Question about tuning antennas

[thetez]

I live in Rockland County NY And i was wondering if anyone knows where i can get my antennas tuned or if i could tune it myself and how....

My Friend bought a walmart radio, and went to radio shack and got some of those duel antennas that are spliced into one antenna and bolt into the body... although his clipped on his mirrors...
I asked how far he can talk he gave me a distance which is probably about 10 miles away, and its a wooded area.... He claimed those antennas did a lot for him, before he had them he couldent talk very far with his single antenna... He also never got his tuned.... just bought the thing, put it in plugged in the duel antennas and can talk pretty far...
Anyone know if i could do the same... i dont see why not ./... anyone know anything about the duel antennas?

[pro1driver]

Originally Posted by thetez

I live in Rockland County NY And i was wondering if anyone knows where i can get my antennas tuned or if i could tune it myself and how....

My Friend bought a walmart radio, and went to radio shack and got some of those duel antennas that are spliced into one antenna and bolt into the body... although his clipped on his mirrors...
I asked how far he can talk he gave me a distance which is probably about 10 miles away, and its a wooded area.... He claimed those antennas did a lot for him, before he had them he couldent talk very far with his single antenna... He also never got his tuned.... just bought the thing, put it in plugged in the duel antennas and can talk pretty far...
Anyone know if i could do the same... i dont see why not ./... anyone know anything about the duel antennas?

from what i have seen, dual antenna's are a matched set, so you'll have to replace both of them if one gets damaged. unless there are instructions for tuning antenna's you pretty much install them as is. i might be wrong with this, but dual antenna's work best with "big trucks" rather than pick-up trucks, due to the closeness of the antenna's to each other. in a big truck, those antenna's are spread furthur apart than say a pick-up truck. so, for me, i'd suggest a single antenna for any pick-up truck, maybe the good old fashion 102" whip, or at least a roof top mount.

someone else can make corrections to my statement if need be.

[Gadfly]

Lot of factors here to consider. You, for example, didn't say whether YOU were in a semi or a small vehicle. *IF* you are installing on a pickup truck, the single antenna will work better; dual antennas will do absolutely nothing for you. The best thing about dual, co-phased antennas is--it sells more antennas and makes the dealers happy! There is always a reason why antennas don't work, or one works "better". Basically, without making recommendations as to what antenna is "best", generally speaking, the single antenna will work best and it needs to be up on top of the car/truck--ideally in the center of the roof. Co-phased antennas work better on semis because of the "shading" and directivity of the metal trailer behind. A flatbed should work best with a single antenna. IF it doesn't, then one needs to look at the reasons why.

73

Gadfly