So not only do you own amplifiers, you also never need them . Interesting. I suppose someday, when i get "radio" savvy I'll learn how that works ;-)
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Anyone recommend a budget amp?
- Thread starter Limeybastard
- Start date
So not only do you own amplifiers, you also never need them . Interesting. I suppose someday, when i get "radio" savvy I'll learn how that works ;-)
I think I can tell you how that works. Gain is everything for a base antenna. Db gain is not something all antennas share equally. Your half wave and 5/8 wave antennas can provide up to 3 and 5db's of gain respectively. While not providing as much gain as an amp will, at least you can maximize the radio's output to its full potential. Having a consistent and low angle of radiation pattern (5/8 wave antenna) also helps positively. Putting it up as high and as safely as you can also helps that gain work to maximize the radio too.
When DX conditions are in, I have never had to use more than a 100w radio would provide, and have literally talked all over the world (125 confirmed contacts in over 61 countries around the world). Nobody had a problem hearing me with a beam antenna with ~10dbs of gain and 70w power/max.
When it comes to a mobile antenna, it is important to remember that they do not have any db gain. The 1/4 wave antenna has - at best - 'unity' gain (neither loss nor positive gain). Mobile antennas are a compromise when less than a 1/4 wave long. Question is - how much do you want to compromise? While an amp can help make some gain up, it is still better to ensure that you have done what is possible to ensure efficiency before applying an amp. Seventy watts is a LOT of power in itself so long that it can be applied/maximized first.
I'd rather work with a poor radio and a great antenna than a great radio with a poor antenna.
'ERP' = 'effective radiated power'
Might want to look that up.
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I would suggest this. First get used to your new radio and how it performs. Make sure your antenna system is as good as it can be. The reason is this, a 20 dollar cb on a 100 dollar antenna will beat a 300 dollar radio on a 20 dollar antenna every time. The antenna is the single most important part of the system.
That said if you do decide to add an amplifier to the mix you must be prepared to do it right. First, you have a high powered radio so you will need a true high drive amplifier that can handle the drive levels of your radio. If you try to run a cheap small low drive amplifier you WILL burn it and your radio up real quick.
There are many things to consider when you add an amplifier. Proper alternator size, good battery, heavy gage wire, fuses, proper ground, an antenna that can handle the wattage, and a good jumper. Then you will have to use the variable power on your radio so you properly drive the amplifier.
Here is an example of an amplifier that will work fine with a Stryker 955. It will work on AM,FM,and SSB. http://www.xforceamps.com/item/Straight-4Pill---Biased---Xtra-Duty---Hi-Drive---T600HD-163
Hope this helps. Do some research and really plan it out if you decide to go this route. Remember also that height is might. If you can sit on a high hill or the top of a parking garage you will get out much better then on a regular street or next to a building. Running say 70 watts 50 feet in the air is better then running maybe 300 watts 7 feet off the ground.
I will also add this, Your Stryker 955 will burn the crap out of both those RM amplifiers you listed. Don't even try.
Thanks for the explanation guys , appreciate it. That, straight 4 pill high drive amp seems okay, but like you said i need to learn more and more importantly get acquainted with current setup before going further, agreed. Hell, i don't even know what that option $150 driver is or means - comical.
I can now see why those ranger 2970n2 and n4 models can be tempting, all in one box solution, albeit compromised yes but for end users an option at least.
I can now see why those ranger 2970n2 and n4 models can be tempting, all in one box solution, albeit compromised yes but for end users an option at least.
The "driver" option means you can buy a TnT100 amplifier and use it to drive the TnT600. So it would go radio-TnT100-TnT600-watt meter-antenna. In your case the higher powered radio (Stryker 955) is the driver. If you tried to run your radio into the small TnT100 you would burn it down right away. You don't need a driver.
It seems like it would be cheaper or at least more cost-effective to trade your truck for a Chevy Suburban or Chevy Tahoe or a van of some sort with twice the amount of metal in the roof and get a Sirio 5000 roof mount antenna and get Twice the Performance with your same radio without needing an amplifier.
The legendary rabbiporkchop responded, feel flattered.
Ive read some of your posts( here and other forums) and topics with great interest whilst googling and doing research. Thanks.
Twice the performance? Why not just say better performance. Going from a Wilson 1000/5000 to a Sirio 5000 will in no way shape or form DOUBLE your performance lol. Sure sounded good though. In the end though if you really feel that I would love to see a link to a professional antenna test that shows a performance gain of double.
going from a ground plane that's a foot and a half or two feet wide by 5 ft long to a ground plane that's 12 feet long by 5 feet wide will drastically improve the performance of the truck without even changing antennas
Ok I see what your talking about going from pickup truck roof to say a van or SUV. I was thinking you were claiming just switching to the sirio from a Wilson would give you double the performance. I have heard a Siro will edge out a Wilson some say anyway.
Performance is greatly dictated by the amount of sheet metal underneath the antenna that's why all the key down guys use Chevy Suburbans, and that's why I bought a Chevy Tahoe which is a little bit shorter than a Suburban but makes it much easier to climb Rocky terrain without dragging my rear bumper on the ground.
I agree that more sheet metal is better, that is not the sole reason they run suburbans, it's it's just icing on the cake.
So in essence one could place a magmount on a peice of sheet metal and all good?