day cab needs antenna advice

The way you describe, I have vision of cable being slammed into a new door jam every night. <--- this may work for weeks, even months. But it only takes one time to break it.

The location for antenna is great. I wouldn't spend much on antenna till it was a permanent location.
Good Luck!

 

The longest antenna you can with clearances/ vice grips will hold. I'd suggest cheap fiberglass.

 

A simple 1/4 wave of what ever length you can manage. No brand name, because even the worst is decent enough to get you below 1:1.3 swr. If it is above that level, move the location, or check for ground.

When you find a position w/ the company that allows you to stay with a set up. Then talk high dollar antenna's.

 

I've always had good luck with Francis. SkipShooter (looks like it has a nail stuck in the tip of the antenna) is another very good one. Don't go less than 4ft is you can get buy with it, Francis makes a 4.5ft that works very well and also a 5.5ft. The SkipShooter comes in even feet. I think Firestick and Wilson fiberglass antennas are also in even lengths. As said above, go with the longest one you can get by with. I doubt you can tell the difference in performance by brand with out setting up a test. Length, on the other hand, would be more obvious during normal use.

I use the mount below. Works very well and unlike vise grips it won't "pop" open. It is stainless steel so it won't rust either.


http://www.walcottradio.com/qrcs3-quick-mirror-antenna-mount-p-267.html

 

That is the way I drive as well. One thing to watch for is how you run your coax. Protect it so it doesn't get caught in anything or the coax pull out of the connector. My "go to" antenna is the Francis 5.5ft or SkipShooter in the 5ft. Next in line is the Francis 4.5ft. I really hate to go any shorter than that.

 

Francis makes a 5.5ft