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Message |
    
Wildrat
Junior Member
Username: Wildrat
Post Number: 48
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 20, 2005 - 6:48 pm: | 
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I have a new Jeep Wrangler. I am going move my equipment to the Jeep. I will not be able to use my roof mount Wilson 5000. I will be mounting the antenna on the spare tire carrier. What do you suggest for a antenna for this beast, one that will handle at a minimum some power. I have seen the wilsons that have the load about a foot above the mount, but on the jeep it would not get it above the soft top. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Wildrat |
Bigbob
Senior Member
Username: Bigbob
Post Number: 2059
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 20, 2005 - 9:04 pm: |
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If it has a roll cage or bar that would be a problem,but if soft top is soft sided and supported by fiber glass or reinforced high impact plastic I see no problem,but to the former,maybe a mister coily mobile antenna or a full length ss whip.Bigbob |
Hollowpoint445
Advanced Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 574
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 7:25 pm: |
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I always thought the 102" whip, ball mount and spring on the passenger side rear was a good look for a Jeep. |
Crackerjack
Advanced Member
Username: Crackerjack
Post Number: 694
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 10:03 pm: |
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My Wrangler operated best with the 102", mounted as HP445 pointed out. Use 18' of good mini-8 coax, not coiled and you should have a real good SWR too.
On mine, the fiberglass top -on/off did not seem to have much effect either way. |
Wildrat
Junior Member
Username: Wildrat
Post Number: 49
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, July 22, 2005 - 11:04 am: |
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I have the soft top.
What about when your possibly running about 550 watts. Whats the SWR like then. The reason I ask is I had a Ford Ranger years ago with a topper on it and the SS whip, and like a big dummy I turned the amp and radio on without cking SWR and burnt my finals out in the amp,they were sky high. Thanks so far for the input. |
Hollowpoint445
Advanced Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 579
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 22, 2005 - 4:43 pm: |
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I wouldn't use that kind of power without a sheet of metal between me and the antenna. I'd like to have children one day. |
Crackerjack
Advanced Member
Username: Crackerjack
Post Number: 695
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Friday, July 22, 2005 - 7:36 pm: |
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Good SWR is Good SWR.
I certainly checked mine at all power levels, and I once ran a KL-400 in the Jeep.
Eventually I went with a Uniden 510, 100% mod, D-104 handheld, 102" and a kl-40 (when I was in the Boonies), that was the best set up I ever ran in the Jeep. It would talk all over the Country.
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Hollowpoint445
Advanced Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 580
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2005 - 8:28 am: |
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"Use 18' of good mini-8 coax, not coiled"
Coax can be coiled. In fact, coiling coax is a good idea if you want to prevent commom mode currents on it's shield.
Length isn't important either - unless you want the VSWR reading at the radio end to be accurate. To do that you would use 1/2 wavelength multiples, and that would vary with the most used frequency and the type of coax used. |
Wildrat
Member
Username: Wildrat
Post Number: 50
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 2:24 pm: |
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Well I acquired a Wilson Silvertip, 18' of quality mini 8. I got 18' for no reason, thats just how much was in the roll. I also coming in the mail one day a rear tire carrier mount which will raise the antenna to within about 12 inches of the top. It is so miserably hot outside though it is impossible to get interested in installing radio equipment in a vehicle. Thaanks for the comments.
Wildrat, DX454 |
Keithinatlanta
Advanced Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 656
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 4:03 pm: |
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Wildrat, I see you are from Florida. I was sorry to hear the weather service is now increasing the number of potential hurricanes for August and September. Let's hope they are WRONG!!!!!!!
I did not see what kind of radio you are going to use. But you might want to invest in a Uniden PC 68 or 78 with the seven weather bands. They do a fine job and when it comes to weather, you are covered with those weather bands.
Keith in Atlanta |
Wildrat
Member
Username: Wildrat
Post Number: 51
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Monday, August 08, 2005 - 9:05 pm: |
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I have an old superstar 3900 that I use. I have several other radios but I like this one. I know there are more modern ones out there,but this one does the job. I was in the Atlanta area a couple of weeks ago (Jonesboro). I do not like going near Atlanta, it just disturbs my feeling of peacefullness.
Well it will be quite sometime now before the radio gets in the jeep, I am having revision back surgery Wednesday, at least it will be a bit cooler by the time I start getting around again. By the way I am in Clearwater. Tampa disturbs my feeling of peacefullness also. Well I have to go the methadone has me nodding off.
See ya'll |
Bigbob
Senior Member
Username: Bigbob
Post Number: 2120
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 09, 2005 - 10:23 pm: |
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One guy I know won a ham contest,his station was 500 feet off the ground with another 500 feet of winch cable above him,he was also on a trail ride with some friends,oh he was in free air,wild huh,Wildrat?Bigbob |
Turbogus
New member
Username: Turbogus
Post Number: 11
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, September 24, 2005 - 12:42 pm: |
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Color me.....stoopid :P
Got me an ol Jeep Renegade,
put my venerable Uniden Pro538XLW on a slider from Gamber Johnson (SS-100) excellent unit although a bit pricey. Running 15 feet of RG58 linking through my ol Palomar 350HD. After verification of continuity through the linked coax im getting an SWR reading of 4.0 ARRGH! I haven't run a 102" steel whip in a couple of decades and I suspect a stud mounting problem. Can someone explain the mount of this 102" whip on a heavy spring mounted to a stud, that attaches to a heavy L bracket that is bolted to my bumper, continuity checks out for grounding from the antenna to the vehicle frame. Also there is no short in any of the coax. Any ideas?
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Turbogus
Junior Member
Username: Turbogus
Post Number: 11
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2005 - 11:14 am: |
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update on color me....stoopid :P
Turns out the isolating plastic bushing was on the wrong side of the L Bracket, thus the center electrode was grounding out.
Yeppirs, I B Stoopid:P |
Sg569
Intermediate Member
Username: Sg569
Post Number: 257
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 28, 2005 - 10:43 am: |
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WE ALL learn from mistakes. I've blown traces because I shorted things out while following the traces. Lesson learned don't use metal items while electric item is powered. |
Kid_vicious
Advanced Member
Username: Kid_vicious
Post Number: 710
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 28, 2005 - 4:56 pm: |
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you should never ever ever use a slide mount.
there is no way to maintain a good impedance match using two surfaces that are only physically connected.
just my 2 cents worth. (also lou franklin's 2 cents worth)
matt |
