Community Forums

RRT2 · 08-06-2007, 07:01 AM

OK...for those of you who have installed this type of antenna, how well does it work? Were you able to pick one up somewhere? We don't have the luxury of the time to order for home delivery! Local CB shop wanted to sell us an "RV antenna" for $100 plus $200 install. (Don' think so, Tim!)

Thanks for any updates....

Rose

RRT2 · 08-06-2007, 07:01 AM

OK...for those of you who have installed this type of antenna, how well does it work? Were you able to pick one up somewhere? We don't have the luxury of the time to order for home delivery! Local CB shop wanted to sell us an "RV antenna" for $100 plus $200 install. (Don' think so, Tim!)

Thanks for any updates....

Rose

TXiceman · 08-06-2007, 07:57 AM

Wow

, $200 to install is awfully steep. At the very most $75.00 to install it.

For pricing, you can do a Google search for FireStix

or Google
for more info.

You will need someone with an SWR meter to check the antenna before you use it.

Ken

ISLAPP · 08-06-2007, 08:21 AM

Moved to General discussion for better coverage.
Mike

GaryKD · 08-06-2007, 08:58 AM

I've been using Firestik antenna kits for years. They work great and it is the only Brand I will buy. Be carefull which antenna or antenna kit you purchase. There are ground plane and non ground plane antennas and kits. Your OP mentions just the antenna. If the antenna is all you are buying, you need to know if the antenna wire installation is a ground plane or non ground plane. Do not mix parts from one to the other. The radio does not care which you use.

I have always use the non ground plane kits. This insures the antenna, mount, spring and wire are all in sync. Right now, I have their 4' top loaded antenna no ground plane kit mounted on the left front corner of the coach. It works outstandingly well. Post here or PM me if you want the part numbers.

Once installed, complete an SWR check before using your radio.

The Firestik web site is Firestik Web Site I have purchased from both the WEB and via local retailers. I called the local truck stops to find a local retailer.

RRT2 · 08-06-2007, 08:59 AM

Thanks!! Thought I was losing it there for a while when I couldn't find it! (It's been one of those weeks! Months...maybe quarter even...)

We have an SWR meter. The radio we tested with it tested 'wayyyyy out in the red with a rubber ducky antenna. Radio is a COBRA X75 (?) with the controls on the mike.

The $100 was for a base station antenna installed. We'd rather have one 'up there' instead of on the mirror. $200 for install? We think not!

RRT2 · 08-06-2007, 09:17 AM

Gary, you have PM!

R

GaryKD · 08-06-2007, 09:20 AM

We may have the same radio. Mine is the Cobra 75 WX ST. The entire radio is in the hand held mic. I hear a lot of whinning about the radio. I believe it is the antenna setup and not the radio that is responsible for people's poor performance.

There is a 3' and a 4' antenna/kit. I innitially purchased the 3' kit. The performance was not what I wanted. I got the 4' antenna and that made all the difference. When it comes to radio performance, size matters.

The Firestik is easy to SWR tune. At the top of the antenna is a rubber cap. Remove the rubber cap and there will be a screw that you lengthen or shorten the antenna. Remember to tighten the nut (with the rubber gromet) once the SWR is the best it can be. The antanna must be a minimum of 2/3 it length above the roof line. For a picture of the installed antenna kit click here. This is a picture of the 3' antenna. I have since put the 4' antenna on the mount. My SWR on channel 40 and 1 is 2.4. On channel 20 it is 1.7.

Brigadoon · 08-06-2007, 10:50 AM

Gary,
I like the idea of the Firestik. How did you do the mount job? How much stuff did you have to move out of the way to mount the antenna?

GaryKD · 08-06-2007, 11:10 AM

Hi Terry,
I moved nothing. I went as high as I could, on the left front pillar. Took off the inside trim to make sure I was not going to hit anything. Drilled the hole. Fastened the antenna wire to the mount and fastened the mount to the side of the coach (one or two smaller holes needed to be drilled). Ran the wire down the left pillar and into the dash. From there the wire goes to the radio.

Since I did not use much of the 17' of wire, I had to "fish" the wire around the rats nest of existing wire (behind the dash) to ensure it was not coiled and laying flat.

Brigadoon · 08-06-2007, 03:57 PM

Thanks Gary,
I'll be adding a Firestik to my mh. Now, how about any ideas on a better am/fm antenna.

GaryKD · 08-06-2007, 04:16 PM

AM/FM radio? One of my first after market projects was to install XM satellite radio. The same for my cars. I have not listened to FM/AM radio in years. I find XM radio to be of value, when traveling away from home.

hamdave · 08-08-2007, 02:19 PM

Looked up ur call sign. first are u Tim or Till??
second, as a Tech, you should investigate getting an antenna from a radio shack store. We are fortunate in our area to have an Ham radio store,R&L here in hamilton,oh
You can get a mag-mount, put a metal sheet under it and locate it somewhere in your rig for now and just run the coax behind the couch, chair etc. You will need to tune it, I think RS sells a cheap swr meter which can be used. I am lazy, so I have the mfj-269.

Hope this helps

KD8W

DriVer · 08-08-2007, 02:26 PM

I stopped at a CB shop off of the I-20 Interstate in Texas and had them put on a good antenna, A FireStik!

They tuned the thing and they also put a major hummmmmm filter on my radio.

Looks good, works great!