I just bought and installed a cb radio and need to get some antennas. I was looking in to the firestik dual 3' antenna kit. I have heard that running dual antennas will cut down on my range and make the signal directional. I like the look of dual antennas and was wondering if i could mount both of the antennas but only hook one up. would this work since the coax provided with the kit has two outputs for two antennas? or will i need to purchase a new coax?

Thanks

 

You will need new coax because what you have now is 75 ohm and you need 50 ohm to run a single antenna.

Also if you are mounting the antennas to the bed you may want longer ones because with 3 feet there will not be much exposed, the cab may cause problems with interference and may make the antenna directional.

 

Thanks

I will be mounting the antennas on a toolbox so they will be raised a little bit. The top of the antenna should clear the top of the cab.

 

and the optimal separation of the antennas is? (answer 9 feet)

I think you will find that to get the (alleged) benefit of dual sticks you need to get them further apart than the space you have available to you

 

thats why i was asking if i could only hook up one with the provided coax. I might just buy a new coax

 

Go to the firestik website and read the faqs

 

Ya, Just get a new coax from Radio Shack (like 11 or 12 for like 15 ft.)
That is what I did. Had Dual Whips for looks, but only one whip was functional. Supposedly you will get longer range. I had a set of Firestiks. Got pretty good range out of mine.

 

Thats what i think i will end up doing.

By the way is there an easy way to get the cables into the cab? I have a supercrew and the only way i have seen is to run the coax along the frame and into the engine compartment and through a firewall. Is there a place in the rear of the truck where i can run the cable into the cab?

 

Yes, in the back wall of the cab there are air vents that work good. You will have to take the backrest of the seat out to access them unless its a regular cab.

 

O yea! i had to do that to find the code for my keypad entry. Thats a big pia

 

^ that's what I did to run my coax into the bed. Remove the rear seat and tuck it through the vent, then drilled a hole in the bed plug and voila!