Cascadia question, which mount?

get the mount thats attached to a different truck

 

I use this one most of the time. I get the best SWR using a 5ft Skip Shooter antenna, I believe a 6ft one would be even better but I haven't tried one yet. I have tried the following antennas: Francis, 4.5 and 5.5ft; Wilson 2000; Monkey Made.

If I drove the same truck all the time, I would run new coax to the factory mount on the side of the sleeper and by-pass the factory junk, and probably use a Francis or Skip Shooter antenna. Someone else did that on here with good results. You can also put an antenna on the back of the sleeper and get a good SWR, but your antenna will be blocked most of the time and you won't get out very far.

 

I drive a 2012 Cascadia, I ran my own coax to the factory mount and doctored the mount since the factory stuff is the real small stuff. I run a FirestikII and my SWR is 1:3.

 

Just to add my 2 cents here. The bird perch is not a great setup for performance, neither is any mirror mount. I have seen MANY references here about grounding etc. You need to remember the antenna does not work off the ground, it requires a ground plane. This is a large take advantage of flat metal surface. yes by extending your ground you can advantage of as ground plane that the antenna is not directly mounted to. However best performance will be had when you can have antenna mounted right to a large ground plane.

Every see those crazy skipshooters and contesters? It's no co-incidence so many run big antennas on Suburbans or similar SUVs. Big ### ground plane radiates better.

Point is mirror mounts and perches are compromises at best. Of course if it ain't your rig or you don't want to cut it up, it is a way to go.