CB Antenna Ground

[BlacknRedJK]

Well after fighting SWR on my antenna I clearly need to ground the antenna better. I ordered a 12” braided ground strap. Would attaching the ground to one of the tailgate bolts and the other end to the frame work? My antenna is mounted to the factory tire carrier.


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[ChiliDawg]

Well after fighting SWR on my antenna I clearly need to ground the antenna better. I ordered a 12” braided ground strap. Would attaching the ground to one of the tailgate bolts and the other end to the frame work? My antenna is mounted to the factory tire carrier.


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I didn't need a grounding strap on mine but I mounted it to a metal bracket which attaches directly to the tailgate behind where your factory tire carrier attaches. PSC makes one that works well. If you're going to use a braided strap I would think the tailgate bolts would be all you need - just make sure that you scratch any paint off your mounting bracket where it makes contact with the antenna, and where you attach the ground strap. Needs to be bare metal to bare metal.

 

[DWiggles]

blah.... I would think the tailgate bolts would be all you need - just make sure that you scratch any paint off your mounting bracket where it makes contact with the antenna, AND where you attach the ground strap. Needs to be bare metal to bare metal.

Ding Ding Ding. :beer:

 

[monstrousmac]

Well after fighting SWR on my antenna I clearly need to ground the antenna better. I ordered a 12” braided ground strap. Would attaching the ground to one of the tailgate bolts and the other end to the frame work? My antenna is mounted to the factory tire carrier.


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This is what I had to do, to get 1.2 on 40 and 1

 

[BlacknRedJK]

I didn't need a grounding strap on mine but I mounted it to a metal bracket which attaches directly to the tailgate behind where your factory tire carrier attaches. PSC makes one that works well. If you're going to use a braided strap I would think the tailgate bolts would be all you need - just make sure that you scratch any paint off your mounting bracket where it makes contact with the antenna, and where you attach the ground strap. Needs to be bare metal to bare metal.

Ding Ding Ding. :beer:

This is what I had to do, to get 1.2 on 40 and 1

Thank you all for the input. I will start with simply grounding the tailgate and making sure to remove the paint from all the connections.

 

[Bear_JT]

^^^ That is one hell of a ground set up!


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[DWiggles]

This is what I had to do, to get 1.2 on 40 and 1

I can live with 1.4/1.2 :icon_crazy:
HA awesome though! :rock:

 

[monstrousmac]

The Tailgate is not very well grounded. It also helped with engine noise through the radio. I also ran a thick grounding strap from the engine to the frame.

 

[DWiggles]

The Tailgate is not very well grounded. It also helped with engine noise through the radio. I also ran a thick grounding strap from the engine to the frame.

To be fair, my antennas (CB & race radio) are not mounted on the tailgate.
They are mounted on the rear corners and grounded to factory bolts on the rear wheel wells inside the tub. I just used plain Jane copper strand 14g (IIRC) automotive wire. :thumb:

 

[Bear_JT]

To be fair, my antennas (CB & race radio) are not mounted on the tailgate.
They are mounted on the rear corners and grounded to factory bolts on the rear wheel wells inside the tub. :thumb:

Did you use antennas with built in grounds or did you use a ground strap?


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[DWiggles]

Did you use antennas with built in grounds or did you use a ground strap?


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See Edit ^^ :thumb:

 

[Bear_JT]

See Edit ^^ :thumb:

Thank you [emoji1360]


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[ChiliDawg]

The Tailgate is not very well grounded. It also helped with engine noise through the radio. I also ran a thick grounding strap from the engine to the frame.

IDK, I had mine grounded to the tailgate without a strap and I don't have any issues (I say that but mine's not currently mounted), these things are fickle though so YMMV.

 

[NCPossum]

Well after fighting SWR on my antenna I clearly need to ground the antenna better. I ordered a 12” braided ground strap. Would attaching the ground to one of the tailgate bolts and the other end to the frame work? My antenna is mounted to the factory tire carrier.


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What kind of radio are you running, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[wjtstudios]

The tailgate is one of the worst locations to mount an antenna for a good ground. I installed a 1” braided engine block ground from the antenna mount down to the frame. I run a uniden bearcat and can maintain a 1.00 swr as long as the ground on the frame does not become corroded. Then the swr jumps to 6.88. After I sand it back out it will drop to 0.

Another reason not to mount to the tailgate is pinching the antenna wire. Routed mine thru the tailgate and into the cab in the same location the OEM wires run. Over time, even in a wire loom, they eventual pinch. I’m in the process of running it down the AEV tire carrier, then up under the wheel well and back into the cab to avoid the pinch location.

To avoid the whole grounding issue all together, I’m also hardwiring in a midland 40 Watt GMRS unit. Just testing it outside of the mount location, I can get miles of range out of it and that’s testing in a small downtown with a lot of buildings. They are very simple to set up and use and they don’t seem to have the grounding issues that the CBs have. The only downside is that most of the jeep clubs don’t run them yet so I will run both for the now.


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[DWiggles]

The tailgate is one of the worst locations to mount an antenna for a good ground. I installed a 1” braided engine block ground from the antenna mount down to the frame. I run a uniden bearcat and can maintain a 1.00 swr as long as the ground on the frame does not become corroded. Then the swr jumps to 6.88. After I sand it back out it will drop to 0.

Another reason not to mount to the tailgate is pinching the antenna wire. Routed mine thru the tailgate and into the cab in the same location the OEM wires run. Over time, even in a wire loom, they eventual pinch. I’m in the process of running it down the AEV tire carrier, then up under the wheel well and back into the cab to avoid the pinch location.

To avoid the whole grounding issue all together, I’m also hardwiring in a midland 40 Watt GMRS unit. Just testing it outside of the mount location, I can get miles of range out of it and that’s testing in a small downtown with a lot of buildings. They are very simple to set up and use and they don’t seem to have the grounding issues that the CBs have. The only downside is that most of the jeep clubs don’t run them yet so I will run both for the now.


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GRMS/FM/UHV/VHF/ "Race Radios" is where its at for sure! I primarily run a 50w GRMS radio that is hardwired to the jeep. My cb has become a "loathed backup", I have the midland 75-822 handheld which spends most of its time in the center console. the GRMS radio is just SO much better. :thumb:

While the upfront cost is higher, its not outrageous and the performance gained is tremendous. a CB is capped to transmit at only 4 watts. while the GRMS is 10+ TIMES as powerful, HALF the size, offers well over 200 channels to choose from (compared to the 40 channels of CB) IMO, there is just NO reason to run a CB other than "That's what we have been running for decades" :crazyeyes:

the only reason I still have the CB at all, and I stress THE ONLY REASON is because so many still consider it viable "because its what was always done". GRMS is the smartphone equivalent to vehicle comms.

It is 2018, it really is time to put down the Motorola Razor...

Again, coming from someone who has both, this is just my opinion.

 

[BlacknRedJK]

What kind of radio are you running, if you don't mind me asking?

I’m running the Anytone with the solder bridge mod as Eddie wrote up a while back.


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[zimm]

I had no continuity from tail gate to the body. I ran a 12 gauge ground from antenna mounting bracket bolt through tail gate and grounded to body under the trim in cargo compartment.

Use a multimeter and make sure you get a continuity *beep* when probing from antenna nut to chassis ground. I used the trailer plug pin ground as the other end of the test.

Those grounding straps look like they can handle a lightening strike!

 

[monstrousmac]

My Cobra 29LX BT is putting out well over 4 Watts. I had mine modded with NEW MOSFET Final, and RFX-150 Final, I also had all the Caps swapped out with gold caps. I get great range and reception. I eventually want to get my Ham Radio License and run Ham.

 

[wjtstudios]

Those grounding straps look like they can handle a lightening strike!

They could, I never thought about it!! The highest point on the jeeps the antenna. All kidding aside, it did work great to knock the SWR down to 1.


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