/diy/ - Do It Yourself

>>224869
The height maximum on the highway is 14'6" I do believe? As long as the tip is under that, you're golden.

>>224862
The solid mounted 102" whip is most ideal. It's a 1/4 wave radiator, meaning, it produces neither a gain nor a loss of transmitted RF power...although with a good sized RF ground plane, you may see 1-2 db of gain.

Antennas shorter than 102" on CB band must utilize a loading coil to make up the difference. A loading coil is simply a tuned coil of wire, typically at the base of the antenna. However, they contribute nothing to the antenna ; they turns transmitted watts into heat. Plus, since your radiating whip is shorter, you have poorer reception. More exposed metal = more conductivity = better reception.

For most beginners, I advise:
Cobra 148 GTL (This does AM and SSB)
Wilson W500 or Wilson W1000. Magnet mount is fine.

If you're willing to do the 102" whip, go for it! They're a bit of a bitch to install, but it's more professional, since there's no exposed coaxial cable.

If you can't afford the 148 GTL, the Cobra 29 LTD Classic is another great choice, although it is AM only. The Uniden PC68 series shares the same boards as the Cobra 148 & 29.