CB tuning help (1 Viewer)

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I just installed my Cobra 75 with a Midland window mount antenna. I am going to buy a SWR meter tomorrow from Radio Shack but I have no clue how to use it.

Also is an SWR meter required to be constantly hooked up or do I just use it to tune the antenna and put it away?
 
I just installed my Cobra 75 with a Midland window mount antenna. I am going to buy a SWR meter tomorrow from Radio Shack but I have no clue how to use it.

Also is an SWR meter required to be constantly hooked up or do I just use it to tune the antenna and put it away?
From the CB days of old (HOLY COW, has it really been 35 effin years???), I recall that an SWR meter is just used to tune the antenna. Things may have changed, but that's what I remember.......
 
I think the whole crew that went to texas needs a CB lesson......seems we had trouble the whole way.
 
Well hopefully I will learn enough tomorrow if I find time to tune it properly after replacing my radiator.
 
Do a quick search on cb install and tuning. It's really easy to do both right and wrong. Your window mount antenna is probably not "tunable" but your placement on vehicle and routing of the coax to the antenna are just as important.

If you have too much coax, don't wind it up in a nice little neat coil under your seat. Instead route it in such a way to use up the extra length.
 
The antenna came with a tool which is used to turn a tiny screw on the inside part of the window to adjust it when using an SWR meter.

I did wind up with about half a foot that I couldn't find anything to do with but I ran it front to back in parallel to each other under the seat instead of coiling it...would that be better than coiling it up?
 
I think the whole crew that went to texas needs a CB lesson......seems we had trouble the whole way.

nah, I just need to turn down the tunes!
 
I did wind up with about half a foot that I couldn't find anything to do with but I ran it front to back in parallel to each other under the seat instead of coiling it...would that be better than coiling it up?

Actually... I've always heard to coil spare cable and not make it oblong shape if there happens to be extra... but then... I've NEVER had a CB work properly.
Me thinks there should be a CB app for iPhones....
 
If a cable is coiled it becomes a very crappy antenna.
 
If a cable is coiled it becomes a very crappy antenna.

Yeah, and mines always been crappy. What about the figure 8 method? And what gives with the minumum length should be 18ft? jeebus. Should i just build an exo and ziptie it all around?
 
I wouldn't want it to overlap at all but that's better than a coil. I would rather run it around the perimeter of the interior of your truck and just tuck it under the carpet.

i.e., If you want to mount the antenna on the back bumper then run the coax down the edge of the floor on the driver side then across the back and up the edge of the floor on passenger. Then drill a hole in the floor (use a grommet) and run it to the back bumper underneath the truck, carefull not to pinch or kink the cable along the way.

Oh, and be prepared to be called something else other than "Shunt" if you decide to talk to truckers.
 
I did wind up with about half a foot that I couldn't find anything to do with but I ran it front to back in parallel to each other under the seat instead of coiling it...would that be better than coiling it up?

Parallel is fine but I would space out the runs by about 6-8"s.

Which is another thing that you can do Shunt. Drape the cable parallel with the dash with proper spacing to use up all slack all the way to the back.
 
Oh, and be prepared to be called something else other than "Shunt" if you decide to talk to truckers.

I live about 200 yards from I-10 and today while working on the wiring I was hearing 2 truckers give it to some guy who was messing with them on the radio.

CB's are like early internet...everyone is a badass on them.
 
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but I know him.

Well will you please ask him to leave the truckers be...the last thing I need while driving is a pissed off trucker looking for someone with a CB to seek revenge on.
 

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