Antenna Recommendation

Let's see some pictures of this set up....(I agree you can't beat the 102" steel whip)

If you get thru W. Memphis, stop at the Mcdonald's among all the truck stops there and look across the street to Ray's CB Shop. Buy a Skip Shooter in as long a length as you can get by with. They are a top loaded fiberglass antenna with what look likes a nail sticking out of the end of them for tuning purposes. Work pretty good on the Cascadia if you are using one of the mirror mount systems.

 

the above^ is the best advice yet.the francis antenna can take direct hits from limbs and whatever and still be good to go.that statement can not be made for most of the rest.i am thinking that francis requests that you use 18' of coax for that pre set/tuned swr deal.

a quality,heavy duty mount with good ground does indeed come into play as well.

 

If tuning for every single truck will be different, buying a pre tuned antenna seems like taking 2 steps backwards

 

Kind of. An antenna can be made broadbanded by increasing system losses. A 50Ω noninductive resistor will give a 1:1 match from "DC to daylight" by having 100% loss (or an efficiency of zero).

 

Haha, you can get any antenna really, it will work. It is a complicated task to set up a lossless antenna on our trucks as there are countless variables involved.

I couldn't find that smiley that denotes stirring the pot or I would've added it on my first post.

I started reading up on the subject a year or so ago, I got information overload and my head was going to explode. I ended up setting my antenna up according to what I learned as best I could, got the reactance to 0 on channel 19 then other stuff came up and had to put that project on the back burner for a while.

 

I was editing my previous post and added some stuff while you posted

 

Well you asked.......

 

Originally Posted by TAC12
WOW.....
I just needed an antenna....lmao......never knew it was surgery......

I have a standard ebay purchased Cobra 25 WX LTD Classic.....Thought I could just order and ole fiberglass mast of ebay too. I guess I was wrong...
Seeing how most CB's only get out about a couple of miles or so anyway what would you recommend as a good set up and approx. price to do it?

Mike suggested that two radios that are exactly equal, the one with a better quality coax, mount and antenna will perform MUCH better than the other exact radio that has poor quality coax mount and antenna. He is absolutely correct in his effort to help you.

Ha Mike I will be in Fayetville Tuesday March 25TH, watch out for the red W900 he has the hammer down.