New to CB's

[EricG]

Got me a cb and installed it with my antenna mounted on the spare, its only about a 2 ft magnet mount.

The only time I used it I could here the folks talking in front of me, but they couldn't here me. Later I believe that I talked a bit to the jeep that was behind me but he couldn't understand me.

From what I have read you need to tune the atenna. How exactly do you tun one. I picked up an older whip thats about 4 feet or so, going to mount it on my roof rack.

I always thought that you just pluged and played.

I don't want to leave it on all the time, I don't keep the rack on all the time.

So how do I tune it? will it need to be retuned if I remove it? Am I missing anything?

Thanks
Eric

 

[h301ff]

if your antenna is not grounded it wont work. since it is on the spare it has nothing to bounce the signal off of , try moving it to your roof or buy an antenna that does not need a ground. i just installed mine and since i was putting it on a bar that was on the bed of my truck i needed one that didnt need a ground.

 

[EricG]

What if its on the rack, I've got load bars would that work?

 

[roadkill]

is the rack grounded to the body and/or frame? are their any sort of rubber spacers or poly type isolaters on the rack where it mounts to the body/frame. do you have the antenna mounted on the bracket correctly with the nylon washer in the right location?

 

[EricG]

is the rack grounded to the body and/or frame? are their any sort of rubber spacers or poly type isolaters on the rack where it mounts to the body/frame. do you have the antenna mounted on the bracket correctly with the nylon washer in the right location?

The new one has a magnet base, don't know about spacers or isolators, the rack is on load bars, that have rubber on the feet where they mount to the rain gutters.

The one I have now is a magnet mount that I made a braket for that is attached to the spare tire carrier.So its grounded correct?

My thought on the lack of people being to here me was the position, lack of height of my current setup. I could here everyone fine, they just couldn't hear me.

Thanks

 

[gary in ohio]

Got me a cb and installed it with my antenna mounted on the spare, its only about a 2 ft magnet mount.

A full size CB antenna is 34ft long and is hardly practical on a vehicle. So Any CB antenna used on a vehicle is a compromise. The 2ft antenna is very small antenna. How did you mount a magnetic antenna to a spare tire?

The only time I used it I could here the folks talking in front of me, but they couldn't here me. Later I believe that I talked a bit to the jeep that was behind me but he couldn't understand me.

How far away were they. please explain "couldn't understand me." Was your audio distorted or your signal was to weak to hear.

From what I have read you need to tune the atenna. How exactly do you tun one. I picked up an older whip thats about 4 feet or so, going to mount it on my roof rack.

Not all antennas need tuned. Most of the fiberglass whips cant be tuned. To tune an antenna you usually slide a antenna whip in or out for the best SWR reading.

l
I aways thought that you just pluged and played.

You always need to check the SWR but for most antennas they are plug and play on CB.

 

[gary in ohio]

if your antenna is not grounded it wont work. since it is on the spare it has nothing to bounce the signal off of , try moving it to your roof or buy an antenna that does not need a ground. i just installed mine and since i was putting it on a bar that was on the bed of my truck i needed one that didnt need a ground.

While the term grounded is often used, its usually used incorrectly. You dont need a ground on the antenna, you need a counterpoise for the antenna and no its NOT to bounce the signal off of. The counterpoise is just the "other 1/2" of the antenna. The "NO ground" antennas just use the coax cable for the counterpoise and themself are a compromise antenna. The best antenna is a 1/4 108" whip on the center of the roof but for most people that is not very practical. A 4ft fiberglass antenna up as high and as centered on the vehicle as possible is one of the more practical antennas. From your photo your have your counterpoise from the mounting bar and truck bed. .

 

[EricG]

Its not mounted to the tire its on the tire mount, thats mounted to they back door.

He just said that he could not understand me, he was in the car behind me may be a few hundred yards, I could here him fine.

As far as signal strength I have no idea.