First, let me explain how J&M's antenna mount for the Spyder is set up. There is a aluminum bracket that holds the antenna. That mounts under the license plate screws on the back fender. I don't like it for a few reasons. They did not drill any mounting holes, leaving it to the installer to layout and drill the holes. I don't know why as the Spyder's license plate holes are in a standard layout. No biggie but still... Also, that mounting location puts a very short (1 foot?) antenna pretty low and I don't know for sure but I've read a few things about CB communications that say putting the antenna below the main part of the vehicle can cut down on its range. Finally, and the problem that led to both of our antennas breaking, is that a very thin and flimsy antenna is very low to the ground and sticking out past the back end of the Spyder.
My antenna broke somehow on my initial trial run. I don't know for sure how it happened but I think it was when I took a turn down a dead end street and did a Y turn at the end to turn around. There were very small trees and brush close to the road. I think the antenna touched some of the brush and when I turned and started to pull away, the antenna flexed and snapped right at the spot where the fiberglass of the antenna connected to the mounting screw. I don't know for sure if that's how and where my antenna broke but, other than that, I only rode on smooth straight roads and didn't stop anywhere for gas, snacks, shopping, visiting, etc. The only other explanation would be that while riding at 60 mph, the vibration and wind snapped the antenna. It is flimsy but I don't think its that flimsy and my wife rode with hers mounted the same way for 500 miles on the expressway without it breaking. Anyways, I didn't even know it was broke when I got back until my wife came home that evening and asked when I was going to finish connecting the J&M CB. I told her I did but she asked where the antenna was. I thought she was pulling my leg but, sure enough, it wasn't there. Only the mounting screw connected to the aluminum mounting bracket. :banghead: I bought a replacement antenna at a local Radio Shack (the only place within 40 miles that sold CB antennas). I also bought their CB antenna tuner. When I checked the tuning on the antenna, it didn't seem to act right. The tuning basically showed almost perfect and I had read that no antenna can be perfect. The new antenna worked but I had very short range once I finally got to test it. I don't know if the problem was the style of antenna or that I somehow messed up the CB by breaking off the old antenna. :dontknow:
As I said, my wife's antenna worked in that same mounting location for many miles down the road. I installed her CB setup a day or two before we left for the Gatlinburg rally this past summer. Even though I could only hear her and she could only hear me about 100 yards away, she talked with some other truckers who appeared to be a few miles away. She said that even when I was riding next to her, it sounded like I was a long ways off. So during one of our fuel stops, I was talking with our riding partner about how I didn't like the J&M antenna mount. I brushed my leg up against the antenna and
pps: it flexed a tiny bit and snapped. :banghead: That's why I think mine broke while turning on that dead end road. It didn't take much to snap the antenna when I knew what I did and even though I know I didn't make hard contact with anything, I can see how just hanging up on some brush would snap the antenna. So, luckily we were at a gas station that sold CB antennas and we bought her the shortest Firestik (3 foot) that they had. We connected it but her transmission distance was now the same as mine.
We have since bought two Firestik NGP style antennas and our transmission distance is better but not great. The antenna tuning still seems to be acting strange. It might be that I just don't know what I'm doing but the tuning process seems pretty straightforward. :dontknow: I may take the entire setup (CB, cables and antenna) off both Spyders and send it to the place where we bought the antennas to let them check out the setup and tune the antennas.
