Okay so I wanna get one of those firestik CB antennas, and I was wondering what everybody thought about mounting it in the gap between the cab and bed? I park in a parking garage for school and I don't wanna mount one on top. Firestik has a door jamb ant. mount that I think should do the trick. Other concerns were if mounting this was even possible given the tight clearance I'm workin with

http://www.firestik.com/CatalogFrame.htm

**located under mini-kits in the mounts and accessories page**

any info/opinions greatly appreciated

 

I mounted mine to my toolbox with one of those plastic mounts. Its to hard to get a drill in between the bed cab, I sure tried. Mounting it to the rail of the bed works too, or using the stakehole mounts and taking it off at night. I take mine off at night to make sure no one steals it.

 

I really wanna do mine the same way, but I got one of those hard plastic style toolboxes, which wouldn't work, right?

 

So long as you can drill holes into it and put bolts on it will work. I drilled a hole for the cb line in and some holes to attack the mount to the box.

Course you coudl just drill a hole in the bumper and hardmount it right on.

 

if its a plastic toolbox you'd have to run a separate ground as it couldn't ground via the toolbox. probably a good idea when mounting it on the toolbox anyway. mine is mounted in the corner of the bedrail on the drivers side using a metal 90* bend mount. works just fine.

 

I've had bad luck with breaking the fiberglass antennas - I have a stainless center load whip now, and it's holding up much better.

As for placement, you don't want it so close to the vertical part of the cab - you will have reception problems because of the "echo" off the cab.

 

I've had my firestik II for about 3 weeks now and its working out great. Although I have a 4runner. I got the door jamb kit and mounted it on the tailgate, good deal since it came with the coax as well.

 

I bought a K-40, I like the fact it's a quick disconnect. If you need a whip for a K-40 let me know. I bout mine off ebay, and the guy sent me 2.

 

Wilson makes a great fiberglass whip - salesman here likes to sell to the 4x4ers - by bending the tip to the base.

Personally I like my fender mount...

 

X2

I run the K40 Superflex, after snapping off a few firesticks.

 

would it be possible to mount the door jamb kit in between the tailgate and the bedrail since I don't have a rear bumper?

 

All the fiberglass ones I broke were the Wilson. The guy at the CB shop said they had changed - I bet that demo version is an older one.

 

Wilson 5000 trucker antanna is the *stuff* you can get different size bottom shafts and the whip is pretty much adjustible by the shaft plus because its solid shaft you get a lot less whipping and beating on your truck. Oil filled base can handle upto 5000 watts great antannas ran two on my pete mount in the middle of your truck and you get a great ground plain.

 

The closer you mount a CB antenna to a wall or in your case the cab the less effective it is.

A CB antenna mounted on the bumper of a SUV is worthless for picking up signals forward of the truck.

Truck drivers mount single antennas usually on their driver side mirror because it cant pick up oncoming trucks, infront or rear if its on the other side. Radio signals are directional so keep that in mind!

I mounted my antenna on the back of my toolbox .. you can see it here:



Having the antenna protrude above the cab gives some effective forward pickup... Tho not as effective as center mounted ontop of the cab =P

anyhoo... i have a firestik as well.

 

If your worried about the plastic being too weak get a 2 piece mount that is for mirrors and then it will sandwich the plastic between the metal parts. i would also use a quick disconnect spring on it since I busted one of mine on my cherokee in the garage. You want to mount the antenna as close to the center plane of your vehicle anyways. As for preference I use the 108 inch steel whip, they take more abuse but are not the best think for parking garages since they tend to give attendants fits.