cb antenna ???

I have a cobra 75 wx st, and i am wanting to buy a 2' firestick antenna, but i dont know if that will be sufficient for what I am trying to do. Basically, i am planning on using it on the trails to communicate between trucks. How much range could i expect to get with this setup? I plan on mounting it on the bed rails with a bracket. I dont really want some ridiculously long antenna and i hope this one will be good. thanks

 

It will work don't expect any great range any antenna that short for 26meg hz is a compromise 1-2 miles on a good day maybe. An 11 meter 1/4 wave antenna is 2.75 meters ( a touch over 9 feet) long also CB radios are only 4 watts.

 

So how much better would a four foot be? I really need something that's not gonna be sticking out to high above the roof of the truck so it doesn't hit trees and what not. Also I'm trying to keep it so that I can keep my bed cover installed with the antenna installed.

 

I'm happy with my little wil mag mount. Easy installation and no grounds or mounts to deal with. I've hit branches with mine and knocked it around and it's never come off. Plus you can keep your bed cover.

 

Lil Wil is perfect for our trucks. Remember to tune for correct SWR.

 

this ^^^^^^^^^^^ but sometimes it pops off when offraod

this^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Direct mount wilson

Ain't coming off offroad.

 

^^^ X 3 LiL Will

 

The very best place for any antenna is right in the middle of the roof a mag mount would work fine. The firesticks are 3/8 SAE thread so if you get a mag mount be sure it has 3/8 threads. The 11 meter band is not really a good one, one day you can talk around the world the next you'll have a hard time talking to your neighbor and like some one else said good SWR you need to get every last watt out the antenna. The firesticks are actually pretty good antennas but listen to people about what they are running and how it works for them.

 

I'm in the same boat as this guy. How are you running the wire from the little wil into the cab? I was thinking about mounting a 3' firestik to my toolbox and running the coax into the cab through a grommet in the rear of the cab. If the magnet mount would work on my toolbox and the wire could be installed easily, I'd rather do that.

I was going to mount the box for the CB under my driver's seat and the power through the firewall to the battery.

Thoughts?

 

Have a 4ft fiberglass antenna mounted on the bed rail in the back right of the truck. Doesn't hit anything aside from in parking garages.

 

I'm just running the coax through the rear slider. You're better off just putting it on the roof, I don't know how well it would work on a tool box. Remember when you are tuning your antenna, you are tuning it for the radio but also the location. I don't think you're going to be able to fit a radio under your seat. It's a bitch finding space to mount anything fullsize. I've got a single din cobra 18 that is mounted in between the seat and center console. Not a great radio but I have a pre amp to help her out.

 

Yeah, I definitely don't want that thing on my roof or the cable running through the slider. I have to have something VERY clean in order for me to actually do it.

I'll be buying a cobra 75, so it's just a tiny box to put under the seat. Everything else is contained in the hand mic.

 

i used some duct tape and ran the wire throught my rear pass door.... and tucked it down into the pillar..lil ghetto but works great and you cant see the tape except if you stood on roof

 

If it aint on the roof, don't expect greatness. My truck is black so you don't see the coax. Little bit of electrical tape down the slider edge and in through the bottom of the slider. You can hardly see it. I had a crappy through the glass antenna which looked good but only got about 2 miles range. Also a 4 foot firestik, had to take off my bed cover and still only about 2 mile range. Then I got a little wil. Slapped it on the roof ran the wire (2 minute job) and now I get a good 5-8 mile range some times more.

 

You can access the 3rd brake light from the inside of the cab and trim and silicon a cable through the backside of the light onto the roof. Looks clean and you cant see the cable from street level

 

I am selling a brand new 4' firestik II with spring and mounting bracket. PM me.