So my loving wife bought me a Surco Safari rack and a new Radio Shack TRC-447 CB for my birthday. Up till now I was using a Midland handheld with a through glass antenna, and it worked but had awful range. The new CB is much better, but clearly I need a real antenna as the range is still very poor. My thought is to use a Surco light bracket and install a roof mount antenna (like a Firestick DS-14) to that. I just wanted some opinions if that would work well or is there a better route to go. If I do go this setup, would i need a ground plane or no ground plane antenna? Also, any suggestions on running the cable to the roof? I guess I'll also need to figure out getting wiring for lights to the roof at some point.
Another CB antenna question
- Thread starter JC
- Start date
Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.
Corwyyn
Full Access Member
Well, if your roof rack clamps to the factory rails then you have two options:
1) no-ground-plane antenna mounted on the rack, or
2) regular antenna mounted on the rack, with a ground strap run from the rack to one of the mounting bolts for the factory rails.
If you're going to add lights at some point option #2 would probably be better, you'll need to ground the lights to a bolt on the factory rails anyway. Bennett did a write-up on running power wires to roof basket lights that's got some good info in it, then there is my how-to on opening the factory firewall penetrations so you can get the wires out of the cab. I think this will get ya started...
1) no-ground-plane antenna mounted on the rack, or
2) regular antenna mounted on the rack, with a ground strap run from the rack to one of the mounting bolts for the factory rails.
If you're going to add lights at some point option #2 would probably be better, you'll need to ground the lights to a bolt on the factory rails anyway. Bennett did a write-up on running power wires to roof basket lights that's got some good info in it, then there is my how-to on opening the factory firewall penetrations so you can get the wires out of the cab. I think this will get ya started...
LibertyFever
Full Access Member
Myself I wouldn't put a fiberglass whip on a roof rack but it depends on the type of offroading you do.
I have a K30 base loaded magnet mount in the center of my roof and when I go through trails in the deep woods that antenna occasionally falls over. If you attach a fiberglass whip on your roof rack it'll likely snap right off.
I don't think there's not a lot of places to put a CB antenna on a Libby without drilling a new hole in a body panel. Say, maybe you can fit a metal plate to your spare tire rack and mount a fiberglass whip there.
should work...
I have a K30 base loaded magnet mount in the center of my roof and when I go through trails in the deep woods that antenna occasionally falls over. If you attach a fiberglass whip on your roof rack it'll likely snap right off.
I don't think there's not a lot of places to put a CB antenna on a Libby without drilling a new hole in a body panel. Say, maybe you can fit a metal plate to your spare tire rack and mount a fiberglass whip there.
should work...
Well, I finally settled on a 2 foot Firestik to mount on the roof rack. I don't offroad very much, and when I do it's in open areas so I don't see that being a real issue. Hopefully I'll get a chance to get in installed this weekend and see how it works out.
BTW, any idea how to get the factory rail end caps (or whatever you call them) off? In looking at Bennetts pictures, it seems like they should snap of, but I don't want to break 'em..
BTW, any idea how to get the factory rail end caps (or whatever you call them) off? In looking at Bennetts pictures, it seems like they should snap of, but I don't want to break 'em..
