Cascadia Antenna Solutions

There is no perfect solution for the Cascadia. What I have found, and my conclusions are by no means exhaustive, is if you use the mirror mount; use the longest top loaded antenna you can find. I have a 5ft Skip Shooter (looks like it has a nail in the end of it, because it does!) made in Southhaven, MS ( i.e. South Memphis and found at Ray's Electronics across from the McDonald's in the "zoo" at West Memphis). It works well on either the mirror mount, or behind the cab. It seems to reach out further on the mirror mount. I don't have to lean it forward on the mirror mount more than 22 degrees (if I remember right, more than this and your signal starts to deteriorate...even if the bull haulers tell you different) to get a good SWR reading....on both regular 19 and the "low side", 26.735. I intend to see if they can make me one (Skip Shooter) at 7 or 8 feet. Mounted on the mirror mount, it won't be too high and should perform a whole lot better. If I can obtain one, I will report my results.

 

I thought about a 102" whip and have seen a few out there. I think the fiberglass whip would be better because it won't blow around as much as a steel whip. I checked with Ray's CB Shop in W. Memphis Friday about the SkipShooter. SkipShooter has been sold to a company in Illinois. They are still American made. They do make a 7ft antenna. Ray said they are supposed to have some next month. I know I got great results with my 5ft SkipShooter on the mirror mount. My theory is a longer one will give me lower SWR as well as better all around performance. At 7ft it will still be shorter than 13'6". (I am contemplating completely retiring from truck driving and I may never get a chance to test my theory on the "beloved Cascadia.")

 

Wish somebody would try this 7 footer and give us a report. I'm only running part time (slip seating) and will probably retire completely soon, but I would love to hear how a 7 footer would perform. I think it would campare to the 9ft Monkee Made mentioned above.

 

That is true and is caused by all the loss between the antenna and the radio. The coax goes thru several junctions and loses signal at each one. Piss poor design, but Freightliner don't care......and neither does most of the new truck drivers.

 

Good to know. Is it mounted on one of the mirror perch brackets? I think the SkipShooter may be the best fiberglass antenna out there....easier to adjust the SWRz than the rest at least.