CB fustrations

jerseykj · **Posted:** Sat Jul 26, 2008 6:45 pm

I cant get a reading under 2-2.5. i just got my cb back from the shop and it is fine. i found no short in the cable, antenna is fine too. and grounding it does not help enough. i'm not new to cbs but i dont pretend to know it all. so it has me fustrated a little. where else could my problem lie. is it possible my meter went bad for some unknown reason. maybe i should try a different antenna. if anybody has any ideas or thoughts throw them my way. i'm not too far from ripping the cb out and going back to those family radios for trail rides.

Fulltimer · **Posted:** Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:38 pm

Is it an adjustable antenna? Is the side of the antenna real close to metal?

If there is a smaller diameter wire part sticking up out of the top of the antenna it is adjustable. You can adjust the SWR by loosening the set screw and moving the tip up or down in very small increments.

The antenna will not operate correctly if there is metal close to it. There will be an interaction between the metal and the antenna.

You said it is grounded okay. Is the antenna mounting base grounded?

Terry

jerseykj · **Posted:** Sat Jul 26, 2008 8:00 pm

it is an adjustable antenna. tried adjusting it all over. but i didn't think about the mount. and the antenna sits behind the spare. not between the tire and the jeep on the outside of it. and thanks for the reply. i'll mess with the mount later and see if it changes.

BeepBeepJeepJeep · **Posted:** Sat Jul 26, 2008 9:01 pm

Fulltimer, I have the same setup as jerseykj... Check this out. I don't have any major SWR issues.

Fulltimer · **Posted:** Sun Jul 27, 2008 12:26 am

It could also be the connectors on the cable.

Terry

Fulltimer · **Posted:** Sun Jul 27, 2008 12:33 am

BeepBeepJeepJeep wrote:

Fulltimer, I have the same setup as jerseykj... Check this out. I don't have any major SWR issues.

Very good. As far as the antenna working to it's best potential that would be a very bad setup. You loose a lot of distance on both transmit and receive with it mounted there. It would be interesting to see a transmitting pattern like that. But, for the limited distance needed for trail use it would be fine.

Sometimes I forget that not everyone wants to talk from one side of the country to the other. Or even to other countries.

Terry

jerseykj · **Posted:** Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:06 am

thats ok. ya no need to talk that far for me. good enough for the trails.

BeepBeepJeepJeep · **Posted:** Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:53 am

Fulltimer wrote:

BeepBeepJeepJeep wrote:

Fulltimer, I have the same setup as jerseykj... Check this out. I don't have any major SWR issues.

Very good. As far as the antenna working to it's best potential that would be a very bad setup. You loose a lot of distance on both transmit and receive with it mounted there. It would be interesting to see a transmitting pattern like that. But, for the limited distance needed for trail use it would be fine.

Sometimes I forget that not everyone wants to talk from one side of the country to the other. Or even to other countries.

Terry

I wouldn't mind being able to do that :oops:

Fulltimer · **Posted:** Sun Jul 27, 2008 10:28 am

The best way to talk around the world is Ham radio. I have talked from a beach in Washington state to Cleveland, OH. Some countries are: Ireland, Aultralia and Belize. The best way in CB is to use SSB, go up above Ch.40 and a little extra power for good measure. You don't always need an amplifier though.

Terry

hardhittinz · **Joined:** Tue Jul 03, 2007 10:44 pm **Posts:** 195

ive talked to the west indies and even to a guy in a boat in california on my cb on the Am channles from here in maryland ..

WoodysKJ · **Posted:** Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:50 pm

jerseykj wrote:

thats ok. ya no need to talk that far for me. good enough for the trails.

But it can me MUCH netter and less of a risk of harm to the radio.

How long is the antenna? If it is a 2 footer then any adjustment will be very difficult. It really needs to be longer and able to clear the roof of the KJ AND WHAT EVER YOU HAVE UP THERE. The longer the whip the easier it is to tune. on a short antenna the tiniest adjustment can result in BIG swr fluctuations. the longer the whip is the small the changes in the swr as you adjust it.

From that mounting point I would put at least a 4 footer Fire stick tunable on there, again depending on what else you have on the roof. Maybe even a 3 footer with a spring, but nothing shorter. Hell go for a 5 footer and really have fun tunning the swr.

What about the cable? Is it at least 18 feet long? Did you trim it inside the KJ to fit?

If so then get a new cable at least 18 feet long and DO NOT TRIM IT. Run it through the inside so that it DOES NOT lap back over itself (i.e coil it or zip tie it in loops). This can cause all kinds of SWR issues. Do not Pinch it in a door, or bend it sharply. Is the connector on the cb or the antenna side POSSIBLY grounding out, touching and thing it should not be touching.

When you test the swr, zero the meter between EACH adjustment and replace the cap on the antenna (if it has one) prior to do the test.

if you still have issues with swr, pick the channel you use on trails, if that is all you use it for, and tune the best swr on that channel and leave it.

Is this a new CB or a resurrected one? cuz it could be already "Burned-Up".

bugnout · **Posted:** Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:59 pm

WoodysKJ wrote:

jerseykj wrote:

thats ok. ya no need to talk that far for me. good enough for the trails.

But it can me MUCH netter and less of a risk of harm to the radio.

How long is the antenna? If it is a 2 footer then any adjustment will be very difficult. It really needs to be longer and able to clear the roof of the KJ AND WHAT EVER YOU HAVE UP THERE. The longer the whip the easier it is to tune. on a short antenna the tiniest adjustment can result in BIG swr fluctuations. the longer the whip is the small the changes in the swr as you adjust it.

From that mounting point I would put at least a 4 footer Fire stick tunable on there, again depending on what else you have on the roof. Maybe even a 3 footer with a spring, but nothing shorter. Hell go for a 5 footer and really have fun tunning the swr.

What about the cable? Is it at least 18 feet long? Did you trim it inside the KJ to fit?

If so then get a new cable at least 18 feet long and DO NOT TRIM IT. Run it through the inside so that it DOES NOT lap back over itself (i.e coil it or zip tie it in loops). This can cause all kinds of SWR issues. Do not Pinch it in a door, or bend it sharply. Is the connector on the cb or the antenna side POSSIBLY grounding out, touching and thing it should not be touching.

When you test the swr, zero the meter between EACH adjustment and replace the cap on the antenna (if it has one) prior to do the test.

if you still have issues with swr, pick the channel you use on trails, if that is all you use it for, and tune the best swr on that channel and leave it.

Is this a new CB or a resurrected one? cuz it could be already "Burned-Up".

This would make a great how-to sticky in this section.

jerseykj · **Posted:** Fri Aug 08, 2008 7:17 pm

WoodysKJ wrote:

jerseykj wrote:

thats ok. ya no need to talk that far for me. good enough for the trails.

But it can me MUCH netter and less of a risk of harm to the radio.

How long is the antenna? If it is a 2 footer then any adjustment will be very difficult. It really needs to be longer and able to clear the roof of the KJ AND WHAT EVER YOU HAVE UP THERE. The longer the whip the easier it is to tune. on a short antenna the tiniest adjustment can result in BIG swr fluctuations. the longer the whip is the small the changes in the swr as you adjust it.

From that mounting point I would put at least a 4 footer Fire stick tunable on there, again depending on what else you have on the roof. Maybe even a 3 footer with a spring, but nothing shorter. Hell go for a 5 footer and really have fun tunning the swr.

What about the cable? Is it at least 18 feet long? Did you trim it inside the KJ to fit?

If so then get a new cable at least 18 feet long and DO NOT TRIM IT. Run it through the inside so that it DOES NOT lap back over itself (i.e coil it or zip tie it in loops). This can cause all kinds of SWR issues. Do not Pinch it in a door, or bend it sharply. Is the connector on the cb or the antenna side POSSIBLY grounding out, touching and thing it should not be touching.

When you test the swr, zero the meter between EACH adjustment and replace the cap on the antenna (if it has one) prior to do the test.

if you still have issues with swr, pick the channel you use on trails, if that is all you use it for, and tune the best swr on that channel and leave it.

Is this a new CB or a resurrected one? cuz it could be already "Burned-Up".

i may not know everything but i aint that dumb. yes the cable is 18 ft and it does not lap itself and it is a 5ft antenna and the cb was checked out by a good cb shop and it is ok. but thanks for your post

WoodysKJ · **Posted:** Sat Aug 09, 2008 9:17 am

jerseykj wrote:

i may not know everything but i aint that dumb. yes the cable is 18 ft and it does not lap itself and it is a 5ft antenna and the cb was checked out by a good cb shop and it is ok. but thanks for your post

DUDE,

Next time put ALL information in your original post. I was just trying to throw out ideas that could be the cause of your situation. IF you already knew all this then why didn't you address it before. These posts are from people who are trying to help, not trying to make you look stupid.

You just did that on your own.

good luck next time.

jerseykj · **Posted:** Sun Aug 10, 2008 8:49 am

ok. i dont thint i meant it the way you took it. so my apologizes if i acted like an booty. i realize we dont know each other and how we are may offend someone and not the other. but thats life you dont get along with everyone, its kinda impossible. but on the other hand you did state some good ideas and thank for your posting them no kidding or sarcasim there either, just a simple thanks thats all. and you may not post anything to something of mine again and thats ok too, i'll understand. so have fun and be safe out there.

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