xxxtreme22r

Good deal. I got the 4 ft'rs on mine, I do sometimes thing they are too tall for the truck. Since these aren't hard fiberglass either, they do well in the cold hitting stuff too. I have seen fiberglass ones shatter if hitting a tree and it being 10 degrees outside.

85gijunk4x4

thats a reason why i hate driving my 85 in the cold lol, my antennas hit everything overhead on all these little one lane roads.

according to your video they look like they can take a beating, i'll be wheeling this truck alot more then my 85 so durability is always a plus!

one thing i'm regretting now is not getting a longer cable, i know i can always get one in the future, but i shouldve gotten one now. I'm actually now considering re-locating a single antenna to my rear bumper WHEN i get that all made up.

xxxtreme22r

just be careful with the length of cable. Too much starts affecting the swr of the antenna, as well as too short.

85gijunk4x4

i got 18 feet. thats all i could fine besides like 5ft. wtf? probably too long IMO, what do you think?

anyway, figured instead of starting a whole new thread, i'll post up this question. i bought mirror mounts like this (got a great deal on them)



so i figured i could just drill holes and my bed, and use them as more of a clamp. now thats not the question, the question is can i powdercoat them to match the truck? the metal that you mount it to is used as a ground, correct? so powdercoat wouldnt let the ground touch metal.

but anyway, my bed is alluminum, would i have to run a wire from the clamp down to the frame as a ground?

irab88

iTrader: (4)

just put in a bonding strap. that's what airliners have on all their flight controls. find a crimp terminal with a hole big enough for the antenna base screw, and one crimp terminal with a hole that fits one of the mounting screws. crimp in a short piece of heavy-ish (~16 to 12 gauge) wire and mount in the respective locations

xxxtreme22r

Ian is right that will work as long as you use a bonding (AKA ground) wire. Heavy gauge only or a real bonding (ground strap).

18ft is too long IMO. 9 ft or 12ft depending on where ya putt eh antenna. should work for ya. Stay in 3 ft lengths though.

If using cophased 18ft should be ok. But be warned co phasing antennas that are closer then 8ft apart is probably gonna result in bad performance as each antenna will try to fight each other.

irab88

iTrader: (4)

or use one antenna for cb and one for a ham

xxxtreme22r

I have the connector for my stereo (if I can find it) and now need a new mount, (Ian you know why) and I will be able to confirm this antenna works on a stereo.

85gijunk4x4

thanks for the image, it was perfect and i know exactly what to do. never thought that was solve the ground problem lol, figurd i'd have to go to the frame

im gonna put the antenna's right behind cab, right where you have them now. when i get my rear bumper done i'll probably re-locate it to there.

im not goin co-phase for this one, just one for the cb and one for looks, and then for my stereo in the future.

do you think i could cut the cable to length and then solder the end connection on? my dad did that, he cut a cb antenna wire, then went to radio shack (before it was "cell-phone shack" and got a "solder on coax plug". i'll search, im pretty sure i have a spare since he only used one out of a 2 pack.

just wondering if that causes rf interference

irab88

iTrader: (4)

well, that's if the bed frame is electrically connected to the frame (ie, through bolts). if your lights are grounded to the bed frame, you'll be fine

85gijunk4x4

im 99% sure (i'll have to double check though) the bed is bolted to 4x4's wich are then bolted to the bed mounts on the frame. so bassicly its sitting on 4x4's

xxxtreme22r

you might have to bond the bed to the frame then if the mounting bolts don't go straight through the 4x4 to the frame.

4 grounding straps on each corner of the bed should work well. Only one isn't gonna work properly as one would think. RF grounds work differently then electrical grounds.

1" braided copper straps work best BTW.

On a side note, when I had my antenna (not the wilsons and not my 102" whip) hooked to my bumper, I had horrible SWR's from it.

irab88

iTrader: (4)

did someone request grounding straps?

http://www.mcmaster.com/#grounding-straps/=dbdk85

xxxtreme22r

thanks Ian, I've been considering doing that as well now that I have the aluminum bed on it. Although my range and SWR is pretty good anyway. Heck outgoing range should be at 40 watts. lol.

Before this bed and after i had issues with my antenna on the bumper, I also had the wilsons mounted with the above mentioned mirror mounts on the back side of the cab. Worked ok but I didn't use anything (aka dielectric grease) to seal between the mount and cab (I did remove the paint on the cab) so it rusted on me and started to affect the swr. Then with the new bed and the height of the rail, I had to put them on the bed itself.

85gijunk4x4

so i cant just run a wire from the antenna down to the frame?

hmmm, i guess hood grounding straps long enough would work too, right?

but ian, if you work for mcmaster, i'll buy them there to give you guys some business. if not i'll check the local junkyard. my dad has those braided mesh looking ones on his ranger hood

irab88

iTrader: (4)

haha, no, i'm not a real spokesman. i just play one on tv.

i love how inexpensive everything is, and they have fast shipping, but i don't work for them

85gijunk4x4

thanks Ian. i will infact probably order from there. i'd rather pay the extra money to get something new rather then used

xxxtreme22r

Ian should get mcmaster to sponsor him and put a logo on his truck.

85gijunk4x4

so i'll ask again

theres no way to run a ground wire directy from the antenna to the frame?

irab88

iTrader: (4)

there is. i suggest going straight from the antenna base to a bolt on the frame. part numbers 69925k11, 69925k12, and 69925k13 are pre-made grounding straps with lugs, 30", 36", and 48", respectively.

ya know... you might be on to something!