Glass Mount CB Antennae
 

Hello all, I am wanting to put a CB in my conversion van but my wife isn't
happy about having the big ugly antennae. I would like to know if anyone has
ever used a glass mount cb antennae and if they are any account. The radio I
will be using is only tuned to max but no amp.
Thanks..........

--
To email me please remove the exclamation mark from my address.
Thanks.................

"Scott" wrote:
Hello all, I am wanting to put a CB in my conversion van but my wife
isn't happy about having the big ugly antennae. I would like to know if
anyone has ever used a glass mount cb antennae and if they are any
account. The radio I will be using is only tuned to max but no amp.
Thanks..........

In a nutshell they suck, mainly because they're too short. (and are
made like ****e)

Will she put up with a magnet mount?

I have one but it was discontinued 10 years ago. It's an Antenna Specialists
AV-240. It's 4 ft. long - YES, 4ft! It's based on a commercial land-mobile
antenna and handles about 150 watts. I've actually talked skip on AM with
only a 35 watt amp. As far as what is made now, I don't know of a real good
one. The Midland Power Max works OK but doesn't last long. The plastic bakes
in the sun. I get about 1/2 the reading on a field strength meter as what I
do from a good antenna. If you do get one, look for one with a ground strap
off the coupling box.

If you can mount a trunk-lip mount antenna on the hood, that may be an
option for you. I have an all black 3 ft. one on my Voyager. Works much
better than the little glass mounts. Take a look around eBay. They often
have new, old stock antennas. Maybe you'll find something there or get a
good idea of what is around.

Chris

"Scott" wrote in message
m...
| Hello all, I am wanting to put a CB in my conversion van but my wife isn't
| happy about having the big ugly antennae. I would like to know if anyone
has
| ever used a glass mount cb antennae and if they are any account. The radio
I
| will be using is only tuned to max but no amp.
| Thanks..........
|
| --
| To email me please remove the exclamation mark from my address.
| Thanks.................

Here's a good article: http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs/on-glass.htm


"Scott" wrote in message
m...
| Hello all, I am wanting to put a CB in my conversion van but my wife isn't
| happy about having the big ugly antennae. I would like to know if anyone
has
| ever used a glass mount cb antennae and if they are any account. The radio
I
| will be using is only tuned to max but no amp.
| Thanks..........
|
| --
| To email me please remove the exclamation mark from my address.
| Thanks.................

Thanks for all the info, I am going to trash the Glass Mount idea.
Going to check out the trunk lip mount. It's a full size conversion van with
a
fiberglass top so the mag mount is out also.
Thanks again for all the info and the webpage link!!!

--
To email me please remove the exclamation mark from my address.
Thanks.................

"Scott" wrote:
Thanks for all the info, I am going to trash the Glass Mount idea.
Going to check out the trunk lip mount. It's a full size conversion van
with a
fiberglass top so the mag mount is out also.
Thanks again for all the info and the webpage link!!!


Just remember if you get it up high enough, it will bang off
stuff and scare the hell out of her, or be peeled off in
a nasty garage mishap. :)

I purchased and installed a glass mount cb ant. that wasn't worth a
crap. SWR's were off the scale. I could listen, sorta, but never
transmit. Very disappointed and don't recommend. Stv

I don't know if you can beat a wilson "little wil" trunk mount for this
situation. I have one on my Passat and love it. All total, it's 36" and
can still handle 500watts.

Best mounting location on a van unfortunately will be the right/left hood
where it meets the cowling IMHO.

Don
313

"Scott" wrote in message
m...
Hello all, I am wanting to put a CB in my conversion van but my wife isn't
happy about having the big ugly antennae. I would like to know if anyone
has
ever used a glass mount cb antennae and if they are any account. The radio
I
will be using is only tuned to max but no amp.
Thanks..........

--
To email me please remove the exclamation mark from my address.
Thanks.................

"Scott" wrote in message
m...
Hello all, I am wanting to put a CB in my
conversion van but my wife isn't
happy about having the big ugly antennae. I would like
to know if anyone has
ever used a glass mount cb antennae and if they are any account. The
radio I will be using is only tuned to max but no amp.
Thanks..........

On-the-glass antennas do not work. Don't waste your money on any one of
them.
Either drill a hole for a ball mount on the side
of the van, or use a classic bumper mount version.
The altenative is a magnetic mount on the roof
or if you have those "trucker" type mirrors put the
antenna on the mount.

I would like to know if anyone has
ever used a glass mount cb antennae and if they are any account. The
radio I will be using is only tuned to max but no amp......

At these frequencies, you might as well use a paper clip.
Antenna performance is relative to size. (up to a point)
Consider a base-loaded whip, maybe on a magnet mount, in the center of the
roof.


--
KC6ETE Dave's Engineering Page, www.dvanhorn.org
Microcontroller Consultant, specializing in Atmel AVR

"M-Tech" wrote in message
...
I don't know if you can beat a wilson "little wil" trunk mount for this
situation. I have one on my Passat and love it. All total, it's 36" and
can still handle 500watts.

Best mounting location on a van unfortunately will be the right/left hood
where it meets the cowling IMHO.

Don
313

"Scott" wrote in message
m...


I've been looking at the Passat's and was wondering where the hell you put a
radio in that thing and not have it be butt-ugly?

Chad

"Scott" wrote in message
m...
Hello all, I am wanting to put a CB in my conversion van but my wife isn't
happy about having the big ugly antennae. I would like to know if anyone
has
ever used a glass mount cb antennae and if they are any account. The radio
I
will be using is only tuned to max but no amp.
Thanks..........

--
To email me please remove the exclamation mark from my address.
Thanks.................

In a nutshell, they suck. I've had 2 different ones and they both performed
terribly, I could hear, but they were both pretty much mute on the transmit,
SWR's weren't bad, it's just the coupling through the glass (I believe) that
did not cut it.

Chad

"Scott" wrote in message
om...

Thanks for all the info, I am going to trash the Glass Mount idea.
Going to check out the trunk lip mount. It's a full size conversion van
with
a
fiberglass top so the mag mount is out also.
Thanks again for all the info and the webpage link!!!

--
To email me please remove the exclamation mark from my address.
Thanks.................

How 'bout a tasteful bumper mount with a disconnect, or a mount on the roof
and a no ground plane antenna on a disconnect, the roof may discourage
theft. Just watch those parking garages!!!

Chad

In a nutshell, they suck. I've had 2 different ones and they both
performed terribly, I could hear, but they were both pretty much mute on
the transmit, SWR's weren't bad, it's just the coupling through the glass
(I believe) that did not cut it.

Good SWR says nothing about radiation efficiency.
A 50 ohm resistor has great SWR, and only radiates heat.
A compromise antenna might closely approximate a resistor.

--
KC6ETE Dave's Engineering Page, www.dvanhorn.org
Microcontroller Consultant, specializing in Atmel AVR

"Dave VanHorn" wrote in message
...
In a nutshell, they suck. I've had 2 different ones and they both
performed terribly, I could hear, but they were both pretty much mute on
the transmit, SWR's weren't bad, it's just the coupling through the glass
(I believe) that did not cut it.

Good SWR says nothing about radiation efficiency.
A 50 ohm resistor has great SWR, and only radiates heat.
A compromise antenna might closely approximate a resistor.


Egg-Zachary!!!!

Never checked the SWR after the POS antenna fell off the mount on the glass.
My guess is the SWR still would have been "pretty good" due to the matching
network inside. Shoulda taken a pic and posted it after I destroyed the
inside part :)

Chad

I had a 2 meter antenna that failed this way once.

Suddenly, no range at all. I put a bird inline, between the antenna base
and the antenna (SO-239 mount) and found 40W forward, nothing reflected, but
my range was about that of my HT on EL power, which is 20mW.

Replaced the antenna with a 1/4w wire, and back in business.

--
KC6ETE Dave's Engineering Page, www.dvanhorn.org
Microcontroller Consultant, specializing in Atmel AVR