Cool Tech's CB Antenna Kit for JL Wrangler - Available Now

[CoolTech]

The tailgate, I wanted to purchase the Cool Tech kit

Our Cool Tech kit will NOT smack the hardtop under normal conditions. The scenario where you could have contact with the hardtop is when a tree branch or other obstructions catches the antenna and draws it back. But, driving in high winds, freeways, etc., the antenna will not strike the body of hardtop.

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[Brew211]

Our Cool Tech kit will NOT smack the hardtop under normal conditions. The scenario where you could have contact with the hardtop is when a tree branch or other obstructions catches the antenna and draws it back. But, driving in high winds, freeways, etc., the antenna will not strike the body of hardtop.

Thank you for following up.
The scenario that I'm most concerned about is while off-roading and under articulation will it smack the hard top?
Thank you

 

[CoolTech]

Thank you for following up.
The scenario that I'm most concerned about is while off-roading and under articulation will it smack the hard top?
Thank you

No. Really the only scenario for contact with the hardtop is when the antenna itself catches a bush or branch and then is released.

 

[Brew211]

No. Really the only scenario for contact with the hardtop is when the antenna itself catches a bush or branch and then is released.

That is great news! Is that with or without the spring? And do you recommend a spring?

 

[Punkindave]

Question:
I have not owned a CB for years because I couldn't stand the antenna "smack". Is this still a problem or has the issue been resolved (besides the tennis ball technique)?

This kit is a neat and clean install and their customer service is excellent. My prob was that there was NO CB traffic anymore in my area so there was no way to test until we hit the trails with others.

I had to substitute a 2' Firestik antenna because I couldn't fit in the garage. The first time on the trail with the 4' smacked on every tree.. Both probs solved, SWR perfect and it works well enough for the trail.

 

[CoolTech]

Prior to releasing the kit, we tested with several of Firestik's antennas. We really like the Firefly because of its flexibility - yet it won't "wiggle" or "wag" at freeway speeds. With this antenna, you don't really need a spring - but we acknowledge that some of our customers simply prefer to have the spring for even more flexibility. Not that there are a variety of antenna heights available with our kit. You can select either a 3' or 4' antenna - and then you have the option to mount the bracket to either the upper or lower hinge.

 

[johnparjr]

@CoolTech make a mount for a GCRM antenna please some of us don't use CB's

 

[prerunner1982]

@CoolTech make a mount for a GCRM antenna please some of us don't use CB's

GCRM?

Is that supposed to be GMRS?

It wouldn't take much to make the antenna mounting pad a bit bigger to accept NMO mount antennas.

 

[Bryce]

If you have a Mopar Tailgate Reinforcement, is the only difference in the Cooltech mount without the reinforcement just longer bolts or is there more spacers too? Does anyone know the total length I'm the bolts with the Tailgate Reinforcement?

 

[Brew211]

Another question, how tall does the antenna need to be above your jeep? Is 6" enough?

 

[prerunner1982]

Another question, how tall does the antenna need to be above your jeep? Is 6" enough?

The more the better. Luckily in a Wrangler there isn't a metal roof and C/D Pillar to deal with but the signal still has to go through the top, passengers heads/bodies and there is still a metal roll bar and metal windshield frame that will bounce signals around. The less antenna you have above the vehicle the less signal strength you may have to the front of the vehicle. However, since all of the metal mass "below" the antenna is towards the front the signal will be skewed that direction, which one will overcome the other?
Also, in vehicle to vehicle (line of sight) communication antenna height is key but many people have to deal with garages, parking structures, or the drive-thru for their favorite latte and so there has to be compromises such as short antennas and not optimal mounting locations.

This is one (or many) instances where GMRS or ham radio is better. A 1/4 wave GMRS antenna is only about 6" tall so it can more easily be mounted on top of a vehicle and requires much less ground plane where as a 1/4 CB antenna is 108" tall.

 

[RangerRobAZ]

Installed the cool tech JL antenna mount kit today. Overall very happy customer. They even processed my order on Christmas Day and I had it by Saturday! Components all seem like high quality to me, the mount piece itself is much thicker and stronger than I thought from pictures. Running the cable wasn’t too hard, although you’ll likely snap off a few trim clips and have to push them back on. I love that the connector can be disassembled to make it much smaller for routing through the car. Made life much easier.

I got SWR reading within 1.5-1.6 on ch 1 and 40. Good enough from what I’ve read. I am using a midland 75-822, which can convert between handheld and car mounted. I am just using the cigarette lighter plug that comes with it, perhaps if I ran back to battery my SWR would be lower, but I am happy for the effort level and being able to easily remove the CB.

I also got the quick disconnect for the 4’ antenna. Not sure if that could impact Swr, but I may pull it off. It does work nicely for quick remove, but it allows the antenna to wobble over bumps and I can hear it clunking back and forth.

one question, the instructions say to use an 8mm hex bit to tighten the included bolts. This is not even close to the actual size. I got a 6mm hex bit and that is very close, but when I go to tighten, the 6mm is able to rotate inside the bolt head just a bit so it seems a tad small. What size hex bit is correct? I’d like to crank down with the right size.

thanks for the great product and full kit. Made my life a lot easier, knowing very little about CB or antennas.

 

[Bryce]

If you have a Mopar Tailgate Reinforcement, is the only difference in the Cooltech mount without the reinforcement just longer bolts or is there more spacers too? Does anyone know the total length I'm the bolts with the Tailgate Reinforcement?

In case anyone cares, you'll need 2x 10m-1.50 60mm button head bolts. The ones with the reinforcement will work, but should be replaced with the 60mm long bolts to get enoug thread tightened on each.

 

[prerunner1982]

I got SWR reading within 1.5-1.6 on ch 1 and 40. Good enough from what I’ve read. I am using a midland 75-822, which can convert between handheld and car mounted. I am just using the cigarette lighter plug that comes with it, perhaps if I ran back to battery my SWR would be lower,.

SWR is acceptable and running the power to the battery will not affect the SWR.
SWR is more or less a measurement of the antennas efficiency. How much of the signal that is being sent to the antenna is coming back towards the radio versus being radiated by the antenna.

 

[Bilymac]

@CoolTech, will the mount work, or can it be adapted to work, with a nmo base?

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