Idea for hooking up radio in the truck. Need advice.

[binrat]

OK, I have never posted a picture since the upgrade so here it goes.

 

[falkor923]

8113 - Run a wilson 5000 mag mount, and turn that amp way down if its variable. Maybe you can give it less drive until you add the second battery. It certainly wouldn't hurt, but the wilson I would make happen for sure.

 

[8113 Northern MN]

I have the 4foot Firestick going into a heavy duty mag mount with a spring between the mag and the antenna. Is there really that much of a difference between the Wilson and a Firestik?

 

[binrat]

Is there really that much of a difference between the Wilson and a Firestik?

I have had negative experience with Firestik and for the most part good with Wilson. A 4' is a bigger compromise over a Wilson magmount (which is also a compromise as well).

 

[falkor923]

I'm not sure about the 4ft FStick, but I know the wilsons are very sensitive for receive and can tune to sub 1.5 on a TBlazer. I have a GMC Envoy (same) and have run my 5k on it (b4 stolen). So i was thinking if you have an antenna tuned well, you will hear better and make better use of your power.

 

[mb91w126]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sportsmans-Series-2000-Watt-Portable-Generator/21174257

Amazon product ASIN B00D7CWSCG
problem solved, NEXT?!

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I have my base set up for quick and easy disconnect and connect so I can use it when Im out in the truck. Problem is, I can literally watch my voltage meter swing when Im keying up and talking with the linear running. My alternator just cant handle the amperage its pulling.

I have two Powerverter PV400 (http://datasheets.globalspec.com/ds/2371/TelephoneStuff/9311D55C-F960-4B8E-9318-F832D6573265) and was thinking I could easily just hook this up and then hook up one of my extra base station power supplies with the Linear hooked up to that. Perhaps this would not have as much draw on the battery and put more pressure on the Inverter instead of the alternator.

So, anyone every attempt this or know of anyone who has done it successfully?

Power is power. You cannot create power from thin air. If you used the inverters thinking they would carry the load better than the alternator where do you think the inverters are getting their power from? I don't mean to sound harsh but rather make you think about things for a minute. You would in fact be adding even MORE load to the alternator and battery system because nothing operates at 100% efficiency. The more devices you add the lower the overall efficiency becomes. DC equipment is best operated straight from the battery with no power supply/inverter in the middle. in effect you would be taking 12 volts DC converting it to 120 volts AC and then converting THAT back down to 12 volts DC again. Lots of inefficiencies happening there.

 

[mb91w126]

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Sportsmans-Series-2000-Watt-Portable-Generator/21174257

Amazon product ASIN B00D7CWSCG
problem solved, NEXT?!

I know there is a Walmart down in Wadena, I was there 2 years ago...

 

[8113 Northern MN]

mb91w126, I have one of those and a 40amp one in my shack right now. Thats actually exaclt what I was planning on using. And Wadena is about 3 and a half hours away from me. We have Walmarts close by though haha!

I went out and tried this setup and it did in fact completely take the dimming/blinking away during TX. Captain, I understand there are inefficiencies in this setup and that converting 12v to 120 and back down to 12 creates alot of loss, but it seems as if the strain isnt on the alternator with this setup. Im thinking that with the Linear connected directly to the battery it is causing alot of ups and downs and draining fast during keying up. Perhaps the Power Supply is bettered suited to handle that up and down then the Battery /Alternator is. Im not understanding why this works...

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

mb91w126, I have one of those and a 40amp one in my shack right now. Thats actually exaclt what I was planning on using. And Wadena is about 3 and a half hours away from me. We have Walmarts close by though haha!

I went out and tried this setup and it did in fact completely take the dimming/blinking away during TX. Captain, I understand there are inefficiencies in this setup and that converting 12v to 120 and back down to 12 creates alot of loss, but it seems as if the strain isnt on the alternator with this setup. Im thinking that with the Linear connected directly to the battery it is causing alot of ups and downs and draining fast during keying up. Perhaps the Power Supply is bettered suited to handle that up and down then the Battery /Alternator is. Im not understanding why this works...

It just defys the laws of physics for it to work better.There is no other source of power other than the alternator/battery so where would the extra losses be accommodated from? I suspect that perhaps you had a bad connection somewhere that you did not notice and it was remedied inadvertently when you installed the inverter/power supply. If you actually monitored the current being drawn for the same power output you would find that you are drawing MORE power from the alternator/battery system NOW than you were before. I guarantee it. If the radio and amp are drawing the same amount of power and now the inverter/power supply are thrown into the mix and they operate less than 100% efficiently then by the laws of electrical power transfer the system MUST be drawing more power than before. TANSTAAFL.

 

[falkor923]

8113 - Your truck I think has a 130A minimum alternator....you shouldn't be dimming as badly as you describe unless that amp is bigger than 4 2879 finals. I wonder if RF is causing issues with the vehicle's electronics. PS - if it is bigger than I mentioned, definitely ditch the Firestick because its rated around 300W. FS2 = 900W.

Edit - I suspect that perhaps you had a bad connection somewhere that you did not notice and it was remedied inadvertently when you installed the inverter/power supply. = Logical Possibility Here...

No way with an inverter it would be better suddenly, the why's have been stated and make sense.

 

[Robb]

Binrat was spot on when he said: "...the first 100w is most effective."

Running a 4 ft Firestik and wanting to get out with 400 clean watts in a mobile is a little shortsighted; don't ya think? What about a real mobile antenna and let the antenna do the work as it should?

Even if you choose a 1/4 wave steel whip, it will only have unity gain at best. Which is still a far cry better than a Firestik with less than unity gain. Don't even tell me you believe that hype from Firestik saying that it is 5/8 wave. No; the only real solution is a 1/4 wave. Keep in mind that even the Sirio 4000 and 5000 antennas are less than a 1/4 wave. But isn't it about skip conditions? Yes; it is.

Where you mount the antenna will determine how effective it will be for both local and skip conditions . . .

I use a Sirio with a Galaxy DX-99V (on 10m; same thing), and when conditions are right I can talk from Australia to France, Germany, Italy, and England from here on the West Coast. The best you can do is to even make your mobile antenna do the barking. Never really has been or never will be a power play. No sense in trying to put 500lbs of manure in a 100lb bag - is there?

 

[falkor923]

My point exactly, get a better antenna, tune it and you can do more with less...adding an amplifier to your setup with out the basics being sorted is just complicating things.

 

[8113 Northern MN]

I bought this Firestik at a local Truckstop and on the packaging it said it was rated to 1000 watts in big orange letters.
* Checked the receipt....its a Firestik II FS Series 1000 Watt 5/8 Wave Mobile Antenna.

Captain, Yea im not sure what is going on and after reading your post earlier Im looking more into it. I threw it all together on a whim after reading the replies just to figure out if there would be any difference. As for loose connections or bad ones....that isnt it because ALL i did was unscrew two screws holding the + and - in and then screw them into the inverter. Same process I have done over and over for months between the Linear and the Audio Amplifier in the truck.


*To be sure I have taken the Inverter and power supply back out of the equation and plugged the linear directly back into the battery and once again I have severe dimming. I cant experiment anymore tonight as it has gotten late and dont wanna piss neighbors off. But something is definitely funky here.


As for the Alternator....I guess I am unsure as to the Amperage of it. I have had minimal dimming since my audio system was installed. I have a capacitor inline with the audio amplifier to help with that and it knocked it pretty much all out. Gonna go through it all tomorrow and maybe rewire the entire system all up again. I feel like maybe this whole dimming issue is a ground issue.

 

[8113 Northern MN]

Robb, ive talked across the pond multiple times in the mobile using the Firestik. I guess I dont have any complaints about it. Ive never really wanted to spend money on a top tier auto antenna because I spend such little times using the CB in the mobile. Its more of a long trip companion then anything else. I was using a crappy old KB30 antenna and couldnt make anything for contacts with my other smaller 150 watt linear. With the firestik and the Palomar Star IV (500 watt?) Ive made good long distance contacts but again its never been my focus. I live in a very rural area of Northern Minnesota and like to stay in contact with the local friends of mine if im not at home. If im in the next town away 30 miles away its nice to crank up the linear and be able to stay in contact with them...as opposed to hearing them but not being able to get ahold of them.