what am i doing wrong with my antenna, please help!

[4wheelinmike]

I have a 5 foot firestick II antenna for my cb. I keep chewing up the threads on the antenna "stud" itself. I'm on my 5th one and its driving me nuts. Idk if its the antenna the stud on the cabel or if its me. I'm not one of the guys that takes it off and puts it on all the time and if I do take it off its to fit in the structure at the mall (very rarely) and when I do I make sure to tighten it and never leave it hand tight.
Any suggestions or ideas?

[OU812]

Is it possible that you are over tightening it? That stuff is soft metal.

[fun4wheelerguy]

I had the same problem with the longer "Firesticks". I finally went to the shorter one that did not move around so much and the problem was solved. It did not change the cb range that I had anyway.

Hope that helps...

[4wheelinmike]

What length do you recomend? Like a 3 foot?

[Roger]

It depends on where it's mounted. If it's on the body, 4' should be okay

[4wheelinmike]

Its mounted almost at the top of my carrier. Mainly because I'm uneducated in antennas and if its mounted the highest I can go with the longest one I'll get reception from here to the "moon", I have a feeling I assumed that wrong?

[Roger]

Normally, higher is better when it comes to antennas. However; for talking to other members while wheeling in a group, higher doesn't make much of a difference.

A thought, as high as you have it mounted, are you hitting low branches or garage door openings? Those will destroy an antenna in no time.

[spearheadbill]

I've never liked the firestiks for that very reason. They're to stiff and unless spring mounted they really put a beating on the mount and base of the antenna.... I really like the "Wilson Flex" you can bend the thing 180 and it has great gain. So maybe spring mount that thing if you insist on using firestik

[4wheelinmike]

I'm not really hitting any branches I do mostly gorman and that's all open

But I'll try the spring I have one in the garage because I thought it was "cool" when I started building my Jeep and then someone told me it cut down range. And as far as using the firestick again I'm uneducated in this field and that's what most the guys at Attco (in Castaic) run on their trucks

[Matt2001TJ]

What length do you recomend? Like a 3 foot?Bigger is better...LOL...
http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu31/gp4play/Jeep%20Trips/053.jpg

[platnumb4x]

I'm not a pro in this area but I dont think it matters that much. Get your SWR set right and you should be good. When you are wheeling with other jeepers I'm sure you will be able to communicate with them even with a 3' antenna.

[Matt2001TJ]

I'm not a pro in this area but I dont think it matters that much. Get your SWR set right and you should be good. When you are wheeling with other jeepers I'm sure you will be able to communicate with them even with a 3' antenna.Agreed,... if it is set up right then that is the big one right there. As for length and destruction of you antenna if you hit things with it as well as it's location on your rig...Well,... we could go over this forever. As long as you have a good SWR then that is the best beginning. After all you will be talking on the trail to other jeeps not talking long distance around the USA.

[chris142]

I don't care much for the 3ft and shorter antennas. I cant get a decient SWR on all 40. I can set it on say ch20 @ 1.5 and it will be 3.0 on ch1 and ch40.

No problems with the 4ft and longer ones though.

I wonder if the threads in your mount are damaged. I've ran all sorts of different antennas trying to find the best for my application and have never had one eat the threads. I always put a 3/8th lock washer on mine where it screws to the mount too.