>
>Whistle? Nope, the rubber seal is as tight as a bug in a rug, but you do
>loose use of the window. :^(
>
>Range so so? Yep, but then unless you have a big huge antenna coming from
>the top of the Van how can you get good range and still have it fit through
>a car wash or in your garage?
>
>- Steve in Columbus

I've been following this thread and can no longer keep quiet.  For the
T.U.R.D. I have a Thule rack mounted just in front of the pop top to
luggage  rack seem.  On the left side is a mirror mount with the C.B.
antenna and on the right is a mirror mount with a 2m antenna.  For pulling
the van into the garage the antennas are unscrewed from the mounts and
stored in the upper bunk.  The only hassle was having to ground the rack to
the body so that both antennas would work right.  The CB antenna is a
fiberglass "Stick" type with a tunable tip.  The 2m is an A.S. base loaded
5/8 wave.  Both are over  feet tall, so going through drive-thrus is out if
they have an awning.  The range on both antennas is great!  there is no
substitute for an efficient antenna and proper elevation.

If I didn't have the rack (and for quite a while I didn't) I would go back
to a good gutter clamp style mount.  Get the good ones from your local
amateur radio supply shop, not a truck stop, and don't forget a proper ground.

Just my $0.02

Chris Smith
N9LCK
'82 Westy
'74 Thing
Some cars that even run!