CB Antennas on our trucks

[Brandon Poorman]

I have a CB installed in my truck with a single magnet mount antenna on the roof. I was wanting to mount two 4 foot antennas on the front of the bed. Would there be any problems since our bed is not made of metal as far as grounding of a circuit? I'm not exactly sure how these antennas work and would like some input from anybody with knowledge in this area.



Thanks in advance

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

I have a C.B. radio in my ST as well and run the magnet mount whip on the roof. Since I have the Yakima LoadWarrior on the roof now I'm mounting either my Wilson 5000 on the front corner of the bed or dual whips on each front corner. I already have the equipment as well as other "Big" radio's. The bulkhead of the bed is metal but I'm still gonna run ground wires to the frame, I've found on my past passenger vehicles it helps out alot.

 

[Brad Schultz 2]

The best place for an antenna on the 'Tracs is right in the middle of the roof. The metal roof gives the proper ground plane for the output signal to use for maximum range. The box affords no such plane so signal output will suffer and be very directional due to the metal cab.

 

[Brandon Hovater]

I have one mounted on the rear glass passenger side. It just glues to both sideds of the glass and looks like a cell phone antenna. It works good with my small CB but is no where as good as a whip but I like it.

 

[Mark K 2]

I have a two-way public safety radio in my ST. I use a glass-mount antenna attached to the driver side fixed portion of the rear window. Works better than I originally expected.

 

[Brandon Poorman]

I have the magnet mount right now with a 3 foot whip on it in the middle towards the rear of the roof. The antenna now is just a generic from flying j. I like that the magnet mount can be simply taken off to pull in a parking garage or the garage at home. I read somewhere that dual antennas wont do any good unless the are atleast 8 feet apart and we can't get that distance with the bed on our trucks.

 

[Shaun Tucker]

i'm gonna throw this out there:



:worthless:

 

[Mike Dziubina]

[Broken External Image]:



not a CB antenna, but a Low band antenna for my fire department radio.

 

[Mike Dziubina]

Whoops.... sorry my picture is really big. I have no Idea how to resize them. Sorry!! if any one knows how to go ahead.

 

[Mark K 2]

[Broken External Image]:

 

[EddieS'04]

I carry a portable CB under the back seat. Made by GE,in a plastic storage case. I have tried it out on the road. It works well. Is a backup to my cell phone.



I used my saftey points from my work, to get it. We used to get some good stuff with our points, when Mobil owned the plant.

 

[Steve McKellop]

I've seen posted several times that the bed bulkhead (front panel) is steel. It is composite just like all of the rest of the bed. The bed has a steel "frame" at the rear only. Anything you mount to the top, sides, front or floor will be mounted to the composite material only. Hope this can save someone a bit of pain. You can mount an antenna there but it will need a good ground strap to the frame.

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

SteveM, I've drilled acres into my bulkhead and it's metal julike the panel that the bed extenders bolts to. Atleast on mine it is.???? My hood is steel too, not aluminum like most Fords.

 

[Steve McKellop]

Would you suppose it's steel laminated into the bed?



How odd. I'll be out there tomorrow with a magnet. :haveabeer:



My hood is steel too.

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

My bad Steve, I just went out there and double checked. The bulkhead is composite but the panel where the extender bolt onto is steel.:haveabeer:

 

[Steve McKellop]

Awww, I wanted to play with my magnet!:grin:











Cheap thrills!:bwahaha:

 

[Richard Kolb]

So is mounting an antenna to the center of my cap useless because its fiberglass?

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

You can but use some monster cable and run it to the frame for ground. Not as good as being on a big metal body but will still work.