Hogged out the hole for the stud in the Pro-Comm T680 mounts so as to fit some beehives. Used a carbide cutter (alternated with a 9/16 drill bit) in a Wally World rechargeable drill that luckily had enough juice to do both sides.
Maybe these studs have little more flex to accommodate the
new 7’ Skipshooters I picked up a few weeks back. (They are
top heavy; takes two hands to screw them in unlike the shorter lengths; they’ll sway if you look at them hard enough).
The previous 7’ set must have had 40-60k on them used on three different trucks beginning in 2018. One of them recently broke off at the ferrule.
Always amazed me that they didn’t break while running the Llano Estacado (130-mph headwinds some days; steady 40-mph crosswinds others). Some of us used 1.5’ sections of PVC pipe to help cut the rotational whip.
Also bought a pair of 6’ plus the beehives at a Florida Skipshooter dealer near Jacksonville that served interim until now. A good backup pair stowed away.
The
sensitivity I’ve come to expect is now back. The 6’ are fine, but the octane rating was too low to run
a side mic 959. The 7’ get
just far enough above the trailer to make a difference. (Men make comparisons — rightfully — of the 7’ Skipshooter against a
102” whip). .
Moved the antenna feedpoint chokes up closer, and swapped back to a KL-203 for a cleaner cab. (Can be seen atop radio).
The other amps are physically too big, overall. I couldn’t detect enough of a performance difference that made them worth the hassle
plus another 7’ of coax, etc. (Removed three of four coax jumpers and replaced with adapters on shortened lines).
Still need more RF Bond work. Doors, cab corners, etc. (Maybe next trip outbound).
Closer to
Eldorado828 cab appearance standard as shown in pic, now.
Sitting at the famous
LEE HI (T/A chain) in Lexington, VA, not far from both Interstates 64 & 81. Listening now to locals & regionals greeting each other as their day winds down (or their week has gotten underway).
I’m back to doing air checks at a significant distance.
Easily.
On into District of Columbia traffic tomorrow in the fog.
I know y’all are jealous of not making that run!
.
