CB radio problems (1 Viewer)

[60wag]

Since the last club run, I think my CB is having some transmitting problems. It seems to recive ok but the transmit is weak. I got out my RadShack Field Strength/SWR meter. The SWR looks good at about 1.1 to 1.2. I had never tried to measure field strength before but found that the meter had to be within 3-5 feet of the antenna to read anything. This is with the gain knob turned all the way up. The antenna is a cheap 4ft RadShack fiberglass one. I have another mag mount wire antenna. I tried it in the middle of the roof after having set the SWR on it. I got pretty much the same result - the field strength dropped to zero about 5 ft from the antenna. Is this right? The meter instructions rec' measuring field strength at 25ft. The mag mount antenna has its own cable, so I don't think the cable is the problem. I have another old CB that I had retired because its ability to transmit seemed flaky also. It too creates about the same reading on my meter. So do I need a new CB, or am I missing something? The current CB is a Rad shack that is less than three years old. Is transmit failure a common failure in CBs, or just the ones I have?

Bruce

 

[treerootCO]

Fixed the same problem last night over at Ige's. I could receive but transmit was weak. Antenna was grounded.....try taking the antenna off the truck and just hold it. If that fixes it, find a way to mount it so it won't ground out.

 

[60wag]

I just checked the antenna. The cable sheath is grounded but the center conductor definitely isn't. I tried the meter with a handheld cb and didn't get any better reading - I think the meter migh be useless. I think I've got another meter here somehere. I give it a try if I can find it.

 

[CruisinGA]

There needs to be a plastic insulator between the antenna and the mounting surface, as I think you know only the cable sheath should ground.

Might want to check integrity of that plastic insulator. Grounding there can kill a CB I believe...