Next question with my swrs: steel or aluminum mount?

You wouldn't be able to use your radio then in these conditions: 2008 thru 2010 Freightliner Cascadia. Using the mirror mount from Walcott.
and a 5x5 Francis antenna. Tried 9ft, 6ft, 12ft and 18ft coax! Nothing gave an acceptable SWR reading except the 18ft. I'm talking less than 1.5:1 compared to up in the red on the other lengths. Now I know there are ground issues, but to throw a radio in a truck, slap an antenna on it and be able to take off down the road and use it, coax length can indeed make a difference. (been a lot of posts on this subjects by some pretty knowledgeable people on here.)

 

Look, I don't what to start an arguement with you but I have a different opinion. If I have an antenna ground plane problem, I want it fixed and I will fix it. Changing the coax length, at least to me, seems to be just fooling the meter to get the swr where you want it.
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It is a minority opinion on this forum; but, it is mine. I do not always agree with the majority and at my age It is highly unlikely that I will consistently conform to the will of the majority.
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Mike while we have never met, I wish you well and good fortune. Merry Christmas to all.

 

If the length of your coax changed your swr reading on your meter that much, then you have other issues going on in your set-up.

 

Before I have a senior moment and forget to ask, Fgb3 could you please identify the cb radio that you will be using and which vehicle. I did a search on your previous posts and could not find that information.
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Picking coax is really subjective. If you will be running an amplifier or amplified cb radio, I would not be able to give you any valid input. I have no experience with amplified systems. Sorry.
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If you are running a factory stock cb radio with only one antenna, I would run RG 58 in a short enough length to connect the antenna to the radio without a lot of excess cable. Many people prefer RG 8 [mini 8] instead. For a stock or nearly stock setup any of the LMR or similar higher cost cable types would be over kill and not at all cost effective for a factory stock cb setup.
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If you have a satisfactory working dual antenna setup already in the tractor, I would use that. If the dual antenna setup supplied was defective or had an extremely high SWR reading on an external SWR meter, I would run a one antenna setup with the coax running though the driver's window and up to the radio. It may well look like crap but I just absolutely hate to run coax cable through the truck body for a proper installation.
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When you compare 18 feet of RG 8 to only 12 feet of RG 58, the RG 8 gets only 0.12% more signal from the radio to the antenna. The RG 58 is about 1/2 the cost and nearly identical performance. For me that is a toss up.
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You asked about connectors. If you are running a cb radio, you will need PL 259 connectors at both ends to connect the radio and the antenna. As far as which brand of connectors, I suppose Amphenol [if I spelled that correctly] is the top brand.

 

Okay, I missed that you have a Wilson 5000 antenna. Gee, it was just above in your post on this thread. Any closer and it could have bitten me in the butt.
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With a Wilson 5000 antenna and K40 coax, you should have a very good setup. The stinger length may be a small issue. That is about it.
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Not trying to be confrontational but at what point will it be good enough? If your SWR is below 2.0, you will not damage the radio. With the Wilson 5000 antenna is your range acceptable? Personally, I would leave well enough alone and skip changing to the Predator antenna.
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IF I have overstepped my bounds, I apologize. I am just an old cheap guy. I wish I could afford the equipment you currently have. I envy you. Hope you get to enjoy your setup for many years. That is all I got for you.

 

I'd never settle for a 2.0 SWR. Something's wrong if you can't get to 1.5:1 or below. Why would you want to purposing loose upward of 11% efficiency?


http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs/SWRLOSS.htm

 

You guys are right, but if you just want to throw a radio in a truck and go, different length coax can make the difference in a SWR so that you can utilize your radio. Yes you are fooling the radio. But the option is not being able to use your radio because you don't have time to fix the ground problems and correct the high SWR issue. Most all the newer trucks have ground issues. You might get lucky and fix them completely or maybe only partially, in which case a longer/shorter coax can make a difference in your SWR reading and make your radio happy. And if your like me and slip seat, you don't have time to correct the problems.

Speaking of happy. Wish everyone a Merry (and safe) Christmas!!