Best antenna

Seriously there is always a best antenna. If you have two antennas one is better than the other, therefore one is the BEST. Not perfect but the best.

 

Steel.

Fiberglass breaks too easy, and hinders range.

Steel in the air = better receive and transmit.

 

No, one is BETTER. I can always find an antenna that's "better" for some things and not others. One antenna works better when out in the flats of the plains states; another works better when running the mountains in the Northeast. It's a tradeoff... and you need to find the compromise that works best for what you are doing.

 

I can truthfully say that I've broken more stainless steel whips than I have Fberglass antennas. And as I said before, there are situations where one works better than the other. Every installation is different.

 

Have both and would have to disagree. The glass antenna will bend as much as the steel. The thicker diameter of the glass will provide an increased wind r3esistance as well. However it's a moot point as, unless you are VERY brave, you will be running some type of spring to absorb shocks if you do hit something.

Steel is more durable (Can be straightened in the event of an "oops") while glass is more corrosion resistant. If you are talking 1/4 wave 108" whip setup, both will perform nearly the same.

Shorter versions will vary in performance based on the quality/construction of the coil necessary to make them electronically the equivalent of 1/4 wave (108").

It's the main reason a Wilson or K40 will outperform a similar Radio Shack or Workman antenna, better design.

 

I would stay away from the Wilson antenna's since they are now made by Barjon. I have good luck with a single K40 Bcmax coil antenna. I had a Wilson 2000 and with both having a swr of 1.0-1.1 the K40 seemed to receive and get out better. Also get 18ft of good coax.

 

I'll agree on the good coax part, but the "multiple of 9 feet" meme is utter BS, most likely originally made up by unscrupulous dealers to sell more coax. Use what you need, and add maybe a foot to the radio end.

 

Bill (or Bob) at exit 71 on i80 in PA is the guru of cb's (in my book) he says 18' is best

i take his word over anyone else's

 

I've always been told 18ft and don't coil the excess in uniform loops, make it a random haphazard pile of coax.

 

Experiment: the fun part!!!