2017+ Cascadia Evolution Antenna Mount

And to please Craigsez, a shot of my clean dashtop (ELD to far right) and the two phones mounted on magnets as well as the GPS.

Edit: the headphone cord has a “wall wart” toroid on it as do the phone chargers, transceiver speaker power, refrigerator, etc. (Insurance).

 

Transmit not yet up to par. Have done 10-miles several times. But, inconsistent.

Receive is really impressive.

I’ll carefully tune the Skipshooters, and use better coax (with better yet to come). Coax is thru door wiring seals. Pull exterior panel between hood & door to access; just a few bolts. Lower side of dash is easy to work thru. Need a fishtape or similar to work thru.

Not pleased with DC grounds, was hoping you’d found something better. Presently have port to bolt holding battery case and fairing. Starboard is just under hood to a firewall arm. 6’ batt cables. If better points are found I’ll buy a roll of braided strap from Electromotion or someone.

Haven’t measured distance between antennas. I’ll do that (108” would be ideal; but these are closer).

Antennas just have some PVC tubing for now for rigidity in wind. Have some more ideas about that, plus mike5511s approach. Just no time at home to go to glass shop yet.

The antenna feedline each has a ferrite toroid to cut RFI travelling on the shield. At the transceiver is the common mode filter. I can definitely (with the DSP speaker) decipher more distant talk than before. Same approach with power.

With skip rolling I have to play with settings. It’s too much. Two-three conversations is one thing, but all of Western North America, another.

 

Distance Between Antennas:

(Pro-Comm Cascadia 2017+ Antenna Mount)

Using the open window glass as catch for the measuring tape, it’s seven feet exactly across interior.

On each sides its an additional 5.5” eyeball-rough to antenna.

So, 95”.

108” would be just shy of mirror center.

OTOH, the antennas are shadowed by the body for one foot of length before they “see” each other.

The antenna is 4” from A-pillar, and using the upright “locked” position, is 10” from A-pillar or visor (if truck so equipped) from 18” upwards.

Past 36” while at rest, the antennas are well more than a foot (and increasing) in distance from body.

IOW, about half of a seven foot antenna “sees” the other for at least one-half if it’s length while 1’ away from truck body.

The mirrors are such, that, were a mount fabricated to take advantage of a quarter wave-length distance of the mirrors, the body (with a condo) would keep them from seeing each other until about 2-3’ of rise.

 

(Revised)

Body between antennas

 

Two requests earlier to make that measurement

 

Finally installed new co-phase coax last week. Tedious work going thru lower half of dash. (Need a wire coat hanger or similar to fish coax thru door seal from outside. Torx-25 and a 1/4 Drive set. Loosen interior pillar panels, and remove outer. Would go faster if not done on a 100F parking lot).

Skip shooters are closely tuned (1.2-1.3 on an RS SWR bridge). Installed now on a pair of Hustler quick disconnects. With PVC pipe as before. One minor antenna tuner change brings numbers back into line for change from stationary to 70-mph.

The MFJ-945e Antenna Tuner shows 1.2-SWR with 70W forward and 1.5 reflected.

Power harness changed from battery (about 20’ long) to circuit box (at about 6’). Have acquired fine-strand 10-ga to replace thick strand 8-ga. Lots of split loom to cover any/all cable or wire.

RiGRunner 4005 showed up. Am mounting it on “end cover” of TAC-COMM TRC-2 Radio Carrier. Ordered tool from DX Engineering to properly crimp Anderson PowerPoles, but (ha!) forget to order dies. This connectors to enable easy rig removal. Can stuff coax, power back thru panel handhold at lower center.

Am changing over to RAM mounts for the two telephones and GPS. Really like those.

Ordered a blemished SKB transport case large enough to drop the radio carrier plus most of my CB gear plus other electronics. Cubed foam for shock absorption. Wheels plus retracting handle. I’ve used a cabinet at home, but short of dedicated toolboxes/bags this now overlarge collection can stay in one container. The “other end” of my sorta slip seater set-up:

1) TRC carrier with eight mounted devices
(Radio, antenna tuner, 12V filter, Common Mode coax choke, Amp, DSP speaker, RigRunner plus RK-56 mike).
2) GPS
3) Second telephone
4) Future dashcam
5) Future satellite radio gear
6) Chargers, cords, adaptors
7) Plus other CB gear (one radio, the mic collection, etc).
8) Limited related gear/supplies to make changes while on road.
9) IPad (on Ram mount).

The rig still sits on the passenger seat. I’ve looked at a variety of laptop stands that bolt to seat frames, but doubt any of them strong enough long term. Seatbelt to secure at present. (Edit: slow old man brain. Just had thought about SKB case. Might be able to fit into footwell to provide that “stand. Hmmm)

I can see radio easily enough, but not so easily as to change channels. So I stay on 19. I’d prefer to have rig up near dash (as if dash face were extended farther into cabin).

Short of further work as above I can now remove and safely transport rig when time for days off.

Also ordered a folding dolly to carry Norcold refrigerator. Other gear in military flight engineer bags to strap to them. So, two wheeled conveyances to move nearly everything in/out of truck on weekly or bi-weekly basis.

Were the other driver to crash the truck, my losses would be minimal, as my exposure isn’t hampered by the ease of removal (no sleeper doors, etc). Pack it and remove from passenger side.

Have gotten too old and stiff to make multiple trips in & out of cab. Bad back makes that genuinely tiring. No temptation to leave valuables a few days. (This approach has extended to every other type of gear or supplies; in-depth. Nothing on the loose. Bags or cases that go into those flight bags, etc. Has been relatively expensive to get to this point).

CB performance has been gratifying. Comes down to other man’s rig. Can talk with local base stations extensive distances. I believe I’m close on creating conditions (environment) for a radio to work well.

I suppose there’s there’s no end point (another “better” radio, etc) and though it’s taken a good while to get to this point, it’s been well worth it thus far.