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Anyone try this yet?

50yearXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
PA
This may be a dumb question... has anyone tried wiring their CB to the stock antenna? Or even know if it's possible? Again, may be a dumb question but I've searched the forums and suprisingly found nothing.
 
There are "combo" antennas available, most provide poor service on at least one band, i.e., FM/AM, and their CB performance is dismal.

Hooking into a stock antenna--I doubt it if would be worthwhile, if it can be done at all.
 
You can wire a CB to an AM/FM stock antenna.
1. It will not receive as well as an antenna designed for a CB.
2. You cannot transmit with the CB as it will damage the transmitter and probably blow the fuse.
3. It is an ok idea if you only plan on listening.
Rick
 
CB's don't work that well when your Antenna and radio are working and tuned perfect. So going with a crappy antenna will definitely disappoint you.
 
Antennas are cut to match the wavelength of the signals they are working with....the stock antenna is for commercial AM and FM signals and they are totally wrong for CB which has a much higher frequency and therefore much shorter wavelength.
 
Exactly. An antenna is cut to create an impedence match with the transmitted frequency. Using an FM/AM antenna on a CB transmitter will create high impedence (resistance) on the transmitter's output and most likely damage it. However if you just want to listen and not transmit as stated above, no problems.
 
Search a CB forum and you will get recommendations on make, SW meters, coax, proper antenna placement, best CB's to use, *** ** ***** *********** **** * **** ** ** . . .

Oops, forget that last part.

(Forgotten. Just don't you forget. I know we've - not you and I, but the board in general - have been roundy-rounds on this before... -Ed.)
 
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All of the above is correct. But not mentioned so far is the fact that the AM/FM antenna cable is high impedance. Unless very sophisticated tuning using the antenna cable as an impedance transformer is performed, you can't get the required 50 ohm load for the CB----and even if you did then the SWR on the cable would be horrendous.
BAR
 
ok so sorry to tread on this post but how does one tune an antenna then

A single-element vertical antenna is typically cut to equal 1/4 or 1/2 of the wavelength of the frequency it is designed to serve (this is usually more important when transmitting than receiving, however tuning an antenna for reception does help with unwanted signal rejection.)

A "load coil" (typically put at the centre - "centre-loaded" - or bottom - "bottom-loaded") can allow one to make the mast shorter, but it does reduce effectiveness slightly, as I recall.

Production whips are usually "cut long," and you then tune your antenna using a SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) meter and you gradually trim the length of the antennal until you get an optimum reading.
 
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