Trucker CB antennas

[qmotion]

I'm about to get all my farkles installed on my FJR. I've been looking into CB antennas for the J&M CB-2003. For what the J&M antennas cost I'm looking into other options. When I go to the CB forums they speak of a Predator 10K, Monkey Made, Wilson, Viper and ProComm antennas. I think it would be wack to see one mounted on an FJR.

Viper

https://www.www.premiere-electronics.net/st...rcbantenna.html

Predator 10K

https://www.smileyscbshop.com/PredatorAntennas.html

Monkey Made

https://www.www.premiere-electronics.net/st...monkeymade.html

ProComm

https://www.smileyscbshop.com/TwisterAntennas.html

Wilson

https://www.wilsonantenna.com/w1000.htm

Things that make you say hmmmm.

The Predator 10K is currently the most praised antenna. It has a 27" shaft which would put the whip portion above the shoulders if mounted in the center of the luggage rack. If these antennas work best in mobile setups, why won't they work well for motorcycles?

 

[GalaxyBlue]

I think you bumped your head this morning!

As for the antenna i use on the big rig, I have had the best luck with the Wilson 2000 Trucker. It has been in service since 97 and has over 1 million miles on it and still works perfect! It is bulletproof!

 

[madmike2]

I have a Wilson 2000. Its basically the Wilson 1000 on a solid shaft like the others so it raises the "load" part of the antenna. As with Adam, mine has served me well.

The others are quite heavy so substantial bracket would be required. I think they're made to carry the extra wattage of a linear amplifier.

 

[FuzzyRider]

I'm not sure how well these antennas will work. When I put an antenna on my FZ1 (and I will be moving it to the FJR) I went with a marine no-ground-plane antenna because, IMHO, there is just not enough flat metal on a motorcycle to get a good ground plane. After trimming the antenna to adjust the SWR I was able to get a SWR of 1.3 on channels 1 & 40 and 1.1 on 19!!! I was also able to communicate without a problem to a friend on a GW who was 1.5 miles away. Not that a regular antenna won't work...just don't expect the kind of range you can get with a no-ground-plane antenna.

 

[qmotion]

I'm not sure how well these antennas will work. When I put an antenna on my FZ1 (and I will be moving it to the FJR) I went with a marine no-ground-plane antenna because, IMHO, there is just not enough flat metal on a motorcycle to get a good ground plane. After trimming the antenna to adjust the SWR I was able to get a SWR of 1.3 on channels 1 & 40 and 1.1 on 19!!! I was also able to communicate without a problem to a friend on a GW who was 1.5 miles away. Not that a regular antenna won't work...just don't expect the kind of range you can get with a no-ground-plane antenna.

I believe that no ground plane antennas are great for marine applications because the boats are usually made of wood or fiberglass. Because of that it's hard to get an electrical ground. Because marine craft are on water there is very little ground planing or bouncing of transmitter signal.

Motorcycles do have enough metal to establish an electrical ground. That's how all the farkles and electronics are able to work. An antenna over land actually uses the land (ground) as a ground plane. Ground plane signals travel very well over flat terrain.

I got the idea of getting a trucker type antenna because reviewing the price for the J&M antennas ($90) and other antennas I found the better antennas to cost the same or less than what J&M is charging. If you can establish enough electrical ground for a standard ground fiberglass antenna then you can establish enough ground for a coil type trucker antenna. The antennas them selves virtually work the same in that regards.

Yes, trucker style antennas are designed to handle higher wattages from power linears however they don't work less efficiently because you are using a lower wattage power source. It can be said that they maybe harder to tune however the superior performance is usually worth the extra effort. Tuning involves cutting, triming and grinding stainless steel whips and aluminum shafts which makes it a little harder than turning a screw.

I'm just going to have to do it and see how it turns out. I've been getting too much conflicting information from my research. I just summarized what I found and believe to be fact about the operating principles of antennas.

If I can find maybe a 100 watt power linear that doesn't draw a lot of current I may experiment with it also.

Some where in the forums I think it was said that the 2006 FJR only has 600 watts or so output from the alternator. Even though it's an increase over previous year FJRs I don't think it's enough to handle a power linear along with 3 sets of lights and other farkles.

 

[FJRandy]

I'm not sure how well these antennas will work. When I put an antenna on my FZ1 (and I will be moving it to the FJR) I went with a marine no-ground-plane antenna because, IMHO, there is just not enough flat metal on a motorcycle to get a good ground plane. After trimming the antenna to adjust the SWR I was able to get a SWR of 1.3 on channels 1 & 40 and 1.1 on 19!!! I was also able to communicate without a problem to a friend on a GW who was 1.5 miles away. Not that a regular antenna won't work...just don't expect the kind of range you can get with a no-ground-plane antenna.

As I've said before. My GROUNDED antenna setup achieved the same SWR readings. I've already talked to truckers beyond 2 miles out, and can listen from quite a bit further.

Some non ground plane antennas work fairly well on a motorcycle, but like what was said above, there's enough frame to achieve a good ground on the antenna. Remember you're not looking for a good electrical ground, just a good ground to the frame.

What I've noticed after installing a few non gorunded antennas is that if you pile things on a rear rack, and the antenna is mounted close it affects the SWR severely. Didn't seem to bother the grounded antenna as much.

Just my observation.

 

[abarron576]

I'm not sure how well these antennas will work. When I put an antenna on my FZ1 (and I will be moving it to the FJR) I went with a marine no-ground-plane antenna because, IMHO, there is just not enough flat metal on a motorcycle to get a good ground plane. After trimming the antenna to adjust the SWR I was able to get a SWR of 1.3 on channels 1 & 40 and 1.1 on 19!!! I was also able to communicate without a problem to a friend on a GW who was 1.5 miles away. Not that a regular antenna won't work...just don't expect the kind of range you can get with a no-ground-plane antenna.

I believe that no ground plane antennas are great for marine applications because the boats are usually made of wood or fiberglass. Because of that it's hard to get an electrical ground. Because marine craft are on water there is very little ground planing or bouncing of transmitter signal.

Motorcycles do have enough metal to establish an electrical ground. That's how all the farkles and electronics are able to work. An antenna over land actually uses the land (ground) as a ground plane. Ground plane signals travel very well over flat terrain.

I got the idea of getting a trucker type antenna because reviewing the price for the J&M antennas ($90) and other antennas I found the better antennas to cost the same or less than what J&M is charging. If you can establish enough electrical ground for a standard ground fiberglass antenna then you can establish enough ground for a coil type trucker antenna. The antennas them selves virtually work the same in that regards.

Yes, trucker style antennas are designed to handle higher wattages from power linears however they don't work less efficiently because you are using a lower wattage power source. It can be said that they maybe harder to tune however the superior performance is usually worth the extra effort. Tuning involves cutting, triming and grinding stainless steel whips and aluminum shafts which makes it a little harder than turning a screw.

I'm just going to have to do it and see how it turns out. I've been getting too much conflicting information from my research. I just summarized what I found and believe to be fact about the operating principles of antennas.

If I can find maybe a 100 watt power linear that doesn't draw a lot of current I may experiment with it also.

Some where in the forums I think it was said that the 2006 FJR only has 600 watts or so output from the alternator. Even though it's an increase over previous year FJRs I don't think it's enough to handle a power linear along with 3 sets of lights and other farkles.

I'm not sure if you can still find one, but there was a very small linear called "the Ant Box" which is quite small, draws little electrical power, and puts out around 4- to 45 watts. They were available at Truck CB shops a few years back. O have two in service and they continue to give just enough boost for normal purposes. NO, I don't want to sell one of mine.