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Illegal Cb Antenna Install??

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Old May 17, 2006 | 07:54 PM
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From: Mississippi
Question Illegal Cb Antenna Install??

I searched but found nothing, is it illegal to mount 8 ft cb antenna on front bumper, i have it mounted on the back and don't really like it, i want to mount it on the front, not in the middle but off set to the passenger side.... Also do you guys think this would be a good idea after all its 8 ft, swinging down onto roof? Distraction while Driving?? Just give me your thoughts!
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Old May 17, 2006 | 07:55 PM
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Personally I dont like whips, since they whip.... I doubt it would be illegal, will proball damage your roof pretty good...
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Old May 17, 2006 | 07:57 PM
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From: Siletz,Oregon
may i ask why you need a 8 foot antenna
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Old May 17, 2006 | 08:04 PM
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From: Canton, Ohio
Illegal, no,
annoying, yes!

Get a Firestick or Francis, or bend over your whip and tie it down.

Lamm
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Old May 17, 2006 | 08:08 PM
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Yes i am getting a smaller one, like a saw some one say on here
"When my money tree i planted gets big and strong" lol
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Old May 17, 2006 | 11:02 PM
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I wouldn't want to be your spotter on the trail. I run a modified K-40 mounted to the hood at the windshield. I put a Wilson antenna in place of the K-40 whip. Works great and my spotter and on lookers thank me!
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Old Jun 2, 2006 | 06:36 AM
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Smile

Originally Posted by PeanutRanger
Yes i am getting a smaller one, like a saw some one say on here
"When my money tree i planted gets big and strong" lol
Dude,
A 8 ft. steel whip is one of the most cheapest antennas out there. $ should not be a problem. And also, what is wrong with mounting your antenna on the rear bumper? I agree with the other dude when he said that it would probably screw up your roof. You know that you do have a few more mounting options, right? You can resort to using a fender ball mount that goes on your rear fender. You have a rear bumper mount(your favorite one, right? LOL...). Your have a roof mount type (in which you drill through your roof) or still, you can resort to buying a shorter/ different antenna. Whichever way you decide, good luck!
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Old Jun 2, 2006 | 07:11 AM
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The way I see it, if spotters or spectators are close enough to get hit with the whip, then they are too close to the truck anyway.
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Old Jun 2, 2006 | 07:13 AM
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a 4' firestick is $10 + shipping online and $17 at most at your local truck stop. it's not going to break the bank to replace the whip w/ something shorter.
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Old Jun 2, 2006 | 07:27 AM
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From: massachusetts
im using a 4 foot firestik mounted to rear bumper and im pretty happy with it, looks god and works pretty well. i got the american flag edition and its wicked pissah lookin lol
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Old Jun 2, 2006 | 06:19 PM
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From: ocala,fl
the best place to mount an antenna is as close to the middle of the vehicle as possible... otherwise your going to be directional on transmit and especially on recieve due to an uneven ground plane. a goo dground is really the key and is essential to a good swr match. a 102'' ss whip is actually the best antenna to get out on but like alot of people say they are a big ass whip to say the least. if you mount an antenna on the rear bumper expect to talk better to people in front of you. as for a fiberglass whip expect good performance if your running legal power but dont push them over 500 watts which is totally illegal on 11 meter cb radio. ive seen firestiks actually become firesticks before. sorry ill stop with the cb talk. most trail guys just need a few miles and a firestik works great for that and isnt as long.

weve gotten pretty fond of the frs and gmrs radios, especially where the nextels dont work.

Last edited by subliminaltrips; Jun 2, 2006 at 06:20 PM.
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 01:34 AM
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From: Lacey, WA
my truck came with a 102" whip mounted to the rear bumper, but unfortunately for me the cable was shot. gives my truck sort of an oldschool expedition rig look to it if i've got my canopy on. i'll probably buy a new one when i put a CB in.
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 03:19 AM
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JB Weld two wire coat hangers together.

A 4' FireStik will suffice.

"most cheapest"

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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 05:27 AM
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From: Downeast, ME
your best bet would be something in the middle of the roof. i never understood why so many people used bumper mounts, because the groundplane is only on the one side.
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Old Jun 3, 2006 | 01:51 PM
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From: Edinburg,TX(Almost Mexico)
Why dont you just get one thats sticks to your window?
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Old Jun 8, 2006 | 04:59 PM
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From: Mississippi
Thanks for all the good ideas! I'm fixing to order my soft top, then possibly look further into the cb!
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Old Jun 8, 2006 | 05:20 PM
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From: Montana USA
We have owned 10 foot whips ever since I can remember, and they aren't bad if you know exactly how you are mounting them, and where. I had mounted the one on my Beretta, and didn't do a very good job because I used it mainly for my old job (delivery boy) and to get to school and back. I once gave my sister a ride home, and when the whip hit a tree that was overgrowing on the side of the road, it came back and hit her in the arm that was hanging out the window. I am not sure about the whole "whips hit your roof" thing, considering my car had no such marks on the roof from it hitting it. Nor did my dads old F-250, or his 88 Bronco, or his Bronco II's, or his Nissan, or any other vehicle we have owned. Again, it is all about how you mount it.

By the way, when you say front bumper, you mean the passenger side, correct? The drivers side is the worst spot for you to mount your antenea, not because of reception, but because of the things you will hit with it. If you are going through a drive through, you will be dragging the antenea on the over hang that all drive throughs have for bad weather days. It is also not the best idea to have an antenea over 4' on the roof of your vehicle because of the wind/overpasses while driving. My uncle once had a 8' whip on his Chevy Silverado, and when my dad and I were following him, we saw the antenea smack into the bridge that goes overhead in Kalispell, and it ripped the mount right out of the top of the truck. We also saw a 5' antenea get ripped out of the top of a car while they were cruising down the highway at roughly 70 miles an hour, most likely due to horrible installation.

If you are going for the front bumper, or the back bumper, I would suggest a 6 foot. If you would mount it on the side of the vehicle, maybe behind the door on the frame itself so that it looks like there is a small mount coming out, I would still say 6 foot. Anywhere else, a 5 foot or shorter would be your best bet. Firesticks are great and all, but I don't think they look as good on rigs then a thin whip or something like that, but that is just personal preference.

Also, it depends on what you are doing with it. If you are just using your CB for a wheeling expedition, then you have no need for a whip. If you are going to use it to talk to people all over the state, then you will either need a whip, or a firestick that can handle an amplifier.
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Old Feb 17, 2007 | 11:14 AM
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i used a firestrike mount on rear driver side in between tailgate i put an 8' fiber glass one bright orange looks bitchin only prob u gota watch for low hangin trees and when i go whelin i put a lil 3' on there to stay out the way
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Old Feb 17, 2007 | 11:27 AM
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From: Fort Worth, TEXAS
Originally Posted by 8yota9
i used a firestrike mount on rear driver side in between tailgate i put an 8' fiber glass one bright orange looks bitchin only prob u gota watch for low hangin trees and when i go whelin i put a lil 3' on there to stay out the way
holy no punctuation use batman......


I put my Wilson 4ft on the front, cost me like 12 plus shipping. my mount was not secure enough, so I had to take it off untill I can reinforce my little bracket. I had a 3ft steel whip on my roof rack, but I kept hitting things, those flourecent lights in drive throughs break pretty easily too.
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Old Feb 17, 2007 | 01:38 PM
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From: Olympia, WA
I have a 48" FireStik Firefly antenna mounted to my truckbox. No spring.. about 18" behind the cab. SWR all tuned in, right height.. not to mention the firestiks have a hand tuneable tip no annoying wire to snip then realize you snipped to much =)

$20 or somthin
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