CB Antennae Mount.... $36 for Everything...

[Rubidozer]

I didn't like the idea of paying $80 for an antennae, cable, and mount. Especially, when the antennae costs $17, the cable costs $17, and you don't need a mount. Besides, putting it on the plastic licenseplate mount on the side is just begging for a tree, or a rock, to rip it off...
So this is where I mounted mine, after buying the antennae and cable for about $36... The tire carrier is made of aluminum and drills out fairly easy. This way the antennae is protected from most trail-hazzards. It fits nicely on the flat surface that looks like it was designed just for this... There's even an extra rubber plug on the passenger side of the swing-gate to feed the cable through....

http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Pic093.JPG

[Rubidozer]

The antennae is a 3ft Firestik Firefly (with the tunable-tip); The cable is 18ft of Firestik Firewire that comes with a low-profile coaxial ring and stud-mount. The wire is really skinny and fits anywhere, because it comes with the end off so you can thread it through really small places. It's very easy to solder the end onto the wire when you're done routing the cable.

This is the highest rated antennae and cable you can buy...

[dkingjk]

looks great
close ups please

[JackMac4]

^^^

Yeah looks good...i'd like to see some more of where its actually mounted, etc...

[JKGirl]

Where did you buy the antennae and cable?

[nota4re]

Rubidozer,

A historical problem of mounting antennas to hinged surfaces (such as the JK's tailgate/tire carrier) is that you will typically have an unreliable ground source. While it may test out good at rest - or even for a period of time, sooner or later the lack of a good ground may cause significant performance problems for your CB. The problem is that the engineers try to get the hinged tailgate to glide on teflon (non conducting) bushings. As an example, if you look at the hinged tailgate of any TJ, you will notice a TWO conductor contact plate that Jeep used to light the third brake light. The point is that it is a TWO conductor connector (power & ground) because Jeep knows that the ground is not reliable. A relatively simple cure is to add a grounding strap between the tailgate and the body. It may be a bit challenging to find a suitable (non painted surface) on both the body and the tailgate, while also keeping in mind aesthetics.

Also, as you have written up, CB-intended coax lengths are typically sold in multiples of 9' to be most compatible with the wavelength of the CB operating frequency. 18' is a very common length. With a rear center antenna mounting location, it may be a challenge to route to the front of 4-door JK and then get to a common CB mounting location.

[Robar]

Where did you buy the antennae and cable?

Not sure where he got his, but N (http://www.northridge4x4.com/)orthridge4x4 (http://www.northridge4x4.com/)has them.

[b1pig]

posted on another thread:

http://www.geocities.com/b1pig/updates/DSC00586.JPG

Mine didnt const me anything either. made it out of a peice of scrap I had laying around about 4 years ago for a minivan we had. I removed it when we sold the van. I always keep crap.

Check it out guys.
If you are crafty (most of us who have been Jeepin are) then you can fab your own.

From what I gather, Rubidozer ran his straight through the lobes on the top of the spare tire mount. Make sure you have a antenna mount that has a longenough stud though....
or...

Go to a local truck stop, CB shop or (last option) Radio Shack and purchase a standard 3/8 CB mount and antenna of your choice. Purchase a cable long enough... if you have the Unlimited, go ahead and get the 20' cable.. I only had about 2 feet left over on mine.

Go to either a local machine shop or hardware store. You can find a peice of flat stock.. again, of your choice. 11ga sheet metal will work fine. You can also buy some that is 1.5" wide strips in 2-4ft lengths. Cut to fit your desired length. Drill a hole for the mount, and then drill 2 or 3 holes for it to attach to the spare tire mount.

I remembered about 3 weeks ago that I had this laying in my shop and installed it. works awesome.

[b1pig]

also... a side note.

If you are not familiar, ask a HAM radio guy. Companites like Diamond Antenna and Comet Antenna make some nice trunk lip mounts that are fully adjustable and real strong. They come in 3/8 style mounts for CB antennas... "UHF" mounts and NMO (motorola) mounts.

You can mount them to anything with a smooth lip on it. Havent checked the JK Hood, but some ZJ owners have used em.... I have a NMO trunklip mount (flat) on the hood of my ZJ for a scanner... and I also have a trunk lip mounted on the upper part of my gate. I intend on using one of these for the Ham radio I have on the way.

Not the best pic of it, but it is mounted on the ZJ below. The best places would either be the side of the hood on the JK (either side) or on the passenger side of the back gate. Many of these come with a cable that has a small (RG/U88 i think) cable as a pass-thru to slip through seals with no trouble. I have had one on my ZJ for the past 5 years with ZERO problems.
http://www.geocities.com/b1pig/updates/MVC-816S.JPG

edit:
LINK (http://www.rfparts.com/diamond/k400-38c.html)

maybe that will help and get some of your brains turning. :D

[HG07JKRubi]

The antennae is a 3ft Firestik Firefly (with the tunable-tip); The cable is 18ft of Firestik Firewire that comes with a low-profile coaxial ring and stud-mount. The wire is really skinny and fits anywhere, because it comes with the end off so you can thread it through really small places. It's very easy to solder the end onto the wire when you're done routing the cable.

This is the highest rated antennae and cable you can buy...

Rubidozer - I would love to see some close ups of the mount...thinking about the same thing on mine. Thanks.

[Rubidozer]

Rubidozer,

A historical problem of mounting antennas to hinged surfaces (such as the JK's tailgate/tire carrier) is that you will typically have an unreliable ground source. While it may test out good at rest - or even for a period of time, sooner or later the lack of a good ground may cause significant performance problems for your CB. The problem is that the engineers try to get the hinged tailgate to glide on teflon (non conducting) bushings. As an example, if you look at the hinged tailgate of any TJ, you will notice a TWO conductor contact plate that Jeep used to light the third brake light. The point is that it is a TWO conductor connector (power & ground) because Jeep knows that the ground is not reliable. A relatively simple cure is to add a grounding strap between the tailgate and the body. It may be a bit challenging to find a suitable (non painted surface) on both the body and the tailgate, while also keeping in mind aesthetics.

Also, as you have written up, CB-intended coax lengths are typically sold in multiples of 9' to be most compatible with the wavelength of the CB operating frequency. 18' is a very common length. With a rear center antenna mounting location, it may be a challenge to route to the front of 4-door JK and then get to a common CB mounting location.
The 18ft cable was perfect and had about 1ft to spare; That length of cable will go anywhere you want it to in the JK.
As far as the grounding, when the tailgate is closed the antennae is grounded through the door-striker. I have checked the mount for continuity and ground, as well as all the connection points and ground points. I've been a mechanic for many years and am now a certified electrician and builder. This stuff isn't new to me... The grounding works perfectly.
People have been mounting their antennae this way for many years, because it works for many years...

And as far as the cable lengths, look at the Firestik website under FAQs and you'll learn that 18ft of cable is the recommended length...

[Rubidozer]

Hey people, I'll go snap some pics right now.

I found a dealer through the Firestik website: www.Firestik.com
It has a great FAQ area, so you can do it correctly.

The dealer website I was routed to was: www.WalcottCB.com
They are going to charge for shipping, but it will still be alot cheaper than anyone else.

If you live in a large town, I would call around to different stores; Somebody may have this stuff, so you won't have to pay any shipping. Part #s should be on the Firestik website...

[Rubidozer]

Here are some pics of the mount on the sparetire assembly:
http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Pic101.JPG
This pic below shows why you need a low-profile coaxial end:
http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Pic100.JPG
This pic below shows the unused plug which I used to run the cable through the swing-gate:
http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Pic099.JPG
This pic below shows where the cable comes out and runs behind the coverplate for the factory wireloom and through the protective cover:
http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Pic098.JPG

[captsam54]

http://www.arizonarockyroad.com/

BEST AND LEAST EXPENSIVE SITE TO GET GREAT 2007 JEEP AFTERMARKET OVERHEAD CONSOLE, VHF, CB RADIO BRACKETS, ANTENNAS..
ALSO HAS STUFF ON EBAY.. That's where I found him.. Not too pricey as others I have seen, and built well..

[John L]

Nice work, looks great!
What CB are you running?

[Rubidozer]

The CB I have is the absolute best! It's the Cobra 75WX-ST...
It has no big box to mount, because everything fits in the handheld... That made it easy to mount the little box in the center console, and the handheld is hung next to the driver's leg by the Transfer-case lever...

[John L]

I've been thinking about getting one of those, does yours work OK? I've read several reviews, seem about half love it, half hate it. I've never had any problems from Cobra products, the one's that hate it probably do not have the antenna tuned and/or mounted correctly. The antenna will either make or break the system. I'm an old CBer from the late 70's and beyond and know how to set up an antenna:D

Thanks for the info!!

[possumface]

you can with some help talk all over the world in the right conditions
"skip" from your jeep. ive traded postcards years ago from alot of radio operators. but since the computer age kinda got away from radio. :toung:

[Rubidozer]

I've been thinking about getting one of those, does yours work OK? I've read several reviews, seem about half love it, half hate it. I've never had any problems from Cobra products, the one's that hate it probably do not have the antenna tuned and/or mounted correctly. The antenna will either make or break the system. I'm an old CBer from the late 70's and beyond and know how to set up an antenna:D

Thanks for the info!!
The CB, Antennae, and Cable work incredibly well where I have everything mounted! I just came back from a long weekend in Tellico and the system was transmitting as far as 4+ miles! And that was within an area that's filled with hills, valleys, trees, and even more trees! I have mine wired directly to battery and I haven't had a single complaint with transmitting or receiving...

Also, my antennae was mounted in the perfect place... If it had been mounted on the side of the jeep, it would have certainly been broken-off!!! Tons of tree-branches and rock-walls would have snapped it in half....

[JackMac4]

The CB, Antennae, and Cable work incredibly well where I have everything mounted! I just came back from a long weekend in Tellico and the system was transmitting as far as 4+ miles! And that was within an area that's filled with hills, valleys, trees, and even more trees! I have mine wired directly to battery and I haven't had a single complaint with transmitting or receiving...

Also, my antennae was mounted in the perfect place... If it had been mounted on the side of the jeep, it would have certainly been broken-off!!! Tons of tree-branches and rock-walls would have snapped it in half....

Cool. I'm looking to copy your setup. I really like cooltech's mount, but I too was concerned about branches and things. Though its probably not too big of a deal. The other factor was cost. You can get an FL4 firestick for 20 bucks and mount it like yours for free...at 1/4 the cost of cooltech, that's a hard deal to pass.

[Magister]

Rubidozer,

What SWR reading are you getting? If this has been mentioned before and I just missed it, sorry.

[Rubidozer]

Rubidozer,

What SWR reading are you getting? If this has been mentioned before and I just missed it, sorry.
I couldn't tell you...Because after hooking it up, testing for ground and continuity, and tuning the antennae-tip, I drove it by my local truckstop and asked the mechanic to give it an SWR-reading. He did this for free, and it only took a few minutes. He told me it couldn't be any better and asked me who hooked-up everything because they had done a great job...

[dsp]

I am about to mount mine like you have yours. It seemed like it was going to wack the 3rd brake light, any hitting from bouncing around, thanks for any reply

[Rubidozer]

Mine hit a little, when wheeling, but I found a rubber bushing that fit over the antennae and I slid it down to sit against the side of the brakelight. That kept it from bouncing around and hitting or making any noise over bumps.

[RedRockJK]

Excellent idea! You just saved me $40+ :D

[papabear]

Drill a hole in a Tennis Ball and put on your CB Antenna, worked for me. Papabear:yup:

[nota4re]

It's great to see some different alterntives for antenna mounting and I certainly applaud the DIY solutions. No doubt that the DIY solutions are typically less expensive than an all-in-one solution and for those that enjoy to tinker, a DIY is also fulfilling to engineer and implement.

However I'd just like to clarify a couple of points - especially for those that may be reading the thread for the first time.

The Cool Tech UltraMount is currently priced at $79 and is an all-in-one solution. No other parts are needed as the hardware, antenna, coax and coupler are all included.

If you want to compare apples:apples cost, you must minimally compare the cost of a comparable (or same) antenna @ ~$20 and a quality coax length @ ~ $17. You may also need a coupler to complete the mount. So, while the UltraMount may still be a little more money, it is not a 4:1 difference.

Also, it has been stated here that there is some concern of the UltraMount's location being susceptible to brush and tree strikes. I disagree with this. The UltraMount is located 7/8" from the left tail light and almost 4" INSIDE the outermost edge of the rear fender flare (Rubicon model). If the UltraMount is exposed, you can say goodbye to your rear fenderflare and your license plate bracket and maybe your left rear tail light. If this is your wheelin' style, the UltraMount may not be for you.

Also (and the primary reason for posting this clarification), the Ultramount positions the antenna such that it will virtually never strike the Jeep or hardtop. It will never happen with only wind or bouncing along a trail and is only possible if it gets caught and somehow pulled to the side. Then, maybe.

The tennis ball is a great idea but not needed for the UltraMount.

Finally, the two essentials for maximizing antenna performance (range and clarity) is an EXCELLENT ground and good SWR tuning. SWR tuning cannot overcome a poor ground. Mounting to a surface that is part of a hinged tailgate is not an ideal ground. The hinges ride on teflon washers from the factory which tries to minimize metal to metal contact in favor of smooth operation. As a result the ground contact is the latch. Latches are greased for smooth operation and grease attracts dirt - especially in dusty (trail) environments. Over time, a latch may develop some looseness further compromising a good ground. This is not an ideal scenario where an excellent ground is needed.

Fortunately, the ground issue can be easily overcome by adding a heavy-gauge or woven grounding strap between the body and the tailgate. Obviously such a strap should be bolted in securely and to surfaces void of paint.

[JackMac4]

I think he makes some good points about cost and positioning, to which I stand corrected. However, I think there are still many circumstances where that location would be a bad one - but he's right in the fact that if you're that kind of trail rider, you should know better than to mount there.

At this point I'm still planning on going the DIY route, but I think its worth mentioning that CoolTech stands behind his product so much he's sending me a left over pre-production demo unit (bracket only) for my evaluation.

I think that's a pretty stand-up move and a testimate to the good nature of this forum as well as the jeep community as a whole.

[John L]

FWIW, I received most of my antenna install items last night but was shorted the fire ring stud mount :doh:. That's on the way now, so I was left to ground my tailgate. I used a 12" braided strap and bolted it so it is located behind the existing nylon wire cover. It came out better than I expected, both asthetically and electrically, measured .003Ω from body to gate:ya: I'll post up some pics when I do the full antenna install.

[Rugbyduck]

Also, as you have written up, CB-intended coax lengths are typically sold in multiples of 9' to be most compatible with the wavelength of the CB operating frequency. 18' is a very common length. With a rear center antenna mounting location, it may be a challenge to route to the front of 4-door JK and then get to a common CB mounting location.

Man...you are not kidding! I couldn't get an 18ft to reach where I needed it!:sad:

[hiteck]

Man...you are not kidding! I couldn't get an 18ft to reach where I needed it!:sad:

The recommended length for coax is 18 feet. If you cannot use 18 feet, you can use a minimum of 9 feet with increments of 3 feet (example: 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27). Be careful of what you do with your excess cable. If you need to wrap it, let it hang loose and carefully wrap it in a 12 to 16 inch circle (elbow to hand roll), wire tire it in the center, and put it out of sight under your seat or dash. Failure to do so could result in a RF choke.

[RubiconOrdie]

I like the mount on the spare tire and that's what I had on my TJ. On my JK, though I have a swing away tire, I didn't want to drill in it, so I slapped on the Ultra mount. I love it, never had it hit anything, and it works great on the trail, no issue with it hitting. The only times I've had anything hit is when going under a low tree (as in branches rubbing across my top).

[scarp]

The recommended length for coax is 18 feet. If you cannot use 18 feet, you can use a minimum of 9 feet with increments of 3 feet (example: 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27). Be careful of what you do with your excess cable. If you need to wrap it, let it hang loose and carefully wrap it in a 12 to 16 inch circle (elbow to hand roll), wire tire it in the center, and put it out of sight under your seat or dash. Failure to do so could result in a RF choke.

:naw:

The key here is "RESONANT ANTENNA", when we have a resonant tuned antenna (50 ohms impedance) and we use a matching 50 ohm coaxial cable and feed that into a matching 50 ohm radio, the laws of "Conjugate" are in effect and it wouldn't matter where you tested the SWR along the line, nor would it depend how many feet involved, there would still be a good SWR match with only slight variations due to natures pool of imperfections. The coax length should be just long enough to reach the rig.

For most cases when using a single antenna system with a 50 ohm coax feed ANY coaxial length will work providing the antenna is tuned properly at the feed-point of the antenna (where the coax attaches).

[pitcoken]

Grounding this mount makes little difference to the performance of the antenna. If the stick was being mounted to the center of a large flat metal surface (such as a roof or trunk lid) then a low resistance connection between the mount and the surface would matter. Why? This antenna is end fed which means that there is one lobe of radiated energy above the mount and (unfortunately) a matching lobe of rediated energy BELOW the feed point. A ground plane forces the energy in the lower lobe into the upper lobe and dramatically improves performance. Regretfully, there is no suitable metal surface on the JK that would provide an adequate ground plane. So the quality of the ground of the rear door only matters in that if it were poorly grounded it could be the source of noise in the receiver.

A better antenna for a mount like this is actually a vertical center fed dipole. It looks a bit like the firestick in that it has a fiberglass lower section with a radiator (wire) wrapped around it. The difference is that a coax cable runs from the base to the top end of the fiberglass tube where it is connected to the top whip and to the bottom radiator. This type of antenna requires no ground plane to perform well. Regretfully it would be very large for use on the 11 meter band.

I sure this will bring a howl of protests from many corners. But if in doubt go back to the books. The laws of physics are immutable.

[JackMac4]

While you may be right, I couldn't disagree more - in practice the ground does matter, at least when it comes to mounting on the tail gate.

[RubiconOrdie]

Grounding this mount makes little difference to the performance of the antenna. If the stick was being mounted to the center of a large flat metal surface (such as a roof or trunk lid) then a low resistance connection between the mount and the surface would matter. Why? This antenna is end fed which means that there is one lobe of radiated energy above the mount and (unfortunately) a matching lobe of rediated energy BELOW the feed point. A ground plane forces the energy in the lower lobe into the upper lobe and dramatically improves performance. Regretfully, there is no suitable metal surface on the JK that would provide an adequate ground plane. So the quality of the ground of the rear door only matters in that if it were poorly grounded it could be the source of noise in the receiver.

A better antenna for a mount like this is actually a vertical center fed dipole. It looks a bit like the firestick in that it has a fiberglass lower section with a radiator (wire) wrapped around it. The difference is that a coax cable runs from the base to the top end of the fiberglass tube where it is connected to the top whip and to the bottom radiator. This type of antenna requires no ground plane to perform well. Regretfully it would be very large for use on the 11 meter band.

I sure this will bring a howl of protests from many corners. But if in doubt go back to the books. The laws of physics are immutable.

Your absolutely right if your talking about a no-ground plane kit that uses the coax shield in the cable as counterpoise. If however you have a set up like most of us we have to have a good ground for counterpoise, it's equally as important as the antenna. The JK body is as effective as any vehicle for counterpoise.