Top Loaded Antenna

[codeman]

I am looking for a good top loaded antenna that will be going on a flattop semi. I had good luck with a K40 power whip in the past but me being a big dummy tried to take into a car wash that was just too low.

I am looking at either another K40 power whip or a Wilson Silverload. Currently I am running my back up francis. I did have good luck with the K40 and I was able to talk about 15 miles mobile to mobile and about 25 miles to a base. Plus i was able to make DX contacts with just a Connex 3300hp. OR how about a skipshooter antenna?

One other thing i will be upgrading to a SSB radio in the near future, so would one be better then the other for SSB?

I wish I could find another Van Ordt Power Stick that was a hell of a good antenna but I know they don't make them any more.

Thanks for any help

 

[W5LZ]

The only one I don't think you'll find is that 'Van Ordt Power Stick'. The rest are more common than you might think and still on the market as far as I know.
As for a special kind of antenna for SSB, there's no such thing. An antenna will work as well with SSB as it will with any other mode.
And you are in good company about knocking an antenna off some way. If someone hasn't done it, they will eventually, unfortunately. Except me! I ain't never, and I hope I never do again...
- 'Doc

 

[2RT307]

I've used the Silverload and Firestik 5' with very good results. Moderate success with a 4' Skipshooter and 4' Everhardt, only because I like to play on the freeband, and could not find a happy spot for the SWR's on CB and freeband combined. Francis antennas are pretty good, and I used to run a 7' one on my old '69 Bug. Looked pretty funny, but it worked! They aren't rated for much power though, and that is the reason I went with the Wilson and Firestik products.

73,
RT307

 

[codeman]

Thanks for the response. I went ahead and bought a 4' Wilson Silverload. So I'll put it on tomorrow and see how it does. I also got a heavy duty spring to go along with it so maybe the next time I hit something with the antenna it will have a little better chance of surviving. I would like to try the 5' but I know it would last only a week, it would just be way too tall on my truck.

I remember years ago me and a buddy were about 10 miles out of Memphis and we both tried to reach a cb shop there, we both had comparable radios I had some sort of coil antenna, he had one of those skip shooter antennas. Well he was able to contact them, and me with my coil antenna could not get them to come back to me until I was a couple of miles closer. He gave me a hard time because his cheap nail tipped antenna outdone my fancy coil setup.

 

[boomer111]

6 ft. silver tune the best, for running power. But are stiff.

There is another antenna that is thinner and more flexible but the name eludes me now. been to long out of the rig. It comes in I thin 4 1/2 and 5 1/2 ft lengths. They are black and not wound on the outside like the silver loads are. They work real well and are cheap to. They do break easier though but are lighter.

 

[codeman]

Hey Booomer, the antenna you are thinking of is probably the Francis antennas. I am going to give this Wilson a try