Riddle me this??? A CB tuning question

[PhulesAU]

Here, this will solve 80% of the problem.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ParaDynamics-PD...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5885bd744a

 

[Schattenjager]

So... is this a poor location?

I can't think of another place on the truck that would work.

 

[preacherman]

That is the same place I have mine in question. I may try the ground strap and if that does not work go roof mount.

 

[Schattenjager]

I have to believe that bull bar mounted to the frame via 12 bolts would be an adequate ground. Would the powder coating be a problem?

 

[off-roader]

So... is this a poor location?



I can't think of another place on the truck that would work.

In one word... YES, but if that's all you've got, then that's all you've got. If I were you, I'd try to find a way to securely mount it to your roof rack's cross bar. Not sure if some wierd mount might exist to work with that bar but if you can find or fabricate one and put it near the center of the roof that would be best.

Fortunately for me, I do have a roof rack and I mounted it to that near the center of the roof, but I went with a short stubby antenna to minimize hitting trees and rock overhangs on the trail. Unlike many on these forums who only do traditional overlanding through desserts, I enjoy rock crawling as well which would snag a taller antenna.

 

[762X39]

Mobile Antennas:

The Compromises of Placement vs. Performance

http://www.olypen.com/craigh/antennab.htm
.

I just read through this and what he has to say is technically right on.It may not be convenient to do it right but at least you will understand that mounting it on the bumper or bull bar is a compromise to performance.Interestingly enough, on our 1/4 ton trucks (when I served as a radtech) the antenna (with a tuner) were mounted on the rear cab corner of the trucks and on the radio trucks they were mounted on the rear box corners.

 

[gary in ohio]

Here, this will solve 80% of the problem.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ParaDynamics-PD...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5885bd744a

A tuner makes the SWR look good. It not going to make an poor antenna a good antenna.

 

[PhulesAU]

A tuner makes the SWR look good. It not going to make an poor antenna a good antenna.

Hence the 80%. Another question, Why the Fixation on 3-4 ft fiberglass stick antennas??? With a truck or XJ/4runner type roof use a NMO baseloaded antenna. very flexable while on the trails and easy to unscrew for those low parking covers. you can also get weather caps, when you have the antenna off.

 

[xtatik]

I just read through this and what he has to say is technically right on.It may not be convenient to do it right but at least you will understand that mounting it on the bumper or bull bar is a compromise to performance.Interestingly enough, on our 1/4 ton trucks (when I served as a radtech) the antenna (with a tuner) were mounted on the rear cab corner of the trucks and on the radio trucks they were mounted on the rear box corners.

Actually, that mounting position is compromising an already compromised antenna.

 

[xtatik]

A tuner makes the SWR look good. It not going to make an poor antenna a good antenna.

Yep, there are only a few situations where a tuner will allow an antenna to radiate better....none of these situations will work on a vehicle
Tuners, transmatches.....or, whatever you want to call them, just give the radio "warm fuzzies" and permit it to put full "fire into the wire". If the antenna isn't truly resonant with a proper counterpoise...it just becomes a resistor and only generates heat instead of signal.

 

[preacherman]

My stud mount looks questionable bc it is not isolated with the nylon spacers, would one like this (with the ground wire) help at all?

 

[preacherman]

Ok I just got a new antenna and installed it today, I was tired of messing with it. I got a Wilson lil wil and mounted it ********** dab in the middle of my roof. It works very well. I can transmit and receive 5-7 miles. But I have another question.

My SWR meter instructions say to check the SWR in the middle of the cb band and recommends channels 11,12,13. When I do that my SWR is 1:1. But I have always checked it by doing channel 1 and 40 which is also what the antenna instructions recommend. When I do the channel 1 and 40 method I was finally able to get it to balance but the SWR is at 2.8??????

It works fine so far but is 2.8 to high??

(in case someone asks I did it several times in an open area with all the doors closed to make sure I was not getting any interference)

 

[Schattenjager]

Too good to be true?

Today I put an SWR meter to my brand new CB gear - midland 540, firestik four foot adjustable, and 18' firestick coax. Right out of the box it hit 1.25. No adjustments of any kind were made. Can this be right?

 

[SunTzuNephew]

Today I put an SWR meter to my brand new CB gear - midland 540, firestik four foot adjustable, and 18' firestick coax. Right out of the box it hit 1.25. No adjustments of any kind were made. Can this be right?

Some days everything works right, some days nothing does...be happy

 

[SunTzuNephew]

Ok I just got a new antenna and installed it today, I was tired of messing with it. I got a Wilson lil wil and mounted it ********** dab in the middle of my roof. It works very well. I can transmit and receive 5-7 miles. But I have another question.

My SWR meter instructions say to check the SWR in the middle of the cb band and recommends channels 11,12,13. When I do that my SWR is 1:1. But I have always checked it by doing channel 1 and 40 which is also what the antenna instructions recommend. When I do the channel 1 and 40 method I was finally able to get it to balance but the SWR is at 2.8??????

It works fine so far but is 2.8 to high??

(in case someone asks I did it several times in an open area with all the doors closed to make sure I was not getting any interference)

Thats not great but not much you can do about it...except stay off the edges of the band