CB Question

[Incubus1013]

Hey everyone. Ive never installed a cb before let alone used one. To be honest with you, I actualy ordered myCB radio when I was pretty buzzed. That Amazon.com One-Click_Purchase really gets me everytime.. Anyway, I bought a cheap 25 dollar midland CB. Not only was the box ariving at me doorstep a suprise, but I never would have thought the antennae would come separately. That might sound dumb but i have no exp. with this. I went back on amazon, completly sober this time, and purchased this

Amazon.com: SOLARCON 2' Top Loaded Fiberglass CB Antenna with Mirror Mount & Cable - 750 Watt Black 212B: Car Electronics

Its a 2ft long CB ant, but i really wanted a 3ft. Do you think this would be allright?


If theres any other advice youhave for my install tomorrow please let me know

[Bandit1]

as long as you mount the antenna high enough to clear your highest point on the Jeep, it will be fine. What all do you want to know, I have been using, installing, tunning, etc CBs since I bought my first Pickup back in 1998, and was on the airways even longer. We always had one growing up.

[wb joe]

if your just going to be using it on the trails you will be fine.your not going to get long distance out of it but in the trails its good.and like don said mount it hi

[stwilson74]

include a quick-disconnect to the mount if you ever park in parking garages, hopping out and taking the antenna off is far better than snapping it off and having to replace it a week later. FireStik makes a nice one. I put a little dielectric grease on it to prevent it from rust-seizing.

[brunkhorse]

A spring helps to give it more flexibility also

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[Incubus1013]

hey guys thans for all the feedback. i mounted it as high on my tailgate as possible and fits nice. im just figuring out a proper way to mount it along my seat. I want to get velcro and put one on my cb and the other on the side of my seat but its crazy how hard it is to find. Anyway.... Im actually having a little bit of trouble with my CB. I drove down near the highway thinking it would be better with all the other cbs transmitting from the highways. I can hear other ppl vaugly, but when i call out a radio check no one responses. Im either not trnsmitting, no one wats to reply back or im not transmitting enough to be heard. Anyone have any idea of whats going on? ppl have told me to get the antenea tuner to make sure things ll all in proper working order but my ant. is pretuned....... any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[Bandit1]

I put a little dielectric grease on it to prevent it from rust-seizing.

I have some of this, good idea, I am gonna have to go put some on, on Monday... thanks for the idea

[Bandit1]

hey guys thans for all the feedback. i mounted it as high on my tailgate as possible and fits nice. im just figuring out a proper way to mount it along my seat. I want to get velcro and put one on my cb and the other on the side of my seat but its crazy how hard it is to find. Anyway.... Im actually having a little bit of trouble with my CB. I drove down near the highway thinking it would be better with all the other cbs transmitting from the highways. I can hear other ppl vaugly, but when i call out a radio check no one responses. Im either not trnsmitting, no one wats to reply back or im not transmitting enough to be heard. Anyone have any idea of whats going on? ppl have told me to get the antenea tuner to make sure things ll all in proper working order but my ant. is pretuned....... any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

event the "pretuned" antennas can be tuned... only problem is you have to take your time with an SWR meter and be sure you dont trim too much off, if you over tune, you have to go buy another, and no 2 antennas are the same, so it would be back to square one.

Can you post a pic or 2 of your antenna mount? This would better help to know what may be wrong.

[Bandit1]

also, the antenna may be pretuned but you still need to sync the signal along the coax. even by just setting the calibration, it will improve performance quite a bit. Then by tuning the antenna to that coax and radio you can optimize the signal going out

[stwilson74]

A spring helps to give it more flexibility also

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Good point, I have a spring under my quick dis-connect. Definitely helps with low branches on slow rolling trails but if you slap a 'glass antenna hard at speeds over like 10 or 15 MPH chances are even a spring won't save it.

As has been stated, you'll need to tune the antenna with an SWR meter. Transmitting without taking this step can blow your transmitter. If your antenna doesn't have a mechanical adjuster like a screw you'll need to just pull the rubber cap off and adjust by trimming off the end of the copper wire. go in VERY small increments, like 1/8 inch, and retest after each cut. If you go too far you just trashed the antenna. Thats why I like antennae like my FireStik that has an adjuster screw on it, makes tuning easier.