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Message |
    
852
Advanced Member
Username: 852
Post Number: 579
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Friday, August 24, 2012 - 12:36 pm: | 
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What are the pros and cons of these antennas? I have a Kenworth Dump truck with a wilson 2000 mirror mount ant..Seems as if anyone gets behind me or more than a mile away i can no longer hear them..Would one of these antennas help? The cab of my truck is mainly fiberglass with little aluminum... |
Press_man
Advanced Member
Username: Press_man
Post Number: 610
Registered: 5-2008
| | Posted on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 10:15 am: |
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Tech 833 is the source for antenna knowledge but I'll take a shot from experience. When I install where there isn't a useable ground plane I always use an antenna like the Firestick (4'). Always worked best for me on Pickup. Installed one on my brothers KW mirror and changed his radio world. He hauled tile on a flat bed and would lose people behind him quickly, this changed with the Firestick. They won't take power above 500w though.
73 Pressman
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Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 2194
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, August 26, 2012 - 6:03 pm: |
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The NGP antennas are good at giving your radio a satisfactory match (SWR) but pretty lousy at getting a lot of signal out on the horizon. But they are certainly better than nothing.
If you have any other metal around, like the dump bed itself, that would be your best bet. Can you mount the antenna to the front ridge of the dump bed? Then run coax down the bed all the way back to the hinges at the rear of the truck, then forward along the frame into the cab?
Your radio 'Mythbuster' since 1998
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852
Advanced Member
Username: 852
Post Number: 580
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 3:32 pm: |
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I might try moving the ant. further out on the mirror arm..If that doesn't help, might try going with a 4ft. firestik mounted on the lower mirror arm. Can't go with alot of height due to having to pull under low asphalt plants.. |
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 2200
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, August 30, 2012 - 11:33 am: |
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Thinking outside the box...
Since you have to keep low profile, could you mount fiberglass sticks to the sides of the dump bed?
Your radio 'Mythbuster' since 1998
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Tech237
Moderator
Username: Tech237
Post Number: 1613
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Friday, August 31, 2012 - 8:41 am: |
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Or use a tuned small loop mounted above the cab's roof?
Tech237
N7AUS
God made me an athiest, who are you to question his wisdom?
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852
Advanced Member
Username: 852
Post Number: 581
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, September 08, 2012 - 5:47 pm: |
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Thanks for all the suggestions.... |
