Short Mobile CB Antenna Advice

[TheRealPorkchop]

I’ve got a double coil and it’s almost 6 foot tall. I’m not saying that it won’t tune and be at the 3ft mark but I’ve never got one to do it and you know this is my second one.

Now with that said, I’ve tried mostly on a mag mount but even roof mounting on Kale’s mount, it was still almost as tall.

I’m all for the 10K, nothing touches it in my opinion either but I don’t think it’ll ever get down to 3ft and tune. But JJD has more experience with a wider variety of them than I do so I could be wrong.

 

[fourstringburn]

Anything less than a 1/4 wave length is a shortened antenna. All shortened antennas have losses in the loading coil. The shorter the antenna, the more inductive loading coil losses regardless of manufacturer claims.

If brand name means anything try the TRAM 3-B-HC.

It's a 3 ft antenna that claims to be rated for 1500 watts.

Mobile antennas are usually compromises due to install locations and height restrictions as in your case.

A 3 ft. antenna is still better than no antenna.

 

[jessejamesdallas]

I’ve got a double coil and it’s almost 6 foot tall. I’m not saying that it won’t tune and be at the 3ft mark but I’ve never got one to do it and you know this is my second one.

Now with that said, I’ve tried mostly on a mag mount but even roof mounting on Kale’s mount, it was still almost as tall.

I’m all for the 10K, nothing touches it in my opinion either but I don’t think it’ll ever get down to 3ft and tune. But JJD has more experience with a wider variety of them than I do so I could be wrong.

Only way to get it shorter is to use the coils with the most turns in them...Your right about the dual-coil 10K's you buy...They have one large coil with 7 or 8 turns in it, and a smaller coil with either 2 or 3 turns...Those tune between 5.5 and 6'...BUT, If you use two of the 8 turn coils, then it will tune allot shorter...For as that go's, you can use 3 coils...I've not tried tuning one with 3 coils, so it may or may-not tune worth a flip, but it would be short if it did...I have almost enough parts around here I could put one together with 4 coils, but I don't have enough spacers.

 

[Capt Crunch]

Anything less than a 1/4 wave length is a shortened antenna. All shortened antennas have losses in the loading coil. The shorter the antenna, the more inductive loading coil losses regardless of manufacturer claims.

If brand name means anything try the TRAM 3-B-HC.

It's a 3 ft antenna that claims to be rated for 1500 watts.

Mobile antennas are usually compromises due to install locations and height restrictions as in your case.

A 3 ft. antenna is still better than no antenna.

Yes ty. I am looking for opinions and suggestions on a better antenna that's 3ft. Name isn't a thing unless it's better for distance or better made, if that's even possible. I know 3ft is short but I'd like to find the type if there is one that might be a little better crap lol. Thank you.

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

Only way to get it shorter is to use the coils with the most turns in them...Your right about the dual-coil 10K's you buy...They have one large coil with 7 or 8 turns in it, and a smaller coil with either 2 or 3 turns...Those tune between 5.5 and 6'...BUT, If you use two of the 8 turn coils, then it will tune allot shorter...For as that go's, you can use 3 coils...I've not tried tuning one with 3 coils, so it may or may-not tune worth a flip, but it would be short if it did...I have almost enough parts around here I could put one together with 4 coils, but I don't have enough spacers.

Alrighty, well see that right there is exactly what I meant when I said you had more experience with them than I do. I found what worked on my dump truck and left it alone, you know the rest of the story.

Not for OP’s interest but isn’t there some loss with having more coils (windings) in an antenna? Loss as in performance such as distance or something like that?

 

[Capt Crunch]

Alrighty, well see that right there is exactly what I meant when I said you had more experience with them than I do. I found what worked on my dump truck and left it alone, you know the rest of the story.

Not for OP’s interest but isn’t there some loss with having more coils (windings) in an antenna? Loss as in performance such as distance or something like that?

I have read something about turns being in sinc with shaft lengths and 3 inches wide, briefly from a post somewhere. Thats about it for me on that.

 

[357magnum]

Somehow I knew it was these damn parking garages again ! I don't if it's because we are called the " Mini State" but the ceilings in our garages are so low , never mind a CB antenna you're lucky the Xm radio antenna doesn't get torn off .

 

[Low_Boy]

I have not red all the posts in this thread so I hopefully don't repeat something someone else said. I have tried short antennas in the past and they do not work so well. You can't get any distance out of them. Just changing from a 3 foot to a 4 foot seemed to make a lot of difference.

 

[jessejamesdallas]

Alrighty, well see that right there is exactly what I meant when I said you had more experience with them than I do. I found what worked on my dump truck and left it alone, you know the rest of the story.

Not for OP’s interest but isn’t there some loss with having more coils (windings) in an antenna? Loss as in performance such as distance or something like that?

Yes...more turns, (windings) more loss...That said, I'm not so sure it's the windings that cause the loss, or just being too short...ether-way your going to loose-out shorter ya go...

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

I use the Sirio 5000 with the mag mount. The one that has the fold down mount. Best of both worlds.
https://www.sirioantenna.com/index....ducts_id=180&zenid=m6ehp9o2nn824qatrmeqkn61m6

 

[Rwb]

Lil wil is only short mag mount worthy of trying in my opinion.mine works better than some,but im thinking longer better.

 

[Capt Crunch]

Lil wil is only short mag mount worthy of trying in my opinion.mine works better than some,but im thinking longer better.

Thank you.

 

[Handy Andy]

I guess there's just no other way around it.

The physical and physics of the shorter "loaded" antennas are just that...

Loaded, which in the physical realm, there is not a lot of radiating length or surface area from the element to transfer it's energy in the loading section out into the environment. A radiation resistance problem.

You have the convenience of the shorter length for the esoterics and less fiddling for in and out of tight spaces and low-clearance garages. That's is about it. There is the limitation of length - that is now less than the idealized length it should be and the efficiency of the wavelength it's tuned for. 1/4 or otherwise - you now have less than 1/4 wave length, in length - and hence the losses are greater as your "fractional" lengths' used - gets smaller. Closer to a dummy load than to a signal source for radiational purposes - in performance.

You gain little else in any true working "radiated" distance. And the effort for the antenna to radiate - it's all inclusive into itself - heat is the main effort it produces for working; to put out a signal. Its' locked into the loading coils and affects the antennas ability to radiate any true distance away from itself. Even local objects close to that antenna will attempt to couple with it and add to this situation - in less than ideal conduct.

From that heat, and the signal transformation that occurs - heat and voltage are the main results in losses. As you try to make the antenna work in transmitting a range of frequencies - the problem exacerbates and accelerates rapidy into a non-working - HIGH-SWR - condition that can damamge your equipment if you try to operate beyond the "tuned inductor with a Q-factor now becoming paramount" of an antenna.

 

[oldtymer]

Lil' Will only good for about 300 watts but will cover from 26.905-27.455 if centered on
27.205.

 

[Capt Crunch]

Looks like I might be getting a foldable connector, lol.

I guess there's just no other way around it.

The physical and physics of the shorter "loaded" antennas are just that...

Loaded, which in the physical realm, there is not a lot of radiating length or surface area from the element to transfer it's energy in the loading section out into the environment. A radiation resistance problem.

You have the convenience of the shorter length for the esoterics and less fiddling for in and out of tight spaces and low-clearance garages. That's is about it. There is the limitation of length - that is now less than the idealized length it should be and the efficiency of the wavelength it's tuned for. 1/4 or otherwise - you now have less than 1/4 wave length, in length - and hence the losses are greater as your "fractional" lengths' used - gets smaller. Closer to a dummy load than to a signal source for radiational purposes - in performance.

You gain little else in any true working "radiated" distance. And the effort for the antenna to radiate - it's all inclusive into itself - heat is the main effort it produces for working; to put out a signal. Its' locked into the loading coils and affects the antennas ability to radiate any true distance away from itself. Even local objects close to that antenna will attempt to couple with it and add to this situation - in less than ideal conduct.

From that heat, and the signal transformation that occurs - heat and voltage are the main results in losses. As you try to make the antenna work in transmitting a range of frequencies - the problem exacerbates and accelerates rapidy into a non-working - HIGH-SWR - condition that can damamge your equipment if you try to operate beyond the "tuned inductor with a Q-factor now becoming paramount" of an antenna.

Thanks. Been reading about that in bits and pieces, researching. Looks like I might be checking for a foldover connector, lol.