From owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Tue Jul 27 13:54:24 2004 From: diesel-benz-digest diesel-benz-digest Tuesday, July 27 2004 Volume 01 : Number 1513 Forum for Discussion of Diesel Mercedes Benz Automobiles Derick Amburgey Digest Coordinator Contents: Re: [db] Looking for CB Info (Hey, Kevin!) Re: [db] Looking for CB Info (Hey, Kevin!) Re: [db] Looking for CB Info (Hey, Kevin!) Re: [db] Looking for CB Info (Hey, Kevin!) Re: [db] Looking for CB Info (Hey, Kevin!) Diesel Benz Digest Home Page: http://www.digest.net/diesel-benz/ Send submissions to diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Send administrative requests to diesel-benz-digest-request-at-digest.net To unsubscribe, include the word unsubscribe by itself in the body of the message, unless you are sending the request from a different address than the one that appears on the list. Include the word help in a message to stag-digest-request to get a list of other majordomo commands. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 12:45:43 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: Re: [db] Looking for CB Info (Hey, Kevin!) I'm running a cobra handheld cb/weather radio... I use a mag mount and a cig lighter adapter for power so it's mobile... when I'm driving my Diesel Benz I just toss the antenna in the back seat and the weather radio works well... not much to listen to on the cb really, but the weather radio voice synthesization is a hoot. on my jeeps I make a bracket to mount on the driver's side fender, come up through the hood with a flat bracket and route the cable out that way. I have a 3', 4' and 5'(?) firestick and generic fiberglass whip as well as a 108" steel whip, mount all on spring base... I find this to be the best mounting location up here in the nw... it doesn't get snagged on stumps, tree branches or dirt... also doesn't interfere with radio... :) and no, the weather radio will work with just about any antenna... the cb is what benefits from good mounting and aiming... the LF arrangement has the ground plan behind it so the signal is aimed forward and to the left, toward oncoming interstate traffic... ideal location is the center of the roof on the top... of course up here that antenna will last until you enter the trail... ;) I'm always amused at folks with a bunch of lights on their roof racks... obviously they don't wheel up here much... (I look for leaves and pine needles wedged in the lenses... ;) YMMV. john On Tue, 27 Jul 2004, J.B. Hebert wrote: >-->I know that Kevin has good experience in this area, and I'm guessing others >-->on the list do, as well. I just picked up a Cobra 18 WX ST II radio >-->with weather channels for the Bronco. I was looking for input on the best >-->antenna to use with this setup. Since this is my hard core offroad >-->vehicle, the shortest possible antenna would be best from a damage control >-->standpoint. I have heard good things about the Firestik and can get a 3' >-->Firestik II for about $14. Is there anything that I need to look for or >-->stay away from? Do I need a special antenna to handle the weather channels? >--> >-->Thanks in advance! >--> >-->J.B. >--> ---- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ** http://wagoneers.com ** ** http://freegift.net ** Snohomish, Washington USA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 16:17:24 -0400 From: "J.B. Hebert" Subject: Re: [db] Looking for CB Info (Hey, Kevin!) Hmmm... I was thinking of putting a 3' on a tab on my swing away tire carrier. I figured that would give me pretty good protection. But it sounds like it might kill my range vs. putting it on the driver's front fender. My AM/FM is on the passenger fender. Am I understanding you correctly that the antenna comes THROUGH the hood? Presumably this is through the rear driver's corner? I could probably do this. I'll have to see how it looks through the windshield (don't want to be distracted by a bouncy antenna). Thanks for the quick reply. J.B. At 12:45 PM 7/27/2004 -0700, you wrote: >I'm running a cobra handheld cb/weather radio... I use >a mag mount and a cig lighter adapter for power so it's >mobile... when I'm driving my Diesel Benz I just toss >the antenna in the back seat and the weather radio works >well... not much to listen to on the cb really, but the >weather radio voice synthesization is a hoot. > >on my jeeps I make a bracket to mount on the driver's >side fender, come up through the hood with a flat >bracket and route the cable out that way. I have >a 3', 4' and 5'(?) firestick and generic fiberglass >whip as well as a 108" steel whip, mount all on spring >base... I find this to be the best mounting location >up here in the nw... it doesn't get snagged on stumps, >tree branches or dirt... also doesn't interfere with >radio... :) > >and no, the weather radio will work with just about >any antenna... the cb is what benefits from good mounting >and aiming... the LF arrangement has the ground plan >behind it so the signal is aimed forward and to the left, >toward oncoming interstate traffic... ideal location >is the center of the roof on the top... of course up >here that antenna will last until you enter the trail... ;) > >I'm always amused at folks with a bunch of lights on their >roof racks... obviously they don't wheel up here much... >(I look for leaves and pine needles wedged in the lenses... ;) > >YMMV. > >john > > >On Tue, 27 Jul 2004, J.B. Hebert wrote: > > >-->I know that Kevin has good experience in this area, and I'm guessing > others > >-->on the list do, as well. I just picked up a Cobra 18 WX ST II radio > >-->with weather channels for the Bronco. I was looking for input on > the best > >-->antenna to use with this setup. Since this is my hard core offroad > >-->vehicle, the shortest possible antenna would be best from a damage > control > >-->standpoint. I have heard good things about the Firestik and can get a 3' > >-->Firestik II for about $14. Is there anything that I need to look for or > >-->stay away from? Do I need a special antenna to handle the weather > channels? > >--> > >-->Thanks in advance! > >--> > >-->J.B. > >--> > > ---- > >------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ** http://wagoneers.com ** ** http://freegift.net ** > Snohomish, Washington USA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold. >------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 12:55:00 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: Re: [db] Looking for CB Info (Hey, Kevin!) oh, one more thing... I have mounted a CB antenna on my Benz on the trunk lid... that's the best location I've found on a car... (wasn't sure which list I was replying to... rofl... I guess tree branches and trails aren't something you'd worry about with a Diesel Benz. you can get those trunk mount kits almost anywhere and they do NOT touch the trunk lid surface, the attach from underneath. The other option is to get one of those filter setups so you cand use the stock antenna... I used one in my '68 Mustang when I brought a full power CB over to Europe... I hid the CB in the console and used it that way... (actually listened, never transmitted over there... ;) The reception and transmission capabilities of those filter units is less then spectacular. ;) john On Tue, 27 Jul 2004, john wrote: >-->I'm running a cobra handheld cb/weather radio... I use >-->a mag mount and a cig lighter adapter for power so it's >-->mobile... when I'm driving my Diesel Benz I just toss >-->the antenna in the back seat and the weather radio works >-->well... not much to listen to on the cb really, but the >-->weather radio voice synthesization is a hoot. >--> >-->on my jeeps I make a bracket to mount on the driver's >-->side fender, come up through the hood with a flat >-->bracket and route the cable out that way. I have >-->a 3', 4' and 5'(?) firestick and generic fiberglass >-->whip as well as a 108" steel whip, mount all on spring >-->base... I find this to be the best mounting location >-->up here in the nw... it doesn't get snagged on stumps, >-->tree branches or dirt... also doesn't interfere with >-->radio... :) >--> >-->and no, the weather radio will work with just about >-->any antenna... the cb is what benefits from good mounting >-->and aiming... the LF arrangement has the ground plan >-->behind it so the signal is aimed forward and to the left, >-->toward oncoming interstate traffic... ideal location >-->is the center of the roof on the top... of course up >-->here that antenna will last until you enter the trail... ;) >--> >-->I'm always amused at folks with a bunch of lights on their >-->roof racks... obviously they don't wheel up here much... >-->(I look for leaves and pine needles wedged in the lenses... ;) >--> >-->YMMV. >--> >-->john >--> >--> >-->On Tue, 27 Jul 2004, J.B. Hebert wrote: >--> >-->>-->I know that Kevin has good experience in this area, and I'm guessing others >-->>-->on the list do, as well. I just picked up a Cobra 18 WX ST II radio >-->>-->with weather channels for the Bronco. I was looking for input on the best >-->>-->antenna to use with this setup. Since this is my hard core offroad >-->>-->vehicle, the shortest possible antenna would be best from a damage control >-->>-->standpoint. I have heard good things about the Firestik and can get a 3' >-->>-->Firestik II for about $14. Is there anything that I need to look for or >-->>-->stay away from? Do I need a special antenna to handle the weather channels? >-->>--> >-->>-->Thanks in advance! >-->>--> >-->>-->J.B. >-->>--> >--> >--> ---- >--> >-->------------------------------------------------------------------------- >--> ** http://wagoneers.com ** ** http://freegift.net ** >--> Snohomish, Washington USA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold. >-->------------------------------------------------------------------------- >--> ---- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ** http://wagoneers.com ** ** http://freegift.net ** Snohomish, Washington USA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 13:03:32 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: Re: [db] Looking for CB Info (Hey, Kevin!) On Tue, 27 Jul 2004, J.B. Hebert wrote: >-->Hmmm... I was thinking of putting a 3' on a tab on my swing away tire >-->carrier. I figured that would give me pretty good protection. But it >-->sounds like it might kill my range vs. putting it on the driver's front >-->fender. My AM/FM is on the passenger fender. Am I understanding you >-->correctly that the antenna comes THROUGH the hood? Presumably this is >-->through the rear driver's corner? I could probably do this. I'll have to >-->see how it looks through the windshield (don't want to be distracted by a >-->bouncy antenna). no holes in the body!!! all slipped through existing openings: (the little wagoneer was totalled a couple of years ago, old blue is long gone... old pix...) http://www.wagoneers.com/XJ/.images/xjsunset.jpg http://www.wagoneers.com/XJ/rigs/littlewagoneer/little-wag-may23.jpg http://www.wagoneers.com/XJ/rigs/littlewagoneer/P3100949.JPG http://www.wagoneers.com/XJ/rigs/littlewagoneer/11jan98b.jpg superdawg's setup: http://www.wagoneers.com/FSJ/25june00-superdawg.jpg http://www.wagoneers.com/SuperDawg/DawgYear2001/Feb-2001-pix/jeepj10.jpg can't find the detailed pix... maybe under FSJ rigs Old Blue or Superdawg... sorry john >--> >-->Thanks for the quick reply. >--> >-->J.B. >--> >-->At 12:45 PM 7/27/2004 -0700, you wrote: >-->>I'm running a cobra handheld cb/weather radio... I use >-->>a mag mount and a cig lighter adapter for power so it's >-->>mobile... when I'm driving my Diesel Benz I just toss >-->>the antenna in the back seat and the weather radio works >-->>well... not much to listen to on the cb really, but the >-->>weather radio voice synthesization is a hoot. >-->> >-->>on my jeeps I make a bracket to mount on the driver's >-->>side fender, come up through the hood with a flat >-->>bracket and route the cable out that way. I have >-->>a 3', 4' and 5'(?) firestick and generic fiberglass >-->>whip as well as a 108" steel whip, mount all on spring >-->>base... I find this to be the best mounting location >-->>up here in the nw... it doesn't get snagged on stumps, >-->>tree branches or dirt... also doesn't interfere with >-->>radio... :) >-->> >-->>and no, the weather radio will work with just about >-->>any antenna... the cb is what benefits from good mounting >-->>and aiming... the LF arrangement has the ground plan >-->>behind it so the signal is aimed forward and to the left, >-->>toward oncoming interstate traffic... ideal location >-->>is the center of the roof on the top... of course up >-->>here that antenna will last until you enter the trail... ;) >-->> >-->>I'm always amused at folks with a bunch of lights on their >-->>roof racks... obviously they don't wheel up here much... >-->>(I look for leaves and pine needles wedged in the lenses... ;) >-->> >-->>YMMV. >-->> >-->>john >-->> >-->> >-->>On Tue, 27 Jul 2004, J.B. Hebert wrote: >-->> >-->> >-->I know that Kevin has good experience in this area, and I'm guessing >-->> others >-->> >-->on the list do, as well. I just picked up a Cobra 18 WX ST II radio >-->> >-->with weather channels for the Bronco. I was looking for input on >-->> the best >-->> >-->antenna to use with this setup. Since this is my hard core offroad >-->> >-->vehicle, the shortest possible antenna would be best from a damage >-->> control >-->> >-->standpoint. I have heard good things about the Firestik and can get a 3' >-->> >-->Firestik II for about $14. Is there anything that I need to look for or >-->> >-->stay away from? Do I need a special antenna to handle the weather >-->> channels? >-->> >--> >-->> >-->Thanks in advance! >-->> >--> >-->> >-->J.B. >-->> >--> >-->> >-->> ---- >-->> >-->>------------------------------------------------------------------------- >-->> ** http://wagoneers.com ** ** http://freegift.net ** >-->> Snohomish, Washington USA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold. >-->>------------------------------------------------------------------------- >--> ---- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ** http://wagoneers.com ** ** http://freegift.net ** Snohomish, Washington USA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 13:59:28 -0700 From: Kevin Pekarek Subject: Re: [db] Looking for CB Info (Hey, Kevin!) On Tue, Jul 27, 2004 at 03:54:05PM -0400, J.B. Hebert wrote: > I know that Kevin has good experience in this area, and I'm guessing others > on the list do, as well. I just picked up a Cobra 18 WX ST II radio > with weather channels for the Bronco. I was looking for input on the best > antenna to use with this setup. Since this is my hard core offroad > vehicle, the shortest possible antenna would be best from a damage control > standpoint. I have heard good things about the Firestik and can get a 3' > Firestik II for about $14. Is there anything that I need to look for or > stay away from? Do I need a special antenna to handle the weather channels? I've never used a CB that received weather channels. Regardless, a CB antenna would probably be effective enough at receiving weather stations. If memory serves me, WX is around 162 MHz. The only thing I have that was designed specifically for WX is the scanner in the crown vic, which has a splitter off the car stereo antenna, which works fine enough. As far as CB antennas go, they're usually pretty rugged. I know of quite a few hams that have cut down CB whips into 3/4 wave 2m antennas, when they were tired of the cheap ham stuff not taking abuse well. It is pretty much a given that if the antenna itself isn't very flexible, you need a spring between the antenna and the mount. The springs are amazing - I had one on a mount that I clamped to the luggage rack on my 74 cherokee, and the antenna (a cheapo from radio shack) had no problems getting thwacked on things in parking garages, or going under trees. Without the spring, I would probably have needed replacements. With CB, you're limited to 4 watts AM (or 12 watts on single side band, but not many CBs do SSB), so about all you can legally do to improve your signal is the antenna. If you only plan to use it for car-to-car smack talk, antenna placement is not overly important, but if you wheel alone in places that you know people monitor channel 9, you'll need much better than close enough. You're unlikely to find a CB antenna rated with gain over a quarter wave, since a quarter wave for CB (11 meter) is, well, 1/4 of 11 meters, or 2.75 meters, which is somewhere in the 100-108 inch range (can't remember offhand, don't wanna bust out the calculator). The shorter antennas (yes, you can buy true 1/4 wave whips) make up the fact that they aren't 2.75 meters long by wrapping a 2.75 meter long wire around something like fiberglass. Sure, it's not as good as the real quarter wave, but it gets the job done. You'll want as low of an SWR rating as you can find (1:1 is the best, 2:1 is fine, 3:1 is a bit high). I've always used either radio shack cheapies or ones from a truck stop, and had no problems. Antenna installations I've seen range from getting one of the quarter wave whips, putting a spring on it, and mounting it to the rear bumper (The advantage of this is if you NEED to get out, you have the big antenna. You have the spring, so if you hit a tree or something, the antenna will survive), getting a 2'-3' antenna and mounting it to something higher up on the vehicle like the roll bar, or along the top of a pickup bed (less unwieldy of an antenna), sometimes even on top of the vehicle. Since it's a quarter wave (electrically, even if it's not 100-some inches long), it will want 50 ohm cable connecting it to the radio (to reduce losses from feed line mismatching), and it will do much better if you have some sort of ground at the base (feed point) of the antenna. You're probably not going to be able to do a full blown ground plane, but just grounding the antenna will make a pretty big difference. The vehicle may have a reflective property, so if you mount it too low, or on one side, your radiation and receive pattern will be screwy. Not a big deal for car-to-car, but if you have to get out, you might find yourself rotating the truck for better reception if you mount it too low. As far as mounting the antenna, the antenna base will have a 3/8"x24 thread on it. Almost all mobile ham HF stuff uses that type of antenna, so if you can't find a mount you want at radio shack or a truck stop, check some of the ham radio stores. They'll probably give you a bad time about not having a ham license and using CB, but usually will understand when you tell them that CB is what your four wheeling club uses :) If you do plan on wheeling alone, I would seriously consider getting yourself a ham radio license. To do HF (long distances), you only need to know morse at five words per minute, and there's talk of that requirement going away. K - -- Kevin Pekarek Redwood City, CA (near San Francisco) and Los Osos, CA (near San Luis Obispo) ------------------------------ End of diesel-benz-digest V1 #1513 **********************************