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[Bagger]

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

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

[Midnight Rider]

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]

Yea, Henry...know what you're talking about.  The Exigent cover is so large that it comes all the way down over everything, so only a few places are touching the paint.  I carry some brand of detailing spray with me on trips and a couple of microfiber towels to get the worst of the bug guts, etc off.  I worry more about the bike being totally exposed to prying eyes...if they can't see what's under there, and it doesn't have HD written all over it, it gives me at least a false sense of security, if not a real one.  Besides, I have the GLARE to get the spider webs out of the paint...

[RedDevil]

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

Henry,
You may not have to wait too long.    I got a response back from J&M this morning, by the guy that designed them. The folks at J&M are fantastic people.  I've bought their headsets before and they are great to deal with.  Here's the response from them on the antennas:

They are tuned to an SWR of about 1.2:1 on channel 1 ,,, 2.0:1 on channel 20 and 2.7:1 on channel 40 ,,,,,,,

As each bike will be slightly different because of the Harley CB antenna load coil already installed into the tail trunk,,,,, this can vary slightly from bike to bike ,,, ,,,,,

I have designed the antennas just slightly on the long side so that you can fine tune them to your particular bike by taking off the top cap and pulling an inch or two at a time of copper out of the top of the antenna ,,,,, to fine tune the SWR to be the same on channels 1 and 40 ,,, that way all the other channels are the same or less than 1 and 40 as far as SWR is concerned ,,,,

Hope this helps ,,,,,,

Happy New Year to you and your family ,,,,,,

John Lazzeroni

He apparently figured that most people talk primarily in channels 1-20 (which in my experience, has been the case), so he went with optimally tuning channel 1 and it going up from there.  2:1 is acceptable although I would have preferred the 1.2.1 at channel 20 instead.   He also mentions the options of fine tuning the antenna to each individual bike, so that can be good, if the SWR is higher than what he designed them for.  

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

[RJ749]

 Also, I got them with free shipping and no tax, so that was kinda nice.  8-)
Red

Thanks for the leg work.  Sounds like they'll be great.

Is the shipping a regular offer or something you got special?

Rog

[Fired00d]

........  

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,
Also noticed that they recommend one style for tourpak mount (HRUP-ATM), and one for rail mount (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]

[RJ749]

Red,
 I'm currently using a [highlight]rubber duckie antenna  [/highlight][smiley=pumpkin.gif]
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 [smiley=fireman.gif]

Nice antenna d00d [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]  But why does your rubber duckie need an antenna?

[RedDevil]

Thanks for the leg work.  Sounds like they'll be great.

Is the shipping a regular offer or something you got special?

Rog

The free shipping is a standard thing, as long as you use UPS ground or Parcel Post.  

Red

[RedDevil]

Nice antenna d00d [smiley=xyxthumbs.gif]  But why does your rubber duckie need an antenna?

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!  Now I have to buy a new keyboard.  I just spewed Pepsi all over it!!!!!  [smiley=ROFLOL.gif]

[RedDevil]

Red,
Also noticed that they recommend one style for tourpak mount (HRUP-ATM), and one for rail mount (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]

d00d,
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

[Fired00d]

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??? That is one kewl a$$ duckie I'll have you know. 8-) [smiley=huepfenlol2.gif]

 [smiley=pumpkin.gif]
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 [smiley=fireman.gif]

[Fired00d]

d00d,
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

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]

 [smiley=pumpkin.gif]
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 [smiley=fireman.gif]

[RedDevil]

Heh, you laughing at my duckie??? That is one kewl a$$ duckie I'll have you know. 8-) [smiley=huepfenlol2.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

[RedDevil]

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.

Red

[Fired00d]

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.... [smiley=lipsrsealed.gif] [smiley=lipsrsealed2.gif] You are going to embarrass her you weren't supposed to notice that. [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]

[RJ749]

Shhhhhh.... [smiley=lipsrsealed.gif] [smiley=lipsrsealed2.gif] You are going to [highlight]embarrass her [/highlight] you weren't supposed to notice that. [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]

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!