AM/FM antenna advice

[combatmp29r]

OK before anyone has a fit I used the search option and there is alot of good info on converting military whip antennas to am fm, but thats not exactly what I have in mind. Currently on both my M998 and M35a2 I am running a 3916 base with 102" whip for CB and a harris 3183 for 2m 70cm Ham use. What i would like to do is put a universal car am fm antenna inside a fake duke antenna and mount on both vehicles.

So my question.....what should I build the duke case out of? Im afraid pvc will shield the signal, and emt conduit will mess with the impedence. What are yalls thoughts?

Pic of current setup well with stock 3916 mast before changing it to 102"

 

[Augi]

I assume by am/fm you mean broadcast radio. For receiving just about anything metal will do.

PVC or other plastics won't block the signal and you can put whatever you want inside. If you make the case out of metal it can be the antenna and you don't need to put anything in side it. Just attach a wire to it via any method you like (ring terminal screwed into the side?) and run the wire to your radio receiver.

Augi

 

[combatmp29r]

I assume by am/fm you mean broadcast radio. For receiving just about anything metal will do.

PVC or other plastics won't block the signal and you can put whatever you want inside. If you make the case out of metal it can be the antenna and you don't need to put anything in side it. Just attach a wire to it via any method you like (ring terminal screwed into the side?) and run the wire to your radio receiver.
Augi

Augi,

The broadcast receiver coax requires a signal and ground same as any other coax correct? So If I made the duke replica out of metal and connected the center wire to it, I would have to insulate it from ground, and connect the out case/ground of the coax to ground correct? Or am I over thinking this? I tend to do that sometimes lol

 

[Augi]

Yes you would have to insulate the shell of the fake Duke antenna from the rest of the truck body and connect the center wire of the coax to it.

The receiver only needs the antenna feed connected to the center pin of the BNC or whatever connector it has to function.

If you use a piece of coax cable you likely don't need to connect the shield to anything on the antenna end. The radio end of the shield will be connected to ground by nature of the connector.

You don't even need coax. It could be a piece of any old wire. When testing receivers I'll just strip the end of a random length 26ga wire or similar and shove it in the connector center pin.

Broadcast has a strong signal typically and there are no pesky high powered reflections from the antenna to worry about with just a receiver.

Augi

 

[combatmp29r]

Thanks Augi. My knowledge of broadcast reception antennas is very limited, and when I went to see my google it was one contradiction after another from the different articles. As far as Ham antennas go I have built multiple of them over the years. I believe I have my plan of attack now lol