How many MPGs will I lose?

[Andyinchville1]

Hi All,

I drive a lot at night in desolate areas doing delivery work.

With that in mind, I am thinking about bringing my CB radio out of retirement
(in the event I break down and have no cell reception).

My question is how much will I lose MPG wise if I add a 60" whip antenna to the middle of the roof of a 2003 Jetta Station Wagon.

I have also considered adding a cell phone amplifier and aux antenna....This antenna is much smaller than the CB antenna so I figure if I put it behind the CB antenna I won't lose much more aero since the CB antenna will break the wind for the second antenna.

I'll also be adding driving lights / spot beams and fog lights but I don't think than will hurt anything aero wise since I will be placing them in the grill area as a grill block of sorts (I'll fill in the other open areas with sheet metal painted to match the car) so if anything the extra lights and grill block my actually help mileage.

Thanks in advance for any and all help / opinions.

Andrew

[LittleBlackDuck]

Originally Posted by Andyinchville1

Hi All,

I drive a lot at night in desolate areas doing delivery work.

With that in mind, I am thinking about bringing my CB radio out of retirement
(in the event I break down and have no cell reception).

My question is how much will I lose MPG wise if I add a 60" whip antenna to the middle of the roof of a 2003 Jetta Station Wagon.

I have also considered adding a cell phone amplifier and aux antenna....This antenna is much smaller than the CB antenna so I figure if I put it behind the CB antenna I won't lose much more aero since the CB antenna will break the wind for the second antenna.

I'll also be adding driving lights / spot beams and fog lights but I don't think than will hurt anything aero wise since I will be placing them in the grill area as a grill block of sorts (I'll fill in the other open areas with sheet metal painted to match the car) so if anything the extra lights and grill block my actually help mileage.

Thanks in advance for any and all help / opinions.

Andrew

Stuff it in the boot with a magnetic based antenna and deploy if/when needed. Stuff all weight penalty and no drag.

Simon

[grins2go_brett]

Look into the Wilson Antenna W1000 model. It's a removable hard mount setup. The permanent roof mounted part looks like this:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=...79746442489466
(EDIT: Ok, that link doesn't got directly to the picture I had in mind, but the guys install pictures are about 2/3rds of the way down that thread page with the base installed without the cap, as well as a finished one farther down.)
It has a cap that screws on to keep it weather proof. This is the base that screws on with a 5' whip.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=...79746442489466
I had this setup on my 2002 Toyota Tacoma almost since the day I bought it until I sold it 4 years ago. Paired with a good Cobra CB, I always had the best transmission and reception distance among the 4 wheelers out on the trails. Virtually no drag penalty without the antenna on since it's only about a 2" high bump above the roof line. Bring the antenna out of the trunk or wherever it's stored and screw it on if you need to use it.

[mcrews]

what both those guys said^^^^^^^^^!!!!!!

but to answer the question..... .023415 mpg.

in other words.....not enough to even worry about.
Heck, lose 15lbs of crap in your car and you'll pick up mpgs!!!

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Andyinchville1

Hi All,

I drive a lot at night in desolate areas doing delivery work.

With that in mind, I am thinking about bringing my CB radio out of retirement
(in the event I break down and have no cell reception).

My question is how much will I lose MPG wise if I add a 60" whip antenna to the middle of the roof of a 2003 Jetta Station Wagon.

I have also considered adding a cell phone amplifier and aux antenna....This antenna is much smaller than the CB antenna so I figure if I put it behind the CB antenna I won't lose much more aero since the CB antenna will break the wind for the second antenna.

I'll also be adding driving lights / spot beams and fog lights but I don't think than will hurt anything aero wise since I will be placing them in the grill area as a grill block of sorts (I'll fill in the other open areas with sheet metal painted to match the car) so if anything the extra lights and grill block my actually help mileage.

Thanks in advance for any and all help / opinions.

Andrew

towards the top of the Aero Forum page are some seminars and mod data lists.In there somewhere is some past data on antenna drag.