auceny

I live in a condo with a parking garage. My 2ft Firestik CB antenna sticks above the top a few inches and is 1 inch from hitting some lightweight movable signs in the garage. Would it be bad to put a 3 inch spring on it for flexibility and added height(range) and have it hit those signs whenever I go in and out of the garage? I'm sure I can leave it how it is with how little I will use it but was just curious. And I know it will hit things in the woods so I know they can take some abuse.

Old Guard

Get a stubby and not worry.

auceny

Should have specified it's a CB antenna and not my radio antenna.

DJ1

It'll get roughed up. I don't mind if it's tree branches because usually it's just a quick hit but if it's a like a parking garage where the tip will consistently drag along the ceiling, I just take my antenna off using a quick disconnect....

Firestik CB Antenna Quick Disconnect K-1A | Right Channel Radios

auceny

Wouldn't be dragging. Just hitting about 5 lightweight signs each way. Probably nothing different than a small tree branch impact though. I'll likely try it out.

MrKenmore

If you add the spring recheck your SWR as your antenna is now longer. The 2 foot firestik is pretty good. I recently used it on 10 meter and talked with Brazil from NY. 40 watts.

genesbro

If your swr is currently good then don't add the spring because it will then be very bad.

auceny

Will it be bad or just different and need the antenna tuned again? I couldn't get the SWR great on all three 1-20-40 but was like 1.6 on 1 and 40 and way better on 20 I think.

MrKenmore

If you were tuned properly before, your SWR curve will now be at its lowest point on the lower channels. Lower frequency number means longer antenna. You would need to retune (or cut) the antenna to compensate for the added length of the spring.

genesbro

Normally when tuning you make like 1/8 to 1/4 inch adjustments and sounds like right now your swr is perfect as is. You are going to add approx. 3 inches to your antenna so that should make it too long for even 1 to be good. Really no reason to add spring unless you have an antenna that is too short and needs to be about a springs length longer anyway. I would just leave it and it will flop around a lot less this way. The only antenna still being made that needs a spring for sure is the old standard stainless steel whip and that is too long to run on trails. Most official runs have banned them because they can hit people.