Advice on antenna setup.

[adam8622]

Hello,

Need some advice on setting up my cb on new pickup. I currently have it set up on my F150 (galaxy 979 w/wilson 1000). Radio is tuned and works great! Upgrading my truck to an 2017 F350 CC long bed. The new pickup has a glass roof covering about the whole roof, so magnetic mount would not work. I basically have the antenna down to two possible ways to mount. My overall goal is as much range as possible, within reason, but dont want the antenna be 14ft in the air, if possible.

I have a 979 with two firestiks on my International 9200i and it works great! I was leaning towards putting two 5ft firestiks mounted on the toolbox on the bed. The biggest problem is even mounted on the far sides on box, they will still be quite close together (about 6.5ft). Now, I do pull a camper a few times a year from PA down to FL. Current camper is 11ft high but will be upgrading to a 5th wheel in a couple years that will be close to 13'6.

The other option I had was using a 102" whip mounted in the middle of the truck on the front of my bed by leaving a few inch gap between the toolbox and front of the bed. Now the F350 is a 4x4 and very high compared to my F150. I understand this way would most likely give me the best range but it will be VERY high above the truck. Maybe even cutting the antenna down a little bit giving me about 11ft-11.5ft overall high of antenna off the ground is an idea, pro or cons?

Do you think the 2 5' firestiks on the toolbox or 102" whip mounted middle on truck on front of bed will work better for how my configuration? Another thing to consider is the cab and bed on the new F 350's are all aluminum, will this make a difference in either of the two ways I would like to mount the antenna?

Thanks!

[MDYoungblood]

Hello adam8622,
Welcome to the forum. I like both installs that you are talking about and either will work with your fifth wheel. I don't put much grain in the dual antennas having to be a 1/4 wave or more apart, when they are close than that they just act as one antenna, but dual antennas do have the tuning problems a single antenna doesn't. I think dual's look better on most pickups and on the toolbox is the best location but not too close to the cab. A single antenna at the center of the bed (center of the toolbox lid) is also a great location, again not to close to the cab.
My only suggestions would be don't use FireStik fire wire coax, the antenna end isn't the greatest, you can read about lots of problems from them and I am not a fan of FireStik antennas, in the 5ft range I'd go with Francis 5.5ft. All 3 mounts will be a 3/8 24 thread stud so you could go with just about any antenna out on the market, look through the sponsor's sites, there is more out there than just FireStik.
As a new member to the forum how about posting an intro in the "Welcome to the Forum" topic, http://www.cbradiotalk.com/viewforum.php?f=89 , so others can say "Hi", thanks.

3's

Greg