Would like to replace those long whip antennas that come on the UCs with something shorter and less obtrsuive. What are my options? How do they work compared to the factory set up, esp on the CB for transmit & reception. Thanks in advance. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]ultrafxr,
Jerry, same as above, just direct from Freedom...same price I think...
http://www.freedomcyclereno.com/eshopprod_cat_2852-23436_product_336753.Freedom_Dual_Antenna_set.htm
I have those on my bike and like them a lot. I'm not a huge CB user, but in MV and a couple of other times, they seemed to work well...hard for me to know about range though, since I don't have anything to compare them to.
Would like to replace those long whip antennas that come on the UCs with something shorter and less obtrsuive. What are my options? How do they work compared to the factory set up, esp on the CB for transmit & reception. Thanks in advance. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
Hello UltraFxr,
I look for the same point than you. :-/
I found these and it seems that they work for CB, AM/FM. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
http://www.jmcorp.com/ProductDetail.asp?PF=6&ProductID=HRUP-ATM
Somebody know this product ?
Thanks !
Merry Christmas and Happy new year !
Jacques
Thank you Jacques. J & M makes very high quality products and these antenna look great. I'll be trying them for sure. Thanks again and Merry Christmas.
Hello UltraFxr,
I look for the same point than you. :-/
I found these and it seems that they work for CB, AM/FM. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
http://www.jmcorp.com/ProductDetail.asp?PF=6&ProductID=HRUP-ATM
Somebody know this product ?
Thanks !
Merry Christmas and Happy new year !
Jacques
You guys get these and do the beta testing...the SWR being preset interests me and would be interested in knowing how well the CB works from those who have used the CB more than I have. I'm assuming they are flexible so when you put a cover on at night (on the road) you can bend them over rather than removing them?
I made holes for the antennas in my full bike cover and my Oasis day cover came with the holes so that's not an issue for me. Used to fold my long whips over and tuck behind the back rest to put the cover on. But my CB antenna broke at the spring mount. Can't say for sure but I'm concerned about bending it that much which is why I modified my full cover.This is odd that the MoCo didn't provide a velcro opening in the back of the Oasis cover like they do all the other outdoor covers that are made to fit Ultra's. [smiley=nixweiss.gif]
I wonder about flexibility, they look fixed to me.
Would like to replace those long whip antennas that come on the UCs with something shorter and less obtrsuive. What are my options? How do they work compared to the factory set up, esp on the CB for transmit & reception. Thanks in advance. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
Mi amigo Jerry....I just installed these on my scooter.....It comes in 12" & 15" they have "laser flames". The reception is excellent......
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=ASM%2D8212F&N=700+314918+115&autoview=sku
Ride Safe,
Jorge
Mi amigo Jerry....I just installed these on my scooter.....It comes in 12" & 15" they have "laser flames". The reception is excellent......
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=ASM%2D8212F&N=700+314918+115&autoview=sku
Ride Safe,Jorge
Like some of the NAPA shorties those don't appear to be compatible with the CB, are they Jorge?
ASM-8212F $19.95
Estimated Ship Date: Tomorrow
Show All
Brand: ALLSales Manufacturing, Inc.
Product Line: All Sales Manufacturing Stubbie Antennas
Antenna Usage: AM/FM radio
Antenna Style: Stationary
Antenna Material: Stainless steel
Antenna Finish: Flames
Antenna Length (in): 12.0 in.
Amigo Rob....Sincerely I haven't tested yet but I was using until I got these pair ones like a rubber material (see pic) which I purchased during Daytona Bike Week last March and supposedly only worked for AM/FM but they worked for CB as well because I used in MV and they had a good reception.....so let's see [smiley=nixweiss.gif]
Have a good day today my buddy [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]..
Jorge
Ah, those look like my Freedom's, they do work great.
[highlight]I'm looking forward to hearing if the J & M antennas work well, may just need to buy them[/highlight].
In the hot weather my Freedom CB antenna is pretty floppy and pliable. I think I may like the solid ones like J & M better.
I was thinking of doing my antennae the same way I did the antennae on my 02 Ultra. I removed the long wire portion, cut off 12 inches from the end that fits into the mount, and reinstalled. They worked great on the 02, and I no longer had to deal with the antennae hitting the garage door when I rode in and backed out.
I ordered a set of J&M shorties on the 22nd. They are supposed to be here on the 2nd. According to their add, they are pre-tuned for the CB and don't require any further adjustments. I'll break out my SWR meter to verify that after I install them. I have a set of Cycle Whips on right now. They are about 14 inches long, but are questionalble for use with the CB. Their web site doesn't say anything about it, but others say you can and some say you can't. So I'm not taking the chance and will take them off when the J&M's come in. I also like the fact that the J&M's use the set-screw like the stock antennas do. Hopefully, they'll work great. I'll post a pic and test results after I get them.
Red
Those things will poke your eye out, Henry... ;)
I have the Freedom's, the flexibility is nice, but they do tend to get a little floppy when the temps are warm..the good thing about them is they will bend over for [highlight]the cover I have when on the road[/highlight]. Although I have never put an SWR meter on the CB, supposedly the knurled portion all the way up is the setting for our radios.
The J&M's look nice though, and with the set screw would not be a big deal to remove at night when using [highlight]the cover[/highlight].
[highlight]Those things will poke your eye out, Henry... ;)[/highlight]
I have the Freedom's, the flexibility is nice, but they do tend to get a little floppy when the temps are warm..the good thing about them is they will bend over for the cover I have when on the road. Although I have never put an SWR meter on the CB, supposedly the knurled portion all the way up is the setting for our radios.
The J&M's look nice though, and with the set screw would not be a big deal to remove at night when using the cover.
Forgive me for changing the subject, but would that be the "[highlight]Oasis Day Cover[/highlight]?" I gotta know.
[highlight]I made holes for the antennas in my full bike cover and my Oasis day cover [/highlight]came with the holes so that's not an issue for me. Used to fold my long whips over and tuck behind the back rest to put the cover on. But my CB antenna broke at the spring mount. Can't say for sure but I'm concerned about bending it that much which is why I modified my full cover.
If I remember correctly I think Terry stated he had purchased an Exigent (http://www.exigentbikecovers.com/) cover for his for when he was on the road.
Not sure about TC's cover but Ultrafxr has the oasis, here's his post.
If I remember correctly I think Terry stated he had purchased an Exigent (http://www.exigentbikecovers.com/) cover for his for when he was on the road.
[smiley=pumpkin.gif]
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
[smiley=fireman.gif]
You are correct d00d... [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif] I'm really happy with that cover too!! It completely covers up the bike so that nobody can tell what's under there (they might mistake it for a 'Wing). It's small when folded as well.
Unless you did a measured cut on your factory whips, you "detuned" the antenna and your SWR is probably way out of whack. Loss of power is not going to be your concern, as much as torching the front end of your CB. Chances are, if you only key your radio for very short periods of time, you won't do any serious damage, but that's not a guarantee. Range is never going to very good with a motorcycle CB. There just isn't enough ground plane to give you a decent radiation pattern. I'll be happy if I'm running about 1.5:1 on "center" channel (19), and at less than around 2.2:1 on channel 1 and 40 with the J&M antennas. I have asked what they tried to achieve for tuning at J&M, but have not gotten an answer back from them yet. I'll keep you all posted.
Yeah, I know, and I know I'm pushing the risk envelope, but it does work. I did, and still do, have a [highlight]concern about power loss on the CB antenna[/highlight]. I need to get my hands on an SWR meter and see if I need to get a different coil, since I'm shortening the CB antenna. It does work, but my worry is I might be shortening the range. Of course, I could just abandon that idea and go with your solution, but then again, floppy antennae are the downside. Chit. Decisions, decisions.
Unless you did a measured cut on your factory whips, you "detuned" the antenna and your SWR is probably way out of whack. Loss of power is not going to be your concern, as much as torching the front end of your CB. Chances are, if you only key your radio for very short periods of time, you won't do any serious damage, but that's not a guarantee. Range is never going to very good with a motorcycle CB. There just isn't enough ground plane to give you a decent radiation pattern. I'll be happy if I'm running about 1.5:1 on "center" channel (19), and at less than around 2.2:1 on channel 1 and 40 with the J&M antennas. I have asked what they tried to achieve for tuning at J&M, but have not gotten an answer back from them yet. I'll keep you all posted.
Red
I' m sure you know why I'm asking, Terry. I was thinking about getting the ODC, but decided not to since it looks like it might rub the paint if the wind blows, and will definitely booger up the paint if placed over a dusty bike. My assumption is the same holds true for that Exigent, or however you spell it, thingy, cover, whatever. Yes, I do clean my bike on long trips, but it is more like a "Ho bath" than a full fledged break out the hose, and q-tips case of beer cleaning. My scoot never gets covered unless it is squeaky clean. You know that Monk guy? I'm kin to him. :) [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
Henry,
Thanks for the info Red. I suppose I need to leave my SEUC as is until I hear of a better alternative for the whip antennas.
Henry
Also, I got them with free shipping and no tax, so that was kinda nice. 8-)
Red
........Red,
Hopefully, this will help your decision on which way to go. They aren't cheap antennas, but with the excellent quality of J&M headsets I've gotten from them, I'm sure the antennas will be worth the cost and will probably work as advertised. Also, I got them with free shipping and no tax, so that was kinda nice. 8-)
Red
Red,
I'm currently using a [highlight]rubber duckie antenna [/highlight][smiley=pumpkin.gif]
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
[smiley=fireman.gif]
Thanks for the leg work. Sounds like they'll be great.
Is the shipping a regular offer or something you got special?
Rog
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I have to buy a new keyboard. I just spewed Pepsi all over it!!!!! [smiley=ROFLOL.gif]
Nice antenna d00d [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif] But why does your rubber duckie need an antenna?
Red,d00d,
Also noticed that they recommend one style for tourpak mount (HRUP-ATM (http://www.jmcorp.com/ProductDetail.asp?PF=6&ProductID=HRUP-ATM)), and one for rail mount (HRUP-ARL (http://www.jmcorp.com/ProductDetail.asp?PF=6&ProductID=HRUP-ARL)). I'm currently using a rubber duckie antenna that will work for both (no tourpak, w/tourpak). Do you know what the difference is, and do you really need to get both if you switch back and forth (no tourpak, w/tourpak)?
[smiley=pumpkin.gif]
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
[smiley=fireman.gif]
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I have to buy a new keyboard. I just spewed Pepsi all over it!!!!! [smiley=ROFLOL.gif]Heh, you laughing at my duckie??? :o That is one kewl a$$ duckie I'll have you know. 8-) [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif]
d00d,The bases are both the same. You have an adapter that is included w/the antennae relocation kit, but the antennae bases are the same. Only thing that I can think that may be different is in that pic of the rail mount it looks to be on a Street Glide that system may be different. [smiley=confused5.gif]
I'm not familiar with the rail-mount system for the HD's, as all I've ever had is EG's with tour paks, so that's the only mount that I'm familiar with. What's different between the rail mount and the tour pak mount as far as where the antenna actually mounts to? I know that the base is obviously different, as one mounts to the rail and the other is mounted to the tour pak, but do both setups use the same factory whip that screws on and then has a set screw. I dunno [smiley=nixweiss.gif]
Red
Heh, you laughing at my duckie??? :o That is one kewl a$$ duckie I'll have you know. 8-) [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif](http://flhrsei.org/yabb2/Attachments/d00dduck.jpg)
The bases are both the same.... Only thing that I can think that may be different is in that pic of the rail mount it looks to be on a Street Glide that system may be different. [smiley=confused5.gif]You'd probably get away with buying the "ATM" version then, as it's a direct fit, (no additional adapters), screw on to the standard HD mount. If you can use the same factory whip on the different mounts, you should be able to use the same J&M antenna. Fortunately, they sell them in onesies and not in pairs.
Shhhhhh.... :-X [smiley=lipsrsealed.gif] [smiley=lipsrsealed2.gif] You are going to embarrass her :-[ you weren't supposed to notice that. :o [smiley=huepfenjump3.gif]
Cool duckie d00d, but I'm a little curious about where the antenna was mounted. [smiley=nervous.gif] Could explain the big grin on the duck [smiley=oops.gif]
Red
Shhhhhh.... :-X [smiley=lipsrsealed.gif] [smiley=lipsrsealed2.gif] You are going to [highlight]embarrass her [/highlight]:-[ you weren't supposed to notice that. :o [smiley=huepfenjump3.gif]
You didn't expect a grown man that has a rubber duckie to have a male duckie did you? [smiley=confused5.gif] [smiley=lolk.gif]
[smiley=pumpkin.gif]Ride Safe,Fired00d [smiley=fireman.gif]
Well it's either bail or come out smelling/looking clean, either way I have to stay on my game around you guys. ;) ;D
For a minute there I thought you had made an [highlight]ass[/highlight]umption but I see you spend enough tiime in the tub to know when to bail your own a$$ out!
Well it's either bail or come out smelling/looking clean, either way I have to stay on my game around you guys. ;) ;D
[smiley=pumpkin.gif]
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
[smiley=fireman.gif]
Chithead!!!! :P [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif]
[smiley=pumpkin.gif]
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
[smiley=fireman.gif]
Yea, I saw that, thanks for at least color coordinating the tape. ::) ;D
Hey, sticks and stones..........did you see I got you some color matched (nearly) tape to replace the old grey duck tape holding that old saddle bag from eBay together?
Feel the love anyway, who else could I mess with that sets up these great one liners anyway?
Happy New Year Gary ::) [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
As with others, I will be interested in your report. I purchased Freedoms and made up the SWR meter over a year ago. I could never get below 3.0+ on any channel. Opted to throw them into the top of my tool chest rather than fry the CB. The stock ones were not much better but figured if the radio goes bad it's HD's problem and not mine with the freedom replacements.
I ordered a set of J&M shorties on the 22nd. They are supposed to be here on the 2nd. According to their add, they are pre-tuned for the CB and don't require any further adjustments. I'll break out my SWR meter to verify that after I install them. I have a set of Cycle Whips on right now. They are about 14 inches long, but are questionalble for use with the CB. Their web site doesn't say anything about it, but others say you can and some say you can't. So I'm not taking the chance and will take them off when the J&M's come in. I also like the fact that the J&M's use the set-screw like the stock antennas do. Hopefully, they'll work great. I'll post a pic and test results after I get them.
Red
As with others, I will be interested in your report. I purchased Freedoms and made up the SWR meter over a year ago. I could never get below 3.0+ on any channel. Opted to throw them into the top of my tool chest rather than fry the CB. The stock ones were not much better but figured if the radio goes bad it's HD's problem and not mine with the freedom replacements.
Gary, very nice pic. I am a bit diappointed however that you didn't use the "house of thong" or the "rubber duckie antenna" pics. ::)You mean you don't like my new avatar for the New Year Celebration???? [smiley=nixweiss.gif] [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif]
You mean you don't like my new avatar for the New Year Celebration???? [smiley=nixweiss.gif] [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif]
Enjoy it, because it's only temporary.
[smiley=pumpkin.gif]Ride Safe,Fired00d
[smiley=fireman.gif]
I was just going to make a post on this topic... I would be interested in some feed back on the shorties! I also would like to know if you can add an amp to the stock system on a '06 ultra classic?
They are supposedly coming, according to UPS, Tuesday. I'll be picking my bike up from the dealership on Wednesday and hope to have them installed Wednesday afternoon and take it out to do an SWR check. If I get what the antenna's engineer told me he pre-tuned them for, I'll be pretty happy with them...he said he errored on the high side to allow some adjustment. He stated that you can tune the antenna so that 1 and 40 will be the same, about 2.2:1 and that channel 19 or 20 would be right at about 1.2:1, so that's encouraging. I may not even mess with them if I get what he says they should be at coming from the factory. He stated that even pre-tuned to what he designed them for, they are much better than the stock whips. I never checked mine, but he said the stocks are terribly mis-tuned.
Red
The antennas came in via UPS last night. Unfortunately, the Jester is hung up at the dealership, (seems they overbooked the dyno and didn't tell me), so the earliest I'll be able to pick my bike up is Saturday. I hope to have them mounted and tested then and will provide a report (w/pics) shortly thereafter. Initial impression of the antennas is that they are very well made rigid shorties and are a direct replacement (no mods required) for the factory whips. They even include a set screw just like the factory antennas. More to follow.... :)
I would be interested in some feed back on the J&M antenna before I buy these.
Thanks
Jacques
Red,Latest update, the Jester is down until I get back from Arizona on the 15th. They had to order a part (fairing seal) that won't be in for about 5 days. By that time I'll be out of town ... so they are going to keep the bike until I get back. I promise I'll put out a report on the antennas...sorry for the wait. :(
As with many here on the forum, I am VERY interested in your report on the performance of these J&M antennas. I have bought from J&M before, and have nothing but good to say about them, their customer service and their quality. We use the CBs alot when on group rides for our Road Captains Lead and Sweep, so I don't want my CB to be degraded. [highlight]My understanding of how the CB works is "Line-of-Sight".[/highlight] So if this is true, it would seem that the taller the antenna, the longer the reception. Let us know, once you get the antennas on if not only the power is the same, but also the distance. Sure appreciate all the feedback as it saves the rest of us from experimenting. Can't wait to see the pics and your performance report. Happy New Year and thanks. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
Latest update, the Jester is down until I get back from Arizona on the 15th. They had to order a part (fairing seal) that won't be in for about 5 days. By that time I'll be out of town ... so they are going to keep the bike until I get back. I promise I'll put out a report on the antennas...sorry for the wait. :(
CB radios operate at 27MHz, which is the high end of the HF band. You're somewhat correct about CB's being line of site, but not because of the propagation characteristics of HF. HF is a great "long-haul" frequency band. In fact, it's not uncommon to skip (talk) many hundreds of miles with a CB radio. You're limited to distance because of power. By FCC rules, maximum power for a CB is 4 Watts, and the more detuned your antenna is the lower your Effective Radiated Power (ERP) is. Many things play into lower or higher ERP. The amount of line loss, connectors, and yes, length of antenna. The closer you can get to a true quarter-wave antenna, the better. However, a straight quarter-wave antenna for 27 MHz is 18 ft long. Totally impractical for any mobile unit. So antenna manufacturers, make shorter antennas that fool the radio into thinking it is a quarter-wave antenna, buy doing copper wrapping, (such as the J&M shorties), loading coils, or electronically fooling the radio with an antenna coupler. If you have a perfect 1:1 SWR and an antenna with 0db gain, you're probably still going to have a signal loss of about 2-3 db because of the connector on the back of the radio, coax length, and the connector at the antenna, so your ERP would actually be lower than the rated 4 watts. Sorry to ramble on about this...I've been a comm guy for a long time...and I get a little carried away sometime... [smiley=soapbox.gif]
Red
Thanks for the patience. :) Like I stated earlier, they appear to be of excellent quality. I've had previous experience with J&M products and have always been totally pleased with them. I didn't hesitate to buy them when I saw that they were now offering shorty antennas. If they work like their other products they will work as advertised, or as their designer told me they will work. I'll be really surprised if they don't.
It's great to hear what/how this works, I have heard a million explanations over the years from the guy that stayed at the Holiday Inn Express lsst night.
We'll hang on until you get it back. Hope it is as good as their other stuff.
Sorry to ramble on about this...I've been a comm guy for a long time...and I get a little carried away sometime... [smiley=soapbox.gif] [smiley=welcome_005.gif]
Red
I would not worry about the Soap Box! Good stuff! It's always interesting to read about how this works!
Since you have a good understanding, do you have any suggestions for a portable CB unit? The wife and I head up to the White Mountains for the weekend here in AZ (she takes the car with the 2 dogs and our cat) and I have the dirty job of riding the Motor Cycle up ( [smiley=huepfenjump3.gif] ). It would be nice to comunicate between vehicles, [highlight]but I do not want anything that is hard wired or permanent[/highlight].
It is not a standard PL-259 on the radio either.....
It is not a standard PL-259 on the radio either.....Wonderful >:(, that's what I was afraid of. I wonder why they went with that odd-ball connector? [smiley=nixweiss.gif] Just another way that the MoCo marches to their own drummer. :-/ Would have made life a lot easier if they had gone with industry standard connectors.
It is not a standard PL-259 on the radio either.....Looks the same but smaller.
Red, thanks for the report. Antennas look good. How is AM/FM reception (not that I listen much).Outstanding Ultra!!! :D Thanks for the part numbers...hopefully, I will find them. We have a couple of RS's around here. Sorry I forgot to mention FM reception...I did a quick scan of DC Stations that are about 50+ miles away and they sounded almost as good as the local stations. I would say a little better in reception over the stock whips and a 10-fold increase over the rubber-duckies (Cycle Whips) that I had before.
BTW, here are Radio Shack parts you need to hook up SWR meter in tour pak. I copied this from a thread from early last year. I got these parts and they work but not every store will have them. My store did an inventory search and sent me to another store that did have them. Not popular parts and clerk had difficulty finding them. May not be in online parts catalog either.
To do this at the Tour Pak:
You need:
quanity of 2 - part# 278-968
quanity of 1 - part# 278-208C
quanity of 1 - part# 274-710A
quanity of 1 - SWR Meter
BTW, here are Radio Shack parts you need to hook up SWR meter in tour pak. I copied this from a thread from early last year. I got these parts and they work but not every store will have them. My store did an inventory search and sent me to another store that did have them. Not popular parts and clerk had difficulty finding them. May not be in online parts catalog either.Ultra, the same thing happened to me. I ended up going to 3 different RS stores for the parts. Do you have the link to that old thread handy? I know I printed the instructions for running the tests, but others may find them interesting to review.
Ultra, the same thing happened to me. I ended up going to 3 different RS stores for the parts. Do you have the link to that old thread handy? I know I printed the instructions for running the tests, but others may find them interesting to review.Magic, I do not have the old link. Just did a search for SWR (I think) yesterday and scrolled down until I found the msg with the part numbers. Did not save the link but you can probably find it the same way. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
As I recall, I moved the bike out onto the driveway and moved the cars out of the way. I got very different readings if I left the Tour Pack lid up or down. After trying to dial in the Freedom's, I gave up as I was not able to pull them down below 3.0. Took readings from the stock whip and it was just a hair below 3.0.
Here is a picture of the RS set up. I think the cost was under $40. Red probably as a meter or two ;) laying around so it won't be so much.
Red, hopefully you will get a chance to make up the "HD Custom" [highlight]testing connection[/highlight]. I will be interested in the reading you obtain if you do.
Thanks for your report, RedDevil ! [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
You confirm the first impression.
Now, I'll send my order. :)
Thanks for your tests and your help.
Regards
Jacques
Good evening Jim,
What is different on our bikes ? [smiley=confused5.gif]
Do You speak about the CB or the radio?
For the CB, we have 40 channels, 4Watts on the 27Mhz band. Is it right ?
Is it not same in the States ?
Please, explain me !
Jacques
Ultra, the same thing happened to me. I ended up going to 3 different RS stores for the parts. Do you have the link to that old thread handy? I know I printed the instructions for running the tests, but others may find them interesting to review.I didn't get a chance to get out to Radio Shack yet, but as soon as I can, I'll try and procure the parts...Looks like a very straight forward setup and the cables should be easy to make. I have a bunch of spare patch cables with standard PL-259's on them that all I need is the two specific connectors...
As I recall, I moved the bike out onto the driveway and moved the cars out of the way. I got very different readings if I left the Tour Pack lid up or down. After trying to dial in the Freedom's, I gave up as I was not able to pull them down below 3.0. Took readings from the stock whip and it was just a hair below 3.0.
Here is a picture of the RS set up. I think the cost was under $40. Red probably as a meter or two ;) laying around so it won't be so much.
Red, hopefully you will get a chance to make up the "HD Custom" [highlight]testing connection[/highlight]. I will be interested in the reading you obtain if you do.
All,
ALL CB radio's manufactured in the world are AMPLITUDE MODULATED transmitters (AM). _Beagle
If you're operating in the upper 27 MHz band similar to the US, the factory whips should work...they are supposedly tuned, and I use that term very loosely from how bad the factory whips are, to optimally operate in the band 26.965-27.405 MHz. Theoretically, the more you go below 26.965 or above 27.405, your SWR will go up as the frequencies go farther away from tuned frequency of the antenna. When Japan opened up 40 more channels above 27.405, you could still use the same antenna to transmit on, but if you had an antenna tuner, and you planned on using the upper 40 channels, you optimally tuned your antenna for channel 41 for the lowest SWR and then the SWR would increase roughly equal on both sides the farther you got away from channel 41. Beages is definitely right about kinks and severe bends in the coax cable...that will throw your SWR through the roof and you'll never be able to tune them...
Sorry, Beagle - this is one area where I DO know what I'm talking about, and I can assure you that over this side of the Atlantic (still in the world!) our CBs are - and have always been, if they were legal - FM.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CB_radio_in_the_United_Kingdom
"...the preferred option for legalisation was the U.S. 27MHz AM system....The final legalised service was a compromise - a band at 27MHz was allocated but using FM and offset channel frequencies 27.60125 - 27.99125 MHz which were incompatible with the U.S. system. The channels legalised on 2 November 1981 were on two blocks of frequencies: 40 channels on the 27 MHz band and 20 channels on the 934 MHz band, both of which used FM (frequency modulation) ..... In the 1990s 40 additional frequencies were added, which were ironically the same as the U.S. allocation - but again using FM."
While that covers just the UK, quite a number of other countries use FM for CB as well; the current one in use here is Europe-wide, I believe - still FM!
Jim
If you're operating in the upper 27 MHz band similar to the US, the factory whips should work...they are supposedly tuned, and I use that term very loosely from how bad the factory whips are, to optimally operate in the band 26.965-27.405 MHz. Theoretically, the more you go below 26.965 or above 27.405, your SWR will go up as the frequencies go farther away from tuned frequency of the antenna. When Japan opened up 40 more channels above 27.405, you could still use the same antenna to transmit on, but if you had an antenna tuner, and you planned on using the upper 40 channels, you optimally tuned your antenna for channel 41 for the lowest SWR and then the SWR would increase roughly equal on both sides the farther you got away from channel 41. Beages is definitely right about kinks and severe bends in the coax cable...that will throw your SWR through the roof and you'll never be able to tune them...
Just my $.02.
Cheers [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif],
Red
When I talked to John Lazzeroni at J&M about tuning the antenna, he told me that to optimally tune it to channel 19 or 20, to unravel about 1-2" of copper wire off of the top. So I would guess that if you would unravel and cut off about 2-3 inches, you would be closer to channel 30. As you know, going higher in frequency, you need to make the antenna physically shorter, or at least make the radio think it's physically shorter. For liability reasons, he had to give you that answer, but you should be good to go if you tune them the way I just mentioned. Just unravel a little at a time, cut it off and see how it goes. Remember, you have two antennas to play with to get it right.
Yes, thanks Red - I know all of that stuff, I was an avid (and illegal!) CB enthusiast here in the early 80s, using AM, FM, 120 channels and SSB. ;) With boots on to work the skip. Still have most of my equipment, maybe one of these days it will have antique value! ;D
My question was really just how much adjustment is there in the antennae from J&M, so that a decent SWR around channel 30 (the one we use most) could be attainable. Just had a nice email from John Lazzeroni at J&M, saying: "I am very sorry ,,, I don't have a positive idea on whether or not those
antennas will work for you ,,,,,
We do not have access to 27mhz FM transceivers ,,,,"
But the FM bit won't matter, of course, so it sounds as if they are worth a try!
Jim
When I talked to John Lazzeroni at J&M about tuning the antenna, he told me that to optimally tune it to channel 19 or 20, to unravel about 1-2" of copper wire off of the top. So I would guess that if you would unravel and cut off about 2-3 inches, you would be closer to channel 30. As you know, going higher in frequency, you need to make the antenna physically shorter, or at least make the radio think it's physically shorter. For liability reasons, he had to give you that answer, but you should be good to go if you tune them the way I just mentioned. Just unravel a little at a time, cut it off and see how it goes. Remember, you have two antennas to play with to get it right.
I had a few of those 80 channel CB radios with some "foot warmers" that I used back in my heavy skip shooting days.[smiley=nervous.gif].
cheers [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif],
Red
The parts previously listed from "Radio Crap" will make the meter hookup simple.
The parts previously listed from "Radio Crap" will make the meter hookup simple. Just plug/play. For those of you with knowledge, we have an 06 and an 07. (we can't eat, but we can ride.) The 06 needed about 2" taken off the CB antenna to get great swr readings. The 07 can't get off of the 3 point after about 4" taken off, though it's now on the low side of 3 rather than the high side when I started. The meter was put into the tourpak junction on both bikes, both sat in almost the exact same physical location (bike and meter), yet I've got wildly different swr readings. What should I do next? I've thought about buying the FM antenna, since it's longer and restart with it. I'm not sure the dealer is capable of doing anymore than I am. Do I need to go to the back of the radio to see if the cable has a problem- and how does going there, if I'm still using the same antenna/cable on the bike, make any difference?Arctic,
arctic
Red,Hog,
Thanks for the update. Bike looks great with those new antennas. I guess the bottom line question for those of us who are not as technical as some of you, do these antennas work better than the stock if you were to just hook them up and not worry about the SWR issues? Thanks again for all you work and reports. Look forward to your response.
Isn't the mast the same between the FM and the CB antenna, only the spring/coil different. You can loosen the allen screw and swap the actual masts themselves. THat's what I was referring to about using the FM antenna. That way I could start with a longer mast to then cut down. I'm was thinking that I needed a slightly longer length to match the swr; but now realize I probably have a bad/bent/pinched cable. Makes sense, given the rigorous QC our bikes go through. >:(Arctic,
Eqcons, if you have trouble finding the stuff local, let me know and I will mail it to you at cost.
Isn't the mast the same between the FM and the CB antenna, only the spring/coil different. You can loosen the allen screw and swap the actual masts themselves. THat's what I was referring to about using the FM antenna. That way I could start with a longer mast to then cut down. I'm was thinking that I needed a slightly longer length to match the swr; but now realize I probably have a bad/bent/pinched cable. Makes sense, given the rigorous QC our bikes go through. >:(Arctic,
Eqcons, if you have trouble finding the stuff local, let me know and I will mail it to you at cost.
Eqcons, if you have trouble finding the stuff local, let me know and I will mail it to you at cost.
Price : 39.99 $US eachOrdered mine from Sierra Electronics -http://www.sierra-mc.com/proddetail.asp?prod=JM%2DHRUP%2DATM - (great folks) for $34 each plus $5.50 for shipping. Only problem is that when they arrived today it looks like UPS drove their truck over the package. All torn up. Can't tell if antennas are damaged but packaging sure is. Anyway, filed a claim with UPS who called Sierra and they shipped new set today. Bummer, but I should have them in a couple days.
the reference is :
CB or AM/FM Ant Staff Upgrade ‘89-‘07 Harley Trunk Mount ONLY HRUP-ATM
http://www.jmcorp.com/ProductDetail.asp?PF=6&ProductID=HRUP-ATM
Regards [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
Jacques
I didn't get a chance to get out to Radio Shack yet, but as soon as I can, I'll try and procure the parts...Looks like a very straight forward setup and the cables should be easy to make. I have a bunch of spare patch cables with standard PL-259's on them that all I need is the two specific connectors...Red,
Cheers, [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
Red
Red,
Where should one connect the SWR tester for the the best reading? (Tour Trunk or at the radio under the faring?)
I have previously hooked up to the connection in the Tour Trunk. I just installed the JMC's last night and after the calibration of the meter, I still get a reading well over 3.0. I did not move the bike out of the garage for the test. Appreciate your feedback.
Ordered mine from Sierra Electronics -http://www.sierra-mc.com/proddetail.asp?prod=JM%2DHRUP%2DATM - (great folks) for $34 each plus $5.50 for shipping. Only problem is that when they arrived today it looks like UPS drove their truck over the package. All torn up. Can't tell if antennas are damaged but packaging sure is. Anyway, filed a claim with UPS who called Sierra and they shipped new set today. Bummer, but I should have them in a couple days.Might as well order them directly from J&M, they have free shipping. Not to say anything is wrong with Sierra, so no slight on them intended.
Thanks everyone for the help. I ordered mine today direct from J&M, and with free shipping. They should be here next week. They re-iterated that they should be good to go as soon as I receive them. I will see how they perform, and if not great, then I will try the extra cable trick. Thanks again for all the great help and advice. Here's to the best group of bikers out there! [smiley=drink.gif]Hog,
Ideally at the radio under the fairing. There's a post elsewhere covering this ...... hang on...... Yup,
http://flhrsei.org/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?num=1168552779
Also, in this thread, Red said "If you go to the back of the radio and get the same SWR readings, chances are it could be your coax is pinched, kinked, or bent badly...a simple check would be to connect your meter to the back of the radio, then make about an 8 ft cable (approximate length of factory coax from radio to tour pak), with the appropriate plugs on it and run it from your meter to the connector in the tour pak. If you get better SWR readings, then you have a bad coax run on your bike. Better still if you make the cable the same length as the factory cable, then if your coax is bad, you can replace it with the one you made, by simply adding the smaller connector to the other end and attaching that to the radio."
Which is first class advice!
As Red (& Beagle) point out, if the cable back to the TourPak is severely bent or kinked, that will cause a high SWR.
Jim
Morning all !Jacques,
I received my antennas from J&M.
Very fast delivery and excellent packaging.
[smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
Jacques
Well I have spent the last hour reading this thread. Gotta say those J&M people are great. I had the J&M 2003 handlebar mount CB on my RK Custom with problems. My dealer installed it. Their first one. Worked with J&M over the phone and all came out good with a few tweeks. Ended up working better that some HK's that I toured with. Looking forward to get rid of my whips on the new SEUC.MF,
Thanks for all your input [smiley=huepfenjump3.gif]
MF in KC
MF,
Glad that this thread helped you. You're right, the J&M people are great. Great tech support and sales. And they stand behind their product 100%. You'll like the shorties. I finally got the parts from Radio Shack to make the patch cable, now just looking for a good day to take the ride out and do an SWR check.
Cheer [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif],Red
I don't think you'll be disappointed regardless. They look nice, and by initial non-calibrated performance, perform much better than those gawd-awful factory whips, even on FM/AM/WB. It's supposed to snow tomorrow, but hopefully, it will clear up by the weekend so I can get out, at least out of the garage and up on the street, and do some measurements.
Looking forward to the numbers Red. I went ahead an ordered the antennas last night.
Please Red,Jaques,
Ride safe, if the road is not fine.
Jacques
Well guys, I don't have any results for you. I took the bike out with my new cables and meter today to do an SWR check, and guess what? The parts that I got from radio shack (the motorola-style connectors), don't work with my 07's connectors!!!!!! They are apparently totally different connectors then the 06 and earlier have...I can't believe that they would change them, but neither plug worked...now I have to try and figure out what type of bastardized plugs they are. Sorry guys. :'(Red, you are talking about the connectors to use at the antenna connection in the tour pak, right? If so you must have the wrong Radio Shack parts because they work fine on my '07.
Red
Red, you are talking about the connectors to use at the antenna connection in the tour pak, right? If so you must have the wrong Radio Shack parts because they work fine on my '07.Interesting...the parts I got from radio shack were the parts that were listed in this topic. I had to go to two stores to get them. Both of them were resealed packs. I hope I didn't get different parts in the packaging with the right numbers on them. :-/ Thanks for the info, if you can send me the part numbers, if you still have them, I can compare them to the part numbers I was given. I don't need the part numbers for the coax cables, I have plenty of spare ones in the basement. Just the two Motorola-type connectors. The ones I have, definitely don't work on my bike.
Interesting...the parts I got from radio shack were the parts that were listed in this topic. I had to go to two stores to get them. Both of them were resealed packs. I hope I didn't get different parts in the packaging with the right numbers on them. :-/ Thanks for the info, if you can send me the part numbers, if you still have them, I can compare them to the part numbers I was given. I don't need the part numbers for the coax cables, I have plenty of spare ones in the basement. Just the two Motorola-type connectors. The ones I have, definitely don't work on my bike.
Cheers [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif],
Red
Would pictures help? I cropped one of my photos to include just the connectors.
Thanks magic. I had not had time to do this for Red. But these are the parts you need for sure. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
Would pictures help? I cropped one of my photos to include just the connectors.
Thanks magic. I had not had time to do this for Red. But these are the parts you need for sure. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]The part that doesn't fit for me is the 274-710, the solderless connector. The barrel is too big to slide inside the connector for the antenna on the tour pak. Is there a slightly smaller version of this connector? It doesn't appear to be too much bigger around then, maybe an !/8th of an inch. The other connector plugs in perfectly to the coax run, so I was able to make sure that my coax run from the radio was good using my dummy load. I just can't go from the meter to the tour pak connector with that black barrel connector. Appreciate the help.
From Radio Shack website:
UHF-to-Motorola-Type Scanner Adapter
Model: 278-208 | Catalog #: 278-208
This scanner adapter accepts a PL-259 UHF-type plug and fits a Motorola-type socket. Connects to ant...
Yep, those are the parts that I got. Look just like the ones in the photo, and they don't work on my ride. >:( The black connector is too deep for the antenna mount. Intersting.
Solderless Motorola-Type Inline Jack
Model: 274-710 | Catalog #: 274-710
This Motorola-type jack accepts antennas made for many scanners and car radios.
Morning Red !Jacques,
Thanks for your reply in the other thread :
[highlight]Jacques,
Yep, those are the J&Ms, so you'll get an idea of what they'll look like on your SEUC. They work great too. Really had a chance to test them out on the ride, and they are sooooooooooooooooooooo much better than the stock whips in all areas. Got a lot of comments on them too. I think J&M is going to be busy in the next few months selling these babies. I think I may contact them and see if they'd be willing to give a discount to the forum members.
Cheers ,
Red [/highlight]
When I was in touch with John, I've asked a good price for the group but no chance.
You need to ask again.
In other way, it's to found a dealer that he accept to sold for the group with a discount.
Regards
Jacques
Red,Jacques,
I spoke about a deal with a distributor because Ultrafx wrote :
[highlight]Ordered mine from Sierra Electronics -http://www.sierra-mc.com/proddetail.asp?prod=JM%2DHRUP%2DATM - (great folks) for $34 each plus $5.50 for shipping. Only problem is that when they arrived today it looks like UPS drove their truck over the package. All torn up. Can't tell if antennas are damaged but packaging sure is. Anyway, filed a claim with UPS who called Sierra and they shipped new set today[/highlight]
I think that it's possible to obtain a discount with free shipping for US with a good packaging. ;)
It's too late for me but for the forum members why not ?
Regards
Jacques
Got mine installed yesterday and they look great. Too darn cold to get it out and check swr - maybe this weekend I can. As long as the swr is no worse than stock - about 2.9 from my reading - then I'm sticking with the J&Ms. Really like the looks of these much better than any shorties I've ever seen.Ultra,
If you've got an 07 and you're having problems with the shack crap, you need to take another look at the parts list. Ensure you've got the correct parts, because they work. I bought mine for the 06 and used the exact same setup on the 07 when I got back from MV. Some of the connections do require a firm push together.That's what I'm thinking, because the only way the black connector will fit into the connector on my tour pak would be to break it. It's physically too big around to fit into the connector.
Got mine installed yesterday and they look great. Too darn cold to get it out and check swr - maybe this weekend I can. As long as the swr is no worse than stock - about 2.9 from my reading - then I'm sticking with the J&Ms. Really like the looks of these much better than any shorties I've ever seen.
Out of town this past weekend and did not get them on until Sunday night. Been working since then and it has been cold - and even colder this weekend so probably not get to ride. But maybe I can pull 'er out to the street and at least do a quick check on the swr but not until Sunday. I'll post what reading I get asap. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
Look forward to hearing what SWR is achievable, Ufxr! Also impressiond of CB performance in use if possible.
Cheers,
Jim
Out of town this past weekend and did not get them on until Sunday night. Been working since then and it has been cold - and even colder this weekend so probably not get to ride. But maybe I can pull 'er out to the street and at least do a quick check on the swr but not until Sunday. I'll post what reading I get asap. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
That's what I'm thinking, because the only way the black connector will fit into the connector on my tour pak would be to break it. It's physically too big around to fit into the connector.
Cheers [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif],
Red
Arctic,
RD,
The black connector you bought should go outside the metal connector in the tourpak. Standard radio antenna connector size. (Bike has male end to go into the black non-soldered connector from RS.) The screw on connector you bought should go inside the connector on the bike. I guess I should add that the bike's connector we're talking about is under the liner near the lock/latch mechanism and not where the antenna wires go through the back of the tourpak. You did lift out the tourpak liner, right?
arctic
RD,
The black connector you bought should go outside the metal connector in the tourpak. Standard radio antenna connector size. (Bike has male end to go into the black non-soldered connector from RS.) The screw on connector you bought should go inside the connector on the bike. I guess I should add that the bike's connector we're talking about is under the liner near the lock/latch mechanism and not where the antenna wires go through the back of the tourpak. You did lift out the tourpak liner, right?
arctic
CB,
Is there an additional part that we need to order? I thought they just screwed in where the whips were installed?
CB,
There's nothing extra you need to order other than the whips. That was a part I had to get so that I could do the SWR measurements. (See my previous post, where I gave my SWR results.) The antennas are great. I think I may do the same thing and see if my dealer would like to carry them. The ones they carry right now are called "Cycle Whips" and they're rubber duckies. They look nice but actually performed worse than the stock whips. I bought a pair because I couldn't stand the big whips anymore. They were only $9.95 each, so there was no big loss when I replaced them with the J&M shorties. I get a lot of compliments on their looks. The do look nice.
Cheers [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif],
Red
Red, glad you finally got the right part to get the swr readings. I'll try to check mine this weekend and see if they are close to yours. Those are much, much better readings than the stock whips. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]Thanks Ultra. I'll be interested to see how your turn out too. As you can see I wasn't going to let this issue beat me. :D I knew that I couldn't have the one odd-ball bike in the world that had different connectors. I became obsessed with getting it done. Glad that's over, now I can stop obsessing over it.
RD,Arctic,
I kind of figured the part had to be incorrect, as somebody with you experience would be still able to make the connection passed out after a really good night on the town!! [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif] Great to hear the readings you got. That's about where I got the 06 to when I quit with it. I think the stocks will give better swr at the upper end, as I was able to get under 2 across the board, but that may be due to the extra length. Every group I ever ridden with always chose a low channel anyway!
Ordered mine from Sierra Electronics -http://www.sierra-mc.com/proddetail.asp?prod=JM%2DHRUP%2DATM - (great folks)
Eqcons, sorry to hear that. Can't speak for Diana but perhaps is was not fully clear what problem she was having verifying your card - don't know? But I know I've had issues with my credit cards from time to time (not with Sierra), especially when I have an item which will require a signature shipped to my office vs my home billing address. Would suggest that you email her because I do think they take PayPal. I am in no way affiliated with or even personally know any of these folks. But I have purchased J&M and other products from them several times and found their prices to be great and their service prompt and courteous. Hope you can get this worked out.
Regards
Yes, they do take PayPal, UFXR - I knew that from when I placed the order. She didn't bother to suggest it though, just, as you saw, cancelled the order with not a word of apology. She has since emailed me back in response to my complaint, and said I could use Paypal if I wanted, but if I did that, they would not ship to my friend in the US, but only to me in the uk [smiley=nixweiss.gif] and their charge for shipping to the UK is ridiculous - nearly $40. That's more than twice the cost of the combined shipping charges from them to my friend, and my friend to me!
I run a mail order business myself, taking credit cards, and if we have a problem with a customers card, we contact them to try to sort it out - we don't just arbitrarily cancel their order!
Cheers,
Jim
Good evening Jim, :)
I bought mines directly to J&M.
The cost was : 39.99 X 2 = 79.98 $ and the shipping : 27 $.
Total amount = 107 $.
The total cost with all charges is 85 euros.
I paid with my credit card.
All contacts and exchanges with Mr John Lazzeroni or Brian Hilty (Sales Manager) were perfect.
Excellent packaging. [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]
Good luck for yours !
Only one thing : They accepted not a discount for the CVO's members group. :(
But what's preferable...... ::)
Jacques
Jim, I hear you man. That's the way it should be.
Jerry
Bonsoir, Jacques! Ça va bien pour toi, j'espère?
Yes, plainly you got better service from J&M, but they still charged WAY too much for postage. (especially when postage to a US address is built in to the cost - they ship free to US addresses, so you're paying twice!) Global Priority Mail should be less than $10. I know the difference isn't much, but I just cannot bear to be charged way over the top like that - it goes against the grain. I think when you buy something, postage costs should be a service, not the main profit centre!
À bientôt,
Jim
Terry,
Uncle, Uncle!!!! I just ordered two of the darn things from Dianne at Sierra...you guys convinced me, and I'll probably be using my CB more this coming year and don't want to burn it up. Don't have a SWR meter, and don't want to get one, so if these are this good out of the box, that's good enough for me.
Thanks guys, I needed to spend some more money today...got my daily "fix"... ;)
Terry,
As long as your coax run from your radio to your tour pak isn't kinked or anything, the shorties will exceed the performance of the stock whips right out of the package, as you can see by the measurements I posted earlier. Ultra hopefully will be doing measurements on his this weekend which should then give two samples of SWRs for them. Just "by-the-ear" performance will be noticeable.
Cheers [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif],
Red
Terry,
Red...not that it matters at this point, but how easy are they to get on and off? I'm thinking of when I cover the bike at night on trips with my Exigent (sp?) full cover...I currently have the rubber duckies from Freedom and they just fold over, but I'm assuming these will have to be removed and stored, or I'll have to sew some holes in my cover. Is it just a set screw?
I ordered mine from Sierra on Monday around 5:30 in the afternoon via their website and they arrived today. The antennas look great, the bike's in for service but I should have it back tomorrow.Tbone,
Bob
Tbone,I know you're right Red and I hate waiting!! >:(
They'll look even better when they're on your bike. ;)
Cheers [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif],
Red
Red,TC,
Another satisfied customer. I also ordered mine from Sierra - Tuesday afternoon - and they arrived today. "Great looking pair" ;D ;D. I'll try them out on my '03 this weekend. See how they hold up to near zero temps [smiley=nervous.gif]. They do look like quality gear. Thanks for all your insight on these. For everyone - the total cost w/shipping was $75 and change to Northern VA. Sweet deal.
TC
You got off cheap today Terry. [smiley=sauer052.gif]
Uncle, Uncle!!!! I just ordered two of the darn things from Dianne at Sierra...you guys convinced me, and I'll probably be using my CB more this coming year and don't want to burn it up. Don't have a SWR meter, and don't want to get one, so if these are this good out of the box, that's good enough for me.
Thanks guys, I needed to spend some more money today...got my daily "fix"... ;)
But perhaps they just are not equipped to handle overseas orders.
Their website is all set up to do overseas orders, but they just don't want to put any effort in if its required. That doesn't bode well for domestic customers if you have a problem after purchase..... :-/
Jim
Jim...might be they're just not used to doing overseas things. Diane was extremely pleasant to deal with, and very accomodating. Perhaps you just caught them on a bad day, as everyone else seems satisfied with their service...everybody can have a bad day. [smiley=nixweiss.gif]
Good news for my bike !
My antennas will stay not long time on my desk.
Previously, the delivery date was April 2007.
Yesterday, my dealer says me that the jester is started since 9th January and will arrive in two weeks. [smiley=huepfenjump3.gif]
But the problem for a european MAP for A/C and exhausts without flaps is not solved.
I speak with my dealer about the TM with AT and I hope to convince him that it's a good way for his customers (and of course for the maintain of the warranty with him).
News in the next days ......
Best regards
Jacques
Good news for my bike !
My antennas will stay not long time on my desk.
Previously, the delivery date was April 2007.
Yesterday, my dealer says me that the jester is started since 9th January and will arrive in two weeks. [smiley=huepfenjump3.gif]
But the problem for a european MAP for A/C and exhausts without flaps is not solved.
I speak with my dealer about the TM with AT and I hope to convince him that it's a good way for his customers (and of course for the maintain of the warranty with him).
News in the next days ......
Best regards
Jacques
Finally got to measure my swr today:
channel 1 1.4 : 1
channel 22 2.4 : 1
channel 40 3.1 : 1
Never use anything above channel 22 whici is what our HOG club uses on rides. So think this will be OK. Out of range for channel 40 but I'll never go up that high.
Ultra,Agree, it is much better than stock. Haven't ridden it yet, tied up all day Sat, and yesterday being Super Bowl Sunday and temps in the 20s did not riding possible. Just listening in my garage though, sounds fine.
You're good to go. You're like me so you're not going to use channel 40. You won't damage the radio at 2.4:1. Just your power will be down, but if you use it, like I do, only when riding in groups, you will have plenty of juice to cover those situations. How's your "by-the-ear" reaction to the antennas? Do you hear a noticeable difference in performance? You can tune the whips if you desire, but at those readings, I'd probably just leave them alone. That's better than the stock whips will give you. Thanks for the report.
Cheers 8),
Red
Good decision , Jim :thumbsup:
Jacques
A final note on this; after the hassle with trying to get these from the very unhelpful Sierra Electronics, I ordered them from J&M themselves. The people there were a complete contrast to Sierra, and could not have been more helpful. You may save a couple of bucks by going to Sierra, but I've seen what customer service is like from both them and J&M, and the extra couple of bucks is well spent. If you have a problem later, you might come to appreciate spending the extra at purchase time! ;)Jim,
Jim
Jim,
Glad to see you ordered your antennas...will be anxious to hear how they work for you. I know you've gotten the parts to make the cables, so let us know what kind of results you get.
Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
Red
I will Charlie - though it'll be March before I get the bike outdoors to try it! :nixweiss:Jim,
Cheers,
Jim
Jim,
That's gotta suck, but at least you're in the right place to sit down in front of the fire with a nice single malt and get all toasty inside...that would definitely make me forget about the cold (and a few other things :P )
Cheer :2vrolijk_21:,
Red
AND I get to look at my bike while I'm doing it! ;D (Well, only in the house is warm enough for my baby....) :pineapple:Jim,
Cheers,
Jim
Jim,
Here's an idea for you during the winter months...put a wheel chock on the floor in front of your big screen and park the SEUC in it so it faces the TV. Put on a nice scenic video taken from a helmet cam cruising the back roads of Scotland during the summer. Consume a couple of nice single malts, get on the SEUC and make "potato, potato" sounds, and it'll almost be like riding. (Gad, that sounds like something I may have done. ::) )
Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
Red
ROFL!!!! ;D :D ;D :D :huepfenlol2: :huepfenlol2:Sounds like a perfect time to justify putting a 60" plasma display in the hall. ;D.
Great idea, Charlie - can get the wife on the back to nag me if the video looks too fast! Actually it's just about feasible, though not quite - we have a 70" screen, but the bike has to stay as a centrepiece in the hall (BIG hall!!) because it wouldn't get through the door into where the TV is!
Jim
Sounds like a perfect time to justify putting a 60" plasma display in the hall. ;D.
Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
Red
You haven't met my Mrs., Charlie, have you? LOL! :huepfenlol2:;D Now I know we can't be married to the same woman. :o
Got to ride today for first time with the J&M shorties. Wow, the cb sounds so much better and they tell me my transmission was really good. Did not realize but my XM trial period must have just expired so I listened to FM and the reception was great - better than with the stock whips I think but hard to know for sure. Seems like I was able to get my local stations farther out than before. Anyway, the J&Ms get a big thumbs up from me. :cherry:
Got to ride today for first time with the J&M shorties. Wow, the cb sounds so much better and they tell me my transmission was really good. Did not realize but my XM trial period must have just expired so I listened to FM and the reception was great - better than with the stock whips I think but hard to know for sure. Seems like I was able to get my local stations farther out than before. Anyway, the J&Ms get a big thumbs up from me. :cherry:Jerry and Terry,
Everybody seems to say the new J&M shorties are better than the factory whips.VA,
How do they compare to the Freedom shorties in performance both in transmitting and receiving?
VA,To reinterate what Red said, I also think the value is definitely there for J&M. I think it's there for the quality, performance, AND customer service. They are the best to deal with. I have purchase several items from them and have never had a bad experience. I would give them a definite :2vrolijk_21:
I can't compare the Freedoms to the J&M's because I've never tried them. But I can tell you, I had rubber duckies, called Cycle Whips, that my dealer sold, and the J&M's blow their doors off. No comparison at all. I'm trying to convince my dealer to get rid of those POS Cycle Whips and sell the J&M's. The J&M's are about 4 times more expensive, but worth every penny. IMHO.
Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
Red
I agree that J&M is great to deal with, it's just that I already have the Freedom shorties and I was trying to see if they are performancewise worth changing for since $75 or more is a lot for me to spend just for the cosmetics of thinner non-drooping antennas. ;D
This is odd that the MoCo didn't provide a velcro opening in the back of the Oasis cover like they do all the other outdoor covers that are made to fit Ultra's. [smiley=nixweiss.gif]
[smiley=pumpkin.gif]
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
[smiley=fireman.gif]
hello; the factory CVO COVER DOES HAVE THE VELCRO STRIP FOR THE ANTENNA'S on the flhtcuse models
I agree that J&M is great to deal with, it's just that I already have the Freedom shorties and I was trying to see if they are performancewise worth changing for since $75 or more is a lot for me to spend just for the cosmetics of thinner non-drooping antennas. ;D
I have ordered a whole variety of things from J&M and the service is great. Antennas is just one of the items I have. Given that my bike is not here yet I can not comment on how they would work but opinions in this thread encourage me that monies were well spent on these antennas.Rubaga,
While testing my first digital camera today I discovered a problem with my Freedom shortie CB antenna. The chrome is flaking off.I saw you out there with a screwdriver scraping the chrome off :P...anything to justify getting the J&M's. ;D You'll be really happy with them.
I have placed an order with J&M for their shortie antennas so this will not be a problem to worry about in the future.
Just wanted to pass on a heads up for those of you who are using the Freedom antennas. keep an eye on them. I hope you don't have this problem.
I saw you out there with a screwdriver scraping the chrome off :P...anything to justify getting the J&M's. ;D You'll be really happy with them.Holy chit guys,
Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
Red
Holy chit guys,
I sure hope dood doesn't see this picture :o. Imagine what that could do to his OCD... ;D
Tony
He's bound to see it, the d00derator sees ALL!That's right. ;) :2vrolijk_21: ;D
While testing my first digital camera today I discovered a problem with my Freedom shortie CB antenna. The chrome is flaking off.
I have placed an order with J&M for their shortie antennas so this will not be a problem to worry about in the future.
Just wanted to pass on a heads up for those of you who are using the Freedom antennas. keep an eye on them. I hope you don't have this problem.
These attenna work!! I rode into work yesterday and was picking up all kinds of stuff I've not heard before. Obviously better than the Freedoms.Terry,
I'm finally going to have the chance to try them out on my way to Key West, I'm anxious to see how they do.
Bob...you sorry sumbitch ;) ;) Man, I wish we were going down with you, bro!! Maybe next year...You guys have a great time, and have a Margarita for me when you're looking out over the keys... :drink: :drink:
Bob...you sorry sumbitch ;) ;) Man, I wish we were going down with you, bro!! Maybe next year...You guys have a great time, and have a Margarita for me when you're looking out over the keys... :drink: :drink:
No Terry, Mojitos in Key West! :drink: I wish I was going too! Enjoy your ride down there! Ride safe. ;) Hoist! 8)
Thanks Terry, wish you were going too! Start planning next year now! :2vrolijk_21:
I'll be sure to think of you while I'm sitting there with a :drink: watching the sunset. :2vrolijk_21:
Git the SEUC back in one piesce with new tins and OCD add ons, so I got my J&M antennas mounted and they work great as well as look much better than my Freedoms, which in my case were just to limber.Rog,
Th new ones are great though, thanks for the heads up along the way from everyone else that has posted here.
Rog,
Glad to hear you like 'em. They definitely look and perform better than anything I've ever used.
Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
Red
I installed the J&M's over the weekend. I don't know about performance yet but they do look better.
I installed the J&M's over the weekend. I don't know about performance yet but they do look better.AJ,
I got to use the CB function yesterday on a charity run with my new J&M shorty antennas. :2vrolijk_21:
I talked to both Harley riders and Goldwing guys. They all agreed that my transmissions were clearer than with the whips and Freedom rubber shorties. I also heard more conversations than I usually hear on the CB too.
All in all I would say the J&M shorties are the best way to go!
(FYI I did not use a SWR meter or remove any wire,just installed)
What channel/s were you on?
Hi Guys,
I am regarding to buy the shorty antennas from J&M as I can see that everyone is happy with them.
I am tired of bending my whips before entering the garage.
Did you buy them directly from J&M or do you have a better tip for me?
Don't forget I need to have them shipped to Belgium, so a web shop would be better than a dealers shop.
Thanks for your reply.
Have a nice day.
Phil
OK So now I Know the danger of being on this great site! I just ordered the J&M antennas. I will be ordering a jack and glare products this weekend. :-* Thanks for all the info it really helps in making a decision. :2vrolijk_21: T MAC:D That's one of the benfits of knowing us great people...we will help you spend your money. ;) You made the right choice with the J&Ms I'm very happy with the looks and performance.
Just got here, Thank you Red and Ultra for all the R&D I was looking at these and of course my friend says, Just cut the stock whips down and wala! Wait until I tell him what hed did to his radio :)SJPZZZ,
I am in CA and try to make it to Rolling Thunder in DC every year and I NEED the CB, it is a must! So THANK YOU! I read all 17 pages !!!
Steven
SP, welcome to the party. Glad to see you are into security, your avatar is great.Yeah, but we love it.
You may want the Clampetts guarding your wallet around here, someone is always getting into it.
I just read the last 7 pages of this post and I might have missed someone else doing this. I cut 12 inches off from both antenna masts. The FM antenna is not a problem. It works fine but is receive only. I added 12 inches of 14 ga. wire between the antenna mast (inside the tour pack) and the wire that cnnects to it. Since it is on the same side of the tuning coil as the section I removed, the effective length is the same. I believe the SWR should be as good as it was from the factory. I really don't want to hear anything over about 5 miles anyway. I just don't want to destroy the finals in the radio. I will check the SWR when I get up the courage to pull the fairing.Wow,
CUDOS on this extreamly well read and managed site. You are realy doing a service. My 07 red/black SEEG is my fourth new Harley in five years. My last one was a 05 red SEEG. I love the 110. I also have a 1977 blue FLH with 12,000 miles. It was my Dads.
I just got it out (upstate NY) and I will deal with the lean mix / muffler stuff next. Anyway, thanks.
I just read the last 7 pages of this post and I might have missed someone else doing this. I cut 12 inches off from both antenna masts. The FM antenna is not a problem. It works fine but is receive only. I added 12 inches of 14 ga. wire between the antenna mast (inside the tour pack) and the wire that cnnects to it. Since it is on the same side of the tuning coil as the section I removed, the effective length is the same. I believe the SWR should be as good as it was from the factory. I really don't want to hear anything over about 5 miles anyway. I just don't want to destroy the finals in the radio. I will check the SWR when I get up the courage to pull the fairing.
CUDOS on this extreamly well read and managed site. You are realy doing a service. My 07 red/black SEEG is my fourth new Harley in five years. My last one was a 05 red SEEG. I love the 110. I also have a 1977 blue FLH with 12,000 miles. It was my Dads.
I just got it out (upstate NY) and I will deal with the lean mix / muffler stuff next. Anyway, thanks.
Get the J&M's, they are worth the money spent. Just my $0.02.
Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
:devil:
Hi Charlie. Finally checked the SWR on mine this weekend. Standard whip was over 3:1 over most of the range (!). These radios sure must have a tought output stage! The J&M started at between 2.5 and 3.2 over the range, and I ended up cutting about 5" of wire from it, in ¼" chunks, which got it down to between 1.3:1 and 1.7:1 over the whole range (I was aiming to get it as low as possible on ch 30, which is what we use.) So I think that's now reasonable, and on paper it should work better than the standard whip at least! Not done any checks for range yet, as I had nobody to check it with. Also flashed the radio firmware to the 8.19 version, but can't see any difference. One thing I can say for sure is that the HK radio on this bike behaves a whole lot differently than the one on my '06 CUSE did, in many respects (vox, squelch, CB.....) and it had the same firmware as the new one originally came with, so I suspect they are shipping radio mk2 now.. ;)Jim,
Cheers,
Jim
Sometimes the MoCo is too secretive. It's almost like they're paranoid that someone may find out a secret of theirs. Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
Charlie
Amen to that Charlie! :2vrolijk_21: You know what drives me crazy? In HOG Tales, or The Enthusiast, every single time - each and every time! - the Moco mentions "H-D" or "Harley" or "HOG" or "Sportster" or "Dyna" or "ABCs of Touring" or any one of a million other words, they feel they have to stick ™ or ® or © after it. Like we didn't know already. :soapbox:
Jim
Hey guys, it drives me crazy too, but having been involved in a couple of trademark infringement deals with VW and Porsche in which they are protecting the trademark, I can tell you not to blame them. Guess who? The Feds, if the MoCo does not "aggressively" market and defend the trademark it will become public domain and then everyone would have free access to it.
That would be millions of dollars in licensing and sales for them. So while it is another annoyance, it will remain. IMHP
Hey guys, it drives me crazy too, but having been involved in a couple of trademark infringement deals with VW and Porsche in which they are protecting the trademark, I can tell you not to blame them. Guess who? The Feds, if the MoCo does not "aggressively" market and defend the trademark it will become public domain and then everyone would have free access to it.Rog,
That would be millions of dollars in licensing and sales for them. So while it is another annoyance, it will remain. IMHP
Rog,
I agree wholeheartedly as to why they do it, but like Jim said, it would be nice to have just a single disclaimer, like most adds have at the bottom, or beginning, etc, that states, such and such, and so and so, are registered trademarks of the Harley Davidson Motor CompanyTM instead of everytime they mention it in their magazine...
Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
:devil:
Hi Charlie. Finally checked the SWR on mine this weekend. Standard whip was over 3:1 over most of the range (!). These radios sure must have a tough output stage! The J&M started at between 2.5 and 3.2 over the range, and I ended up cutting about 5" of wire from it, in ¼" chunks, which got it down to between 1.3:1 and 1.7:1 over the whole range (I was aiming to get it as low as possible on ch 30, which is what we use.) So I think that's now reasonable, and on paper it should work better than the standard whip at least! Not done any checks for range yet, as I had nobody to check it with. Also flashed the radio firmware to the 8.19 version, but can't see any difference. One thing I can say for sure is that the HK radio on this bike behaves a whole lot differently than the one on my '06 CUSE did, in many respects (vox, squelch, CB.....) and it had the same firmware as the new one originally came with, so I suspect they are shipping radio mk2 now.. ;)
Cheers,
Jim
Jim,
I got the J&Ms for looks. Let me ask a question about range... Isn't CB a line of sight type of wave?? IE taller antenna greater reach? Shorter antenna shorter reach??
Iron
Jim,Iron,
I got the J&Ms for looks. Let me ask a question about range... Isn't CB a line of sight type of wave?? IE taller antenna greater reach? Shorter antenna shorter reach??
Iron
Iron,
You're somewhat right, but that's only because of power. You're only allowed, legally, 4 watts. CB's operate in the HF band which is an excellent long-haul band, which is why you'll notice "skip" chatter on your CB at various times of the day and year. Depending on solar activity and atmospherics. Okay now, that I've totally bored you, Jim is absolutely right, shorter antennas tuned right will always give you better results then badly tuned, like the factory whips, antennas. If the factory whips were tuned properly, you wouldn't notice that much difference between the shorties and the factory whips. You're pretty much limited to ground wave for normal communications and also antenna height. Remember, the factory whips are electrically no higher than the shorties...you measure antenna height from the base of the antenna to the ground, they just give you a little more radiating surface, but the actual radiation pattern of vertically polarized omni-directional antenna is pretty much identical. So the short answer is no, you're not going to see much better performance out of properly tuned factory whips, then you will out of the shorties. But remember, the factory whips are badly out of tune...I still can't believe the MoCo lets those bikes go that way out of the factory. Sorry to ramble Iron...
Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
:devil:
So on a CB the base height not tip height, is what matters, for the non-Cliff Claven answer?Yep...in radio licensing terms it's called HAAT (Height Above Average Terrain). Now, if I can just figure out how to mount the shorties on top of a 75 foot tower mounted to the tour pack.......... :P
Yep...in radio licensing terms it's called HAAT (Height Above Average Terrain). Now, if I can just figure out how to mount the shorties on top of a 75 foot tower mounted to the tour pack.......... :P
Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
:devil:
Iron,
You're somewhat right, but that's only because of power. You're only allowed, legally, 4 watts. CB's operate in the HF band which is an excellent long-haul band, which is why you'll notice "skip" chatter on your CB at various times of the day and year. Depending on solar activity and atmospherics. Okay now, that I've totally bored you, Jim is absolutely right, shorter antennas tuned right will always give you better results then badly tuned, like the factory whips, antennas. If the factory whips were tuned properly, you wouldn't notice that much difference between the shorties and the factory whips. You're pretty much limited to ground wave for normal communications and also antenna height. Remember, the factory whips are electrically no higher than the shorties...you measure antenna height from the base of the antenna to the ground, they just give you a little more radiating surface, but the actual radiation pattern of vertically polarized omni-directional antenna is pretty much identical. So the short answer is no, you're not going to see much better performance out of properly tuned factory whips, then you will out of the shorties. But remember, the factory whips are badly out of tune...I still can't believe the MoCo lets those bikes go that way out of the factory. Sorry to ramble Iron...
Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
:devil:
Thanks, RD...I appreciate your expertise in this area, as I know as much about a CB and how it works as a cat does about a shotgun.Terry,
Thanks, RD... I know as much about a CB and how it works as a cat does about a shotgun.
Terry,
You been watching my cats out on the skeet range lately?? One of them is getting pretty good. :P :rifle:
Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
:devil:
Cat's are spitefull things...I like 'em, but they do chit on purpose.Terry,
I do appreciate the CB explanations...in a million years I would never have guessed the whole height thing with the antenna.
Terry,It is not just cats. Our dog will definitely pout and act out when she gets pi$$ at us.
My cats are a trip...and you're right, they do things on purpose, just to pi$$ you off. :P Thanks for comments...I hope my comments do contribute a little to the folks in the forum.
Cheers :2vrolijk_21:,
:devil:
It is not just cats. Our dog will definitely pout and act out when she gets pi$$ at us.
Oh yea, Jerry...the dogs do it too, but they don't stay pi$$ed very long, it seems. Cats hold a grudge for days... ;) I've had some sweet cats before, but I've also had one or two that came out of the womb hissing and spitting...of course one of those was a redhead, so maybe that explains it. My animals lead the Life of Riley (whew, that one dates me, doesn't it?), but that little chit would bite you for no reason from before he opened his eyes to when he finally disappeared.Uh oh!!!! :nervous: My :lipsrsealed2:. I think my brotha may be :wall:. :oops: :huepfenlol2:
It is not just cats. Our dog will definitely pout and act out when she gets pi$$ at us.Ultra,