CB antenna location

[gary in ohio]

I seem to never get it right with my cb. Been thru 2 units and antennae, multiple locations and ground methoods, same lousy transmission and marginal reception. Would one of these NGP antenna help me any you think?

Maybe it is your expectations of the radios that is the issue. You talking about a 4 watts signal, AM modulation and a limited gain antennas. On top of that your in the lowest point in the 11 year solar cycle. Radio propagation as a whole is in the dumps right now. If your getting 4-5 miles mobile to mobile range then your getting what you should. Granted CB can talk further but noise levels, both man made and atmospheric contribute to what you can hear and thus how far your can communicate.

 

[luk4mud]

Maybe it is your expectations of the radios that is the issue. You talking about a 4 watts signal, AM modulation and a limited gain antennas. On top of that your in the lowest point in the 11 year solar cycle. Radio propagation as a whole is in the dumps right now. If your getting 4-5 miles mobile to mobile range then your getting what you should. Granted CB can talk further but noise levels, both man made and atmospheric contribute to what you can hear and thus how far your can communicate.

If I had any range at all on the transmission with anything intelligible being transmitted (no jokes about the mumbling old man please), I would be ok with that. I can be 100 yards from another rig and they can't understand me or don't receive my signal. Any ideas?

 

[gary in ohio]

If I had any range at all on the transmission with anything intelligible being transmitted (no jokes about the mumbling old man please), I would be ok with that. I can be 100 yards from another rig and they can't understand me or don't receive my signal. Any ideas?

Your antenna is NOT going to make your signal intelligible, If it sounds like your mumbling then you have a radio/mic issue. If you 100 yards away from another radio and they cant receive you, its your radio. heck even without an antenna on the radio you should be able to talk 100 yards and you shouldn't be mumbled.(i dont advise trying that). Was the same issue(mumbling) the same on both radio's?

 

[Photog]

With the Jeeps, it is very difficult to get a good ground plane. The best location is still on top of the roof, as there sould be nothing blocking the Tx/Rx to and from the antenna. The problem with a hardtop Jeep, is the same problem that boats have. No metal on the ground plane.

Boats set up CB's all the time, along with other radio equipment. Think of your Jeep as a boat (no pun intended). The NGP information I posted yesterday, came from looking at boating applications for a CB.

Another option is to glue a metal disk to the roof, ground it to the body, and mount the antenna in the middle of that disk.

Any time you mount the antenna down on a bumper, along the hood, or on a tire rack, your signal will be degraded in some way.

A compromise might be to use a good marine NGP antenna/cable system, and mount it on the highest point above the spare tire.

 

[gary in ohio]

:sombrero:I have mine mounted on my third brake light

Two suggestions, Box in the mount to give it a little more stability, put an L-connector on the mount and bring the coax connector in horizontal. Also Get come coax seal and seal up that connector. Those low end crimp on connectors will soak up water if your not careful.

 

[KG6BWS]

If I had any range at all on the transmission with anything intelligible being transmitted (no jokes about the mumbling old man please), I would be ok with that. I can be 100 yards from another rig and they can't understand me or don't receive my signal. Any ideas?

have your radio and mic checked out first. sounds like the finals might be blown.

second, check your ENTIRE coax from antenna to radio. i just had a problem with my ham radio. could barely get 1/4 mile, line of sight with NO obstructions, out of it. turned out that my coax had a break in it. didnt find it until i checked the whole thing and felt a "loose" spot inside the coating.