Ground plain kits?
- Thread starter Stogi
- Start date
FlatBroke
Well-Known Member
Is this something you are referring to? Wilson 5000 or Wilson 1000 Antenna Ground Plane Kit
If so, they do nothing..Although I have never used one, but from reading on HAM forums and such, they say they are a waste of money.
Yeah that's it. I didn't think they did. I've just been put in a Volvo and have heard about grounding issues because of the composite construction. Is the "bird perch" type mount that replaces the mirror bolt the best solution to this problem? Next issue is finding the best way to run some REAL coax cleanly withou having it look like my 5 year boy just zip tied it on there...lol
Man ya'll I tried using that crappy coax/antenna setup that came on the truck and I swear I couldn't receive more than a mile and wasn't getting out even that far. Who ever designed that needs to be shot. I was thinking of taking the mirror apart and running my own coax to the factory mount , but, the operators manual says the radio and cb share the same antenna? WTH.... that's just crazy. Some body has way overthunk that setup .
Man ya'll I tried using that crappy coax/antenna setup that came on the truck and I swear I couldn't receive more than a mile and wasn't getting out even that far. Who ever designed that needs to be shot. I was thinking of taking the mirror apart and running my own coax to the factory mount , but, the operators manual says the radio and cb share the same antenna? WTH.... that's just crazy. Some body has way overthunk that setup .
FlatBroke
Well-Known Member
Yes, the "bird perch mount" is the ONLY way to go with a Volvo truck. As, for running the coax, you can run it into the mirror and down the mirror bracket and into the truck if you can find someone to solder the ends back on the coax and run it through the same way as factory. The mirror comes apart pretty easy. But, I always just took mine to a CB shop and had them do the coax work...
FlatBroke
Well-Known Member
I prefer the solder type ends..because of a better connection..but to each his own.
FlatBroke
Well-Known Member
Yea, I use the clear also..
DanBowkley
Member
Ground planes are utterly useless unless you're running a 1/2 wavelength antenna -- that'd be a whip 17 feet high. 1/4 wave antennas, or indeed anything other than 1/2 (including 5/8, which is frankly useless) the ground plane actually degrades the signal.
Furthermore, the so-called groundplane kits sold in truck stops etc are actually connected to the antenna feed, not to ground as you'd need for a real groundplane. Also, a groundplane has to be relatively large -- about as big as the vertical part of the antenna -- to do anything useful whatsoever.
Dan KG6OHK
Furthermore, the so-called groundplane kits sold in truck stops etc are actually connected to the antenna feed, not to ground as you'd need for a real groundplane. Also, a groundplane has to be relatively large -- about as big as the vertical part of the antenna -- to do anything useful whatsoever.
Dan KG6OHK
Similar threads
