top load vs center load antenna

What they were talking about was polarization angle. Cross polarization can lose 20 dB of signal. All you do is forward tilt your antenna to where at highway speed in average wind it is nearly vertical. Unless you have close stacks behind them, in that case I err toward forward somewhat to unload the antenna from the stack. Fiberglass has some dissipation and lowers light speed (adds capacitance) upsetting the ratio of phase and group velocity, as well it holds moisture and road chemicals adding to this loss effect. This results in loss of some degree. Metal depending upon composition can coat itself with an oxide layer approaching the skip penetration depth at 27 MHZ, also you will have more wind corona induced static (noise). In weak DX conditions this could matter. You always compromise somewhere. Also for metal consider geometry and metallurgy, many joints VS seamless welding matters. In my opinion nothing beats the Monkey Made IX in these considerations. Large ribbon inductor of high efficiency and seamless welding throughout. Assuming you do not have to compromise mounting this monster down low and too far forward tilted to get down the road.

On a 4 wheeler I still prefer the 102" SS unless I can find a Francis CB 50 Amazer, ASAIK no longer made due to over length shipping costs.

 

BS. I don't have to bull horn my 5000 as much as I did my glass sticks to keep them off the stacks and standing straight up going down the road.

While the stainless whips are more flexible, they don't catch as much wind, which means I don't see them bending back as far going down the road.

Stay far away from the wilson fiberglass sticks. I bought a pair and had one fail, replaced the failed 1 then had the other one fail. I went single with the one good one till SWR went through the roof with that one also.

I found the issue with them. They have a very poor solder connection at the base and the main wire breaks off the base. I was able to repair all three of them using Harris Safety Silv and redoing the way they matted the wire to the base slightly. They tuned out just fine and worked like new after the repair but I had ended up going with the whip style. I gave the Wilson sticks to one of our drivers. He ended up snapping them off anyway. One tree branch and the later 1 due to ice buildup.

 

yeah, I think I'll go with a whip style. Probably K40 6000 watt or maybe the Wilson 5000 watt. I don't think there's a problem with "too much antenna"

I looked my antannae over, both are holding water on the inside now.. the ones that come on the Volvo trucks... I forgot the brand. I looked at their website and you can't even see the specs of their stuff.... supposedly military used, too.

 

I have a Wilson 2000 with 10" shaft to try on the Cascadia, but I haven't had time to tune it yet. There are two problems with the Cascadia mirror mount I believe. One is the antenna is too close to the mirror and and door metal. Tilting forward should help this, but don't tilt further than 22 degrees or you start to lose signal. Two, lack of a good RF ground. I don't get a lot of time to experiment, but I intend to try and tune the Wilson with the 10" shaft, but I may get an 18" shaft also to get the load up and away from the mirror and body. I'm going to try bonding with a 1" braid strap as well. I had time last week to play with it, but it was cold and the wind was blowing hard so I didn't. When I do, I will report my results. I think your idea of using the Predator is a good one. If you go with it, be sure and let us know how it works out. Right now I use a Francis 5.5ft, 18ft of coax (I've explained this elsewhere) but I have to tilt the antenna close to 45 degrees to get a low SWR. (1.4:1 on 27.185, 2.1:1 on 26.735) I don't like the look and I know I'm loosing signal because it's too horizontal, but at least I have a radio I can use, even if it is limited to only a mile or so.

 

Only place my 5 ft Firestick is bending is from heavy duty spring used to save it from snapping when hitting something. Next time I'll try Firestick or K40 flex antennas so I don't need spring. We are allowed to drive max 90 km/h and our trucks are more aerodynamic so less turbulence, that might make difference.

 

Rami makes the antennas for volvos and other truck manufacturers.

 

Rule so thumb is to run an antenna that has twice the wattage rating as what you are going to put through it.

 

My Firestick is rated at 1000W, don't know if it's AM/FM or SSB.

 

But the cheap francis sticks are like, what, 300 watts????