Dave Austin
As mentioned in a prior post, I added the Firestick No Ground Plane antenna to the ST with a 16" long x1" wide aluminum mount under the luggage rack. This improved range and reception 100% over the truck stop antenna. I have not measure the SWR yet, still not sure how to do this, but will learn. However, initial comm tests bike to bike are good. Wife and I went to a school parking lot and conducted range tests which allowed us to set squelch on both bikes and we also found that using a lower channel seems to work better. We used channel 20, which worked great, don't ask me why I am not a CB tech here and I could not begin to explain, it just does. By the way school parking lots work great for this procedure with no distractions on a Saturday morning.
The reception and transmission range was very clear bike to bike as stated we used channel 20 on my wifes cb on her ST1300 to my hondaline cb on my GL1800. After a systems check at the school parking lot we top off at the local gas station and left for a day trip down to Daytona Beach, Fla. We took coastal highway A1A and did the loop through the marsh and had a great time. The ocean was beautiful and their were lots of bikinis to be seen.... I mean the CB's worked great! <grin>
It sure is nice to be able to communicate bike to bike. Anyway, after a 320 mile ride wife on the ST and me on my Wing all went very well in the bike to bike comm dept.
I would highly reccomend the Firestick stainless steel 3' NGP antenna. I was told by firestick that the stainless steel gives better reception than the black plastic 3' model. Its very thin and much less visible as well. It also folds down or you may remove the antenna if you wish to cover the bike during overnight travel. I have the tourking cover, which allows me to cover the bike without folding the antenna. Also, for a mere $2.95 you can purchase a locking mechanism that adds a special locking nut on the antenna mount rather than using the large "come take me off "butter fly nut. <grin> This is a good "piece of mind" add on.
I highly reccomend the firestick 3' NGP antenna. It acutally looks like a factory add-on IMHO. Interestingly the antenna is made in Italy and is very good quaility.
Dave Austin
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The reception and transmission range was very clear bike to bike as stated we used channel 20 on my wifes cb on her ST1300 to my hondaline cb on my GL1800. After a systems check at the school parking lot we top off at the local gas station and left for a day trip down to Daytona Beach, Fla. We took coastal highway A1A and did the loop through the marsh and had a great time. The ocean was beautiful and their were lots of bikinis to be seen.... I mean the CB's worked great! <grin>
It sure is nice to be able to communicate bike to bike. Anyway, after a 320 mile ride wife on the ST and me on my Wing all went very well in the bike to bike comm dept.
I would highly reccomend the Firestick stainless steel 3' NGP antenna. I was told by firestick that the stainless steel gives better reception than the black plastic 3' model. Its very thin and much less visible as well. It also folds down or you may remove the antenna if you wish to cover the bike during overnight travel. I have the tourking cover, which allows me to cover the bike without folding the antenna. Also, for a mere $2.95 you can purchase a locking mechanism that adds a special locking nut on the antenna mount rather than using the large "come take me off "butter fly nut. <grin> This is a good "piece of mind" add on.
I highly reccomend the firestick 3' NGP antenna. It acutally looks like a factory add-on IMHO. Interestingly the antenna is made in Italy and is very good quaility.
Dave Austin
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