Best Moblie Antenna for OTR Truck

[ctvanover]

Hey All!

I am looking for the best mobile antenna to be mounted on an OTR truck with the best send and receive. Any good suggestions? I used to run a Wilson 5000 Trucker. I want to try the Sirio Performer 5000. Any and all help and suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

Thank You!

 

[fourstringburn]

I used the Sirio 5000 Trucker series on my truck. The antenna will tune up nicely and worked well right up to when I got struck by lightning and burned out the antenna.

One thing I didn't care for on the Sirio is the whip is long and is very thin making it whip around a lot but being stainless steel, it's very durable. The overall antenna length is nearly 7 ft. which is some thing to consider height wise if it's going to be mounted on your truck's top mirror post.

The Wilson 2000 or 5000 is really good enough. All those big coil aluminum antenna don't work any better, they just handle more power than any sane person would run and they look cool!

All advertising aside, most 4 or 5 ft. mobile antennas will work just as good as each other. The key is a good solid mount with a good D.C. ground to the cab or chassis and tuning it up to a low SWR which is usually where the antennas resonant point is.

Most fiberglass loaded antennas I see in truck stops these days are 5/8 wave. While not a true 5/8 wave in length, it is electrically wound to simulate one, or at least in theory. All that extra wire coiled up means more inductive losses and less power radiated. Don't use them or any antenna shorter than 4 ft. The longer the antenna, the better.

If you have a Freightliner Cacadia, you probably seen those add on birds perch brackets that mounts to the mirror post. I have seen drivers mount a 102 whip on them and angle them forward about 20 degrees or so. The overall height from the ground to the tip still looks to be around 14 ft. This is still the best mobile antenna you can go with efficiency wise if height isn't an issue.

 

[543_Dallas]

I'd put the longest skipshooter antenna on it you can.

I see a lot of guys with a 102 whip on their rigs but most of the current is radiating from the lower portion of a 1/4 wave antenna. Since the whip has to be mounted so low it's not ideal.

 

[fourstringburn]

I'd put the longest skipshooter antenna on it you can.

I see a lot of guys with a 102 whip on their rigs but most of the current is radiating from the lower portion of a 1/4 wave antenna. Since the whip has to be mounted so low it's not ideal.

Not always the case. That's why I mentioned the Freightliner Cascadia since there are commercially made brackets and using a 102 whip will be about 5 ft. off the ground. That's just as high or higher off the ground than the typical 4 wheeler will have it.

The pic below is not a 102 whip but it's just to give a visual example to what I'm talking about.

 

[543_Dallas]

Not always the case. That's why I mentioned the Freightliner Cascadia since there are commercially made brackets and using a 102 whip will be about 5 ft. off the ground. That's just as high or higher off the ground than the typical 4 wheeler will have it.

The pic below is not a 102 whip but it's just to give a visual example to what I'm talking about.

I understand. It will work as good as the guys running them behind the cab of a pickup.

 

[fourstringburn]

I understand. It will work as good as the guys running them behind the cab of a pickup.

Pretty much, mobile antennas are usually a compromising situation. The best compromise for each vehicle is usually what we end up with.

 

[543_Dallas]

Pretty much, mobile antennas are usually a compromising situation. The best compromise for each vehicle is usually what we end up with.

I've had better luck with a loaded antenna on the roof or as high as I can get it vs a 102 down low. I'd run a 102 on the roof if I could.

 

[ctvanover]

I've had better luck with a loaded antenna on the roof or as high as I can get it vs a 102 down low. I'd run a 102 on the roof if I could.

I was thinking about maybe the 102" whip or the Sirio trucker 5000 and maybe mounting it to a grab handle on the back of the sleeper. Maybe running some type of rubber hose down it to protect it from any grounds. What do you think?

 

[543_Dallas]

I was thinking about maybe the 102" whip or the Sirio trucker 5000 and maybe mounting it to a grab handle on the back of the sleeper. Maybe running some type of rubber hose down it to protect it from any grounds. What do you think?

The rubber hose might not be a bad idea. It still doesn't change the fact that the antenna is mounted so low.

As fourstringburn said almost every mobile antenna is a compromise somewhere. Give it a try and see how it works.

 

[fourstringburn]

I was thinking about maybe the 102" whip or the Sirio trucker 5000 and maybe mounting it to a grab handle on the back of the sleeper. Maybe running some type of rubber hose down it to protect it from any grounds. What do you think?

Behind the sleeper can be the worst place for an antenna especially if you are pulling a Van or Reefer. Reason is you have too much metal surrounding the antenna.

If you pull flatbeds or tankers, then behind the cab can be ideal because the antenna can be more out in the open and mounted directly centered behind the cab.

Just something to think about before mounting behind the cab

 

[rabbiporkchop]

Stacked elements on the rear of the vehicle outside the rear fairings work quite well on Volvos and stacked dipoles mounted the same way work quite well on plastic bodied trucks..

 

[rabbiporkchop]

I'd put the longest skipshooter antenna on it you can.

I see a lot of guys with a 102 whip on their rigs but most of the current is radiating from the lower portion of a 1/4 wave antenna. Since the whip has to be mounted so low it's not ideal.

Most radiation occurs in the upper half of this antenna, but unfortunately most people wouldn't know a decent antenna if it slapped them in the face. Most folks are using bottom load antennas.

 

[HARDROCK]

The main focus on short loaded antennas should be matching the radio to the antenna for maximum radiation also known as maximum smoke.

 

[2FB327]

What type of truck? Out of all the antennas and antenna systems I have made, the Wilson 2000 is the best bang for the money. I run a 5000 that was given to me by a guy that retired.
If you got a plastic truck with air suspension you got to get some metal under it or make a vertical dipole.

 

[HARDROCK]

I drive a macks and freightliners daycab. The 5ft firestik or skipshooter toploads work very well behind the cab , via vicegrip pliers mount because of slipseat operation. I have a stargunn big coil also. I cant tell any differnce in the 3. The main thing is tuning it for resonance NOT lowest swr.