Simple CB Antenna Mount

I wanted a simple antenna mount so here it is:

Using the FireStik Fire Ring and the following parts:

1 - 3/8" 24 TPI 2" stainless bolt ($2)
1 - 3/8" SS washer ($0.30)
1 - 3/8" coupling (SS if you can get one - I couldn't today) ($3.29)

Drill out one of the holes in the bedside cleat to 3/8".

 

Cool idea makes it easily removable if you need to.

Are you using the Firestik that doesn't require any ground plain? Model: FG3-648

 

i sure hope so!

 

I haven't hooked it up yet. My thoughts were to use one of these



And ground the bolt to the chassis. Am I on the right track? - I was trained as a rocket scientist - Not an RF engineer.

 

I was reading to use a min of 12 gauge for the ground... I was thinking bird shot?

 

Glad I asked the question. Don't even try to ground it using the method you're thinking about. The rails bolt into the bed which are composite so there's no real place to run a ground wire. If you try to run any length of cable to a groundable site then you'll screw up the tuning on the antena big time. Your best bet is to go with the Firestick II no ground plane antena and save yourself the hassle.

I like the mount idea though and might use it myself instead of drilling holes into the bed.

 

Thanks!

 

So this wouldn't work?

From FireStik
Also, keep this in mind. If it becomes necessary to run a ground wire or braid to a chassis ground point, use a wire of at least 12 gauge. We have reviewed installations where the installer used a small gauge wire (20ga) and when the SWR was tested it fell from over 3:1 to below 1.5:1. However, the power out put was very low due to the undersized path to ground provided by the thin wire. The path to ground must be sufficient enough to carry the power being applied to the antenna.

I have the antenna cable running along side of the frame rail so my thought was to run a ground wire from the bolt to the frame.

 

Even better - just read the description of the antenna I already have - FireStik II = Sweetness! So, no need to ground?

edit - Not so fast there Murphy! - That's not a NGP model!

 

This really is a good idea. I had to make a bracket that would connect to the track on the bed side. This would have been much easier.

 

Great job!

 

Okay - I'm probably glad I didn't hook it up but here's the scoop from FireStik...

"If you ground the only bolt I see in this photo you will short the antenna and it will not work ... will cause high swr that will harm the radio. Multiple problems here. The composite bed will not supply the counterpoise requirement (ground plane ... not to be confused with chassis ground). And it is the mount, not the antenna, that requires grounding. The only "remote" chance of this set up working would be if the slide rail is metal and is chassis grounded and the mount in the channel is metal so that it is chassis grounded via the slide rail. If so, you'd still have problems because the antenna stud mount is not insulated from that bracket it is affixed to. Even then ... there may not be enough ground plane to allow a standard ground plane dependent antenna to work. Wish we had the opportunity to discuss these issues before you got this far.

You have a ground plane dependent antenna. These require both metallic mass and a grounded mount (typically grounded via the typically metal cargo box). Worked with a gentleman last week on same truck and left him with the following options ...

1. Roof Mount
2. Hood Channel Mount
3. No-Ground-Plane antenna system on box. More on No-Ground-Plane

I suspect that if you put an SWR meter on this install that you would find it very high and un-adjustable.

If you moved to a hood channel installation you could salvage the antenna and the coax but would need a hood channel mount (SS-17 ... mount without shown stud) and a FireRing antenna stud mount. "

I guess simple is as simple does!

 

looks awesome

 

very nice mount

 

Were it me, I'd go with a magnet mount and place it on the roof. There are several that will work with your firestick.

I used to run a Wilson 1000 magnet mount on mine and was always well pleased with it.

 

Taylor helped me install mine, we mounted to the bed rail via the supplied bracket with the firestick it, got some mirror fasteners at Home Depot, drilled them out for the larger bolts, used some wing nuts... and walla a great removable setup in the bed rail. Of course, it's grounded to the body in the back. I can try and get some pics...

SWR is great too, about 1.5 on chan near 1:1 on 40.