Im getting a fire stick 3 or 4 ft antenna? Will I gain alot of range with a 4 ft? or not much at all....

 

My thoughts on this (and I have some engineering experience on the range of radios and antenna systems): The 4-foot is going to give you a modest range improvement. There are two ways to determine that: Calculate it (which really only provides a theoretical answer and theory doesn't four wheel), or measure it (which takes a strictly-controlled environment and procedure to determine an accurate and repeatable answer). As I said, I have quite a bit of experience in the development, integration and testing of radio systems into military aircraft. The typical procedure is to find the theoretical answer, then to produce a test result that proves that answer has been successfully implemented into the radio system.

But, while that may be great for military procurement, what will it prove to you? You're not wheeling in a test environment. In our military cases, the altitude of the aircraft and the distant receiver/emitter, the weather, the status of other emitters (other radios, receivers, etc), were all factors in the test procedure.

Really, at the end of the day you should have two major concerns: Can I talk "far enough" on my radio to meet my needs? And will the antenna fit where I drive? The answer to the former is even a hand-held radio can talk "far enough." Yes, there can be problems when someone is not very far away, but there's an obstacle between you and him. It may be that the four-footer will work and the three-footer won't. But, those situations where that difference is noted will be very brief--presumably you're right behind your running buddy and bypassing the obstacle (or, vice versa).

Bottom line: Don't worry about "far enough." For wheeling, a mile or two is way more than "far enough," and a three-footer can do that with ease. Instead, install the largest antenna that you're not worried about hitting things you must pass under (or else commit to removing the antenna before you must do so). Usually this is your garage (if you park indoors).

 

Yes you will definitely gain range. I wet through this research myself and here's what I came up with:

1. Antenna manufacturers generally recommend that 2/3 of the antenna is above your roofline for "optimal performance." So the higher it is, the more range you will have. Even with a 4' mounted on your tire carrier you'll still be less than 1/2 over the roof line.... nowhere near optimal.

2. The range on my 3' Wilson Flex mounted on the spare tire carrier is generally 1.5-2 miles transmit (clearly) and 4-5 miles receiving (clearly). This will vary depending of obstacles, terrain and lots of other atmospheric factors I won't get into. According to the manufacturers and shops, this is a very typical range for this setup.

Point is I can't say exactly how much more range you will get by going another 12" but I wouldn't expect it to be more than a mile or two tops.

I went with the 3' and got the Wislon Flex because I leave it on all the time and it "thwaps" my garage door by 2" and will not break anything this way. If I went 4' I would have to unscrew it all the time or get a quick disconnect, which I would one day forget and snap my antenna for sure.

If banging it into my garage was not a concern I would have definitely gone with the 4'.

If you're going with the Cobra 75 check out Right Channel Radios package deals. Their prices are great and the service and support is incredible. You can get radio/SWR meter/coax/antenna/antenna mount/external speaker in a kit.

 

Thanks guys for your comments. I think Im gana go with a 4ft because I can clear it....

 

It's always best to go with the biggest antenna, and get it the highest that you feel comfortable with on your rig. We used to get pretty finicky about our CBs, because when you're only putting out 4-5 watts, when it comes to your antenna system, ie, coax, connectors, mounts, antenna, etc......every little bit helps.