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Cascadia behind sleeper antenna

The skip shooter really works well with the cascadia trucks see lots running them but without the pipe like you have which I’m guessing helps to stop movement at highway speed .
 
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If I were to run duals, would be those 7' Skipshooters. Though they don't have a good resistance to trees and burd strikes. Couple Hustler HD Springs an one of those custom Slowmule Coax set ups. That would look kewl loaded up with the aluminum air dam mounted aft of headache rack on the welding machine. Add some running boards and disco lights like the big rigs, I could pull on in on the back lot, crank up the lieeenier, and talk smack while fending off those lot lizards looking to spread some VD.
 
The skip shooter really works well with the cascadia trucks see lots running them but without the pipe like you have which I’m guessing helps to stop movement at highway speed .


The constant 30-40/mph crosswinds of the Texas & Oklahoma Panhandle. Gusts of 50 & 60. Bad days.

Others where it’s a constant 20-30. Running 70-plus.

The way the 7’ almost would corkscrew was worrisome.

The PVC “may” have helped reduce stress at the stud. I’d recommend having it cut & ready.

Pic shows 6’ Francis below 70. Antenna relied on mirror arm and head. The mount is an MFJ-347 to a bird perch with a Wilson attachment where I tried to make a dipole work. (Ha!. Not in that configuration. “Broad-banded” doesn’t describe it).

A5BB6D50-C431-4813-9C63-29B3073C2D0F.jpeg
 
That experiment. Short in duration. Had the insulators in wrong place at start.


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On a Rig Expert it was a dip of a nearly horizontal line (Okay, not that bad, but you get the idea). Resonant near 28 as I recall.

I cranked down those Wilson mounts so hard I still haven’t gotten them off the bird perches.

Francis IS NOT the antenna for High Plains running, IMO.

Something I didn’t get to was to use a piece of Lucite with a collared hole in it to “locate” the antenna a foot or so above its base using the mirror head as mount. Poor recall of an ingenious idea of another driver using a Cascadia and 6’ Skipshooters. (Mike 5511).

I really like that brand antenna. A pair in every possible size is a good start. And spares once best size determined.
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That experiment. Short in duration. Had the insulators in wrong place at start.


View attachment 36428
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On a Rig Expert it was a dip of a nearly horizontal line (Okay, not that bad, but you get the idea). Resonant near 28 as I recall.

I cranked down those Wilson mounts so hard I still haven’t gotten them off the bird perches.

Francis IS NOT the antenna for High Plains running, IMO.

Something I didn’t get to was to use a piece of Lucite with a collared hole in it to “locate” the antenna a foot or so above its base using the mirror head as mount. Poor recall of an ingenious idea of another driver using a Cascadia and 6’ Skipshooters. (Mike 5511).

I really like that brand antenna. A pair in every possible size is a good start. And spares once best size determined.
.

Just ran the coax rg8x approx 12 ft, through a grommet in the firewall, up the pillar, through the overhead into the cb slot. Installed the procomm mirror mount but only antenna I could find locally is the 4' firestik with results of 2.3 standing wave on the rig expert. The only way to get it down to that was tilting way forward which looks silly but it's what I have to work with. I'm guessing I'll have to go with a taller antenna to get usable results because this isn't going to cut it. I can now at least hear them if they're talking about me but have to refrain from reaching for that mic

Completely open to suggestions here

Slow...... got yer ears on there driver? Tryen to get my radio kickin the cat n walkin the dogg come in!! I know you've got some input
 
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7’ SKIPSHOOTER, hand.
Part # S7CLR
Antenna Parts Outlet

I was on a ladder with a helper below to get them angled to NOT touch 14’ at rest. Closest.

Needs antenna feedpoint choke (as with any install, triple that on a big truck). Balun Design or Array Design (cube). Both here in D/FW. Also, Palomar Engineer cube. Then a filter also at other end (ahead of gear).

Trade off is they’ll waggle around. Not terribly (like Francis) so what some of is did was to slide close-fitting PVC pipe onto the bottom 18” of antenna. (Shown in my pic above).

Mike5511 solution on Truckers Report was to build a Lexan “collar” that was a plate with a big old hole around the antenna (now-retired WalMart Cascadia driver). Needs rubber fuel line “grommet”. And clamped to mirror with needle nose vise-grips . (Post #138). Some kind of stand-off on visor. See pic in that post from thread below

Go to my thread over there: (not a link)
2017+ Cascadia Evolution Antenna Mount

That thread marks my attempts to take Radio seriously as that FL is so damned bad when stock. Irony now is that it’s the easiest company-spec tractor to do a COMPLETE install. Radio, power, antennas & coax.

1) Radio on dash (in an insulated box)

2). Fused POS power from fuse panel; Neg to firewall

3). Coax via door electrical hole from cab.
(Run back up to radio under A-pillar)
FME-ends on coax make it easier (use fishtape).

.
 
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Once I had that setup right I was talking long-distance skip (Sweetwater to Houston) and of an evening could be just heard by Rattlesnake and all the boys near downtown OKC when I was coming across the scale at El Reno twenty-seven (27) miles west. (And keep them past Tinker AFB; they’d drop off sooner behind me).

With pretty well any base station we could communicate with real ease.
That was my best way to alter any radio controls or swap mics.
 
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Once I had that setup right I was talking long-distance skip (Sweetwater to Houston) and of an evening could be just heard by Rattlesnake and all the boys near downtown OKC when I was coming across the scale at El Reno twenty-seven (27) miles west. (And keep them past Tinker AFB; they’d drop off sooner behind me).

With pretty well any base station we could communicate with real ease.
That was my best way to alter any radio controls or swap mics.

Ok slowmover, back in the truck today so did a little fiddling around with the antenna system. Was able to achieve 1.8 with the 4' firestik and it'll have to do for the time being because other expense priorities have come up. The skipshooter will have to wait but will be continued for sure. I really dislike that it only does well leaning waaaaay forward.... Looks goofy as heck.

So anyhow, I've been paying attention to you slow. I'll be making an attempt at running a braid on the door hinges tomorrow (hopefully) maybe that'll make some improvements.

Took a wilson 2000 trucker (10" shaft) I had stockpiled in the hoarding closet just to see what it would do today and as expected it didn't do well.

I'll keep updating as the project goes forward but there's a few set backs so it'll be a slow process now.
 
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Ok slowmover, back in the truck today so did a little fiddling around with the antenna system. Was able to achieve 1.8 with the 4' firestik and it'll have to do for the time being because other expense priorities have come up. The skipshooter will have to wait but will be continued for sure. I really dislike that it only does well leaning waaaaay forward.... Looks goofy as heck.

So anyhow, I've been paying attention to you slow. I'll be making an attempt at running a braid on the door hinges tomorrow (hopefully) maybe that'll make some improvements.

Took a wilson 2000 trucker (10" shaft) I had stockpiled in the hoarding closet just to see what it would do today and as expected it didn't do well.

I'll keep updating as the project goes forward but there's a few set backs so it'll be a slow process now.


I’ve become “okay” at installing a Radio rig. The ins & outs of power and coax. Not being afraid to try something (for the most part).

Antennas will always be a problem with Class 8. Luckily for you, the Cascadia is the easiest.

In the end it’ll be the wind-load with long antennas as THE problem to solve.

(For those unfamiliar: there’s the Plains. And there’s the High Plains. In the latter — with STEADY 30-mph winds and gusts to 60-mph — one wonders if his antenna set-up won’t come apart. That can be a typical Spring day).

I never got to put an analyzer on it, so when you do, that will tell the tale we need.

One of the guys on a trucker CB forum uses a 102” on a riser on the drivers side. Pretty fair tilt. A New Mexico Magic Dust Super Whackpack 955. Uses a Rig Expert 54

He’s had some xtra-long distance successes.

As to “looks goofy” you ain’t even close to a pipe hauler in a Century Class condo with 7’ Predators on the mirror arms running almost parallel to the ground.

I’d like to ask these drivers if their relatives are doing well. The cockroaches with whom they chitter.

.
 
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Alright an unexpected update for ya.

Stopping at the flying hook in wichita falls today I wandered over to the Falls truck center (accessories/chrome shop) to break my 30 and what do ya know off in a dark ingnored corner glowing in red looking at me from under a thick layer of dust..... A 5' red firestik II. Only one they had and the guy said "oh it's been er for yeeers, don't nobody buy them anymore"...... The fellas said "10 bucks and it's yurs".....

Anyway, like a kid with candy I busted out the toolbox making break from 30 to an hour and got that puppy put on to achieve a standing wave of 1.2 middle of the 11 meter band.

I didn't expect much of an improvement but I was quite pleased with the surprise find and the nice result. Rx is much much better to my surprise and tx seemed to get great reports as well. I'll have all day with it tomorrow and be around other company drivers who will also give me their opinionated reports as well.

Next up is ground strap and still going to get those skip shooters when the chance comes.
 
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Much fun when that happens. Same sorta way I got an SL41 in dusty packaging at Wildwood, FL.

6’ is a minimum. But doesn’t get high enough. 7’ will worth having.

That 5’ makes a great general purpose and spare. You’re ahead just in having it, IMO.

This Pete now has jumpers across all four door hinges. Used sleeper shock bolt and ran a pair to frame.

Up front is an OEM one from fuse panel outer firewall side to hood cushion bolt at cab corner drivers side. I added another on other side from a HVAC-area location (sorta mirrored other side) and also ran it to that beefy hood cushion rest.

Can’t really say they’ve worked.
Antenna analyzer needed.

.
 
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Alright an unexpected update for ya.

Stopping at the flying hook in wichita falls today I wandered over to the Falls truck center (accessories/chrome shop) to break my 30 and what do ya know off in a dark ingnored corner glowing in red looking at me from under a thick layer of dust..... A 5' red firestik II. Only one they had and the guy said "oh it's been er for yeeers, don't nobody buy them anymore"...... The fellas said "10 bucks and it's yurs".....

Anyway, like a kid with candy I busted out the toolbox making break from 30 to an hour and got that puppy put on to achieve a standing wave of 1.2 middle of the 11 meter band.

I didn't expect much of an improvement but I was quite pleased with the surprise find and the nice result. Rx is much much better to my surprise and tx seemed to get great reports as well. I'll have all day with it tomorrow and be around other company drivers who will also give me their opinionated reports as well.

Next up is ground strap and still going to get those skip shooters when the chance comes.


Latest?
 
Still using the custom 29 with the 5' firestik and working surprisingly well even though the 29 has a really noisy receiver compared to others. Been running 12/14 hrs a day 6 days a week since late October along with other things so haven't had any time to make changes without neglecting the family so..... until it slows down then I'm stuck with the current set up. I do however have a skipshooter ordered as of Christmas eve and still have planned to swap the Cobra for the Stryker 447hpc2, work on some bonding, and whatever else comes to mind that can make it better.

Although working on the system can't happen at the moment, behind the wheel the brainstorming doesn't stop for even a second. All that thinking can have a driver coming up with all kinds of ideas (I'm sure you can relate). As time has gone by, I've discovered that the day cab cascadia has lots of sheet metal throughout, compared to the paccar built kw's I've driven for the last 15 years. The roof shell is metal, got me wondering how a mag mount would behave RX/TX on this class 8 tractor..... Just one idea amongst the many others.

So to sum it up for you Slow, not much to update about but doesn't change what's in the making down the line. Lord willing that is of course!
 
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