Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 17:32:08 -0800
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: James Cohen <jscohen@m2.sprynet.com>
Subject: Re: alternators & CBs
=2E If this were a
>regular Vanagon I'd just use a magnet-mount antenna on the roof but this
>is a Westy. No magnet mount here. I was looking at mounting it on the
>rear bumper but there's no way to mount it so that it doesn't interfere
>with the rear hatch. I would have to mount it on the plastic end cap if
>I wanted to get in the back of the van without removing the antenna.
>
>In short, I'm out of ideas. I know a lot of you Westy drivers have CBs
>so where did you mount the antenna?
>
>Thanks,
>Sean
I mounted my antenna on the roof, where it belongs! I cut a hole in the
middle of the fiberglass luggage rack the size of the magnet. The antenna
sits on the metal roof where it will have a good "ground plane". This is
the proper place for an antenna (if a bit forward of the ideal "center" of
the vehicle", and will give the best reception and transmission.
The alternatives of adding a gutter mount, or a converting a radio antenna
in the stock location may work but they will NOT yeild good performance out
of the CB unless you're REAL close to the person you're talking to.
Another alternative is to take a 3'x3' piece of thin steel (galvinzed for
rust protection) and attach it to the fiber glass on the poptop (I don't
know how one would do this, maybe with screws and silicone seal?) and
attach the mag mount to that. The steel will work as the ground plane.
But when the top is up, the antenna will be at a 45=B0 angle!
=46inally, there are antennas made for marine CBs (on boats) and the need no
ground plane and therefore can be attached anywhere. But they don't work
as well as regular auto antennas.
My opinion is that CBs are very limited in their range, so one should use
the best antenna location to maximize what is available. Cutting the hole
was no big deal, but I do reccommend removing the luggage rack first!
I hope this helps.
James
-----------------------------------------------------------
James Cohen
New York City, and Williamstown Ma,
Aspen, CO (winters)
Alternate address:
stirling@aol.com
Red '93 Corrado VR6 SLC (Highly modified)
Red '87 GTI G60!! <----
and
'67 deluxe split window (9 pass.)
'71 Westy Breadloaf (high performance engine B&B)
'81, '85 Westy Vanagons
'83 9 passanger Vanagon
'66, '74 (9 pass) busses (decomposing)
----------------------------------------------------------