Powerful radio

Yup takes more than a tower. I was just horsin' around

 

Rabbi is correct. There is a difference between physical and electrical lengths.

 

I am so doing this when I get my shack running. The floodlight one and the "di-bulb" look interesting.

 

Ok..Here comes my 2.429 cents.....
That 29 bone stock can get you a good 10 mi or more BUT you need a good antenna set up....
You can buy a 500 watt radio and STILL be no better off cause of antenna set up...Thats lime sayin your the fast runner but ya got no legs....

A ok radio with a good antenna set up will be more efficient with the 4 watt cobra and do more than a 500 watt radio on on a crap antenna set up....

Swr,means squat for the most part so dont assume a low swr is really good...
Dont get hung up on antenna wattage rateing either,most is bs anyways...

Grounding doesnt seem to be explained from the 1st few pages i went through....

Height is might when it comes to antennas..The k 40,wilson 2000 and even the good ole predator 10k all work bjt it may not be the best for your set up cause they are mid load(where coil is on antenna)you want a top load lime the fire stick you have or a skipshooter....Taller is always better but keep to the 13'6" limit on a big truck...

1st grounding.....Cant do it on a car or truck very well....Its by far better on a big metal roof of an older car or even the trunk in the center but difficult on a newer big truck cause of what its made of and how its put together...Best we can do to help is called "Bonding"..Most call that grounding and basically what your trying to do is to connect as much as possible of the metal surfaces of said car/truck/van so that rf can travel around the car,truck ect to simulate metal mass under the antenna(counterpoise)which antenna sees as its magical other 1/2...
DO NOT buy cheap ant studs cause they usually are crap..
DO NOT mount antenna on back of cab wall or a car/ pick up fender cause your not gonna get what antenna needs to see..A dummy load can have a perfect swr but doesnt get out at all..Antenna placement is of major importance..

DONT fall for big power 1st then do ant/ coax updates,focus on antenna 1st and trust me its a black art im still workin on..
Ill post a few links to get you started...

Bonding vid..


KØBG.COM Go study..

Bond strap...You can make or buy....I made my own...



Antenna studs..

Thats enough to get ya all started....Got questions,ask....

 

At the TA? A&R.