Wilson or firestick 3' ?

[Gwjvw]

Anyone have the wilson 3' stick with ground strap? A guy told me that the firesticks have a gound canceling problem?

[scherf68]

I went with wilson, no problems here. I bought mine from a cb shop who highly recommended it over the firestik.

[blkTJ]

both are fine.

[Jerry Bransford]

There is no such thing as a "ground canceling" problem, whoevever told you that knows nothing about antennas. For desert terrain, I prefer the less flexible Firestik as it doesn't sway around and bang into stuff as you roll over difficult terrain. For areas full of trees and shrubs, the Wilson is very flexible so it would get through them more easily.

[NAILER341]

http://www.wilsonantenna.com/fg.htm#flex



i use the wilson fiberglass antenna, and like it.
i have tried the firesticks, broken a couple, and been unable to tune others. this wilson has been good to me.

[Mitch]

Gary,

I use a Wilson 4' fiberglass antenna and it works great. Also the fiberglass Wilsons are not flexable and are well built. You can buy either antenna from the Pilot Center truck stop on Joshua @ Hwy 395 in Hesperia.

Mitch

[tjTerry]

I wonder who did that test?? lol

I have both on different rigs- both tune and work fine for me.
T

[Black & Tan TJ]

As far as the grounding or canceling (?) the Firestik I use has 18' of antenna cable that also acts as the ground or self grounding, it works great, well that's what I've been told. If you shorten it you'll lose grounding....signal. Perhaps this is what he meant.

B&T TJ

[Jerry Bransford]

As far as the grounding or canceling (?) the Firestik I use has 18' of antenna cable that also acts as the ground or self grounding, it works great, well that's what I've been told. If you shorten it you'll lose grounding....signal. Perhaps this is what he meant.

B&T TJ

18' of cable has nothing to do with anything, the 18' length thing is strictly an old myth that has been disproven many times. Shortening the cable does not affect anything other than making it so you don't have as much excess cable. Coax cable length does not affect antennas like we use on Jeeps.

Coax length only affects anything in very unique antennas where balanced feedline is used, which our Jeeps do not use.

[Old Fart]

Oh no, not the 18' coax myth ........again

[Black & Tan TJ]

Well in my case the coax is the ground. The antenna is not grounded to the Jeep but isolated (Info from Firestik installation instructions). Not knowing much I just followed the instructions, what a concept.

B&T TJ

[Jerry Bransford]

Well in my case the coax is the ground. The antenna is not grounded to the Jeep but isolated (Info from Firestik installation instructions). Not knowing much I just followed the instructions, what a concept.

B&T TJ

Yes of course the coax is part of the ground but the primary ground for the antenna system itself is provided by the mount that bolts to the Jeep, which the coax connects to. All we're saying is that the cable length has nothing to do with grounding, "ground canceling", or how the antenna tunes.

[Black & Tan TJ]

Yes of course the coax is part of the ground but the primary ground for the antenna system itself is provided by the mount that bolts to the Jeep, which the coax connects to. All we're saying is that the cable length has nothing to do with grounding, "ground canceling", or how the antenna tunes.

Sorry Jerry, my mount is cast alumnium, not much ground there and has these nylon washer isolating it from the mount. They call it "No-Ground-Plane Antenna System". They do exist. I think their popular in marine applications too.

http://www.firestik.com/CatalogFrame.htm

Hope this clears it up.

B&T TJ

[Old Fart]

Nothing wrong with aluminum, it doesn't have an equal factor to copper as a conductor - but it's still a decent ground (until the galvanic corrosion sets in anyway)

Your link is to the main page, couldn't check out your particular mount. Typically "no ground plane" antennas are shunt fed dipoles - different antenna entirely.

If your mount is what I think it is - the center conductor is isolated from the mount by the nylon bushing, the outer braid is electrically continuous with it.

[Black & Tan TJ]

Nothing wrong with aluminum, it doesn't have an equal factor to copper as a conductor - but it's still a decent ground (until the galvanic corrosion sets in anyway)

Your link is to the main page, couldn't check out your particular mount. Typically "no ground plane" antennas are shunt fed dipoles - different antenna entirely.

If your mount is what I think it is - the center conductor is isolated from the mount by the nylon bushing, the outer braid is electrically continuous with it.

Bingo!
You have to poke around that link. On the right, No-Ground-Plane... That will take you to another page...
I use it with the popular Cobra CB. I've been told the signal and quality was very clear.

B&T TJ