I don't really want a magnet mount....so I was probably going to go with Alon's CB mount or do something like Rocky did on his Ranger. I was looking at either the stainless steel whips I'm running on the other ranger which are 64" or something like this for the new setup on the 01.

http://www.wilsonantenna.com/fg.htm#flex

It's only 4' but I figure that would fit my needs and still let me park in the garage. I need to do some measurements when I get home to see how much of the antenna will be above the cab of the truck. I need something that is going to bend since I do mostly highway driving. So its either a big stainless whip or something like this. I also thought about one of these...

http://www.walcottcb.com/wilson-truc...nas-p-412.html

So I guess I need opinions on which would be better.

 

my stock antenna is about 3-4 inches lower than my 3ft wilson...where its mounted at...if your looking for a 4ft then you will have to mount on the bumper.....but our trucks dont give out that good of grounds for mounted antennas

Rocky

PM sent back

This is what i have, with my 29LTD peaked and tuned i get out appx 10 miles

http://www.wilsonantenna.com/lilwil.htm

 

So I couldn't mount the 4' Flex to a mount like Alons? They have a 3' flex too. I like the Little Wil, but I won't be able to get in the garage without having to take it off every time.

 

Depends where you put it.....Why whouldnt the little will be able to go under it? The 4ft one wouldnt be able to if you put it how alons is.....

Rocky

 

If I put the Little Wil on the roof, it wouldnt make it. It would hit....which is fine, I just don't want to ruin the antenna pulling in and out of the garage. If I put the Little Wil on a mount similar to yours, then I'd have plenty of room. I'm leaning against a mag mount on the roof....performance aside, I think it looks goofy. I know I know.....I won't get out as far. I'd put the 64" stainless whips I have on the bumper of the red one on the blue one too, but I'd like to not drill holes in the bumper if I don't have to. Once its past the garage door, the antenna has plenty of room. The whips on the on the other ranger hit the door but they've held up really well.

So I'm basically down to 3 spots at this point....

1. A mount like yours with a Little Wil.
2. Alons mount with a 3' fiberglass Wilson Flex.
3. The 64" steel whip or Wilson Trucker whip on the bumper.

 

anyone else have any other mounting ideas?

 

I had dual firesticks in my last Ranger. I mounted them in the bed right behind the cab. When I put them on I laid out where I would just clear the garage door. After I bought the tonneau that was on that truck I took the cover to a boat cover supplier (made custom covers) and had them pop in 2 large grommets so the antennea could stick through the cover.

D@mn I wish I had pics of that truck

 

I have dual 4ft fiberglass whips on Alon style mounts:



I'm going to work on mounting them behind the cab this next week, they look sooo much better there IMO.

 

Dual antennas are pointless, i like stuff being symetrical but those are huge....not my taste....My little will hits alot of stuff, i had it on top of my truck, it took a beating, only time i had to take it off and point it backwards on the back of the cab was when i was driving into the parking garage or in my garage......got knocked off 1 time when i was wheeling....damn tree branch...


I wouldnt put it on top of the cab, i would just make a mount of some sort.....buy one and plug it into your radio and see where it will reach.......mine BARELY reaches to my radio

Rocky

 

Unless you're a big rig and can mount duals at least 8' apart, cophasing them actually hurts reception. On a ranger a realistic cophased set up would be one on the dr side front bumper and the other on the pass side rear bumper, or vise-versa. Pointless. I'll agree it looks good, but remember. Form follows function folks.

 

Heh, I only have one connected to the CB, the other is connected to about 8"s of coax to look "used". I have a co-phase cable and an SWR meter but I only have the one connected for now. On my uncles/my Mack CH600 we have dual 5.5' I want dual 3ft Firestik FI mounted on front corners of the bed or one 102" on the back corner . . . ohh well, only time will tell.

 

Go for the 102" whip....they're oh so sexy.





I may be a bit partial though....

 

I decided on the 64" stainless whip that I have on my other truck. PRobably going to mount it to the rear bumper....not the best place I know but short of doing a roof mount, it's the best I can do and fine with me for what I'm going to use it for. I've beat the crap out of that 64" whip, I'm really happy with it. Now I just need to determine how much coax I'm going to need...does 18 feet sound like enough to run from the back bumper to the dash?

I'll probably go along the frame rail and then up under the carpet. I have about 40 feet of wire loom at home from work that I'm going to run it through too to give it some protection.

This would be so much easier if I didn't have the bed cover. I could mount some antennas to a toolbox or something.

*I do like the 102" whip lol...but it would hate the garage.*

 

No 18' is not enough....at least i think.....i cant remember how long my coax is but i thought it was 18'.....thats the main number that you want....you dont want to get a bunch, and have it coiled up because it hurts your reception....you have to add in all the curves and turns......

Just make sure you put a tennis ball or something on the antenna so it doesnt smack your truck

Rocky

 

Thanks for the info.

I could buy some extra, like 30 feet and then have the local electronics store cut and crimp a connector on the end.

 

Your still tampering with not getting out as far as you could.....i would just try the 18 and see if it will reach, 18 is the best length for coax, for somereason thats what the semi's at work use, they run the wire everywhere so its not coiled up..

Rocky

 

No way 18' feet is just enough as long as the cb is up front of the cab and the antenna is on the driver's side.

 

perhaps 20' lol

 

Yeah mine must be 18 ft....it goes from the rear corner of the bed (drivers side) along the tonneau cover on the inside, down between the bed / cab, and in the rear drivers side door on the bottom, and my CB has enough room to go in the pass side floor board..

Rocky

 

Hell I had 18'.

Mine ran between the bedside and bed, on the frame rail, up through a grommet into the firewall, and my cb was mounted under the dash. I had about one or two feet coiled up.

 

Ok.
The CB is mounted and there's a hole in the bumper for the antenna. I know the bumper isnt the best place to put it, but I didnt really want a mag mount and I'm happy with the performance of the bumper mount on the other Ranger.

So I should be able to get it all wired up tonight. I'll be sure to post up some pics when I'm done.

 

if i remember correctly an antenna only uses the top 3rd of the antenna so the higher the better. im not a big fan of mounting on the bed or bumper. if you have a metal tool box that is mounted to the bed. id mount it to that it drops it about 2 feet so that helps with the garage issue. that is what i would do.