New to Cbs. Need some help

swampdog

swampdog

New member
Labricon said:
I like this idea but, how often does the antenna need to be re tuned if ever.....does using a quick release increase the need to re tune?
Click to expand...

I haven't had to re-tune mine in the the year and a half I've had it and it has got beaten on and screwed / unscrewed from the spring numerous times.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Draconianwinter

Draconianwinter

New member
swampdog said:
Sure it's fine, but a 10' is fine too by that logic. Assuming he has the 5' mounted to his spare tire support, that thing will stick up 3' above the roof. Why in the world would you need that, trying to speak with Russia? It just looks silly and is unnecessary.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
Click to expand...
1 while agree with how it looks you will not be talking more than maybe 15 miles at most and that is a cobra 29 that is modified with larger finals maybe up to about 30 miles of you go with a big radio like say my general Lee.
2 the longer the antenna the better his send and his receive signals will be.
3 the more of that antenna that is hidden by the jeep the more issues with his standing wave ratio he will have. This can also make it so he won't be able to hear you talking to him unless he is literally right behind or in front of you. Do yes it won't look as good but if he mounts to his tailgate he will need the longer length antenna to one be able heart others and two to keep from frying the finals out in his radio. Also I never said he had to go with a 5 foot antenna just that it would work fine. I also should have clarified that the length will also depend on the type he uses. If he uses a top loaded antenna then he can get away with a shorter one of about 4 foot maybe even a 3foot. Either way he will still have to make sure he clears the jeeps top if he mounts to the back. Also the radio he is using will never reach out to Russia. At best on a perfect setup he will get about 4 maybe 5 miles on flat open land. Lol

Sent from my SM-N920V using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
zimm

zimm

Caught the Bug
SWR meter is worth having. I bought mine years ago and have tuned many vehicles. In fact today I had to run a new coax cable because mine pinched and shorted out somewhere. I'll get to pull the meter out again later today to tune it.

I also have 3' and 4' firefly antennas. The 3' clears my garage door, so it's the daily driver antenna. The 4' is great if I'm going on an offroad trip because it clears the top by a foot giving me more range.
 
Stotch

Stotch

Caught the Bug
It all depends on where you mount the antenna. My 3' Firestik is about 6" too long to pull in the garage with (well over a foot taller than the Jeep). At first I flipped the RR tailgate mount to mount on the bottom of the other side. Then it was about flush with the top of the Jeep. I flipped it back up to the top and got a 2' for daily driving and will use the 3' for when we're out and about. FYI even with a low SWR the antenna that didn't clear the top of the Jeep could only get about 1-1.5 miles (talking to another Jeep with the same setup while driving). A built in SWR is a must if you're switching between antennas though.
 
chipper

chipper

Member
It's definitely worth it to take it to a shop and get it peaked and tuned. New they come dummied down, for the law. Under 3 watts. With that radio you can get maybe 5+ watts. Which is a big difference.
Also getting a good microphone, like a Roadking 56 or some kind of noise canceling mic will make a HUGE difference in how you sound to others. It's a PITA when you can't understand what the person is saying. The signal is strong but they sound like Charley Browns teacher. "Don't be that person" a good mic is worth the money.
FYI , I'm a truck driver and use a CB daily. In my Jeep I use a Uniden 505 peaked and tuned, and old Wilson 2k antenna, Evo antenna mount (no spring), 21' coax, and old RK56 mic and its sounding just as good as my big radio.


Sent from my iPhone using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Ddays

Ddays

Hooked
chipper said:
It's definitely worth it to take it to a shop and get it peaked and tuned. New they come dummied down, for the law. Under 3 watts. With that radio you can get maybe 5+ watts. Which is a big difference.
Also getting a good microphone, like a Roadking 56 or some kind of noise canceling mic will make a HUGE difference in how you sound to others. It's a PITA when you can't understand what the person is saying. The signal is strong but they sound like Charley Browns teacher. "Don't be that person" a good mic is worth the money.
FYI , I'm a truck driver and use a CB daily. In my Jeep I use a Uniden 505 peaked and tuned, and old Wilson 2k antenna, Evo antenna mount (no spring), 21' coax, and old RK56 mic and its sounding just as good as my big radio.
Click to expand...

^^ This is good advice coming from a pro. I chased my setup for a month unsuccessfully until I went to a CB shop recommended by a truck driver. Opened mine up, did some fiddling with it (peaked & tuned I'm assuming) and viola, works like a champ. I have little to no patience chasing electrical issues down, it drives me friggin nuts. If you're like me a CB shop is well worth it.

Also, another consideration on the antenna: I had a 4' that whacked the shit outta the garage door going in and out & kept ripping the rubber tip off. A 3' worked perfectly for me and the CB shop has zero issues tuning it. Measure to make sure a 4' will fit before you use one...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom