CB High SWR Help (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Feb 11, 2016
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2
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37
Location
Seattle, Wa
I need a little help assessing whats up with my CB setup. I currently have a Uniden Pro 520xl connected to a 2 ft Firestick antenna on a Yodateq rear mount just above the rear right taillight. I ran it tuned for a long time (not the best idea) with a 4ft Wilson flex. Once that one broke I moved to the smaller antenna since this is my DD and decided to actually tune it.

The issue: Whenever I go to tune it, I get a SWR reading well over 3 for channels 1 & 40.

I feel like I've checked over the system and everything is connected properly and grounded. Could the radio itself be the issue?

(Before it is said: yes Ham is in my future, just don't have the time for it right now. :frown: )
 
Not enough ground plane back there for that antenna; try a half-wave antenna, they are much more forgiving of ground plane than 1/4 or 5/8-wave.
 
I need a little help assessing whats up with my CB setup. I currently have a Uniden Pro 520xl connected to a 2 ft Firestick antenna on a Yodateq rear mount just above the rear right taillight. I ran it tuned for a long time (not the best idea) with a 4ft Wilson flex. Once that one broke I moved to the smaller antenna since this is my DD and decided to actually tune it.

The issue: Whenever I go to tune it, I get a SWR reading well over 3 for channels 1 & 40.

I feel like I've checked over the system and everything is connected properly and grounded. Could the radio itself be the issue?

(Before it is said: yes Ham is in my future, just don't have the time for it right now. :frown: )

I have no experience with the Firestik shorty, but when I first tried to tune my 3 ft Firestik, I couldn't get the SWR down to an acceptable value. Well, I tried it at our apartment complex in AZ back then - buildings all around. Drove the truck out in the open desert, and the thing tuned just fine...
 
I'm going to try out a longer antenna as well (4ft). There was a post mentioning getting it above the roof thats not on here now. Can't hurt to have two lengths. I've tried to find some good open spaces but I wouldn't be surprised if that a big part. Ill be out on the trail in a few days and maybe ill get a chance to re-tune it. @1911 for a 1/2 wave antenna what are some good options? I haven't heard of using those before for a CB.
 
I'm going to try out a longer antenna as well (4ft). There was a post mentioning getting it above the roof thats not on here now. Can't hurt to have two lengths. I've tried to find some good open spaces but I wouldn't be surprised if that a big part. Ill be out on the trail in a few days and maybe ill get a chance to re-tune it. @1911 for a 1/2 wave antenna what are some good options? I haven't heard of using those before for a CB.
Several of us had good experiences with a Yodateq mount and a 3 or 4 ft Firestik. Both the '97 and the '93 in our own fleet are set up with the 3 ft firefly, and that setup works well... I tried to claim that the secret is in the tennis balls on either antenna that I've personally played the fuzz off. But recent evidence from other vehicles says otherwise.
 
I need a little help assessing whats up with my CB setup. I currently have a Uniden Pro 520xl connected to a 2 ft Firestick antenna on a Yodateq rear mount just above the rear right taillight. I ran it tuned for a long time (not the best idea) with a 4ft Wilson flex. Once that one broke I moved to the smaller antenna since this is my DD and decided to actually tune it.

The issue: Whenever I go to tune it, I get a SWR reading well over 3 for channels 1 & 40.

I feel like I've checked over the system and everything is connected properly and grounded. Could the radio itself be the issue?

(Before it is said: yes Ham is in my future, just don't have the time for it right now. :frown: )
This can be hard to diagnose in an email but the radio should not effect the SWR. Cheep coax can be an issue. Is your new antenna adjustable? Also does the SWR change at all between channel 1 and 40?
 
If the SWR is the same on ch 1 and 40, tuning the antenna whip is not the problem. Check the wiring. Use a multi meter to check center conductor continuity for starters.....wiggle the connectors while you do this.
 
Looks like I got it figured out. The SWR dropped once I got a taller antenna that got well over the roofline. I think most of it is the 2' Firestick I had. But thank you for the help! Hearing that longer antenna's worked sent me in the right direction.

I also made the change to a Cobra 75 wx and took the chance to check the whole setup (coax routing, loose connections, etc.).
 

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