Thinking about getting a CB...

[Surrey]

What is better, a short antenna that is mostly above the roof, or a long one that is mostly below (Say, short one on the hood, vs longer one on the back bumper?)

 

[4.0B2]

that i don't know. i've never ran a front antenna like that..

 

[407Link]

either way the antenna needs to stick out above the roof or the cab will block it

 

[Surrey]

either way the antenna needs to stick out above the roof or the cab will block it

Yes but I've been told for best reception, you want 2/3 of your antenna above the roof...
So Im wondering if the same ammount is sticking above the roof, lets say 1.5', am I better with a 3' antenna off the hood, or a 5' antenna off the back bumper?

 

[strvger]

mounting it on the roof will get you a better all around transmit/receive pattern. in a radiation pattern, the longest range comes from the opposite corner when mounting antennas on a bumper. the longest range follows where most of the metal is (in this case the body is the ground). a shorter antenna in the middle of the roof would do you better probably than one just 2 feet taller mounted on the end of your bumper. the roof radiation pattern would get most of your range toward the front and rear of your truck, and less range on each side. but that would still give you better all around range than the bumper mount.
just my $.02.

 

[4x4junkie]

I have a 5' Francis fiberglass antenna up on top of my roof. Never had any issues with trees (I run a spring on the bottom, so it just bends back and flips up again if there's a low branch).

ANY antenna will work better than one half-blocked by the cab or body. Even if it's just a tiny three-footer, I'd run it on the roof.

 

[Jason]

Yes but I've been told for best reception, you want 2/3 of your antenna above the roof...
So Im wondering if the same ammount is sticking above the roof, lets say 1.5', am I better with a 3' antenna off the hood, or a 5' antenna off the back bumper?

You have been told wrong. You want it ALL above the roof with a good ground plane. If you care about receive/transmit then you will mount it on the center of the roof. If you care about looks, just use your cell phone and save the money.

 

[bilzy7]

mount long whip type on rear bumper, if it is 2' taller then top then its better then your 2' antenna roof mounted. why so short range when you can go big. it should have the same transmission range infront of your vehicle if you let it extend above top of roof.

 

[badmts]

think about who your intended reciever is-the other trucks in your group that are never more than half a mile away or do you need to BE HEARD-in my trail rig i run a cobra 25 and a fire stick mounted to my bed tool box tuned to about 1.3 swr -plenty of radio- in my Big Truck I ran a Ranger 6900 export radio with 150 watts and a monkey made antenna-way too much radio.when we started this wheelin hobby last year we all knew we wanted cb radios and we figured we could buy used ,DON'T! We went through 4 or 5 pos radios before we relized the error of our ways -nothing fancy get a cobra 29 classic or the 25 classic and either a wilson silverload or the firestick WITH A TUNABLE TIP!! and mini -8 coax. we have 2 k-5's with their antenna's mounted to the left rear corner of the trucks well below the roofline and we have no problems.Learn about SWR on youtube -and where i break with a few people on here is -MOUNT IT WHERE IT LOOKS GOOD! i'm sorry but cb antenna's do not look good on the roof or the hood.

 

[strvger]

ahh... "beauty is in the eye of the beholder."