I tried to use the search feature but unfortunately it sits behind a pop up everytime I click on it. My question is this. I have a 4x4 jeep which I have mounted a cobra 29 in. What is the best setup for an antenna and does the coax need to be a certain length. People have told me not to mount the antenna next to the verticle roll cage tubes, but this is near impossble due to the fact that the cage is at all four corners. My only other option would be to attach it to the lower front bumper location. Also, are the really long metal buugy whip antenna's any better than the 4 or 5 foot fiberglass ones. Thanks
-
You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.
-
Retevis is giving away Radios for the New Year and Every Member is Eligible. Click Here to see the details!
Another Noob question
- Thread starter Knoxville
- Start date
http://www.arizonarockyroad.com/ These are solidly made mounts.
I drilled right through the tub on the right rear of mine to stick a ball/spring mount. The Hustler stainless ball and spring are decent. Just make sure you position it clear of the wheel tub inside ;-).
Either way will work.
Coax length isn't important...use enough to reach the feed point and don't have a pile extra lying around if you can avoid it.
If you put a 102" whip on, have a way to tie it over for parking garages or use on the trails. If you don't tie it down securely a lot of offroad parks won't permit you to use it...because they tend to snag and whip spotters on the routes.
I drilled right through the tub on the right rear of mine to stick a ball/spring mount. The Hustler stainless ball and spring are decent. Just make sure you position it clear of the wheel tub inside ;-).
Either way will work.
Coax length isn't important...use enough to reach the feed point and don't have a pile extra lying around if you can avoid it.
If you put a 102" whip on, have a way to tie it over for parking garages or use on the trails. If you don't tie it down securely a lot of offroad parks won't permit you to use it...because they tend to snag and whip spotters on the routes.
Here are some very 'general' things about antennas.
The best place to put one is 'over' metal, not 'beside' metal. If you have to put an antenna 'next' to metal, keep it as far away as possible, and sticking above that metal as far as possible. The more metal 'next' to an antenna and not 'below' it the more detrimental it usually is. How much is too much? Good question, wish there was a simple good answer, but there isn't. What it amounts to is do what you can manage.
The most convenient is almost never the 'best'. A lot of it just depends on how 'convenient' it has to be in your particular circumstance/opinion.
One option, probably not the best in the world for several reasons, is to mount that antenna to the roll bars. Probably lots of "but's" to that, you'd know about them more than I would.
To some absolutely ridiculous degree, longer antennas are 'better' than shorter antennas. That's in both directions, by the way. A 1 foot antenna just ain't gonna be very good. Neither would a 20 something foot antenna. What can you 'live' with the easiest? The longer the thing is the more you WILL hit with it.
There is no -one- all around best antenna. There are antennas that are 'best' for particular circumstances. The 'trick' to that is figuring out which is which, and if you can put up with it's draw-backs (and they all have a draw-back of some kind).
The site for those Jeep mounts appears to be a good one! I don't have any experience with Jeeps so my opinion just doesn't count for much. There are those here who do have such experience and I'll bet they chime in. (Some times you gotta sort to 'poke' at'em, but they will.
)
Have fun.
- 'Doc
The best place to put one is 'over' metal, not 'beside' metal. If you have to put an antenna 'next' to metal, keep it as far away as possible, and sticking above that metal as far as possible. The more metal 'next' to an antenna and not 'below' it the more detrimental it usually is. How much is too much? Good question, wish there was a simple good answer, but there isn't. What it amounts to is do what you can manage.
The most convenient is almost never the 'best'. A lot of it just depends on how 'convenient' it has to be in your particular circumstance/opinion.
One option, probably not the best in the world for several reasons, is to mount that antenna to the roll bars. Probably lots of "but's" to that, you'd know about them more than I would.
To some absolutely ridiculous degree, longer antennas are 'better' than shorter antennas. That's in both directions, by the way. A 1 foot antenna just ain't gonna be very good. Neither would a 20 something foot antenna. What can you 'live' with the easiest? The longer the thing is the more you WILL hit with it.
There is no -one- all around best antenna. There are antennas that are 'best' for particular circumstances. The 'trick' to that is figuring out which is which, and if you can put up with it's draw-backs (and they all have a draw-back of some kind).
The site for those Jeep mounts appears to be a good one! I don't have any experience with Jeeps so my opinion just doesn't count for much. There are those here who do have such experience and I'll bet they chime in. (Some times you gotta sort to 'poke' at'em, but they will.
)Have fun.
- 'Doc
In a nutshell, if you are more of a ham than a Jeeper, don't buy a Wrangler...heh worst ham vehicle evAr.
I'd be driving around in a panel van or something had I had my license before I bought the Jeep. I love my Jeep, but it's a horrible vehicle for solid antenna performance, and is quite noisy RFI wise too.
I'd be driving around in a panel van or something had I had my license before I bought the Jeep. I love my Jeep, but it's a horrible vehicle for solid antenna performance, and is quite noisy RFI wise too.
What kind of Jeep? I use a 4' fiberglass antenna on a spring on mine. It still whacks things occasionally on the trail, but not too bad. A 102" whip works great, but not on trails...it hits everything. Just use however much coax you need to go from the radio to the antenna.
Look at the Teraflex CB antenna mount also. Not to sound like sour grapes, but they stole my idea. I custom made an aluminum version that is similar, emailed them a pic and asked them if they wanted to purchase the design. They politely replied "no thanks" and then two years later had a production one on the market.
Oh well...it's still a good mount.
BTW, use the search from the main page...it works the same way.
Look at the Teraflex CB antenna mount also. Not to sound like sour grapes, but they stole my idea. I custom made an aluminum version that is similar, emailed them a pic and asked them if they wanted to purchase the design. They politely replied "no thanks" and then two years later had a production one on the market.
Oh well...it's still a good mount.
BTW, use the search from the main page...it works the same way.
