LOST JEEPS
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/

My CB Radio is not getting out very far :(
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=33318		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  BeepBeepJeepJeep [ Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:51 pm ]
Post subject:  My CB Radio is not getting out very far :(
All,

Me and jerseykj installed a Pro 510XL in my liberty today. I am getting great clear signals from 5-10mi + (one guy was talking about the ball game letting out causing traffic, and the stadium is in another state about 10mi away.

However, I can not seem to get out to anyone. I even have an antenna on the roof of my house with a scanner attached, and my scanner does not pick me up if i'm more than ~500 feet away.

Anyone have any ideas?

The antenna is a 5' Wilson 1000. The best SWR we could get was ~1.3:1 on channel 1 and ~ 1.9:1 on channel 40, I know the SWRs are supposed to be equal at 1 and 40 but the antenna wouldn't get any shorter. Could this be my issue? We also do not have the ground wire hooked up, because it appeared to make the SWR worse...

Is there a way to measure the wattage that the CB radio itself is putting out to make sure my radio isn't fuzzed up?
Author:  Fulltimer [ Sun Jun 15, 2008 12:03 am ]
Post subject: 
Did you check to see if you were putting out a signal but no audio? A dead carrier. If that was it I would check the mic. Check your grounds. When you were checking the SWR: was the SWR real high at first? If so, did you key the mic for a long period? When you key the mic does the S meter needle swing forward?

Terry
Author:  BeepBeepJeepJeep [ Sun Jun 15, 2008 12:04 am ]
Post subject: 
Fulltimer wrote:
Did you check to see if you were putting out a signal but no audio? A dead carrier. If that was it I would check the mic. Check your grounds. When you were checking the SWR: was the SWR real high at first? If so, did you key the mic for a long period? When you key the mic does the S meter needle swing forward?

Terry


I know I am outputting audio... I do not have the SWR meter handy. I do not recall whether or not it was real high at first or not, but the mic was never keyed for more than 2 or 3 seconds.
Author:  jerseykj [ Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:46 am ]
Post subject: 
hey bill i pmd ya. i'll keep thinking/looking of what it could be. try taking the little wip out and see if that works. i belive on the antenna box it said you might have to take it out.
Author:  TnRebel [ Sun Jun 15, 2008 2:26 pm ]
Post subject: 
Take it from an OLD CBer if you hooked the ground up and the SWR got worst you have a short in the Ant. system some where CO-AX or connector (PL-259 or 8 )
Author:  BeepBeepJeepJeep [ Sun Jun 15, 2008 5:14 pm ]
Post subject: 
TnRebel wrote:
Take it from an OLD CBer if you hooked the ground up and the SWR got worst you have a short in the Ant. system some where CO-AX or connector (PL-259 or 8 )


Thanks Rebel...
Author:  jerseykj [ Sun Jun 15, 2008 11:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
TnRebel wrote:
Take it from an OLD CBer if you hooked the ground up and the SWR got worst you have a short in the Ant. system some where CO-AX or connector (PL-259 or 8 )


no short, mine did the same thing so no grounding strap for me. and we checked everything today and everything apears normal. beepbeep stayed stationary while i drove farther away while we talked to each other. got a good distance and we could hear eachother just fine, and there was alot of buildings trees and a million gal water tower/water plant between us.
Author:  TnRebel [ Mon Jun 16, 2008 4:10 pm ]
Post subject: 
hey the only thing I say then is take it to a CB shop and have it checked ,if SWR gets worst when the ground is hooked up something is not right and if you run a kicker with it like that get ready to buy a new one.
Author:  BeepBeepJeepJeep [ Mon Jun 16, 2008 5:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
TnRebel wrote:
hey the only thing I say then is take it to a CB shop and have it checked ,if SWR gets worst when the ground is hooked up something is not right and if you run a kicker with it like that get ready to buy a new one.


Maybe you misunderstand what we mean when we say the SWR got worse. It wasn't that that SWR got higher, it was that the SWR range between ch1 and ch40 got further apart (I think the SWR on ch1 actually got lower, but ch40 stayed the same)
Author:  TnRebel [ Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:25 pm ]
Post subject: 
BeepBeepJeepJeep wrote:
TnRebel wrote:
hey the only thing I say then is take it to a CB shop and have it checked ,if SWR gets worst when the ground is hooked up something is not right and if you run a kicker with it like that get ready to buy a new one.


Maybe you misunderstand what we mean when we say the SWR got worse. It wasn't that that SWR got higher, it was that the SWR range between ch1 and ch40 got further apart (I think the SWR on ch1 actually got lower, but ch40 stayed the same)


That's good then , all you need is a little tweaking on the Ant. if its not a pre-cut system then make sure the co-ax is cut in 108" times ever how much you need to go from ant. to unit, ( if 108" dose not reach ,then 216") Mine runs about 1.1 to 1.1:5 from ch. 1 to 40 ch 19 about 1.1:2
Author:  BeepBeepJeepJeep [ Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
TnRebel wrote:
BeepBeepJeepJeep wrote:
TnRebel wrote:
hey the only thing I say then is take it to a CB shop and have it checked ,if SWR gets worst when the ground is hooked up something is not right and if you run a kicker with it like that get ready to buy a new one.


Maybe you misunderstand what we mean when we say the SWR got worse. It wasn't that that SWR got higher, it was that the SWR range between ch1 and ch40 got further apart (I think the SWR on ch1 actually got lower, but ch40 stayed the same)


That's good then , all you need is a little tweaking on the Ant. if its not a pre-cut system then make sure the co-ax is cut in 108" times ever how much you need to go from ant. to unit, ( if 108" dose not reach ,then 216") Mine runs about 1.1 to 1.1:5 from ch. 1 to 40 ch 19 about 1.1:2


I have no idea what you're talking about :( (my coax is precut though, I think... I bought it from a CB shop with connectors on it already)
Author:  jerseykj [ Mon Jun 16, 2008 9:37 pm ]
Post subject: 
we used 216(18') which works great. perfect length, didnt have to "stuff" extra cable somewhere. out antennas are atached to the tire carrier via a mount i maid. works great and no complaints. maybe if you ask beepbeep he might show you some pictures :D
Author:  BeepBeepJeepJeep [ Mon Jun 16, 2008 10:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'll take pics tomorrow for ya! :)
Page 1 of 1 All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
http://www.phpbb.com/