I am doing a experiment with a cheap top loaded antenna- a Procomm 4 foot flexible whip. The standard 4 foot OEM replacements found at any truck stop. Not trying to hijack this thread. I had some extra time this week so I wanted to do a simple test. To see how an inexpensive top loaded antenna performs when its just put on a decent antenna system, then not adjusting SWR- just screw it to the antenna stud and go. I used a 4 foot antenna because that's what was on hand.
My daily driver is a 2017 Nissan Rouge. the antenna mount is a Firestik Door Jam mount. its the stainless steel tilt-able mount, with set screws to adjust and hold the final angle of the mount. The mods to the mount are: I upgraded the mounting screws to course thread stainless steel screws to get a better grip into the metal in at the hatchback door jam and second, I changed the Firestik stud to a Drivers Extreme Bee Hive Mount, the center stud in the bee hive is stainless steel, its similar to the Wilson Bee Hive mounts. I changed the stud to increase the surface area contacting the mount to improve strength of the mount. The mount is installed at the driver's side rear in the hatchback door jam just below the brake light. My concern at this location is rotational torque stressing the antenna and mount. The coax is 18 feet Browning rg8x with Amphenol connectors, coax made at Bob's CB. What I wanted to see by trying the Procomm 4 foot top load was will an inexpensive top load antenna perform satisfactory if it placed on a antenna system with a decent mount and coax with OK ground plane. I am running with a barefoot 10 meter radio, the baby Stryker 89MC v2. Its tune is 10 watt dead key swinging to 40 PEP. The antenna that normally resides on the Nissan Rouge is a Hustler HQ27, 4 1/2 feet, center load.
My results were after install and no adjusting for SWR. On Channel 20= 2.1, Channel 1= 1.4, Channel 40= 2.1. Its obviously too long, thus the center frequency is not center of CB band. I just wanted to confirm it will be safe to operate the radio. I've been running it for just over a week. The receive is noisier than the Hustle HQ27. On the road I am getting about 6-7 miles transmit and receive with clarity. I was just speaking to drivers on I-70. I-79, no formal testing. My conclusion was if I can hear the other guy, then he could hear me. Channel 6 skip, and other skip comes in ok, just with more noise. My comparison for noise is level of annoyance you get with driving by roadside electronic marquee signs with the unavoidable 60 cycle interference. I can conclude with some confidence that 4 foot Skip Shooter or 4 foot Firstik II, which have better manufacturing quality and better surface area in their wire windings will outperform the Procomm Tiger. Also using a 5 footer top load will inprove the ground plane for the antenna system with the increased height.
We have lots of discussions about everything with installs. I wish I could have the money back from all the radios I have given to friends and family, because he had expressed curiosity about CB radio. We all have given away older antennas that we no longer use or have just lost the curiosity factor. My point as being that if I give my extra Uniden 510XL to a friend because He mentioned putting a radio in his farm truck I do not expect him to call and say, "Hey that CB works great, I bought I Mr. Coily Double Coil antenna down at the truck stop." I expect he will pick up whatever was free or cheap to install. Additionally, if we are in situations where snapping an antenna may happen, I would hope the antenna goes before the mount and coax.
It was all just a thought I had floating around my head, that if I spent the time to do a proper install on a vehicle and not running extra power then in the situation with a damaged antenna, is it safe to say that I could replace the antenna with one of similar height and expect reasonable operational performance until I could properly adjust the antenna.
**Disclaimer- There is not scientific basis for anything I just said.
