Redeemed: rngr's Trail Taco w/side of T4R

Free. Fits 2nd gen bed rails.

 

Sub'd

 

This will be about the tenth time I've said this, but I'm serious this time.

I'm done with my stupid magnetic CB antenna. Looking at this. Probably will be mounted on a tail gate or ditch light bracket.

https://www.rightchannelradios.com/collections/cb-antennas/products/firestik-cb-antenna-kit


3' or 4'?????? I only use the radio on the trail. I have no need to talk to someone 5 miles away.

I see the coax usually comes in 18' lengths. Is there any disadvantage to having suck a long cable if it isn't needed?

 

3' if it's just for the trails. They have 9' lengths of coax.

 

Yea I saw that, but I might need more if I go the tailgate mount route. Wondering if there is any issue with bundling up several extra feet if cable.

 

For some reason I thought I remembered someone saying that having lots of extra coax would hurt signal quality.

 

i meant 9' for an A-pillar mount. I used 18' and coiled up about a foot worth, and i haven't had any issues.

 

It's good practice with long coax runs to coil them up and then twist the coil into a figure eight and tie it up that way. Otherwise the coax itself can tend to act as an antenna and pick up noise. Also should help with the VSWR.

 

How you like your OME 1st gen set up? I'm about to pull the trigger on the kit for myself.

 

I still don't know why you have so many problems with your magnetic mount. Every time I put it on your roof for you it stays on. Mine doesn't fall off either. Has to be operator error.

Also, couldn't resist...

You're asking if there's a disadvantage to sucking a long cable...you been doing "squats" with Zachk?

 

Yea, that's what I remember. Thanks! so, you're saying having a long cable helps with VSWR (whatever that means)?

It is...okay. I am very very pleased with the dakars. They carry moderate weight and flex well. The shock absorbers leave a lot to be desired though. I plan to move to a nice performance coilover when these are dead. I was much more satisfied with the ride of my 2nd gen with 5100's (probably comparing apples to oranges due to the different trucks). However, the reviews I read about the 1st gen 5100's made me to opt for OME this time around. Don't let me scare you, they are just fine. You just won't hear me rambling on about how sweet my truck rides.

Save me the money of buying a new antenna and ride around with me to make the magnet behave. Gid spent half a day with his arm out the window holding it.

Lots of squats with Zachk.

 

Haha!

In the CB/HAM world, you'll see references to SWR, which stands for Standing Wave Ratio. VSWR is just a more precise way of saying the same thing. I work in the radio frequency world, so its habit to use VSWR. Anyway, think of it in rough terms as a measure of the reflected power versus how much power is input to the antenna. If the antenna is relecting most of the energy back to the radio, it isn't being transmitted (and radiated) and it might actually blow up the output stage of the radio.

So, in the interest of getting good range (because range is proportional to power transmitted), you hook up an SWR meter to your CB setup, and you tune the antenna until you're better than 1.5:1.

And to clarify, long cables aren't usually a good thing, especially at long wavelengths like CB and HAM. But since most of us don't want to deal with connectorizing a cable cut to the perfect length, you buy one a specific length and coil up the excess. Since coiling a conductor increases its inductance (don't worry about what that is), you twist the coil into a figure eight to eliminate that effect.

/end nerd out

 

Wilson Lil Will and 18' of coax. No issues except when mag mount meets parking garage.

I blame operator error.

 

That's awesome. I love a good nerd out.

 

Correct.

 

Obviously. Ha Ha. Won't make that mistake again.

 

Mine is a K40, and works great.

 

I'll tell him the truth .... They are fine for the road, not fine for the trails. Generally a soft pavement ride equals a bouncy dirt ride. His truck made me sea sick riding on the trails. Back and forth and back and forth and back and forth and you get the idea. I don't know if there is a median between those shocks and good coilovers (probably bad coilovers) but good God you don't know what you're missing if you've never had properly valved coilovers on your truck while trail riding.

I'm saying this without any other point of reference because I don't know how a stock 1st gen rides but I can imagine a world in which all you enjoy out of the new shocks is the lift.

 

Did you have trouble getting the old tow hook bolts to line up? Not a bolt length issue but an alignment issue. I've every other bolt in but those tow hooks bolts.

The frame seems to be too narrow for the bolts to line up on bottom but it can't be any wider or the bumper won't slide back over the frame horns