Re: Radio S**t CB stuff

[a6561TB@gnn.com (Igor Kessel)]

Hi  Jim:


>Well, I gotta throw in $.02 here. My CB and antenna combo came from Radio
>Shack, and so far, they work great. I pick up clear signals from 4-5 miles
>front and back, and "fringe, fuzzy" signals from even further away,
> probably
>up to 10 miles away in each direction.
I am getting over 20 mi EASY and clear (in a sunny, dry day).

>... the position of the antenna is just about the
>most important factor. The best spot would be in the center of the roof

Absolutely!

>since the area surrounding the antenna is used as well.
> So, in the middle,the whole car would be used as an antenna, helping to 
>pick up signals.

Sorry, no. A car is a ground. Antenna is well insulated from it. Its the 
high position, unobscured the by the car's sheet metall, which acts as a 
shield, that's what counts. That is why same ant works bad on the trunk.
 
>Besides, when was the last time that you tried Radio Shack equipment? You
>state that yours is a "vintage" GE.... so I am guessing that it has been a
>while. Give it a try. IMHO, the stuff ain't all THAT bad!! (Of course, you

Actually, I have started with Radio Sh. unit, then tried another one. Got 
disappointed, dumped the idea altogether. Then my colleague loaned me his 
Uniden. What a difference that was! Then I bought an enexpensive Cobra. It 
was also very good. At that moment a friend of mine gave me his early '80-sh
GE, it was burned. When I fixed it I even liked it better than a Cobra. It 
has dual QUARTZ filtering (Radio Sh. uses ceramic resonators), sqelch, 
sensitivity adjust, and , most importantly, the manual noise filter. 
Granted, it is a high end unit. I have not tried a high end Radio Sh. CB,
who knows...

>The only drawback I suppose is that it is not a stealth item. EVERYONE 
>(including the Smokey Bears) can tell from my antenna that I have a CB.

Precisely, that is why->
>>At last I ordered a glass mount cellular style CB antenna from (please,
> no laughs) JC Whitney cat, p/n 71ET1330U @$24.95, and it works like a 
>dream. I have mounted it on the "forhead" of the car, in the center of the 
top of the windshield, right below the edge. It is approx 35 cm long, has a 
bulge in the center and if you rake it back it looks very euro-style.

I had to eliminate the rear cell antenna, because, as you are saying:

>But I think it will look weird with two cell antennas...one up front and 
>one out back.

Later:>)

"Why would anyone in a right state of mind buy just a car,
when the mankind has invented a QUATTRO!"
Igor Kessel, Phila, PA, USA
a6561TB@gnn.com