On May 17, 8:41*pm, "Al Lorona" wrote:
I have always heard that "13 feet, 6 inches" is a standard for the maximum
height of an antenna mounted on a vehicle.

However, I cannot find a credible source on the web verifying this "fact"..
NHTSA, DOT, don't seem to have such an antenna regulation on their
respective web sites. I am not the most skillful user of Google, but my
searches have sure not turned up a reference to this magic number on any
authoritative site. Perhaps there is no national standard, only 50 separate
state standards, and the state with the lowest height limit would then
become the 'national standard'??


It's not a rule about antennas per se, it's maximum height of
vehicle. In California, it's 14 ft (with some special exceptions).
CVC 35250. No vehicle or load shall exceed a height of 14 feet
measured from the surface upon which the vehicle stands, except that a
double-deck bus may not exceed a height of 14 feet, 3 inches. Any
vehicle or load which exceeds a height of 13 feet, 6 inches, shall
only be operated on those highways where deemed to be safe by the
owner of the vehicle or the entity operating the bus.

There's also a federal rule for interstate highways that, in effect,
says that if your vehicle is less than 14 ft high and 8 ft wide, it
will fit on all interstate highways (if there's a low bridge, you'll
have the get off and go around path marked.

CVC 35100. (a) The total outside width of any vehicle or its load
shall not exceed 102 inches, except as otherwise provided in this
chapter.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, safety devices which
the Secretary of Transportation determines to be necessary for the
safe and efficient operation of motor vehicles shall not be included
in the calculation of width as specified in subdivision (a).

(c) Any city or county may, by ordinance, prohibit a combination of
vehicles of a total width in excess of 96 inches upon highways under
its jurisdiction. The ordinance shall not be effective until
appropriate signs are erected indicating the streets affected