so i was given a nice little cobra cb and went down to radio shack and bought an antenna ,basic came with mounting plate and cord. i also picked up one of those adapters for the cb so it can plug into the lighter. im getting lousy reception tho and wondering if the little bit of gasket paste i put between the outside of the mounting plate(i drilled threw my rear quater)and my jeep could hinder signal?and also if the power plug is a reliable power source. i have no expirence and am reading all i can..so any input would be awsome thanks
cb antenna confusion
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JPNinPA
Well-known member
What kind of noise?
Is it general static or noise that seem to of with the engine or other electrical components? If you don't know try running the radio with the engine on and with the key out. If the noise is with engine on and key in and in on position it's electrical noise and your power and ground is likely the issue. If this doesn't find teh noise try disconnecting the antenna wire from teh back of the radio. DO NOT transmit. If the noise goes away it is transmittded noise and a bit more difficult to eliminate.
Second did you check the SWR on the antenna and wire setup? This will help with reception but mostly with transmitting. Do not transmit without being sure you are below SWR =2.
Let us know what yu find along the way and we could help you through.
Here is a good site if you like reading.
Tech-Docs Index
Is it general static or noise that seem to of with the engine or other electrical components? If you don't know try running the radio with the engine on and with the key out. If the noise is with engine on and key in and in on position it's electrical noise and your power and ground is likely the issue. If this doesn't find teh noise try disconnecting the antenna wire from teh back of the radio. DO NOT transmit. If the noise goes away it is transmittded noise and a bit more difficult to eliminate.
Second did you check the SWR on the antenna and wire setup? This will help with reception but mostly with transmitting. Do not transmit without being sure you are below SWR =2.
Let us know what yu find along the way and we could help you through.
Here is a good site if you like reading.
Tech-Docs Index
thank you so much! really i believe i suffer from never having one before. I was expecting to actually hear someone on it. it has no automatic scanning feature so i havent heard anybody on it even the highway. when i adjust the squelch i can get the noise to stop.there was no difference with the engine off.Im not sure the swr, ive read on it i just couldnt afford one at the moment.
JPNinPA
Well-known member
Being new and asking questions is a great place to start. Happy to help!!
SWR meters are app $18 at a truck stop. Not bad but not free. OR hopefully someone on here who lives close will help you out. I'm too far to drive over. ;-) It's a gas thing.
DO NOT transmit without tuning your antenna with the SWR.
PS If you do hear someone transmittting this does not mean your are closely tuned. The antenna will pick up many wavelengths regardless of tune. When you transmit with an untuned antenna the power sent out will be reflected back and depending on time and amount of reflected power you will fry your radio.
Depending on where you live there may not be a lot of traffic on the CB. I live just outside of the beltway in Baltimore and there is almost constant chatter from truckers on the beltway. When I'm driving home to my parents or in-laws in WV you don't usually hear much of anything in my experience unless there's a wreck or something and traffic is backed up. The exception is in places like where we hunt in Green Bottom, West Virginia where there is literally NO cell phone service (cell signals are blocked to prevent interference from a government radio satellite "observatory"), so people there use CB's as a primary means of communication.
i have a Connex 3300 HP and a 450 Watt Palomar HD amp, and a 108 inch whip antenna.... SWR is 1.2 on the low side and 1.4 on the high side. Your antenna is 80% of the system, try a wilson silver load or even a francis. francis requires no trimming and wilsons generally tune up nice. Check your ground and SWR. RF power loves surface ground.
thanks everybody for the help. dont seem to be any place that sells radio stuff near me except radio shack...bought a 50$ meter that hurt...any way it said my swr was 1.5 when i plugged it all in,although i could manipulate it with the calibration knob...all i can do is keep reading and keep asking questions again thanks to everybody!!!
JPNinPA
Well-known member
If you are reading correctly 1,5 isn't bad. But you shouldn't be adjusting the cal knob when reading. See link or read below for SWR reading.
What antenna and mount did you buy? Knowing this will help. Take a pic of your set up. Antenna and mount.
http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs.htm This has info all about CB's
http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs/Setting_SWR.htm This one is specific to tuning an antenna
GI Joe's and right channel radios plus others are on the web.
Pilot travel centers on both sides of Albany
Quick on SWR reading: Hook up meter between antenna and radio nearest the radio. Be sure the connections are to the proper ports. Select FWD position. Hold the mike transmit button and adjust the (cal, set or adjust) knob to the set point. Change the switch to REF while still holding the Mic transmit and record the reading. This is your SWR. Do this on channel 19, 1 and 40.
Start with 19 and adjust antenna length until your under 2. Closer to 1 the better.
What antenna and mount did you buy? Knowing this will help. Take a pic of your set up. Antenna and mount.
http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs.htm This has info all about CB's
http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs/Setting_SWR.htm This one is specific to tuning an antenna
GI Joe's and right channel radios plus others are on the web.
Pilot travel centers on both sides of Albany
Quick on SWR reading: Hook up meter between antenna and radio nearest the radio. Be sure the connections are to the proper ports. Select FWD position. Hold the mike transmit button and adjust the (cal, set or adjust) knob to the set point. Change the switch to REF while still holding the Mic transmit and record the reading. This is your SWR. Do this on channel 19, 1 and 40.
Start with 19 and adjust antenna length until your under 2. Closer to 1 the better.
channel 19 is usally best for over the road but mines and power plants etc have their own the use for important talk about were to dump stuff or emergencys at the plant, 9 is the emergency channel for what idk noone is there if somethings wrong?
