Newb here

[Iggy4935]

Hey guys. New to the forum I hail from Delaware. Have been CBing since I was a kid with my dad. Only using mobile setups. Have a cobra 29 w/ the LCD screen and running a 54" whip on my 2017 Ram 1500. I will be posting soon as I have some questions for you guys. Right now just saying hello!

[222DBFL]

Hello there Iggy4935! Welcome to the forums. Ask any questions you have!! I am sure someone will have the answer! Where you have that 54" whip mounted at?? Hopefully on the roof.
If not, get yourself a Breedlove mount and drill a hole in the roof. It's well worth it!!! And it won't take any value away from the truck. When or if you sell it, just place a small fin antenna in its place and you're done!! It's the best way to install an antenna if you can. JMHO's. As for antennas, the base load or the trucker series as well as the 4000 series sirio antennas work very well. As close to a 102" whip setup as I have been able to get. Built well and will outperform both the Wilson 5000 and K40!! Just some food for thought.
Again, welcome to the forum.
73 and God Bless
222 Daytona Bch., FL

[Iggy4935]

Unfortunately no it's not on the roof. I'm trying to figure out if I need to ground this or that it being mounted to the bed it enough.


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[Iggy4935]

Hello there Iggy4935! Welcome to the forums. Ask any questions you have!! I am sure someone will have the answer! Where you have that 54" whip mounted at?? Hopefully on the roof.
If not, get yourself a Breedlove mount and drill a hole in the roof. It's well worth it!!! And it won't take any value away from the truck. When or if you sell it, just place a small fin antenna in its place and you're done!! It's the best way to install an antenna if you can. JMHO's. As for antennas, the base load or the trucker series as well as the 4000 series sirio antennas work very well. As close to a 102" whip setup as I have been able to get. Built well and will outperform both the Wilson 5000 and K40!! Just some food for thought.
Again, welcome to the forum.
73 and God Bless
222 Daytona Bch., FL

Really don't wanna drill. I have a 5ft firestick I'm thinking about mounting on the bed rail right behind the cab. To try and get better reception.


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[222DBFL]

I would at least try to get the antenna you have now at roof level. If that means building a bracket that extends up to the roofline from the bed of the truck right at the rear window, then that is what I would do. The way your antenna is placed now it's probably very directional as well as being inefficient due to it being mounted as low as it is and also the mounting bracket.
I am in no way trying to down your setup, so please don't take it that way. Another member here has a Toyota truck and he made a nice mount in the bed of his pickup truck to bring the base of the antenna to the just above the roof of the vehicle. You want metal under the antenna, or in front of it. Read up on antenna installations and where to place an antenna on a vehicle such as yours for it to work the best.
Even a magnet mounted antenna on the roof would be better than the way it's setup now. But that is JMHO. Again, read up on how to properly install an antenna and why it needs to be installed the way it does. Then maybe you will consider a hard mount just a tad more. Hope you get it all figured out. Have a great day sir.
73 and God Bless

[Iggy4935]

I would at least try to get the antenna you have now at roof level. If that means building a bracket that extends up to the roofline from the bed of the truck right at the rear window, then that is what I would do. The way your antenna is placed now it's probably very directional as well as being inefficient due to it being mounted as low as it is and also the mounting bracket.
I am in no way trying to down your setup, so please don't take it that way. Another member here has a Toyota truck and he made a nice mount in the bed of his pickup truck to bring the base of the antenna to the just above the roof of the vehicle. You want metal under the antenna, or in front of it. Read up on antenna installations and where to place an antenna on a vehicle such as yours for it to work the best.
Even a magnet mounted antenna on the roof would be better than the way it's setup now. But that is JMHO. Again, read up on how to properly install an antenna and why it needs to be installed the way it does. Then maybe you will consider a hard mount just a tad more. Hope you get it all figured out. Have a great day sir.
73 and God Bless

I understand it needs to be center roof. I can't bring myself to drill a hole. I have a Wilson lil wil magnet antenna. But I don't like seeing the coax cable running down the back window. My next option was to move the mount to the bed rail right behind the cab. Giving it more metal under the antenna since it will close to the roof.


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[Iggy4935]

Was having issues with my current set up. Put the lil wil on the roof and instantly had to turn up the squelch. Picks wayyy more up lol


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[222DBFL]

Now just think if you placed a good antenna like a Sirio 5000 performer and a Sirio PL145 mag mount or even a Breedlove hard mount on the roof. It will make a world of difference!!! Been there and done that!! The lil wil antenna is not a very good antenna, I have used one yes. And being only 3ft tall they don't talk or receive like an antenna that is closer to 7-9ft tall no way no how.
With this said. Look into the Sirio line of antennas. The Sirio performer 5000 and/or a Sirio PL145 magnet mount or a Breedlove hard mount will do the job very well. I use this same type setup on my mobile and can talk out to about 30 miles back to a base with a stock uniden 980 on 8 watts SSB mode. Just need a proper antenna setup and have it placed correctly. Even your current antenna placed on a magnet mount or hard mount would be a way better option then even the Lil Wil antenna. JMHO's and experiences with using different antennas. Have a good one. And hope you get it all worked out.

[Iggy4935]

Now just think if you placed a good antenna like a Sirio 5000 performer and a Sirio PL145 mag mount or even a Breedlove hard mount on the roof. It will make a world of difference!!! Been there and done that!! The lil wil antenna is not a very good antenna, I have used one yes. And being only 3ft tall they don't talk or receive like an antenna that is closer to 7-9ft tall no way no how.
With this said. Look into the Sirio line of antennas. The Sirio performer 5000 and/or a Sirio PL145 magnet mount or a Breedlove hard mount will do the job very well. I use this same type setup on my mobile and can talk out to about 30 miles back to a base with a stock uniden 980 on 8 watts SSB mode. Just need a proper antenna setup and have it placed correctly. Even your current antenna placed on a magnet mount or hard mount would be a way better option then even the Lil Wil antenna. JMHO's and experiences with using different antennas. Have a good one. And hope you get it all worked out.

Well I have a tall truck. So putting a 6ft antenna on the roof will make clearance an issue. Not that it really matters. Don't park in a garage. Only go through drive throughs every now and then.


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[222DBFL]

Yep. I do get that! Couldn't use the drive through with my old work van and the antenna I had on it. It was a Nisan NV high back work van. And at approx. 8'6" and then adding the 6.5ft antenna, it was a tall setup!! But man I made a lot of contacts and was able to talk out to roughly 50-60 miles if the DX wasn't rolling in big time. Anyways, good luck with whatever you choose to do. But having an antenna in the center of the roof or just back from center, is the best place to place your antenna. And one as tall as you can get. Closer to 108" the better. Again, I get height issues. But there is no compromise for a tall antenna and a good setup.