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Message |
    
Hellcat610
New member
Username: Hellcat610
Post Number: 6
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 11:17 am: | 
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Does anyone know if using a 102 rather than a Wilson "little wil" would make much of a difference as far as transmit & recieve between myself & another mobile over 20 or so miles ??? I plan on running a little power soon but not sure if switching antennas is going to really be worth the trouble.
Note from Tech 833-
A 102 inch antenna will easily outperform a 'Little Wil'. You do not need 'power'. |
Ca346
Advanced Member
Username: Ca346
Post Number: 637
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 5:59 pm: |
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Just about Anything will outperform a Lil Willie. I have a Wilson 1000 on my pickup and talk to Australia bare bones. I have the lil Willie on my SUV and it's good for local at best.
Like tech 833 said... |
Hellcat610
New member
Username: Hellcat610
Post Number: 8
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 7:42 pm: |
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Thanks. I was thinking of going with a wilson 1000 but wasn't sure if it would be as good as a 102 or not. |
Bulldog369
Member
Username: Bulldog369
Post Number: 71
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 16, 2004 - 9:55 pm: |
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the lil willie is not worth 5 cents in my book... they are the worst ant out there... radio shack puts out a better antenna lol...i would go with the wilson 1000... thats what i run, i love it great match ALL the way around i mean like 1:2 to one maybe a 1:4 on the high 27 megs just a gr8 one... |
Kc0gxz
Advanced Member
Username: Kc0gxz
Post Number: 644
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 4:21 am: |
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I have a pair of old Military 165/G 800 watt dummyloads that will radiate almost as far as a Lil Wil will.
Lol. Lil Wil will? I can't believe I said that. Somebody please shoot me!
Jeff, kc0gxz. |
Hibm
New member
Username: Hibm
Post Number: 1
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 6:37 pm: |
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Newbie here, I use a Lil'Wil, and after all that I have gone through, I like it. Like I said I am new to this, I went through the glass mount type (1/2 mile tx), cheap mag mount (1 mile tx). Now I have the Lil Wil and can talk 5-6 miles. Now that I can actually talk, I am thinking of installing a base station! (High hopes, low $$). |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 2056
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, April 05, 2004 - 7:22 pm: |
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Hibm / Mitch,
WELCOME to the COPPER FORUM!
Any time you wish to make comment's or ask for help PLEASE do.
I Hope that you will find the COPPER FORUM Informative, Helpful and Fun. 
Lon
Tech808
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Bullet
Intermediate Member
Username: Bullet
Post Number: 311
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 14, 2004 - 7:03 pm: |
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the 102 ss whip is a great antenna!
cheap(low cost) will handle as much power as your coax will take to it,and performs very very well.
also a 7 foot firestick performs very well and is cheap.
ive only run one mobile antenna that performs better than those but its not a 1/4 wave and it was very spendy.
i also ran the wilson 5000 trucker and replaced it with the firestick. just out performs the wilson! |
Davemcc
Junior Member
Username: Davemcc
Post Number: 11
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, April 15, 2004 - 8:54 am: |
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Bullet/All, How's the 5' FireStick? Does it do as well as the 7'?
Dave
376RI
Standin' By!
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Kc0gxz
Advanced Member
Username: Kc0gxz
Post Number: 742
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, April 15, 2004 - 2:34 pm: |
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Davemcc
No it does not work as well as the 7 footer.
The shorter the antenna, the more coil is needed to make up for the loss of the radiator. Or put another way, less coil = longer whip. Longer whip means more radiated power on the air and the farther you will be heard.
Personally speaking, short whips and I do not play well together.
If you feel that a 7' antenna is too long for your particular installation and a 5' is too short, I highly recomend the 6' Anttron-1700 1/2 wave mobile antenna. This is a 6 foot marvel in my opinion with broadbanding capabilities "close" to that of the A-99 if it has plenty of ground plane under it.
You might want to check with Copper and see if they have any left. Their first shipment went quickly because they sold them so cheap.
Jeff, kc0gxz. |
Davemcc
Junior Member
Username: Davemcc
Post Number: 13
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Friday, April 16, 2004 - 7:58 am: |
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Thanks Jeff, I ordered one (A-1700) this am. Nice lookin' antenna. Surprised I missed that one! I wanted something that wouldn't attract a great deal of attention and this one may be it! Sounds like it will fit my vehicle and needs. If all else fails I always have the trusty 102" SS whip. That thing always gets out! Of course it also takes out branches on roadside trees! (lol) Makes for a noisy ride... I used to have it mounted on the center of my trunklid, man that talked!
Appreciate the feedback.
Dave
376RI
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Itatorro
Junior Member
Username: Itatorro
Post Number: 12
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2005 - 10:06 pm: |
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thread alive?
05 jeep wrangle with Arizon Rocky Road tail gate mount
http://www.arizonarockyroad.com/pages/1/index.htm
I have an firestikII 4ft it seems to work good.
I was thinking of going to the 5ft stik as i am alittle iffy about SS102 this high up, close to 13ft to the tip it would bee.
do you think i would have better performance with a ss102 on the bumper(lower) than say a 5ft stik on my existing mount.
thanks.
it |
Sg569
Intermediate Member
Username: Sg569
Post Number: 143
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - 10:58 am: |
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Just run a 102"ss get the match good and talk on it.
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Couchpotatoe
Junior Member
Username: Couchpotatoe
Post Number: 24
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - 5:31 pm: |
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there is nothing like a quarter wave unloaded antenna. the 102" whip will handle more power than most poeple can generate, it stays tuned over a broader range, and if you ding the tip or bend it a little by whacking something it still works. a 102" whip may need a 4-6" shaft under it for cb. don't spend more money on a antenna that isn't as good. |
Couchpotatoe
Junior Member
Username: Couchpotatoe
Post Number: 25
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - 5:57 pm: |
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word to all mobiles:
don't let anybody buffalo ya'll into believing that a (1)mobile beam works or that (2)at ground level you can talk farther than 10-12 miles.
how come i can hear, any one who has a mobile beam,from their rear? they don't work. and why is it that everyone else but me can talk more than 10-12 miles in a straight line? the curvature of the world only allows the human eye to only see 10-12 miles in a straight line free of obstructions...and radio transmissions are line of sight till it turns to skip...so there you have it, they aren't talking so big after all. they were buffaloed!!! they're just talking skip. please excuse me for my ranting and raving for i just had to get this out becuase i'm sick of people being buffaloed by some low life cb shops, particularly here in hou,tx. so i point the finger at nobody but anyone who wishes to disagrees with me, I AM RIGHT!, you were buffaloed, and someone else need not be made ignorant. whew! that really felt good!! whoops almost forgot, if you can change the curvature of the world to help your signal get out, more power to ya! thaaaaank yoooouuuu |
Hollowpoint445
Intermediate Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 402
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - 7:11 pm: |
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"the curvature of the world only allows the human eye to only see 10-12 miles in a straight line free of obstructions...and radio transmissions are line of sight till it turns to skip"
That's just not true. Frequencies propogate differently at ground level. AM broadcast signals will travel for hundreds of miles during the day. Most of their antenna arrays are in valleys where the ground is good and wet so they have a better counterpoise. The signals bounce around on the ground and you don't hear any skip until the sun goes down and the ionosphere refracts those frequencies back to the earth.
As you go higher in frequency signals become more line of sight. Usually UHF is considered the starting place for "line of sight" signals. Frequencies lower than UHF generally follow the curvature of the earth at least a little. CB signals do a pretty good job and you can communicate well in excess of 12 miles - expecially on SSB. I regularly communicate with a friend who is more than 40 miles away. It's not skip, it's groundwave.
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Kb9ojs
New member
Username: Kb9ojs
Post Number: 3
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 12:23 am: |
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I agree with many of the other folks in here that the 102" SS is a great antenna. I had one on my old truck and I wont run anything but them in the future. I have owned wilson 1000's and 5000's, firesticks, wilson fgt's, base loaded open air coil antennas and the 102" wins hands down on tx and rx. As far as im concerned, a folgers coffee can does better than the wilson little wil. A freind of mine has one and I found it quite horrible. He runs the wilson with a cobra 19wxst and his range is about 4 miles mobile. I belive his radio also does 12 watts pep and the swr is 1.2:1 on ch 20. Just remember, in the world of antennas, big and ugly works REAL good.
73's
Junior #483 Land of Lincoln |
Itatorro
Junior Member
Username: Itatorro
Post Number: 15
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 10:59 pm: |
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i got the ss102 today fr ratshak. It was a noticable improvement noticed as soon as i put the radio on. I bought the big spring just in case i needed it however i seem to be experiencing the same fenom as with my FirstikII. the antenna is to long. without the spring i am 1.4 across the whole band. with the spring i go up to 1.7 across the band.
the fireStik 4ft was flat on chnl 1 and 2 on ch40
with it set as short as it would go.
now if you fallow the link above to see the mount i have would you think that the mount is adding electrical length to the antenn system?
I know that 1.4 is good swr however when i through my littl KL400 on with about 50w DK the SWR good up to 1.6 on chn 1 and 1.8 on chn 40 |
Itatorro
Junior Member
Username: Itatorro
Post Number: 16
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, June 16, 2005 - 11:23 pm: |
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i got the ss102 today fr ratshak. It was a noticable improvement noticed as soon as i put the radio on. I bought the big spring just in case i needed it however i seem to be experiencing the same fenom as with my FirstikII. the antenna is to long. without the spring i am 1.4 across the whole band. with the spring i go up to 1.7 across the band. I don't like the spring anyway. it is to floppy.
the fireStik 4ft was flat on chnl 1 and 2 on ch40
with it set as short as it would go.
now if you fallow the link above to see the mount i have would you think that the mount is adding electrical length to the antenn system?
I know that 1.4 is good swr however when i through my littl KL400 on with about 50w DK the SWR goes up to 1.6 on chn 1 and 1.8 on chn 40....
The fireStik was almost 3:1 across the band
this is not good for amps from what i understand especially if i get that Magna 350 or 600 in the future...
I guess i could chop the top off but i like the little ss static ball on top.
is there a base adjustable SS Whip that you know of? Kinda like the Icom AH-2b except not $300 freakin dollars.
additional info:
SWR mesured from amp output
8' RG58 from radio to amp
18' RG58 from amp to antenna(FireStik cable)
excess amp to ant cable faked(not coiled)in about an 18" oval under carpet between pass front seat and door.
Have good DC ground seamingly all around
Willl RG58 handle 100-200w DK with Peak at around 600w?
thanks forum members.
j |
Barracuda
Intermediate Member
Username: Barracuda
Post Number: 322
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, June 17, 2005 - 12:19 pm: |
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Itatorro,
I have several 102" whips that are base adjustable. Not RS whips, got them from local CB shop. Also, there are 3/8 x24 adapters that will accept a whip held in by one or more set screws. You can probably find them at a CB shop, hamefest or online, If your RS whip is too long you could cut off the base and use one of those adapters to re-mount it. I accidentally snapped an RS whip off at the base once and that's how I fixed it. Works good as new (better actually because the new base is more substantial). You didn't tell us what type of vehicle you are mounting this whip on, but I hve a bumper mount for mine on a Jeep. I find that it is too long to get into parking garages with, but I solved that by using a quick disconnect. A quick twist and the whip is off and inside the jeep safe and sound.
73 |
Alsworld
Advanced Member
Username: Alsworld
Post Number: 924
Registered: 1-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, June 19, 2005 - 1:12 am: |
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Hollowpoint is 100% correct. CB radio at our frequencies do not rely on line-of-site. I talk daily much farther than 12 miles on both AM and SSB with a barefoot radio. Yes the base station will reach farther than my mobile, but by placing my mobile at a more strategic location I can reach out there as well.
Mobile to mobile gets a bit harder, but still done.
As a side note to this original thread, I have a Wilson Little Wil for my wifes car. It has only seen use during long road trips when we use two cars. She can always hear me, but I begin to lose her at about 8 miles. A Wilson 1000 would be great but she hates the height and look (she is obviously not a CB'er and cares little about performance).
For the occasional traveler, it's not terrible. For those of us who care about performance over looks, get a taller antenna.
Alsworld |
Bigbob
Senior Member
Username: Bigbob
Post Number: 1989
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, June 19, 2005 - 6:53 am: |
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If you live in open country a piece of fish line attached to midway of antenna will help keep it staight at road speed and really increase your mobile to mobile range,but really gets dicy at drive thru's and over passes,but 40 lbs test works great and if you can stand the machine-gun noise at over passes then go for it.Bigbob |
Jon666
Intermediate Member
Username: Jon666
Post Number: 352
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, June 19, 2005 - 2:25 pm: |
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i have a little will
i think it works just fine for the price
and for what it is
i can talk 15 miles with it barefoot
what works for somepeople dont work
well for others
but i would not say its junk |
1861
Intermediate Member
Username: 1861
Post Number: 240
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, June 19, 2005 - 4:07 pm: |
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I have my ss102 on back bumper -- fishing line run from top , through moon roof with a large rubber washer on inside of car end . when i come to garage or drive threw , I just hook finger in washer pull down and antenna bends over forwar , problem solved ! I have got some strange looks at drive throughs when my antenna seems to bend down over car by itself |
Hollowpoint445
Intermediate Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 417
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, June 19, 2005 - 6:17 pm: |
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Before you start trimming the 102" whip - do you have any other antennas on the vehicle that are resonant at @27MHz? That can cause the 102" to have a poor match when it should be nearly perfect.
You should be able to coil excess coax. If that makes a difference you have a problem.
They used to sell clips to hold the 102" down when needed. I never bothered with them. I just didn't go through drive throughs anymore. I did snip off the ball on the end so it wouldn't catch on things though. |
Itatorro
Junior Member
Username: Itatorro
Post Number: 19
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 12:27 am: |
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Hi All,
Barracuda -- I have an 05 Wrangler Unlimited Rubi. there is also a link further up this thead to http://www.arizonarockyroad.com i have the back end mount. it is nice too.
I ended up trimming 3.5 inches off my ss102. Now i have 1.35 swr pretty much accross the band even with the amp on. that ss102 thing seems to hit every thing. Friday i was going out to Long Island on the SoutherState Prkway and they have some low bridges. My antenna slammed (65mph)them a couple of time and it cause the car behind me to slow down. He was tailgating me anyway....However, I couldn't even find a mark in the antenna and it stayed straight. :-)
The other post: the only other antennas i have are the fM antenna and a 2m/440 ham antenna by the drivers sid windshield
The bourghs of NYC are extremly lacking in CB shops. I hope to find one in VA when I go there and get an adjustable SS102.. In the mean time I ordered a A-1700 from copper and it should be here on Monday. I figure i will be able to take it down and be able to fit it inside the Jeep for securiity purposes .. Will hate to take the SS102 off because it is such a performer but until i can find an adjustable whip and a Clipp or something to hold it down the A-1700 should work good.....
it |
Itatorro
Junior Member
Username: Itatorro
Post Number: 21
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 12:59 am: |
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Almost forgot
Couchpotatoe : and All here is the formula for calcing the LOS to the Horizon...
Sqrt of the antenna height x 1.44 or use the combined height of the TX and RCV andtennas
Now if it is all LOS then how can anyone standing on the ground and talk 12 miles..... Sounds like you may have had an old time Quartmaster drill that into your head when you were a watch stander on the Ship or something.
This would be true that you can see only 12miles to the horizon if you are aprox 80 above the water.
Now everyone....how far away do you think that ship that you can only see the mast over the horizon asssuming it is aprx the same size your ship is? |
Itatorro
Junior Member
Username: Itatorro
Post Number: 22
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 1:08 am: |
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Almost forgot
All here is the formula for calcing the LOS to the Horizon...
Sqrt of the antenna height x 1.44 or use the combined height of the TX and RCV andtennas
Now if it is all LOS then how can anyone standing on the ground and talk or see 12 miles to the horizon..... Sounds like an old time Quartmaster drill that into someones head when they were a watch stander on the Ship or something.
This would be true that you can see only 12miles to the horizon if you are aprox 80 above the water.
Now everyone....how far away do you think that ship that you can only see the mast over the horizon asssuming it is aprx the same size your ship is?
thats right! can we say 24miles.. Oh! it was a clear day.
it |
Barracuda
Intermediate Member
Username: Barracuda
Post Number: 323
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 5:01 pm: |
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Itatorro,
First, I too am in NYC, live in Queens as well. There is at least one CB Shop in Brooklyn that I frequent from time to time. Second, I know all of the low bridges in the Southern State because I to have slammed my 102s into them many times. Likewise never any damage. I see you are also a HAM. What repeaters do you frequent? |
Itatorro
Junior Member
Username: Itatorro
Post Number: 29
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 11:22 am: |
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Barracuda :
I went to the "CB Shop' in Brookly. Nice lady in there but they didn't have much of anything.
guess i need to visit again. I want to get an ajustable SS102 if they make them???
I also order an A-1700 that should be here today with my M257.
i just started to get back into HAM after about a 4yr layoff. Got a new jeep and decided i needed some radios to complement it. I really have just started again and it seems some to the rptrs i liked have left. I haven't even learned to fill a memory in my ft8800 yet. however, i have been on 441.1 rpt. I think it is in Downtown Brookly. Nice coverage. I have been listening mostly 146.52 smplx on 2m. listen for about an hour from 1530-1630 commute.
I think it was 145.39 police repeater next to the BQE by QueensBLVD that i always used. have tried to see if 147.36 still exists i think it was by WTC. used to belong to 145.45 club. and i liked LIMARC... There is a club in Astoria i havent looked at real close yet and if they are close to where i live i would consider joining them. they have a closed repeater and i think it is 147.09 or 19 not sure.
I live on the west side of LGA |
Barracuda
Intermediate Member
Username: Barracuda
Post Number: 324
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 2:51 pm: |
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Itatorro,
Yeah, the shop is brooklyn is not the best stocked, though she has told me in the past that she can get most stuff. She does sell the base adjustable 102" whips. They're on the wall on the left as soon as you walk in (hanging horizontally under the window).
441.1 is the N2ROW repeater (it is cross linked to 53.41, 29.68 and a 2m repeater I can't remember off hand). I am a member of LIMARC, active 2m repeater( 146.85 -600khz 136.5pl) and good bunch of guys (& gals, there are a few). There is a 147.09 in Flushing (+600khz, 114.8PL) and 447.325 (-5Mhz 77PL) in Astoria, but I don't know anything about them. 147.36 is a Manhattan repeater (+6 107.2 PL), the info I have on it was updated on MetroCor in 2003 so they may have relocated it post 9/11.
73,
Maybe I'll catch you on the air sometime
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Itatorro
Junior Member
Username: Itatorro
Post Number: 32
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 7:45 pm: |
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Cool,
Limar seems to always have a round Robin going on but i have used it a couple times.
I work on staten Island so i think ill load up the 147.36 and give a shout. My Name is Jeff and My Call ends with RC.
take care,
it |
