Location of CB antenna: roof, behind cab driver side or behind cab passenger?

I've got a 1/4 wave (20") 2m HAM antenna on my roof, and a 3' firestick on my bed.

Having mounted them both, I don't think the sheet metal in the roof is sturdy enough to support one of those 4' fiberglass firesticks. Too long, stiff, and heavy. Eventually, you'll brush a tree or something - not necessarily off-roading - even on a neighborhood street.

 

I prefer the Wilson specifically for its very flexy construction.

 

Yeah, the wilson appears a much lighter and more flexible whip than the heavy stiff firestick.

 

Mine is in the back passenger corner of the bed. I didnt want it right up against the cab.

 

why are you so insistent on telling me my setup doesnt work. cab height is only 18" from top of bed rail. 6" of spring and disconnect leave only 12" of cab subtracted from 3' firestick leaves 24" above the cab or 66% (2/3rds). im no CB expert but i know my setup works. i receive signals from the freeway at my house which is at its closest point 10 miles line of sight. i bet you wouldn't even believe me if i told you the sky was blue where i live either.

 

Hey man you still remember this post? It's pretty old lol. I have a tonneau cover and was wondering how you mounted the antenna behind the cab with a bed cover. I'd like to do something like you, would you mind showing some more pics /details?

 

Yeah I can get some pics of it tomorrow. I work second shift. Basically, what I did was make a small plate cut holes to fit two bolts and the antenna. I used the two bolts to make a studs and bolted the plate to it. Ill get some pics

 

For what little it's worth, my dad was a telecom tech for 40+ years and when I specifically asked him about this he said go with a magnetic roof mounted antenna. He specifically did installs on EMT/EMS vehicles, managed several shops and was a Motorola rep for a good part of his career so I'll just put him down as a +1 for the roof mounted option.

As always, mine is only one comment on the internets so your milage may vary accordingly.

/don't have a CB yet but will be going with roof mounted no matter what so I can take it off and park in the garage

 

Roof mount is all fine and dandy if your never wheeling in the woods. It would be a pain getting out and taking the whip antenna off. Some will say range is greatly decreased with a mount like mine. From the times I've used it, it works great. I don't need to communicate with people 20 miles away, just the trucks in the group I'm wheeling with. Parking in the garage is easy with my mount because it folds down.

 

Well, shit. Believe it or not there are actually a lot of trees in Arizona (actually largest stand of Ponderosa Pine in the worlds, an hour or less from where I live in the Phoenix metro area) so THAT is a consideration I need to take.
Since I don't have a CB at all yet, it's not like I can say much about one solution over another. Thanks for the comment though because I really forgot about that. Driving in and out of the garage is one thing, whacking an antenna on every tree limb would be really annoying.