Need some opinions on radio/antennas

This will work ok if you keep the antenna away from the metal of the cab, but if you can get the antenna above the cab, it will work even better. Just check your SWR's and make sure you don't get a lot of reflect due to the antenna being so close to the metal.

 

Agree ! it will work better ...

 

for coax just get some RG8x or also called mini 8. For mount get you one of the heavy duty 6" spring mounts unless you need the easy disconeect and then get a breedlove.

 

That's fine to run the swr meter in-line. Depends on your Ratshack. Mine doesn't carry anything for cb's so I buy most of my stuff online or at a trusted cb shop once in a while.

 

GASP .....

Radioshack cable is JUNK ....... try www.copper.com or www.randl.com

as for wiring the meter in in line you don't need to do that you can remove it when your done and only install it if there is a problem.

 

I prefer to keep my meter in-line so I can give it a quick check everyday just to be sure I don't fry a very expensive setup.

 

Nothing wrong with that however when your using only ONE band the antenna should either work on not when you cover many like I have too My tuner has a meter built in ....

 

Good luck finding any CB stuff at Rat Shack...or should I just call them the "phone barn". I think I bought out the last 102 whip they had in the stores and that was a year and a half ago. Had to give them a part number so they'd know what that 9 foot cardboard tube in the rear was.

Those fools don't know a diode from a transistor from a rectifier from a capacitor. But they can sure hook me up with a cell phone if I needed one. And to think I am a young guy in my early 30's that must have caught the tail end of the good old days of ding ding full service gas stations and real electronical stores.

Anyways sorry about my rant. You'll need to get your coax from a good CB shop if you can find one, or order online from somewhere, or sometimes you might get lucky at the local truck stop but then you're going to pay quite a bit and it may not be as good.

As for the meter in line, yes you can do that.