Short wilson

**carter840** · 08-16-2006, 10:44 PM

Hi i am wondering if i can buy a really short whip for the lil wil antenna. I'm taking so that the hole thing is less the a foot. If i were to do this would i still get better performance with that or with an 8 Inch mag antenna from cobra. In other words i am wiling to spend 100 bucks for a good antenna with a short whip (I KNOW THAT IS HARD TO GET BUT IT HAS TO BE LESS THEN A FOOT LONG WHAT'S THE BEST I CAN GET) CAN I DO THIS.
THANKS

**updateemu** · 08-17-2006, 03:23 AM

A 1/4 wavelenth for cb frequencies is about 108 inches. The base loading coil is used so that a shorter whip can be utilized such as in the lil wil @36 inches. If you shorten the whip you are throwing the tunning out. On another view point if you take something that is suppose to be 108 inches and shorten it all the way down to just 12 inches it also lacks the abililtity to capture the signals because of lack of surface area to collect the radio signals. So a one foot antenna may recieve some close by signals, but will be no good for transmitting will be your end result.

**Road Warrior** · 08-17-2006, 06:21 AM

For Wilson 1000 and 5000 there is a SHORT-LOAD whip, made by Wilson as well, that is about 1 ft shorter than the original whip... the performance is exactly the same with the original whip... with my 5000 with the short-load I get an average of 15-18 miles of clear and strong signal (open road, flat terrain, sunny days/nights, no buildings around)...
Ask the Ham/CB store if they have a similar short-load for the Lil Wil...
The short-load costs about $20.00 and must be tuned-up with a SWR gage (the Ham/CB store people will do it for you while waiting, maybe $10.00 for the SWR reading)...
Best of luck :wink:

**carter840** · 08-17-2006, 08:55 AM

Well my real ? is if i got a shorter antenna from wilson with a short whip would it outperorm an antenna of the same height made my cobra?
thanks

**crazyVOLVOrob** · 08-17-2006, 10:14 AM

Any antenna that short is useless!!! Smallest antenna I would use is the Wilson Lil- Wil

**carter840** · 08-17-2006, 04:04 PM

Yes I know that a short antenna is never going to be as good as a longer one but... i am still wondering if a lil wil that was 8 inches in total would be better then a 8 inch mag antenna from cobra. thanks

**crazyVOLVOrob** · 08-17-2006, 04:47 PM

Originally Posted by carter840

Yes I know that a short antenna is never going to be as good as a longer one but... i am still wondering if a lil wil that was 8 inches in total would be better then a 8 inch mag antenna from cobra. thanks

I wouldn't waste the money on a 8 inch antenna the last one i tried out broadcaasted clears for 1 mile and could reciee up to 2 miles

That makes a CB useless in finding bear traps.

And a lil wil with 8inches total would be useless

Go with the full lil-wil if you want to use a CB for something useful other than looks

**updateemu** · 08-17-2006, 06:57 PM

If you NEVER need to transmit maybe you can double up with your FM radio antenna. Would be better than an 8 inch antenna. Thats as a last resort and don't hook up mic to avoid transmitting.

**carter840** · 08-17-2006, 07:42 PM

Could i put a lil wil in the backseat? Or does that do nothing. I have an SUV with a huge trunk so i could fit one in there.
any thoughts thanks

**crazyVOLVOrob** · 08-17-2006, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by updateemu

If you NEVER need to transmit maybe you can double up with your FM radio antenna. Would be better than an 8 inch antenna. Thats as a last resort and don't hook up mic to avoid transmitting.

You can use a coupler to use the fm/am radio antenna as a CB antenna but it's still got horrible recieving range

If you want a CB antenna that will be able to recieve use ful transmissions you need to go with a real CB antenna....anything under 24" is useless!!!!!!!