cutting whips ???

[tmaxxman]

Wire snips? I don't think cutting the antennas will degrade the cosmetics of your truck. It is already 3/4 primer and 1/4 black in the first place. No offense, just pointing it out.

That is because trucks are built not bought it is blue and primer now till summer
just pointing it out

 

[tmaxxman]

Lmao then it isn't worth investing alot. Since you don't really use them.

i try to but no one will talk need a swr meter

 

[02RangerXLT]

Those are 4ft whips? Really? They look awful short...

 

[tmaxxman]

Those are 4ft whips? Really? They look awful short...

i have them siting as low as i can in the bed

 

[Mr 85Ranger]

Here's a couple pics of the whip on my ranger, but it's an 8 footer about twice as one of yours.

First pic is the whip up in the air (probably hard to see due to crappy picture)

Second Pic Is the whip pulled down ( it has a spring on my mount at the back of the cab and just hooks into one of the stake holes in the back of the bed)

 

[Black'03LevelII]

if you don't care what your SWR is...

honestly, i would not buy a non tuneable antenna, or a trim to tune, as so many things can change your SWR, including a good hit to the antenna, or a kink in the coax

I'm well aware of how to tune a "whip" or as the o.p. is using (and I call em) rubber duckies. At one point in time I was running an eight foot stainless steel whip in a wilson 1000 base, hooked and TUNED to a Cobra 29ltd classic that was tweaked and peaked. I also had a small inline amp as well as a dual meter swr on it.

Unfortunately I no longer have this setup as some asshat broke into my old vehicle and removed it.

 

[--weezl--]

i don't know yet i haven't got a swr meter yet and i just got the whips from a junkyard for 2 buck hell no one around here talk on them anyway but i like how whips look on a truck

those are NOT whips, whips are small flexable steel things like below!!!!! those are fiberglass antennas!!!!!

Here's a couple pics of the whip on my ranger, but it's an 8 footer about twice as one of yours.

First pic is the whip up in the air (probably hard to see due to crappy picture)

Second Pic Is the whip pulled down ( it has a spring on my mount at the back of the cab and just hooks into one of the stake holes in the back of the bed)

there's a couple people i was wheeling with today with 8' steel whips! i used to have a fiber whip that was about 8 feet (narrow as hell, and semi flexy, but not nearly as flexy as a steel whip) and it was CRAZY awesome

I'm well aware of how to tune a "whip" or as the o.p. is using (and I call em) rubber duckies. At one point in time I was running an eight foot stainless steel whip in a wilson 1000 base, hooked and TUNED to a Cobra 29ltd classic that was tweaked and peaked. I also had a small inline amp as well as a dual meter swr on it.

so you realize that what you said completely screws tuning of antennas, and was bad advice then?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Thank you --weezl-- for covering some bases there, I was about ready to hit my head against something hard.


Fiberglass CB antennas are not whip antennas, they are fiberglass antennas. Whip antennas are the longer steel antennas (4, 6 and 8' and the like), because they are VERY flexible and will "whip."

Years ago I almost put 4' fiberglass antennas on my Ranger. I wanted to put one on each side of the cab and figured it would look balanced and cool. Except when I started learning about CB setups, I discovered that one antenna would have to be just for looks because if both were powered, it would cause a lot of interference, thus reducing my range considerably. IIRC, the minimum distance between two antennas is around 8 or 9', which cannot be achieved without hanging them off to the side of even a fullsize truck. Also, I found that even with base springs, fiberglass antennas are not ment to be used where you will hit overhead obstructions - like garage doors or trees - because there is a risk of breaking them.

You cannot cut down a fiberglass antenna - it will ruin the SWR and run a risk of blowing out your finals the first time you key the mike.

Setting them low in a bed reduces range considerably. Ideally you want the tallest, longest antenna you can use. And Ideally you want the antenna placed either in the center of the vehicle (for maximum range in all directions) or in the back passenger side corner of the vehicle to give you maximum range in the forward plane and to the left (thus you can really reach out to opposing traffic on a highway to get news on weather and traffic conditions in plenty of time to find an exit).

I run a 102" whip on my choptop, mounted it to the top of the spare tire carrier (which puts the tip of it about 14' in the air). I love it and have an extra 102" whip waiting for me to pick something to mount it on. I've been thinking of putting a CB in my F-150, but haven't decided on running the big whip or something shorter.


As far as the OP's questions....

No, do not cut them.

Bending them causes damage. Remove them or get a mount for them that will allow them to be removed or pivoted out of the way.

Or, get a steel whip antenna.

You can pick up a cheap SWR meter from like Radio Shack or online for under $30 and it's good enough for the average user.

 

[--weezl--]

Years ago I almost put 4' fiberglass antennas on my Ranger. I wanted to put one on each side of the cab and figured it would look balanced and cool. Except when I started learning about CB setups, I discovered that one antenna would have to be just for looks because if both were powered, it would cause a lot of interference, thus reducing my range considerably. IIRC, the minimum distance between two antennas is around 8 or 9', which cannot be achieved without hanging them off to the side of even a fullsize truck. Also, I found that even with base springs, fiberglass antennas are not ment to be used where you will hit overhead obstructions - like garage doors or trees - because there is a risk of breaking them.

well said, however there is one thing i don't fully agree on, you CAN run a proper dual setup on a ranger, however, to do this, you more or less need to put one on your front bumper, and one on your rear bumper, opposite corner...

full size trucks also aren't wide enough to put one on each side, and even semi trucks with antennas on each mirror are pushing the lower end of how far apart they should be, which is why they are usually mounted to the mirrors, the part that sticks out the farthest


reason being, if you mount them too close together, they actually DECREASE the range you will get out of it, significantly!

additionally, i actually tore up my mount yesterday on the trail, the antenna got caught on a tree, i'm going to see if i can fix it, but i will probably have to buy a new mount... it will be spring mounted soon enough though

 

[Mr 85Ranger]

there's a couple people i was wheeling with today with 8' steel whips! i used to have a fiber whip that was about 8 feet (narrow as hell, and semi flexy, but not nearly as flexy as a steel whip) and it was CRAZY awesome

Yeah I love the look of mine! It's mainly for looks the CB thats in my truck has been in it since '86 and its not working to good anymore!

 

[tmaxxman]

i still like my whips just kidding my antennas then

 

[--weezl--]

for the record, this is NOT a whip:

neither is this,

nor this:

this also, is not,

not this:

THIS however, IS a whip

this is also:

and this:

this too,

and last but not least, THIS

now that we have THAT clear, we may continue with trs epic