Chefbrujo

Anyone run one? I want to know if it works as well or better than a firestick. Pics wud b cool

Chefbrujo

Anyone?...

PG-JKU

I run one. Works just fine. Can'tpost pics from the phone but it's just a whip on a coil with a standard connection that I use for my VHF antenna when I use that radio instead. If you send me a PM with your email I can send you a pic

psouza

I assume you are referring to a wire whip (not a 102 in stainless whip) and not a fiberglass whip antenna. I ran a Wilson base loaded whip, that was about 3 1/2 feet long, for nearly 10 years and it worked very well. Recently replaced it with a Fire Stick tunable, 4 footer just to see how it worked. I decided on the Fire Stick during a comparison test with a Cobra 4 footer. The Fire Stick tunes sharper and returns a slightly lower VSWR than the Cobra. The Cobra is a much broader band width antenna and is not tunable, easily. Either one would work well for a properly configured installation.

Where and how you mount the antenna is much more important than the brand. Remember, the higher it extends above the roof, the better it will work.

Phil

Chefbrujo

Thanks. I was referring to a 102inch stainless whip. Sorry, im not hip to cb lingo yet.
Im thinking it must work well? I know location is key. Wondering if anyone runs one and has pics. There must be a reason iv only seen people runnin firesticks lol

arjeeper

In radio antennas, size maters. A full size antenna will always outperform physically shortened versions.

It's a matter of efficiency. The shorter the antenna, the less efficient at both send and receive.

And yes, I've run one. If well grounded and positioned, it's really the best single element antenna for a vehicle.

psouza

While I do not use one, because most of the groups we trail with do not allow them, they are the easiest to make work well and they do out perform every thing else. The trade off between safety and performance is not excessive.

Phil

Chefbrujo

Thank u very much for those replies. Why in the world wud it not be allowed on a trail/in a group? If they work best and r easy to make work why does everyone run a firestick (by everyone i mean everyones pics i see on this forum and out on the road)

psouza

In many trail groups that travel very rocky, steep obstacles, trail guides / spotters are in close proximity to the vehicles in motion as they do their jobs. As the vehicles rock back and forth violently, the whip antennas amplify that motion and can severely injure a person..

As to why the Fire Stick....Monkey see..monkey do. The antenna is good enough that most people without the proper instrumentation can't tell one brand from another and so take the safe route. Peer pressure in action. No smarts required.

Phil

Chefbrujo

Aaaaahhh that makes sense. Well i would want to rig it so i can bend it down and have the end somewhere near the front windshield for hiway travel and when needed. Isnt that a good enuf work around?