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Magnet mount antenna - advice appreciated

Discussion in 'CB Radio Forum' started by icefisher, Oct 19, 2011.

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  1. Oct 19, 2011 #1
    icefisher

    icefisher Bobtail Member

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    Oct 19, 2011
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    Hello,

    I drive a tandem-axle 2007 Sterling (yeah, I know.....) and I recently installed a Galaxy DX959 straight from the factory (not peaked or tuned). I was going to set it up to run on two co-phased fiberglass mirror-mounted antennas, but I've had such an incredible battle trying to get a good ground plane (because they aren't REAL doors, they're fiberglass...) that I decided "the hell with it" and I'm just going to put a magnet mount on the center of the roof.

    The Wilson 1000 and 5000 mag mounts caught my eye, but is there much difference between the two other than how many watts they can handle (which obviously isn't an issue for a factory Galaxy)? I definitely want a magnet mount antenna of high quality and good range to last me for a few years to come or more. For what it's worth I do mostly in-town driving at 30MPH in a mountainous area without too many overhead obstructions (except a few traffic lights), so antenna height isn't much of a concern.

    Thank you!
     
    icefisher, Oct 19, 2011
    icefisher, Oct 19, 2011
    #1
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  3. Oct 19, 2011 #2
    TennMan

    TennMan Road Train Member

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    I would mount the antenna behind the cab so that you can limit the overhead problems. I'd make sure whenronning the coax it doesn't get damaged orin a pinch point. Other than that good luck.
     
    TennMan, Oct 19, 2011
    TennMan, Oct 19, 2011
    #2
  4. Oct 19, 2011 #3
    josh.c

    josh.c Road Train Member

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    Are you sure the doors are fiberglass? I thought that Sterling used all steel all the way to the end. If the doors are indeed fiberglass, I'd make sure the roof is magnetic before you go any further.

    I have a Wilson 1000 that I used to use when I slip seated in Mack daycabs, and I was very happy with it. The 5000 might be slightly more efficient in theory, but in practice the 1000 will be more than enough.
     
    josh.c, Oct 19, 2011
    josh.c, Oct 19, 2011
    #3
  5. Oct 19, 2011 #4
    Turbo-T

    Turbo-T Road Train Member

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    I have owned both the 1000 and the 5000, they both have the same length of whip, and will get your radio out the same. The main difference is the 5000 uses a thicker coax and a thicker coil, so it can handle 20k watts as opposed to the 3k watt rating of the 1000.
     
    Turbo-T, Oct 19, 2011
    Turbo-T, Oct 19, 2011
    #4
  7. Oct 20, 2011 #5
    icefisher

    icefisher Bobtail Member

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    Oct 19, 2011
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    Yes sir, hate to say it but I am positive they're fiberglass. I've got a flashlight with a heavy-duty magnet on it that I keep with me when driving, and I couldn't find a single spot where it would stick to the exterior or interior of the door, it stuck pretty well to the top and rear of the whole cab though.

    Thank you all for the advice. Does anyone else have anything to add here in regards to the Wilson 1000 or 5000 magnet mounts, and/or CB antennas on Sterling trucks? If not I'll be ordering a 1000 sometime this week probably.
     
    icefisher, Oct 20, 2011
    icefisher, Oct 20, 2011
    #5
  8. Oct 20, 2011 #6
    mike5511

    mike5511 Road Train Member

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    Doors could be aluminum. I've had both the 1000 and 5000. Unless you are going to be running a linear and need the capability of the 5000, I wouldn't spend the extra dough on a 5000 because you will not notice any difference in performance.
     
    mike5511, Oct 20, 2011
    mike5511, Oct 20, 2011
    #6
  9. Oct 21, 2011 #7
    555 BigHorn Mobile

    555 BigHorn Mobile Bobtail Member

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    Sep 23, 2011
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    He is correct the doors are fiberglass but the cab is metal
    if you go with a magmount first thing to do is cut the coax off and put some lmr 240 uf or lmr 400 uf then put good pl259
    also take the flimsy stinger out and drill it out to take a comp predator 10k stinger. Then cut it down to tune it, this will give you less flex in the stinger and also more surface area on the stinger
    just by doing this improves the antenna
    but a standard wilson 5k will do what you will need.
    if anything cut conector off and install a quality pl259
    hope this helps
     
    555 BigHorn Mobile, Oct 21, 2011
    555 BigHorn Mobile, Oct 21, 2011
    #7
  10. Oct 21, 2011 #8
    kd5drx

    kd5drx <strong>Master of Electronic Communications</stron

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    Do what you like but if it were my truck IE i owned it I would spend the time and trouble to run some bonding wires from the mirror to the cab. Do this by running small 1/8 flat braid from the inside the door jam to the mirror mount bolts. Then run lots of flat braid of different size from the cab to the frame and the motor to the frame. this will help over all performance of the complete setup.
     
    kd5drx, Oct 21, 2011
    kd5drx, Oct 21, 2011
    #8
  11. Oct 22, 2011 #9
    mike5511

    mike5511 Road Train Member

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    NW Arkansas
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    Yes it will. Where you getting your flat braid? I can't find any locally.
     
    mike5511, Oct 22, 2011
    mike5511, Oct 22, 2011
    #9
  12. Oct 22, 2011 #10
    captw900

    captw900 Light Load Member

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    Aug 22, 2011
    buffalo,Ny
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    I have the same get up on my pick up 959 with little will 1000 works great
     
    captw900, Oct 22, 2011
    captw900, Oct 22, 2011
    #10
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