Good base setup?

[IH966Man]

I just put together a system in my mobile (Cobra 25 tuned up, Predator 10K). I've had a mobile for several years, but having radios and equipment in my truck is really a hassle, so i'm thinkin of going to a base.

I already have a Cobra 21xlr and Cobra 25 (both tuned up). If I go to a base, i'll stick with those for now, but will upgrade to an SSB radio soon. (I've had a 959 and S9 SSB and loved them both).

I'm thinking of trying the RadioWaves Dipole setup for my antenna. I just think it would be much simpler than an Antron 99 in a tree somewhere. I wonder if performance is similar though. I hear all these base stations around my house and know they have big antennas and sound good, but I do want to be able to talk on this base a good distance. With my 959 and Wilson 1000 I was able to talk to the West Indies at some points in time. Any other suggestions of a simple antenna that will still give good performance?

Power supply, I found a 4amp power supply local for $20, but i'm worried I should get a size or so bigger in case I upgrade to a export someday?

So basically, to start out i'll have a Cobra 25 and a Dipole, with eventual plans to have an export like an S9.

[treetall]

Will that dipole work? yes. Will it talk as far as a imax 2000 about 80ft up in a big old pine? NO i would do the 4 amp power supply and the cobra 25 and dipole just to get a base up and running and then in the future upgrade. ps. good to see another northcarolinean in here. i go by youngsville most of the time on my way to louisburg. im back readin the mail

[Circuit Breaker]

The problem with the dipole is that most are mounted horizontally. Most CBers use vertically polarized antennas and there is a 20dB less with cross polarization. Another problem with a horizontally mounted dipole is that your signal is bi-directional...meaning it only radiates two directions away from the broad side of the dipole. However, since dipoles are half wave antennas, you could mount it vertically in the tree along the trunk...but find a way to keep it a few inches away from the trunk. Also, keep in mind that a half wave dipole and a Antron 99/Imax 2000 are almost the same thing.

[Irondog]

Not sure how to link to a post I made earlier, so here's a copy and paste version:

It's strange how well my dipole is working. I have it actually hanging from my ceiling fan in my bedroom in an inverted "V". The "legs" are attached by string...one to an exposed carpet tack against a wall and the other by string to the bottom of a clothes hamper. LOL...I know...it's a strange setup...but temporary. But I have now talked 10 miles that I know of for sure....and the guy said my audio was crisp, clear and hitting him strong. I live in a trailer that's had rooms built onto it...so there is a lot of metal that I would think would cause problems. I have an SWR of about 1.1...great. My Uniden Washington is keying around 3 and swinging to 12. I haven't done any tuneups or any other mods to this radio...yet.
I live in Branson, MO and anyone familiar with the area will attest to the fact of all of the Ozark Mountains that surround it. I have some major "hills" all around me since I'm basically in the bottom of a holler.
Oh yea....the dipole is made with a short piece of pvc with a connector in the bottom...then the leads are kept separate...one going to the right and the other going out the left side of the pipe (about 4 inches long and capped). Then I used two pieces of 8.5 foot stranded copper wire for each side. I can't complain...it works great. I have 50 foot of coax and have it looped like a balun hanging from the bottom of the connection.
Thought I'd kinda clarify how good this temporary setup is doing for me.

Anyway....this works for now and I can't complain.

[IH966Man]

So with either the A99 or Dipole, what is the optimum place to mount? I have heard the Dipoles are fairly directional, so would an inverted V work best? What about mounting to a metal barn?

With the A99, what about how to mount that? Best place? How high off the ground?

['Doc]

In general, the best height to put anantenna is as high as you can get it. Doesn't much matter if it's a dipole, vertical, or beam, that holds true for any of them till they get ridiculously high. The best height you can manage, is, the best height you can reasonably manage.
Dipoles and being directional. Yes they -can- be bi-directional to a more or less 'goodly' extent. It depends on their height above ground mainly. They are not directional below something like 1/2 wave length. They can be above that height. Don't expect razor sharp 'beams' from a dipole. You can expect a sort of 'flood light' type radiation. Fairly close, meaning of 'close' varies a lot, expect any dipole to be omni-directional. There is radiation off the ends of them, just not as much as off the sides of them.
"Inverted V's" are still horizontally polarized. The don't exhibit much directionality unless they are at least 1/2 wave length above ground, and most of them aren't, so figure them as omni-directional. Is there some vertical polarization to them? Some, but not enough to make any great difference.
A 'slopping' dipole tends to be directional in the directions it slopes, both of them. Still some radiation off the sides, but not a huge amount compared to the 'front/back' of them. A dipole can be sort of 'bent' into almost any shape as long as it isn't folded back onto it's self. Lots of variations in that, I wouldn't even try to guess what it's radiation pattern would be other than 'less than optimal', sort of. But if it works, who cares? It works.
- 'Doc

[IH966Man]

Ok, the A99 is definatly out, I saw how large this thing was in person tonight.

So Dipole it is.

How well would this work in an "L" along the corners of a room inside my house?

[Grump]

Well I've made three of my own dipoles and the won that shows the most promice is the conduit dipole but a wire dipole like everyone said up a tree vertically make sure you get the plus side up hand it as high as you can get it. You should be good to go plus if you do it right it will be real hard to see if that is what you are looking for. If you want to try and make your own there are a couple people out here that have done it and are pretty knowledgeable about it just ask we will glad to help