AB15 for CB setup

[andytk5]

Great, tha helps alot! Thanks so much. It all looks great!

 

[chuck0070]

I love the set up. Where can I purchase all of the Antenna components including the base and mounting bracket? I would love NOS if possible. Thanks.

 

[nattieleather]

I'm glad it work for you and that you were successful. Enjoy your radio.

 

[RedbeardTheZombieHunter]

Speaking as one who started playing with CB radios at the age of 12, I have some suggestions I can also offer.
Unless you are going for correct restoration on the antenna mount, put it together in such a way that the antenna is mounted solidly and can't move and ground out. Check your PL 259 (antenna connector) at the radio end with a VOM and make sure there is no ground contact on the center element. Next, make sure your coax is cut at a length consistant with the 3-foot increment rule. I.E. 3, 6, 9, 12, etc. feet in length. Another factor some people forget is to connect the power lead to a heavy battery lead on the positive side and make sure the ground lead is connected verry well to the body or negative battery terminal. A loose ground lead can play heck with your transmit output and prevent accurate SWR matching. Trying to match a military antenna to the 11 Meter band (CB band) can be tricky, so if you're not too worried about how it looks, just go to Radio Shack and grab a 108" stainless whip and call it a day. An antenna spring isn't a bad idea either. There's my worth.

 

[overlordofmars]

Looks sweet, now all you need is a PA horn to yell at people with. My Old CB had a PA switch, I used that a lot.

 

[ramcatdoc]

I love the set up. Where can I purchase all of the Antenna components including the base and mounting bracket? I would love NOS if possible. Thanks.

I got my stuff at Fair Radio. Liked them. I'm sure you can find them on the usual popular sites. I got an AB15 base and one each of the MS116, 117, and 118 mast sections.

 

[jhyatt7]

Maybe some can answer this question as I too am trying to use an Ab-15. Im very unfamiliar with this antenna. The question is this. when the base is apart, there are two halves, th ground is attached to a metal ring that fits between the two halves. Is there anything internal that the grounding ring is suppose to connect too?

 

[ramcatdoc]

Maybe some can answer this question as I too am trying to use an Ab-15. Im very unfamiliar with this antenna. The question is this. when the base is apart, there are two halves, th ground is attached to a metal ring that fits between the two halves. Is there anything internal that the grounding ring is suppose to connect too?

Here's how it goes together: You should have two ceramic pieces, a rubber gasket, and a metal grounding ring attached to a grounding strap. The grounding strap should in turn have an adjustable steel strap. Look at the pictures earlier in this thread.

The rubber gasket goes between the upper ceramic piece and your rig's mounting bracket. The metal grounding plate goes UNDER the mounting bracket, between the mounting bracket and the bottom piece of ceramic. You want the grounding plate to have very good metal to metal contact with the truck's mounting bracket. Some of us also add a grounding wire from the bottom of the antenna to a good ground on the truck. In mine, it is the green grounding wire in one of the pictures.

The adjustable steel ring then is tightened around the metal connection to your antenna cable (the PL 259 connector). Get a good voltmeter, too, to help troubleshoot connections, shorts, etc.

Hope this helps. I'm a real hack at this, but this seems to work.

 

[cucv1833]

Well I just added a 2nd AB-15 with Ms116-117-118. Both antennas are cut to to 110" from antenna mount to tip of antenna. It seems to work really well with the antenna un-tied. Im happy with it.

I like the look and it works ok. Although I havent tested the range and 1- antenna probaly works just as good

 

[M813A1]

I have installed the same setup on my M813 5 Ton and it works well !! I am using a Cobra DX-19 in my truck and I like the setup alot . I have thought to put my MX-3019 antenna set on the truck as a second dummy antenna for the looks ..

 

[alburms311]

I'm digging up an old thread...I have an AB15 with Ms116-118. Is the 108"-110" length measured from the top of the antenna to the bottom of the base where the coax connects or from the top of the antenna to the top ceramic part of the base? I see a post saying 110 from base to tip of antenna, so I'm thinking from the top ceramic part...I am getting 1.3 SWR on ch 1 and no reading on 40, so I'm thinking I'm still on the long side right now. Just thought I would ask before I cut again.

 

[ramcatdoc]

I measured from the BOTTOM of the base to the tip of the antenna. My SWRs are decent. BUT, I'm no expert. I think I'd wait for one of the radio regulars to weigh in on this one.

ARM

 

[alburms311]

I measured from the BOTTOM of the base to the tip of the antenna. My SWRs are decent. BUT, I'm no expert. I think I'd wait for one of the radio regulars to weigh in on this one.

ARM

So you ended up in the 110" region measuring from where I circled, correct?

 

[ramcatdoc]

Yes, I measured from where you circled. But I would hate to have you ruin a length of antenna, so you might see what the experts say!

ARM

 

[tennmogger]

The measurement should be from the mounting plate upward. The shaft through the insulator is part of the radiating length.

Have you grounded the end of the coax shield/connector at the base of the antenna? That's a 'must do'.

A 1.3 : 1 SWR is getting usable. When you say 'no reading' on Ch 40, do you mean no reflected power (so no meter movement in reflected position?). Is the SWR on 40 'perfect'? Probably not. If there is no meter movement in forward power, or reflected, then the radio might be refusing to transmit so SWR must be terrible.

Better SWR at the low channels means the antenna is still too long. I suggest you start at the low channels again but work your way up in channel number and continue to test. If the SWR gets worse then you have confirmed the antenna is too long.

Any hams nearby? Maybe someone would assist with an antenna analyzer.

Bob WB4ETT

 

[alburms311]

So I got home and started playing with it and ended up cutting about 3 more inches off( going back and forth checking)and I'm good. Getting 1.1/1.2 on ch 1 & 40. Before the swr meter wasn't moving at all on 40. Yes it was/is grounded. I was able to transmit out and get radio checks a fair distance away, and was able to receive from a lot further out( truck stop advertising and such). I'm happy with it for what I will use it for, and I picked up some local guys and spoke to them, so now I know what channels they monitor. Thanks for the help!

 

[max1008]

So I got home and started playing with it and ended up cutting about 3 more inches off( going back and forth checking)and I'm good. Getting 1.1/1.2 on ch 1 & 40. Before the swr meter wasn't moving at all on 40. Yes it was/is grounded. I was able to transmit out and get radio checks a fair distance away, and was able to receive from a lot further out( truck stop advertising and such). I'm happy with it for what I will use it for, and I picked up some local guys and spoke to them, so now I know what channels they monitor. Thanks for the help!

What was your total length to your coax connector? 109"?