IMPORTANT NOTICE!
Activities and vehicle modifications appearing, described, recommended, or linked to on this web site may be potentially dangerous.
We do not endorse any such activity for others or recommend it to any particular person.
These are simply the experiences and opinions of the writers.
If you choose to engage in these activities it is by your own free will and at your own risk.
Any and all modifications will likely cause a vehicle to behave differently than stock - some modifications may significantly increase your risk for an accident
or equipment failure when driving the vehicle or be dangerous in some driving situations.
Use common sense when engaging in any activity or making any modifications.
Do not take unwise risks, consult a certified professional if you are not sure of something, if you are uncomfortable with your mechanical ability, if you don't
have the experience to do a project, if you have not received proper training and education for the job you are thinking about doing, or if you do not have the proper tools, equipment or safety devices to do the job you are considering.
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CB ANTENNAS - More Important than the Radio !
More important than your radio is the antenna you choose and how you mount it. A $200 CB will sound terrible and perform at much less than rated with
a cheap antenna.
If you aren't concerned about range and reception, then buy the $10 antenna but if you want to be heard, then buy the best antenna you can afford,
trust me, you can afford the best.
There are 4 antennas that based on my decades of Jeeping and using CBs are my favorites and recommendations.
- Wilson 5000 and 5000 Trucker Antennas
- K40 and K40 Trucker Antennas
- FireStik Antennas
- 108" Whip Antennas
I have three Jeeps with CBs. None of them currently have the 108" whip antenna on a ball mount but my next project will sport this "retro" looking set
up. I've had full whip antennas on at least 4 of my previous Jeeps and there has been no problems with performance, reliability and durability. A whip
antenna on a ball mount will literally last forever.
Wilson 5000 and 5000 Trucker Antennas. My 1st choice in loaded coil CB antennas! I have been using Wilson 5000 antennas for over 15 years.
Ask any trucker, look at trucks going down the road
and many of them will be sporting Wilson antennas. Why? Because they work! It is the most reliable and best performing base loaded antenna I've used.
The 5000 is a roof mount antenna with the coil at the base (the coil is protected by the black thermoplastic base). The 5000 Trucker has the coil mounted
several inches or more (depending on the two different models of 5000 Trucker) up on a stainless steel shaft. All of the 5000 models have a whip antenna
that extends 48 to 54 inches above the coil. I use the 5000 Trucker model on my Wrangler where the mount is on my aftermarket tire carrier. The roof
mount would work there just as well but this Trucker model is the first Wilson 5000 I bought more than 15 years ago and it is still giving me good service.
The 5000 model is also best mounted on a roof rack or directly on the roof.
K40 and K40 Trucker Antennas. Before I found Wilson antennas, I got my 1st K40. Very similar in design to the Wilson 2000 models I think the K40
is a great performer also. You will find these on trucks too but mostly in the trucker model which again the coil is mounted on a shaft several inches
up from the base. It is the standard K40 roof mount I use on my Grand Cherokee. It also has a 54" or so whip mounted to the coil. The advantage the
K40 has over the Wilson 5000 roof mount is that the K40 has 3 heavy duty lugs (see the picture) where you just twist the base a bit and it quickly disconnects and stores in
your Jeep to prevent theft. An excellent feature. The K40 is also a great performer, in fact I lost my whip on a trail one time and I was still able to
transmit and receive with my CB, not great but it worked. Now I must also say that if you loose your whip, your SWRs are going to go sky high and you
will burn out the "finals" in your radio if you transmit too long or too much.
FireStik Antennas. I have used FireStiks on several of my Jeeps. They are a fiberglass "stick" antenna with the wire "coil" wrapped around it
and protected with a plastic covering. The rubber tip slides off to reveal a metal adustable antenna to tune your SWRs. Now these will not last forever,
if your FireStik takes a hard smack or hit it could crack or break. If there is an internal crack it might not be noticable but it could cause performance
problems including high SWRs. If moisture gets between the "stick" and the protective covering, the coil wire could corrode. Still this is a long lasting
antenna, perhaps not as long as the Wilson and K40 above but if you are looking for a compact antenna that performs well, the FireStik is a good choice.
108" Full Whip Antennas. Moondust, a fellow Jeeper, once told someone when they asked why he had this huge whip antenna on his Wrangler. He
didn't think twice and replied "because size does matter". He is right. Look at any military vehicle from old to new, ond thing they have in common
is that they have whip antennas. Why? Because they are the most reliable antenna you can have for communications. The don't break, they don't crack,
they don't have coils to go bad and they don't short out. Quite simply stated, the classic stainless steel 108" whip antenna is the most simple, most
reliable and longest lasting antenna you can buy. They are typically mounted using the heavy duty ball mount at a rear side corner of a vehicle.
The only disadvantage is that that long antenna will "whip" especially when it hits low hanging tree limbs and brush. Not a big deal but if someone is
standing close by, they could get smacked. It does look cool and it will get stares and please, don't attach anything to it like a flag. Tennis balls to
keep it from smacking your roof/rear side windows are recoemmended (just one at a time though).
Antennas NOT to buy. No-name and generic. A $10 or $20 antenna. Be prepared to spend $40 to $80 on an antenna, anything less and you are wasting your
money in my opinion. Professional Drivers/Truckers on their radios as an essential piece of safety equipment, you won't see a truck with a cheap, no-name
antenna. The CB in your Jeep is an essential piece of safety equipment too, treat it as such. A top tier antenna can make that $40 CB sound like a million
bucks!
Finally. Where to buy quality CBs, Antennas, Mounts, COAX cable, SWR meters or anything CB? CB shops are a good source but there aren't many of
them around no adays so for the most part, if it is CB related I ususlly shop the truck stops like Flying J, Petro, Love's, etc. Most of them will
have a good selection and have frequent sales where that $80 antenna just might be $40. You can see their specials on their websites.
Mounts. Performance is affected by how you mount your antenna.
Another consideration for your antenna solution is what mount to use. This is covered in the next section "Antenna Mounts".
Where to Mount. Performance is also affected by where you mount it. This is covered in the next section "Where to Mount your Antenna"
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*The opinions expressed in this product review are the opinions of the writer and are based on the writers tastes and preferences. The writer
may have and in many cases has invited other people using the same equipment to participate in this review by soliciting their opinions based on their
experience with the product. Despite the review (favorable/unfavorable)
you are encouraged to try out any product that you might be interested in.
**Copyrighted images & trademarks for products/items appearing on this website and/or portrayed and reviewed here
are the property of their respective owners
and are used within for informative and identification purposes only.
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Wilson 5000 Roof Mount
Wilson 5000 Trucker
K40 Roof Mount
K40 Trucker
FireStik comes in 3 Colors
FireStik Antenna
108" Whip on YJ
Ball Mounted Whip on TJ
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