CB problem

Hi,

I have a CB that I mounted in my XJ, I used a stik on the window antenna. My buddies always had the same type and it worked well. Reception is good to very good but my transmission is very weak and distorted. I tried using a better magnet antenna that I was using in my car and I have the same problem. I did not grounded the thing since it was working well without it in the car, could that be the problem?

Any advise.

Frankkl said:

Hi,

I have a CB that I mounted in my XJ, I used a stik on the window antenna. My buddies always had the same type and it worked well. Reception is good to very good but my transmission is very weak and distorted. I tried using a better magnet antenna that I was using in my car and I have the same problem. I did not grounded the thing since it was working well without it in the car, could that be the problem?

Any advise.

Click to expand...

There are a couple of possibilities here. First, make sure that the antenna cabling is good - no breaks or shorts in it. Also, check the SWR of the radio. Any CB shop can do (and set) this for you, or you can grab a meter at Radio Shack and do it yourself.

There are other possibilities as well, but that's where I'd start.

also my buddie recently installed his same set up ...but if ya read closely ...it states that window mounted antenna should be atleast 3 feet from any other antenna ..maybe thats your problem ????

Antennas are funny things. When they are in tune they work well (short, long, gutter mount, magnet mount, pretty much irrelevent), when out of tune poorly. If they fuction very poorly, they can actually damamge your CB.
Tuning one is often a trial and error type thing. The SWR's (SWR's standing wave ratio, or what doesn't go out of the antenna and gets bounced back into your radio), change when the doors are open and closed. If you park near another car or a chain link fence.
I've had pretty good luck with K40 antennas. Pretty much indestructable, easy to tune and easy to mount. The ones I've had, have a bayonet mount so you could remove the antenna easily and store it inside.
I've worn out three trucks (over 35 years or so) and still have the same K40 antenna.
It's been my experience a cheap radio will work better with a good (in tune) antenna, than an expensive radio with a poor antenna.

a magnet antenna grounds itself through the magnetization.

i agree. tune it (usually to ch 20 but you can tune it to the frequency you most commonly use)

how do you tune one ? just want to know

I have a cobra CB, how do I tune it???

you get a meter to measure the output. depending on the type of antenna you have to adjust it, and keep fiddling until the reading is right. search around online to find detailed isntructions.

for whips (long metal poles) you just raise, or cut at incriments of ~1/8 inch until the meter reads in range

for the firestick types, you either extend, or cut the coil around the antenna