CB Tuning Issue

DESERTDAD

DESERTDAD

New member
crippledpetey said:
You can run it a few ways. You can choose to run it along your cage then down and out the back or run it from your mirror along your windshield down your A pillar and along your passenger side floor boards then back up and around your cage then out. One of the biggest things is what to do with the excess. You don't want to coil it up or wind it up in any way. The best thing to do is spread it out evenly or find a way to route it so it uses the entire length. To make tuning easier most coax cables are in 3ft increments. Most go with either 18' or 21' for JKU's. I personally use an 18'. The more you wrap your antenna up with the more interference it may receive. I have mine run along my passenger floor up over my wheel well and out the back. I do not have it intertwined with my stock harness. Hope this helps some if any haha.
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Thanks I did not know about the whole coil thing:beer:
I installed my Rugged Ridge above mirror mount and of course my new CB doesn't fit above the mirror:thinking:
I may need to lower my mirror mount? Not quite sure yet.
 
H8ROADS

H8ROADS

Caught the Bug
I mean like you said sounds like you covered your bases but if it was me I'd just go through it all end to end. 99% of the time it's a grounding issue, and I know you have straps but grounding with jumper cables won't make a difference on powder coat. Id take it to a shop or buy a cheap multimeter to be sure.
 
BDSJEEP

BDSJEEP

New member
ERAUGrad04 said:
Just looked at the picture again and I see the washer you are talking about. I've had the ring/stud/flange arranged a couple of different ways and maybe I goofed on washer placement. When I get home tomorrow I'll double check it. Good eye! :thumbup:

Either way, I have confidence in the A-Team Thursday night! :beer:
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Sounds like you're in good hands with Pete there and being such a noob around here and all, I should prolly' just keep quiet, but at the risk of stepping on toes, I'd just like to chime in here and ask how much of that Wilson is actually sticking above the Jeep? I've installed a CB or three in my time, though never on a Jeep.

Since your car acts as the actual reflecting part of the ground plane, you need to have a majority of your antenna above your vehicle. The Wilson you're using has its length wound up in that coil (well below the top)...where a Firestik is more tightly wound near the top (well above the Jeep).

Just for shiznits and giggles, swap your Wilson with someone's FireStik (just to see what ratio you can get it down to) - that should at least tell you how your ground and coax situation is. But I suspect your ground and coax are fine. You can coil it as long as it's more than about a foot coil before it acts like a choke. best thing to do with extra length (more than 18') is dogbone it ( wrap around elbow and hand ) and zip tie it in the middle. I've certainly got a 1:1 zip-tying it and stashing it away somewhere under a dashboard.

Hope this helps.
 
channa371

channa371

New member
My buddy had a similar issue. He pulled out some of the coils on his Firestik and got it to work. I had the exact same setup but a newer antenna and didn't have any issues. But if all else fails it's worth trying.
 
JeepinLife

JeepinLife

Caught the Bug
What are the swr readings on 1 19 and 40?? Also where is your jeep located while you're taking the readings??
 
Ozon8r

Ozon8r

Member
Can you mount to AEV hi lift jack mount?

I too have the aev tire carrier and had a similar reading on top of the mast. I checked the ground continuity and it was perfect with a braided ground strap connecting the tire carrier to the frame. However, on the hi lift jack mount I had a reading at 1.5 vs 2-3 btwn ch 1 and ch 40 on top of the mast everything else the same. I have a good ground off the cb box as well. I'm running a 3' firestik and 18' firestik coax antenna wire down the passenger side to mount behind glove box.

A buddy w aev bumpers found the best best reading with a front driver side hood mount around 1.1 swr. I may try that if I have any problems.

Good luck.
 
jeeeep

jeeeep

Hooked
a few more things to consider, did you do a ground continuity test from the mounting point to a ground inside the jeep? you should be able to get a good ground continuity from the bracket to one of the tie downs in the tub.

Also, having the same AEV carrier, did you clean the powder coat from both sides of the mounting hole and the inside? did you clean off a spot where the one of the bracket bolts mounts to the tailgate?

If you don't want to take off too much powder coat, you could make a separate ground wire from one of the tailgate bolts to the antenna mount using ring terminal connectors.

good luck :beer:
 
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