2004 Winnebago Journey looking for the CB antenna location

ke4jr · 08-06-2016, 07:19 PM

New with this coach and been told by Winnebago there was a pre installed CB coax and power under the dash. They were right, I found the cables and coax with the PL259 connector.
Now, there are three antennas on the roof, two are the black rubber antennas for am/fm radio and the third is only the base mount and no antenna. I'm thinking this has to be where the CB antenna once was. Is in the front of the coach above the driver's side.
Can anyone confirm this and tell me what antenna used to be there so I can order it.
Thanks in advance, Joe

jerboy · 08-06-2016, 07:26 PM

Yup, that's it. A short spring base antenna that I am told is no longer available.

Switchflicke · 08-06-2016, 07:33 PM

Could you not find such an antenna at a place like Radio Shack or Circuit City?

ke4jr · 08-06-2016, 07:44 PM

I'm an Amateur Radio guy and on my Jeep I have a small motorcycle CB no ground-plane antenna that is only 8 inches high. I'll probably try to make it work since the HAM antenna is going on the rear ladder.
If anyone knows of a replacement antenna for the current base, please let me know, I'd like to keep it as original as possible.

Eyephoto · 08-06-2016, 07:51 PM

Have you tried contacting Lichtsinn about an antenna? My '99 was there, and the power and coax was under the dash, so it was a simple connection for me to get the CB hooked up.

FIRE UP · 08-09-2016, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ke4jr

New with this coach and been told by Winnebago there was a pre installed CB coax and power under the dash. They were right, I found the cables and coax with the PL259 connector.
Now, there are three antennas on the roof, two are the black rubber antennas for am/fm radio and the third is only the base mount and no antenna. I'm thinking this has to be where the CB antenna once was. Is in the front of the coach above the driver's side.
Can anyone confirm this and tell me what antenna used to be there so I can order it.
Thanks in advance, Joe

Joe,
Well Sir, I've goofed around with that antenna and mounting system for a few years now and all I can tell you is, IT'S VERY POORLY DONE by Winnebago/Itasca. Don't get me wrong, Winnes and Itascas are fine coaches with lots of great points about them. But. the mounting of that C/B antenna is one of the biggest farces I've ever seen in their product construction. There is no structural integrity in that mount. Below are pictures of mine that I recently had to re-structure so it would hold even a small, 24" Fire stick.

The factory spring loaded soft ply antenna hasn't been available for years. In fact, while it does show it in the Winne parts replacement website and catalog, it is GONE and has since been replaced TWICE by alternate antennas. The current one that Winne will supply you if you order one, is a 24" Fire Stick. I've talked directly with Winne parts supplies and that's the latest scoop.

As you'll see in my pictures, I re-created a sound, strong, base for the female cable end. The primary reason I did this is because due to the location of that antenna, (another serious screw-up by Winne and Itasca) there is ZERO ability to get your hands on the underside of that antenna mounting system. A person would have to have 3' arms and triple jointed at that, to be able to get at it, from the underside. So, I had no real way, to stabilize that female end of the coax.

So, I did the best I could with my fabrication skills, to support that female antenna mount FROM THE TOP ONLY! It is now, about 100 times better than Winne/Itasca did it. As you'll see, it's a simple mount/support. A flat metal plate with a hole in it for the antenna base to protrude through. Then, a collar was welded to that hole. The collar is 1/8" thick steel tubing and could be drilled and tapped, on three opposing sides, so that "set screws" could be threaded in each hole at the correct strategic spots, to lock onto three opposing sides of the female antenna fitting. Done!

Not only was/is it a terrible mounting system, but, if as you say, you're HAM dude, you know that about 99.99% of most "No ground plane" antennas suck. And as such, you don't get nearly the quality of signal (both incoming and outgoing) as you should, even with the best of C/B radios out there. So, you suffer when it comes to even short distance transmission, i.e. as little as less than a quarter mile.

So, if you still want to use C/B, it's advised to actually create a ground plane up there and re-mount your antenna in the middle of it. Good luck on that.
Scott

ke4jr · 08-09-2016, 03:23 PM

Thank you all for your replies. After finally speaking with someone at Lichtsinn and determined that they wanted to sell me something different as a replacement, I've found a solution to replace the original antenna. CB World has a CB antenna 15 inches high (Procomm 150 for $22.04), flexible that perfectly screws into the OEM base on the coach and it works great for short distances, as it should.
The connections under the dash were there and worked out great, however I have installed a HAM radio capable of also receiving 11 meters AM (CB) with a duplexer, to monitor the best of both worlds.
As far as the antenna for the HAM 2 meter and 70 centimeter, I'll be installing a motorized mount by Diamond, the K9000 that will erect and lower the Diamond NR770HAB antenna as needed from the dash with a push of a button. So it wont be hitting anything along the way. Looking for an easy instal on the steel plate between the Hadley horns in the roof, ideal spot, made to order. cant wait till it's done, again thanks!

SCVJeff · 08-10-2016, 02:52 AM

That antenna is only slightly better than a 50ohm dummyload on the roof. I rarely talk on it but do listen and pick up trucks with real antennas and likely 50W+ usually no more than 1/4 mile away. Even with the skip in that radio hears nothing. One day I might do something about it, but it's about useless

ke4jr · 08-10-2016, 06:53 AM

Your right Jeff, but how much do we really want to to hear on CB?

Is there a freq that HAM's RV'ers use on the road besides simplex, does anyone know?

Ramzfan · 08-11-2016, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SCVJeff

That antenna is only slightly better than a 50ohm dummyload on the roof. I rarely talk on it but do listen and pick up trucks with real antennas and likely 50W+ usually no more than 1/4 mile away. Even with the skip in that radio hears nothing. One day I might do something about it, but it's about useless

I do exactly the same thing Jeff...Talking on it rarely works but I can hear truckers and others that are close. It sounds like FireUp has the answer but that's for a day when I'm tinkering.

ke4jr · 08-14-2016, 06:41 AM

Just received and tested the CB World antenna I ordered and it receives just as good as any other CB antenna. Parked at my house in Tampa in ch. 6, I could hear the same guy from Alabama (I'm sure he's got an amplifier) I hear in my shack inside the house with a fiberglass whip CB antenna on a 60 foot tower. Can't beat the Procomm 150 antenna for $22.04

SCVJeff · 08-14-2016, 10:40 AM

That's encouraging.. Have you looked at its match yet?

ke4jr · 08-16-2016, 06:51 AM

There's an adjustable swr ring on it. just waiting on the rest of the items to finish the install before hooking up a meter to them.
Im using a radio with a duplexer to two antennas.

SCVJeff · 08-30-2016, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ke4jr

There's an adjustable swr ring on it. just waiting on the rest of the items to finish the install before hooking up a meter to them.
Im using a radio with a duplexer to two antennas.

Duplexer or phasing harness? I'm from the VHF/UHF world and there is a huge difference.
What's your several week out opinion on the Procomm now? Mine is so numb I can't even hear when the skip is in..