I suggest the CB. In my humble opinion, the FRS is a great temporary
solution, but a very poor permanant solution. The FRS is useful if you are
driving your Jeep, and you wife is driving the motorhome or camper, and you
want to have communications between you on the trip down the highway. FRS is
a workable solution if you want to go wheeling with a buddy that is radio
challenged, and you don't wheel with him on any sort of regular basis. But,
as a primary means of communication while wheeling, the FRS just is not very
serviceable. The problem is, 1, it must remain on all of the time, and by
the end of the day the batteries are pretty much toast and need to be
replaced or recharged, 2. the range is severely limited by terrain that you
will encounter on the trail but not on the road (trails are frequently
closed-in spaces while the highway is mostly open space for the operable
range of the FRS radio)





"TW" <a t t w @ w a v e . c o . n z> wrote in message
news:c5a0jp$kf6$4@news.wave.co.nz...
> Hi All, I have just been offered a radio for my TJ by my DW as our
> anniversary present. She wants me to buy it in the next week. My
question
> is should I go with a CB Radio or a PRS? I intend to mount it permanently
> and not get he handheld variety. Some of the trail areas around here have
> no cell phone coverage, so a two-way radio is very handy. I asked a
> retailer here and he said PRS would have no problems with an external
> mounted antennae. According to him, CBs need the roof to act a ground
> plain for the antennae to attain full gain.
>
> My idea was to mount the antennae either on the front or the rare bumper.
> I do have a hardtop, which I intend to keep as we are now moving towards
> winter.
>
> Thanks in advance for all the wonderful ideas and expertise.
> TW
>

 

I suggest the CB. In my humble opinion, the FRS is a great temporary
solution, but a very poor permanant solution. The FRS is useful if you are
driving your Jeep, and you wife is driving the motorhome or camper, and you
want to have communications between you on the trip down the highway. FRS is
a workable solution if you want to go wheeling with a buddy that is radio
challenged, and you don't wheel with him on any sort of regular basis. But,
as a primary means of communication while wheeling, the FRS just is not very
serviceable. The problem is, 1, it must remain on all of the time, and by
the end of the day the batteries are pretty much toast and need to be
replaced or recharged, 2. the range is severely limited by terrain that you
will encounter on the trail but not on the road (trails are frequently
closed-in spaces while the highway is mostly open space for the operable
range of the FRS radio)





"TW" <a t t w @ w a v e . c o . n z> wrote in message
news:c5a0jp$kf6$4@news.wave.co.nz...
> Hi All, I have just been offered a radio for my TJ by my DW as our
> anniversary present. She wants me to buy it in the next week. My
question
> is should I go with a CB Radio or a PRS? I intend to mount it permanently
> and not get he handheld variety. Some of the trail areas around here have
> no cell phone coverage, so a two-way radio is very handy. I asked a
> retailer here and he said PRS would have no problems with an external
> mounted antennae. According to him, CBs need the roof to act a ground
> plain for the antennae to attain full gain.
>
> My idea was to mount the antennae either on the front or the rare bumper.
> I do have a hardtop, which I intend to keep as we are now moving towards
> winter.
>
> Thanks in advance for all the wonderful ideas and expertise.
> TW
>

 

I suggest the CB. In my humble opinion, the FRS is a great temporary
solution, but a very poor permanant solution. The FRS is useful if you are
driving your Jeep, and you wife is driving the motorhome or camper, and you
want to have communications between you on the trip down the highway. FRS is
a workable solution if you want to go wheeling with a buddy that is radio
challenged, and you don't wheel with him on any sort of regular basis. But,
as a primary means of communication while wheeling, the FRS just is not very
serviceable. The problem is, 1, it must remain on all of the time, and by
the end of the day the batteries are pretty much toast and need to be
replaced or recharged, 2. the range is severely limited by terrain that you
will encounter on the trail but not on the road (trails are frequently
closed-in spaces while the highway is mostly open space for the operable
range of the FRS radio)





"TW" <a t t w @ w a v e . c o . n z> wrote in message
news:c5a0jp$kf6$4@news.wave.co.nz...
> Hi All, I have just been offered a radio for my TJ by my DW as our
> anniversary present. She wants me to buy it in the next week. My
question
> is should I go with a CB Radio or a PRS? I intend to mount it permanently
> and not get he handheld variety. Some of the trail areas around here have
> no cell phone coverage, so a two-way radio is very handy. I asked a
> retailer here and he said PRS would have no problems with an external
> mounted antennae. According to him, CBs need the roof to act a ground
> plain for the antennae to attain full gain.
>
> My idea was to mount the antennae either on the front or the rare bumper.
> I do have a hardtop, which I intend to keep as we are now moving towards
> winter.
>
> Thanks in advance for all the wonderful ideas and expertise.
> TW
>

 

TW wrote:

> "Old Crow" <walliscrow@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:jd8i705ce0i2ef8ff8j313t1svkctduv09@4ax.com...
>>
>> I'm running a CB(Radio Shack's cheapest, thank you<g>) with a K-40
>> "trunk lip" style mount base load antenna.
>> It's in a YJ, and the antenna is mounted to an extra piece of metal
>> strap that has been added to the spare tire travel stop on the right
>> rear of the tub.
>
> Interesting idea. I have seen some drivers of other makes having the
> antenna mounted on a lip coming off the spare tyre, but from the back (the
> space between the rare glass and the spare tyre mount). However, they
> usually have metal roofs. I don't, as such I have no idea about its
> effectiveness for signal strength.
>

The better your counterpoise(ground plane), the better your antenna will
work. Usually. Having the antenna on the very front OR back tends to make
it more directional. Best place is dead center of a metal roof. If you have
a rag-top or fiberglass think about mounting it in the center of the hood.
Looks a little funny but usually work great. You can go with a magnetic
mount if you don't want it there all the time.

I don't like a handheld for general use. But, you can take those out of the
jeep and climb to the top of a nearby hill if you need to.


--
"Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating. Youngsters
need good role models more than they need critics. It is one of a parent's
greatest responsibilities and opportunities. Too often fathers neglect it
because they get so caught up in making living they forget to make a life."
--John Wooden, former UCLA Basketball Coach

 

TW wrote:

> "Old Crow" <walliscrow@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:jd8i705ce0i2ef8ff8j313t1svkctduv09@4ax.com...
>>
>> I'm running a CB(Radio Shack's cheapest, thank you<g>) with a K-40
>> "trunk lip" style mount base load antenna.
>> It's in a YJ, and the antenna is mounted to an extra piece of metal
>> strap that has been added to the spare tire travel stop on the right
>> rear of the tub.
>
> Interesting idea. I have seen some drivers of other makes having the
> antenna mounted on a lip coming off the spare tyre, but from the back (the
> space between the rare glass and the spare tyre mount). However, they
> usually have metal roofs. I don't, as such I have no idea about its
> effectiveness for signal strength.
>

The better your counterpoise(ground plane), the better your antenna will
work. Usually. Having the antenna on the very front OR back tends to make
it more directional. Best place is dead center of a metal roof. If you have
a rag-top or fiberglass think about mounting it in the center of the hood.
Looks a little funny but usually work great. You can go with a magnetic
mount if you don't want it there all the time.

I don't like a handheld for general use. But, you can take those out of the
jeep and climb to the top of a nearby hill if you need to.


--
"Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating. Youngsters
need good role models more than they need critics. It is one of a parent's
greatest responsibilities and opportunities. Too often fathers neglect it
because they get so caught up in making living they forget to make a life."
--John Wooden, former UCLA Basketball Coach

 

TW wrote:

> "Old Crow" <walliscrow@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:jd8i705ce0i2ef8ff8j313t1svkctduv09@4ax.com...
>>
>> I'm running a CB(Radio Shack's cheapest, thank you<g>) with a K-40
>> "trunk lip" style mount base load antenna.
>> It's in a YJ, and the antenna is mounted to an extra piece of metal
>> strap that has been added to the spare tire travel stop on the right
>> rear of the tub.
>
> Interesting idea. I have seen some drivers of other makes having the
> antenna mounted on a lip coming off the spare tyre, but from the back (the
> space between the rare glass and the spare tyre mount). However, they
> usually have metal roofs. I don't, as such I have no idea about its
> effectiveness for signal strength.
>

The better your counterpoise(ground plane), the better your antenna will
work. Usually. Having the antenna on the very front OR back tends to make
it more directional. Best place is dead center of a metal roof. If you have
a rag-top or fiberglass think about mounting it in the center of the hood.
Looks a little funny but usually work great. You can go with a magnetic
mount if you don't want it there all the time.

I don't like a handheld for general use. But, you can take those out of the
jeep and climb to the top of a nearby hill if you need to.


--
"Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating. Youngsters
need good role models more than they need critics. It is one of a parent's
greatest responsibilities and opportunities. Too often fathers neglect it
because they get so caught up in making living they forget to make a life."
--John Wooden, former UCLA Basketball Coach

 

TW wrote:

> "Old Crow" <walliscrow@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:jd8i705ce0i2ef8ff8j313t1svkctduv09@4ax.com...
>>
>> I'm running a CB(Radio Shack's cheapest, thank you<g>) with a K-40
>> "trunk lip" style mount base load antenna.
>> It's in a YJ, and the antenna is mounted to an extra piece of metal
>> strap that has been added to the spare tire travel stop on the right
>> rear of the tub.
>
> Interesting idea. I have seen some drivers of other makes having the
> antenna mounted on a lip coming off the spare tyre, but from the back (the
> space between the rare glass and the spare tyre mount). However, they
> usually have metal roofs. I don't, as such I have no idea about its
> effectiveness for signal strength.
>

The better your counterpoise(ground plane), the better your antenna will
work. Usually. Having the antenna on the very front OR back tends to make
it more directional. Best place is dead center of a metal roof. If you have
a rag-top or fiberglass think about mounting it in the center of the hood.
Looks a little funny but usually work great. You can go with a magnetic
mount if you don't want it there all the time.

I don't like a handheld for general use. But, you can take those out of the
jeep and climb to the top of a nearby hill if you need to.


--
"Being a role model is the most powerful form of educating. Youngsters
need good role models more than they need critics. It is one of a parent's
greatest responsibilities and opportunities. Too often fathers neglect it
because they get so caught up in making living they forget to make a life."
--John Wooden, former UCLA Basketball Coach

 

"Robert Brace" <rlbrace@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:nDdec.78722$Ig.56192@pd7tw2no...
> TW;
> Sorry about that, the URL just gets you to the opening page. Go to
> Catalog, then scroll down to Miscellaneous Accessories. There you will
find
> the CB antenna mounts.
> Bob
>
> "Robert Brace" <rlbrace@shaw.ca> wrote in message
> news:hydec.79928$oR5.6828@pd7tw3no...
> > TW;
> > I have the one shown in the URL http://www.teraflx.com/index2.htm
It
> > works fine with a Cobra 75WXST CB radio (out-of-sight-out-of-mind for
> > thieves) and a Cobra A300 3ft fiberglass whip. I also have a full
length
> > stainless steel whip I install when going into a remote area. I'm told
> the
> > rear mounting location uses the top lip of the steel tub for the ground
> > plane for broadcast efficiency. I get a SWR of from 1.0 to 1.2 with
the
> SS
> > whip and around 1.4 with the 3ft one.
> >
> > Bob
> >
> >

Thanks Bob. We don't get Cobra units in New Zealand. The two most common
units here are GME from Australia (www.gme.net.au) and the good old Uniden
(www.uniden.co.nz).

All the discussion here have convinced me go with a CB radio. Uniden is
heavily discounting their Pro 150XL as it is being discontinued as a
product. I will go out later in the day and see what is in the market.

Thanks all for your great input and suggestions.
TW

 

"Robert Brace" <rlbrace@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:nDdec.78722$Ig.56192@pd7tw2no...
> TW;
> Sorry about that, the URL just gets you to the opening page. Go to
> Catalog, then scroll down to Miscellaneous Accessories. There you will
find
> the CB antenna mounts.
> Bob
>
> "Robert Brace" <rlbrace@shaw.ca> wrote in message
> news:hydec.79928$oR5.6828@pd7tw3no...
> > TW;
> > I have the one shown in the URL http://www.teraflx.com/index2.htm
It
> > works fine with a Cobra 75WXST CB radio (out-of-sight-out-of-mind for
> > thieves) and a Cobra A300 3ft fiberglass whip. I also have a full
length
> > stainless steel whip I install when going into a remote area. I'm told
> the
> > rear mounting location uses the top lip of the steel tub for the ground
> > plane for broadcast efficiency. I get a SWR of from 1.0 to 1.2 with
the
> SS
> > whip and around 1.4 with the 3ft one.
> >
> > Bob
> >
> >

Thanks Bob. We don't get Cobra units in New Zealand. The two most common
units here are GME from Australia (www.gme.net.au) and the good old Uniden
(www.uniden.co.nz).

All the discussion here have convinced me go with a CB radio. Uniden is
heavily discounting their Pro 150XL as it is being discontinued as a
product. I will go out later in the day and see what is in the market.

Thanks all for your great input and suggestions.
TW

 

"Robert Brace" <rlbrace@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:nDdec.78722$Ig.56192@pd7tw2no...
> TW;
> Sorry about that, the URL just gets you to the opening page. Go to
> Catalog, then scroll down to Miscellaneous Accessories. There you will
find
> the CB antenna mounts.
> Bob
>
> "Robert Brace" <rlbrace@shaw.ca> wrote in message
> news:hydec.79928$oR5.6828@pd7tw3no...
> > TW;
> > I have the one shown in the URL http://www.teraflx.com/index2.htm
It
> > works fine with a Cobra 75WXST CB radio (out-of-sight-out-of-mind for
> > thieves) and a Cobra A300 3ft fiberglass whip. I also have a full
length
> > stainless steel whip I install when going into a remote area. I'm told
> the
> > rear mounting location uses the top lip of the steel tub for the ground
> > plane for broadcast efficiency. I get a SWR of from 1.0 to 1.2 with
the
> SS
> > whip and around 1.4 with the 3ft one.
> >
> > Bob
> >
> >

Thanks Bob. We don't get Cobra units in New Zealand. The two most common
units here are GME from Australia (www.gme.net.au) and the good old Uniden
(www.uniden.co.nz).

All the discussion here have convinced me go with a CB radio. Uniden is
heavily discounting their Pro 150XL as it is being discontinued as a
product. I will go out later in the day and see what is in the market.

Thanks all for your great input and suggestions.
TW