Firestik and Ham radio

Hood297 · **Posted:** Thu May 15, 2008 11:45 pm

has anyone rigged their ham radio with a firestik? If so what kind exactly?

Here is my radio... http://www.kenwoodusa.com/Communication ... s/TM-D700A

If not does anyone know a good fiberglass dual band antenna that is similar to a firestik that would work?

Thanks!
Hood297
KJ4ECR

corwyyn · **Posted:** Fri May 16, 2008 2:52 am

Is there any particular reason you want a fiberglass antenna, like using an existing mount that has the 3/8x24 threads? There are a couple of brands of mobiles but they only offer antennas down to six meters, the only fiberglass dual-band antennas I know of are base antennas.

More information might help with recommendations.

73s,

AD5VG

Jase3gt · **Posted:** Fri May 16, 2008 5:25 am

I heard the firestick ham antenna's weren't that great. I have a larsen whip antenna, it works great.

Hood297 · **Posted:** Fri May 16, 2008 11:06 am

Here is my mount, i have no antenna there currently. http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... php?t=6725

I Want a fiberglass antenna Mainly for looks i guess. I'm not particular to any brand, but If possible a Black Fiberglass would be nice, If not it is no big deal.

my boss has a diamond dual band, but I just dont care for the look. I think a 3-4 ft. would work well, I plan to add a spring and swivel so i can drop it when wheeling or going in my garage.

Fiberglass is not nessesary.

corwyyn · **Posted:** Fri May 16, 2008 2:11 pm

OK, just did what I should have done last night and checked out the Firestik site and found their 2m antennas :oops:

but no dual-band. I've got one of the Comet dual-band antennas (similar to the Diamond I think) and never had a problem with how it looks, but I'm more concerned with functionality than anything else...

Hood297 · **Posted:** Fri May 16, 2008 5:39 pm

Performance is also my #1 concern but looks is a close 2nd. Since the Firestik isn't going to work with my radio, i want nothing to do with it.

Rush345 · **Posted:** Fri May 16, 2008 9:50 pm

AS much as I admire this set up I am insearch of and AM/FM/CB Power Antenna. I had found one of these while employed with a Cadillac Dealership. After salvageing an AM/FM/CB Power antenna from a 1977 Cadillac Eldorado I have since never enjoyed a better radio reception from any radio system. If any one can find a source for the Power Antenna I will be extrememly greatfull.
My intentions are to install this antenna in the rear pillar and after deleteing the stock antenna install LED side marker lights in this location.
With said Antenna's expanding behind the rear pillar , behind the roof rack and supplying a stealth mode for an Atenna that most will not see untill this modification is complete. This modification will obviously surpass most KJ owners design, nut the result acomanied by a power antenna will acheieve the stelth look I desire. The hardest part of this is locating an AM/FM/CB Power antenna out of an '77 Caddy . but if acheveide will result in a radio system unseen by most over many years..
All ideas or directions are welcomed Thank-You
David

MiniDevil · **Posted:** Mon May 19, 2008 2:38 pm

Rush345 wrote:

AS much as I admire this set up I am insearch of and AM/FM/CB Power Antenna. I had found one of these while employed with a Cadillac Dealership. After salvageing an AM/FM/CB Power antenna from a 1977 Cadillac Eldorado I have since never enjoyed a better radio reception from any radio system. If any one can find a source for the Power Antenna I will be extrememly greatfull.
My intentions are to install this antenna in the rear pillar and after deleteing the stock antenna install LED side marker lights in this location.
With said Antenna's expanding behind the rear pillar , behind the roof rack and supplying a stealth mode for an Atenna that most will not see untill this modification is complete. This modification will obviously surpass most KJ owners design, nut the result acomanied by a power antenna will acheieve the stelth look I desire. The hardest part of this is locating an AM/FM/CB Power antenna out of an '77 Caddy . but if acheveide will result in a radio system unseen by most over many years..
All ideas or directions are welcomed Thank-You
David

Are you talking about broadcasting over the same antenna that you receive your FM radio with?

corwyyn · **Posted:** Mon May 19, 2008 3:32 pm

MiniDevil wrote:

Rush345 wrote:

Are you talking about broadcasting over the same antenna that you receive your FM radio with?

Yes he is. I vaguely recall the caddys that came with the CBs (back in the heyday of CB in the mid '70s) and the antenna he is talking about was designed for both reception on AM/FM and transmission on CB. Pretty much it's a fancied-up CB antenna with a splitter for the AM/FM radio, similar to what some of the folks on here have done.

MiniDevil · **Posted:** Mon May 19, 2008 4:17 pm

I heard that was bad for your radio

corwyyn · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 3:00 am

If it's done properly with the right equipment it's perfectly fine, the splitter is designed to only allow transmission on the CB bands and to block it from going thru to the radio. But if the splitter is a sub-par unit or there is something else wrong with the layout of the system then yes you could possibly get RF energy from the CB into the radio which could overload the radio's front end and wreck havoc. You also have to make sure you do not exceed the power rating for the splitter; the unit Firestik sells is rated for 30W max - exceed that and all bets are off.

MiniDevil · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 3:21 am

corwyyn wrote:

If it's done properly with the right equipment it's perfectly fine, the splitter is designed to only allow transmission on the CB bands and to block it from going thru to the radio. But if the splitter is a sub-par unit or there is something else wrong with the layout of the system then yes you could possibly get RF energy from the CB into the radio which could overload the radio's front end and wreck havoc. You also have to make sure you do not exceed the power rating for the splitter; the unit Firestik sells is rated for 30W max - exceed that and all bets are off.

30w isnt much. Even a lightly modified cobra 29 swings 35w. You aren't really going to get any decent transmission through that kind of setup.

Rush345 · **Posted:** Tue May 20, 2008 11:43 pm

The Caddy Antenna I truthfully never hooked up to a CB when I installed the antenna in my 1974 260Z but as for the radio performance I have never enjoyed such superior radio reception since. My use for the CB would probably be with group runs and such.

MiniDevil · **Posted:** Thu May 22, 2008 8:27 am

Upgrading your current antenna to improve reception cant hurt.

Honestly if I were you though, if you want to have a CB just for group runs, id probably grab a wilson magmount antenna and toss it up on the roof when you need to. Wilson antennas are great and the wilson 2000 is able to handle 3500 watts PEP (probably 800 bird watts).

This weekend I am working on getting my FatBoy antenna hooked up and mounted. Should be able to hear me screaming from Reading to Philadelphia.

Firestik and Ham radio

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