Cobra 75WXST CB Installation

cozdude

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
aemfinger said:
Just installed mine, but having issues. Originally i installed almost identical to the op, except my antenna is mounted to the tailgate hinge. However, i was getting feedback through my speakers. I rechecked my ground and rerouted coax thru rollbar, well away from other speaker wires, yet the feedback remains...what am i doing wrong?
Click to expand...

Did you tune it with an SWR meter?
 
jesse3638

jesse3638

Hooked
Just got one for Christmas and need to get a few things to do the install. A couple questions I have are what length fire stick should I get, 3 or 4'? I see 18' coaxial is a good length but what end connectors are needed? Also is a SWR meter recommend or should I go to a truck stop and have it tuned? I've never used or installed a CB so any help is appreciated. Thanks

Sent from my 831C using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
benatc1

benatc1

Hooked
jesse3638 said:
Just got one for Christmas and need to get a few things to do the install. A couple questions I have are what length fire stick should I get, 3 or 4'? I see 18' coaxial is a good length but what end connectors are needed? Also is a SWR meter recommend or should I go to a truck stop and have it tuned? I've never used or installed a CB so any help is appreciated. Thanks

Sent from my 831C using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...

nice addition, now we have to stop talking about you when we're all out there..I has the 75x on my 2 door, used a 4 ft because my mounting location was kinda low. there should be everyting you need to install in the box, I think I just has to pick up some solder wire. I picked up a cheap swr meter and it worked fine to tune it, think you can do it with a firestick antenna tho (not entirely sure)- I didn't have much clue what I was doing at the time either..

Sent from my SM-G928V using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
jesse3638

jesse3638

Hooked
benatc1 said:
nice addition, now we have to stop talking about you when we're all out there..I has the 75x on my 2 door, used a 4 ft because my mounting location was kinda low. there should be everyting you need to install in the box, I think I just has to pick up some solder wire. I picked up a cheap swr meter and it worked fine to tune it, think you can do it with a firestick antenna tho (not entirely sure)- I didn't have much clue what I was doing at the time either..

Sent from my SM-G928V using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...
Haha no need go stop talking. I just have the radio so I'm in need of cable and antenna. I have a mount which came with my bumper so I'm good there. Just not sure if I need to purchase anything separate to attach the antenna and not sure if I should get the fire stick fire ring cable or traditional rg-58 with PL-259 connectors.

Sent from my 831C using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
benatc1

benatc1

Hooked
jesse3638 said:
Haha no need go stop talking. I just have the radio so I'm in need of cable and antenna. I have a mount which came with my bumper so I'm good there. Just not sure if I need to purchase anything separate to attach the antenna and not sure if I should get the fire stick fire ring cable or traditional rg-58 with PL-259 connectors.

Sent from my 831C using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...

ah I gotcha, if you buy the fire stick cable with the fire ring it has everything you'll need to hook up the antenna to the radio. all the connectors and washers and everyting. not sure of the others you mentioned but I've used the firestick with fire ring twice now and have been happy

Sent from my SM-G928V using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
jesse3638

jesse3638

Hooked
benatc1 said:
ah I gotcha, if you buy the fire stick cable with the fire ring it has everything you'll need to hook up the antenna to the radio. all the connectors and washers and everyting. not sure of the others you mentioned but I've used the firestick with fire ring twice now and have been happy

Sent from my SM-G928V using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...
Sounds good looks like I'll go that route. I'm going to look at a local truck supply shop if they have it and it's reasonable I'll get it there if not Amazon here I come. Thanks for the help.

Sent from my 831C using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
jesse3638

jesse3638

Hooked
After my install I can't get my SWR out of the red on my meter. I've triple checked all my connections and have no short and an independent ground wire. Any ideas would be helpful. At this point I'm think I may have gotten a bad cable or bad antenna. I'm running a 4' firestick with the firestick ring cable as many other on here. I'm about to just throw it all away and go back to no CB.
 
WJCO

WJCO

Meme King
jesse3638 said:
After my install I can't get my SWR out of the red on my meter. I've triple checked all my connections and have no short and an independent ground wire. Any ideas would be helpful. At this point I'm think I may have gotten a bad cable or bad antenna. I'm running a 4' firestick with the firestick ring cable as many other on here. I'm about to just throw it all away and go back to no CB.
Click to expand...

I had the same problem, but it worked fine on the trail. I tested mine in my driveway and couldn't get it right. It's worked fine on the trails, so I'm going to wait and this summer check it out in an open field. Different brand radio I have though.
 
jkris

jkris

New member
Make sure your ground is good. You will more than likely need to sand paint away where you grounded it to get a solid ground if you haven't . I also use 1/4 flat tinned copper braid for my grounding strap.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
jkris

jkris

New member
Also when tuning your cb make sure that you are in a very large open area as buildings etc. can throw the readings off. High SWR is usually attributed to grounding issues, improperly installed mounting stud (i.e. Insulating washer mounted in the wrong place), defective coax, defective antenna, or a bad swr meter. There are several great how to's on fixing swr issues on the interwebs. Hang in there bud, you will get it! And when you do you will thank yourself!


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
BaddestCross

BaddestCross

Active Member
jkris said:
Also when tuning your cb make sure that you are in a very large open area as buildings etc. can throw the readings off. High SWR is usually attributed to grounding issues, improperly installed mounting stud (i.e. Insulating washer mounted in the wrong place), defective coax, defective antenna, or a bad swr meter. There are several great how to's on fixing swr issues on the interwebs. Hang in there bud, you will get it! And when you do you will thank yourself!


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...
Sorry, didn't see you mentioned that already. 😎

Sent from my SM-N915P using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
jesse3638

jesse3638

Hooked
WJCO said:
I had the same problem, but it worked fine on the trail. I tested mine in my driveway and couldn't get it right. It's worked fine on the trails, so I'm going to wait and this summer check it out in an open field. Different brand radio I have though.
Click to expand...

I can hear fine just cannot transmit. I'm assuming its because of the high SWR.

jkris said:
Also when tuning your cb make sure that you are in a very large open area as buildings etc. can throw the readings off. High SWR is usually attributed to grounding issues, improperly installed mounting stud (i.e. Insulating washer mounted in the wrong place), defective coax, defective antenna, or a bad swr meter. There are several great how to's on fixing swr issues on the interwebs. Hang in there bud, you will get it! And when you do you will thank yourself!


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...

I need to try out in an open fiend and see if that make a difference. I'm assuming it wont make that much difference as the needle barely dips back towards the numbering. Not even half way out towards leaving the red.

BaddestCross said:
Also, make sure the isolator is on the right side of the bracket.

View attachment 241755


Sent from my SM-N915P using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...

I have mine mounted below the bracket and the isolator is installed as pictured above. I've checked for shorts by checking for continuity between the center pin and outer knurled connecting ring/screw and there is none. I have a 12GA ground wire attached from the mount to the tiedown screw near the sub in my rear cargo area. I even pulled the screw out and wire brushed it down to bare metal and filed all the paint off of the surfaces the wire attaches to. I've checked for ground continuity near where I have the CB mounted and do have it so I'm not sure if I have a grounding issue. If someone local had time to laon me their coax and antenna I could swap it out and see if there is a problem there. Though its new it could be bad.
 
BaddestCross

BaddestCross

Active Member
jesse3638 said:
I can hear fine just cannot transmit. I'm assuming its because of the high SWR.



I need to try out in an open fiend and see if that make a difference. I'm assuming it wont make that much difference as the needle barely dips back towards the numbering. Not even half way out towards leaving the red.



I have mine mounted below the bracket and the isolator is installed as pictured above. I've checked for shorts by checking for continuity between the center pin and outer knurled connecting ring/screw and there is none. I have a 12GA ground wire attached from the mount to the tiedown screw near the sub in my rear cargo area. I even pulled the screw out and wire brushed it down to bare metal and filed all the paint off of the surfaces the wire attaches to. I've checked for ground continuity near where I have the CB mounted and do have it so I'm not sure if I have a grounding issue. If someone local had time to laon me their coax and antenna I could swap it out and see if there is a problem there. Though its new it could be bad.
Click to expand...
Do you have continuity to ground from the knurled end of the coax at the radio side? And not just to the tub, but to the frame as well?

Sent from my SM-N915P using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
jesse3638

jesse3638

Hooked
That's a good question. I did have a ground to a grounding post where I attached the radio's ground so I'd say yes considering the radio does turn on. If that wasn't a good grounding point would I have power to the radio?

Sent from my 831C using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
JAGS

JAGS

Hooked
Dumb question, but have you tried removing the additional ground all together. I'm not running an additional ground wire with my fire ring coax. Coax straight to midland. Tunable fire stik took a little effort.
 
BaddestCross

BaddestCross

Active Member
jesse3638 said:
That's a good question. I did have a ground to a grounding post where I attached the radio's ground so I'd say yes considering the radio does turn on. If that wasn't a good grounding point would I have power to the radio?

Sent from my 831C using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...
Yeah, theoretically it should be good. However, from what I read up on CB installs, they like as big of a ground plane as you can get. I was going through the same thing you are and once I made sure that I had continuity to the frame and nothing on the antenna side of the mounting bracket was grounded I was able to dial it in.

Make sure you've got good ground at both knurled ends of the coax but no ground at the stud. When I had a fire ring style coax, I think there must be a gap (made by the rubber housing around the threaded termination) that can easily compressed and grounded out by over tightening as well.

Sent from my SM-N915P using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
jesse3638

jesse3638

Hooked
JAGS said:
Dumb question, but have you tried removing the additional ground all together. I'm not running an additional ground wire with my fire ring coax. Coax straight to midland. Tunable fire stik took a little effort.
Click to expand...

I may give this a try and see what happens.

BaddestCross said:
Yeah, theoretically it should be good. However, from what I read up on CB installs, they like as big of a ground plane as you can get. I was going through the same thing you are and once I made sure that I had continuity to the frame and nothing on the antenna side of the mounting bracket was grounded I was able to dial it in.

Make sure you've got good ground at both knurled ends of the coax but no ground at the stud. When I had a fire ring style coax, I think there must be a gap (made by the rubber housing around the threaded termination) that can easily compressed and grounded out by over tightening as well.

Sent from my SM-N915P using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...

Yeah I was concerned with this and was careful not to over tighten it. I did check to see if there was a short but had no continuity between the center pin and the knurled end of the radio side of the coax so I assumed I'm good there. Its very frustrating.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom