Click to expand...


At the bottom of the base, on the outside of the ring that contacts the mount, there should be at least one hole about an 1/8" in diameter. All my Wilsons have one...I think I may have even drilled the one on my current 5000 out bigger.
 

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