FYISo I got so frustrated with mounting an antenna to the truck I pretty much gave up and went with a Wilson 5000 mag mount. SWR 1.3 to 1. My friend had a striker a 10 mag mount put that on my truck SWR down to 1.04 to 1. On the analyzer. That is with a striker 955HPC. Now I found a ranger 2970N4 with an Astatic 575 locally that I purchased. Will I be able to use that mag mount? I highly doubt it but maybe. Have not installed the radio yet. Don’t have a long enough power cord. From trying to install an antenna in the driver side back stake pocket I do have LMR 400 but the mounts are horrible. Any recommendations? I could not get the SWR‘s with 102 inch whip below 1.4 to 1. I do have a AA 55 antenna analyzer. Need help. Thank you.
I also have a 102" stainless whip with a spring. Right or wrong, I did the following "science fair".
Using a Breedlove Quick-Disconnect Mount installed on a Breedlove Stake Pocket Mount located on the forward left (driver's side) stake pocket on my "aluminum" 2019 F-350.
Total length of the Breedlove Quick-Disconnect Mount from top to bottom: 4.490"
Length of spring without the 3/8" stud: 4.275"
Length of whip: 102".
Total length = 110.765"
I loosened the set-screw on the feral at the base of the whip, removed the whip and trimmed-off (Dremel Cutting Wheel) just enough material to obtain a total of 108" from the bottom of the Breedlove mount where the coax connects to the top of the whip.
Right or wrong......it works and the average SWR is 1.3:1.
I also have a (trimmed) 6' Firestick Fiberglass Antenna and have an acceptable SWR with the spring. The diameter of the fiberglass antenna is considerably larger than the stainless whip and at highway speeds, the fiberglass whip with the spring bends-over much more than the stainless whip and the transmit and receive decreases.
I removed the spring from the fiberglass antenna and trimmed the antenna and have an acceptable SWR.