CB Antenna Mount

[F239141]

Get ya some "walking shoes" aka linear.

[Bo Walker]

I am reading the CB radio antenna post with great interest. But, I would like to know if the two antenna on the front top on my 96 Winnebago Adventurer are for the CB.
One is broken, but hopefully I can find one at Radio Shack.
There is another antenna which matches the two up front on the side about half way back. I assume that is the am/fm radio antenna.
I'm sure someone knows and maybe you will be nice and inform me.

[smlranger]

Originally Posted by Bo Walker

I am reading the CB radio antenna post with great interest. But, I would like to know if the two antenna on the front top on my 96 Winnebago Adventurer are for the CB.
One is broken, but hopefully I can find one at Radio Shack.
There is another antenna which matches the two up front on the side about half way back. I assume that is the am/fm radio antenna.
I'm sure someone knows and maybe you will be nice and inform me.

We had a '97 Adventurer and the short black rubber antenna's were for the radios (dash and entertainment center) and the CB antenna was a thin metal with a spring at the base.

If you can, replace the broken CB antenna with something that is tunable (like a Fire Stick) so you can adjust the SWR with a meter.

[minibike]

Originally Posted by Bo Walker

I am reading the CB radio antenna post with great interest. But, I would like to know if the two antenna on the front top on my 96 Winnebago Adventurer are for the CB.
One is broken, but hopefully I can find one at Radio Shack.
There is another antenna which matches the two up front on the side about half way back. I assume that is the am/fm radio antenna.
I'm sure someone knows and maybe you will be nice and inform me.

My guess (based on my '94) is that the two antennas in front are for the in-dash radio and CB. The mid-mount antenna will be for your outside entertainment center (if so equipped).


And I'll bet the base of the one that's broken is so corroded that it can't be repaired. Mine is.

[Yellowboat]

The link you have does not link to Firestik's NGP antenna.

I had my antenna installed at a place that installs truck CB's. After his install he check SWR's and it was around 3.2 to 1. I contacted Firestik and talked to them about my install. They said that a SWR reading of 3.2 to 1 indicated I didn't have a proper ground plane. They advised me to replace my antenna with a Firestik NGP antenna plus a special Firestik coax cable that must be used with the NGP antenna. My existing antenna mount was OK. After removing my old antenna and coax cable and replacing with the 3 foot NGP antenna and coax cable my SWR reading on channels 1, and 40 was 1.7 to 1. Channel 19 was near 1 to 1. I e-mailed Firestik and they said that is an OK reading for a NGP antenna.

Firestik NGP antennas are identified with a yellow band around the antenna. A Firestik NGP antenna cannot used with a ground plane system.

Safe travels.

[Bo Walker]

Okay, I purchased a 2' NGP Fire Stik antenna. I soldered the center cable to the ring connector. I connected the ring connector to the antenna with the bolt supplied. The outer wire terminates there at the end on the cable. What should I do with that? There is no place on the antenna to connect it. The other end of the outer wire is grounded to the radio in the already installed end. I think.
Also where locally can I buy a NGP jumper coax to set the SWRs?

[smlranger]

Originally Posted by Bo Walker

Okay, I purchased a 2' NGP Fire Stik antenna. I soldered the center cable to the ring connector. I connected the ring connector to the antenna with the bolt supplied. The outer wire terminates there at the end on the cable. What should I do with that? There is no place on the antenna to connect it. The other end of the outer wire is grounded to the radio in the already installed end. I think.
Also where locally can I buy a NGP jumper coax to set the SWRs?

The instructions that came with my Fire Stik NGP antenna said to do nothing with the shield wire at the antenna. It is not to be connected to anything.... just connect the center wire.

[Yellowboat]

Originally Posted by Bo Walker

Okay, I purchased a 2' NGP Fire Stik antenna. I soldered the center cable to the ring connector. I connected the ring connector to the antenna with the bolt supplied. The outer wire terminates there at the end on the cable. What should I do with that? There is no place on the antenna to connect it. The other end of the outer wire is grounded to the radio in the already installed end. I think.
Also where locally can I buy a NGP jumper coax to set the SWRs?

This is what Firestik says about the installation of their NGP coax cable:

Unlike conventional GP antenna systems, the NGP coax only uses the center conductor at the antenna end. Do not attempt to ground the coax shield at the antenna end. Grounding the coax at the mount end will prevent proper operation of the antenna system and may cause damage to the radio. Please note that continuity is normal when measured between the center pin and housing of the radio-end PL-259 connector. This is normal on all Firestik NGP kits.

You can find this info here: Template - Tech Doc

[ChasA]

Regarding the jumper. No NGP jumper. Just use a short cable with the correct ends on it. You should have gotten one with the SWR meter.

[Bo Walker]

Thanks for the helpful replies. I tried a regular cable from the radio to the SWR meter and I have no signal at all. The hands do not move.

I connected the cable from the NGP antenna to the SWR meter as well as the regular jumper cable to the other connector.
I don't know what to check next.

[ChasA]

Is your radio on? Are you pressing the transmit button on the microphone? If the answer to both of these questions is yes, something is wrong with your radio, or the jumper cable, or the SWR meter. Your radio should have a light to indicate it is in transmit mode. Is that light coming on? Are you able to hear anything on any channel? I hope some of this helps.