I appear to have run across a dilemma in my antenna setup for my VHF and UHF radios.
My quandary is that I park in a parking garage when I am at school where the clearance is only 7 feet. Now my truck stands at about 6' 8" or so. I also have high power decks for both radios so whatever I use must be able to support 110 watts.
What can I use so I don"t have to remove my antennas every time before I park? I also need a solution for a regular CB radio.
Thanks.
As an edit: my truck is a 1999 Dodge Ram, so fender mounts are not exactly the easiest.
Antenna dilemma
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kcan146
- Posts: 14
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- What radios do you own?: TK-730HG,HT1250,Astro Spectra
Antenna dilemma
Last edited by kcan146 on Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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billforbush
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Re: Antenna dilemma
Quarterwave whips on l=brackrts in hood/fender edge.
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HarrisonRHW
- Posts: 61
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Re: Antenna dilemma
Other options -
-Quarterwaves in rear stake mounts, you can use extended brackets if you have a cap or bed cover from somewhere like FireStik
-Glass antennas that can fold down.
-Ham antennas that can tune to your bands with fold down.
-Turn down the power and use Phantoms - the only system I know of that absolutely needed 100W or more (and even then it didn't) was a wide area system in Ohio that was simplex, covered 556 sq miles. Hate that system. Then again, you could be on that kind of system too, but assess if you need 100W. Most cases you would be surprised. A minimally designed system should have 95%+ coverage if not 100% of mobiles at 25W, but ideally it should have 90% coverage of mobiles in an uncovered area. Again, it all depends on how the system is actually used.
-Park somewhere else.
-Quarterwaves in rear stake mounts, you can use extended brackets if you have a cap or bed cover from somewhere like FireStik
-Glass antennas that can fold down.
-Ham antennas that can tune to your bands with fold down.
-Turn down the power and use Phantoms - the only system I know of that absolutely needed 100W or more (and even then it didn't) was a wide area system in Ohio that was simplex, covered 556 sq miles. Hate that system. Then again, you could be on that kind of system too, but assess if you need 100W. Most cases you would be surprised. A minimally designed system should have 95%+ coverage if not 100% of mobiles at 25W, but ideally it should have 90% coverage of mobiles in an uncovered area. Again, it all depends on how the system is actually used.
-Park somewhere else.
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motorola_otaku
- Posts: 1854
- Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 7:03 am
Re: Antenna dilemma
As it just so happens, Larsen makes a custom NMO fender bracket for the Dodge Ram. See here. That particular bracket is spec'd for 2002 and up, but you should be able to get it to fit on yours.
I would go with a pair of these up top, but that's just me.
As for the chicken band antenna, 102'' whip off the back bumper? Or if you don't want to go that route, Wilson 2000 Trucker behind the cab.
I would go with a pair of these up top, but that's just me.
As for the chicken band antenna, 102'' whip off the back bumper? Or if you don't want to go that route, Wilson 2000 Trucker behind the cab.