[FrankB]

Is anyone here familiar with No Ground Plane antennas for CB, in particular the Firestik?

I can't seem to get mine adjusted to an acceptably low SWR at channels 1 and 40, even though I can get it to about 1.3 on Ch. 20. The best I can do seems to be around 2.6 at either end.

I have a 3' NGP Firestik II mounted with a spring on their stainless mirror bracket to a pair of Yakima wrap-arounds on the back of my Load Warrior. It's the highest point on the truck. At the advice of Firestik I tried additional insulation of the ring connector from the mount by adding 2 nylon washers, that helped but not enough. Everything is in the proper position.

Using the complete SS mirror mount is worse, so is running without the nylon washers. I'm not at either end of the adjustment screw, and besides, I have an almost perfect bell curve for SWR, just too high at the ends of spectrum. Firestik sent me a new coax, but it made no difference. They don't seem to have any more ideas, but they say that they can generally get NGP systems to about 1.5 - 1.7 at Ch. 1 and 40.

Before I ditch the NGP system and just buy a regular antenna and run a line to ground the mount, I thought I would check to see if anyone here has a better idea. I got the NGP system to avoid having to run a ground line for the mount, as I understand that just brings in other issues such as possible interference like noise from fuel pumps etc.

Can anyone help?

Thanks - Frank B.

 

[usmc xterra]

Here goes my head on a chopping block,
I am a truck driver and been setting up antennas since the 70's with all that experience plus my brothers advice who owned a CB shop long enough to put himself through Berkley. I choose this location,

It is Rack friendly and I am 1 to 1.2 with the below pictured truck stop Part of a $20 antenna Base loaded and tucks under branches and the garage door for like the past year unscathed. SWR is fine I run a Uniden PC 78 with built in SWR but have also checked it with a Digital SWR meter with same results. You can see it here with rack installed. It's a Truck speck mounted on my above shown mount.

I have never talked to anyone who had good luck with a NG ant set up, just the thought of it defies ground plane logic..... although I can tell you know your stuff about antennas enough to know now, you can't convince yourself that the NG idea is going to work well. I can only post what worked for me. I won't attempt a NG my brother won't either. But, you have it right getting it up high like that. A good ground is like 99% of a good SWR.

Ok Jason says you already have about 27 holes in your roof, but you still can't bring yourself to drill one more for an ant? Well same location, a gigantic magnet mount base with a whip antenna will work just fine my wire runs under roof headliner, down left post, under the floor, under carpet to center console and into this! 18 feet with an elbow end on both ends.

But mind you I have no Idea what I am talking about. I just guarantee my set up will out hear and talk any radio that is without a amp and not a SSB.
MC

 

[FrankB]

Thanks for the quick response MC. Actually my first thought was to drill a hole dead center on the roof just behind the roof bin (in front of the Yak rack) but then I realized that I would have to deal with the side airbags in the b-pillar and headliner. Problem is, I'm not quite sure just where they are, and just what is in there, so I have avoided going through the headliner and side pillars for that reason. That's what made me think the NGP system might be a good idea.

Maybe a hole at the very back, like where your's is will work, then I'll just route the coax like it currently is, along the left side to the floor by the rear d-side door and under the carpet to the center console.

 

[usmc xterra]

Somewhere is a how to on my install, but basically you take out rear interior light and drill up from there, an elbow goes on and a ground washer after you scuff painted inside surface. Hook the cable to installed bee hive mount and install a SS whip and set the swr. Corner pillar in bac kinda snaps out, ran under floor using the antenna an just tucked the rest of the way. MC

 

[eXTra fORt]

I have always eard that NGP system was for Fiberglass body installation only: Wrangler Heep with Hardtop, Pickup truck or service truck with Fiberglass Box, RV, etc. - So the antenna has to work by itself.

You want to use your body as a ground plane to improve your emission/reception...

My 2¢

 

[FrankB]

I have always eard that NGP system was for Fiberglass body installation only: Wrangler Heep with Hardtop, Pickup truck or service truck with Fiberglass Box, RV, etc. - So the antenna has to work by itself.

You want to use your body as a ground plane to improve your emission/reception...

My 2¢

You are correct, and I realized that, but I was trying to avoid running a ground line, as the Yak rack is mounted with plastic to the anodized aluminum factory rack that is mounted to the truck with more plastic. I guess it's time to just run the ground line (and new coax and a new antenna).