CB Antenna as a FM/AM ?

[lolfun12]

I have the latest generation of the ford explorer (2007) and was considering installing a CB radio. The antenna should be placed on the center of the roof but the problem is I drive by many low obstacles.

I was considering replacing the AM/FM antenna with a CB antenna and then using a firestik splitter. I read that their is a lot of fine tuning involved in terms of SWR and getting the AM and FM radio to work afterward. Would this setup work?

[crazyVOLVOrob]

You are not going to get good SWR or receptions.

Send a message to RacerX he has a CB antenna that mounts like a standard fm/am antenna and it looks just like the average fm am antenna

Also look at hood mounted CB antennas and then you can use a fiberglass antenna. It won't be perfect but it will get the job done

[jimbonzzz]

Send a message to RacerX he has a CB antenna that mounts like a standard fm/am antenna and it looks just like the average fm am antenna

Fomr what I recall, to maintain broadcast AM/FM reception, he added a "patch" antenna.

[crazyVOLVOrob]

Send a message to RacerX he has a CB antenna that mounts like a standard fm/am antenna and it looks just like the average fm am antenna

Fomr what I recall, to maintain broadcast AM/FM reception, he added a "patch" antenna.

don't you have a am/fm radio CB converting on your f-body or am I imagining it?

[Stealth Stalker]

It "works", but it is a serious compromise in performance both on the CB and broadcast bands. Your reception is not going to be good enough for serious countermeasure use, which requires hearing farther than a mile away. A mile is going to be the outer limits of your reception, at best.

I agree that you should go for a hood-groove mount antenna. They are available in three foot lengths that aren't much higher than your broadcast antenna.

[RacerX]

here's some info from the original thread:

didn't try the splitter. actually used a tuntrapper that sits on my dash, under the dash mat.






Quote:
it's made by firestik and it's the "Venice base load" model. the E36
36" antenna. they also have a 48" model.


CATALOG Main Page (Frame Setup)

i bought mine from Westcoastmall.net

they had one of the better prices and they shipped quick.

i wanted something for the "stealth" look, other than a big magnet and cord on top of my truck.
i then bought a "tunetrapper" antenna from a place on the "auction place" that we can't link to.
it's a concealed AM/FM antenna and works great. i've got that fully hidden.

don't really have pics of the install, but it mounts in the standard 1/2" hole where the car antenna goes.

my toyota was a pain, since they don't mount on top of the fender, they cut a big oval in it half on the side. i made a temp cover for it, and tomorrow i'm going to a friends with a shop to make something more permanent and rock solid.

for the most part if you could mount and run the wire for an aftermarket antenna, you can mount this no problem.

the one thing i would recommend if anyone gets this is buy the lock set for a few bucks. the antenna comes with a big wingnut, which i don't like the looks of, but the lockset has a flush look, plus it will help keep it from being unscrewed and taken. i also took off the little sticker, so as not to draw attention to it. i replaced the wingnut with a black nut which works also.

i'm very happy with the setup. it works great, and it doesn't get much more stealth and compact than that.
to update, made a slightly larger plate to cover the hole where the new cb antenna sits.

no switch unit. i unplugged the factory antenna from the radio and plugged in the tuntrapper, which is laying across the front of my dash, under the dashmat, so it's out of sight.

i fished the cb antenna wire down the hole and out a hole in the bottom. came up and in a covered hole behind the door jam. and routed it up and inside, and tucked it under the console, going to the power box under my seat.
that's pretty much it in a nutshell.



if anyone needs more detail let me know.

[Stealth Stalker]

Here's the current, but hidden page for that antenna:

Venice "E36" CB Antenna

It's hidden because FireStik no longer carries the Venice, nor the cellular look-alike antennae that they used to. FireStik tells me that they were imported from Italy, but that the cost and exchange rate changes made it no longer feasible to import them. You *might* find one in stock somewhere, but every place I have found online shows them to be "out of stock".

There just are no good AM/FM/CB combo antennae available anymore.

[lolfun12]

Thanks. I am considering purchasing a CB, but the install is making me wary.

[Stealth Stalker]

Specifically why? You haven't really articulated a problem here yet.

[lolfun12]

I installed my LI without a prob, but the heads aren't big. This is going to be a 3 foot antenna off of my car. I was trying to stealth the antenna as my FM, making it discreet and good for low obstacles but as you said range is going to be poor. I don't know if I do enough highway driving to justify this.