JohnnyFingers
Member
A neighbour dropped off a VHF/UHF antenna and I was wondering if I could use it with my CB radio?
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Can I use a VHF/UHF antenna as a CB atenna?
- Thread starter JohnnyFingers
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DaveJacobsen
Member
"can" yes.
Will it work? not really
Will it do damage to your radio? Maybe.
transmitting is not like receiving -- it needs a specific length.
Will it work? not really
Will it do damage to your radio? Maybe.
transmitting is not like receiving -- it needs a specific length.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
An antenna needs to be resonate at the frequency you are transmitting on. That means the antenna used with a CB needs to be designed to work on CB frequencies (26-27MHz). A VHF/UHF antenna isn't going to be resonate on those frequencies and will perform extremely poorly. It'll result in high Standing Wave Ratio (RF energy not radiated by the antenna) and that can result in power getting reflected back to the radio. On a stock CB, it's not going to result in any explosions, usually the CB's are designed for poor antennas. But it's certainly not going to work well.
Use that VHF/UHF antenna with a scanner or ham radio. Get a good CB antenna for your CB.
JohnnyFingers
Member
Thank you both for the info. I'm glad I asked first.
russbrill
Member
NO, you will destroy the output finals in your CB...
KEWB-N1EXA
Acushnet Heights Radio 740
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Was this a House Antenna Car or Rubber duck ?
CB is 27 Mhz where VHF is 140-170 and UHF 450-500..BIg Difference.
Your CB it going to Throw a HIGH SWR Because the antenna wont Resonate !
Pete N1EXA / KQX9282
With a good tuner / matching network, yes it can be done. But should you? Probably not--lousy antenna efficiency, probably a funky radiation pattern too, etc.
JohnnyFingers
Member
Can this antenna be used on a Hammarlund HQ100 A?
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
That's a short wave radio. That antenna will suck even more than it will on CB.
JohnnyFingers
Member
Thank you mmckenna. Not sure what I would do without you or your knowledge.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
I'm sure someone else would fill in for me. There's a lot of intelligent people on this site that are willing to assist.
The dual band antenna is likely tuned for somewhere around 146MHz and 440MHz. That's perfect for the 2 meter and 70 centimeter amateur radio band. It's the right length to use for that. Far too short to be effective on CB or shortwave.
You could use that antenna with a scanner, and it would work well enough.
For CB, your antenna needs to be much longer.
For shortwave radio use, it would need to be -really- long. Usually long wires, are used as short wave antennas.
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When you first posted, original poster, I was just going to answer "NO!, it will destroy your radio eventually", but I saw all the responses and didn't bother to answer. Another way of saying it would be a quarter wave antenna for UHF is approximately 5 in, a quarter wave antenna for VHF is approximately 15 in, a quarter wave antenna for CB is 102 in. It would burn out your transmitter pretty fast.
When you first posted, original poster, I was just going to answer "NO!, it will destroy your radio eventually", but I saw all the responses and didn't bother to answer. Another way of saying it would be a quarter wave antenna for UHF is approximately 5 in, a quarter wave antenna for VHF is approximately 15 in, a quarter wave antenna for CB is 102 in. It would burn out your transmitter pretty fast.
That's why a tuner was mentioned a few posts back...
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Yep, but as you mentioned, should it be done? Probably not, as you said.
Yep, but as you mentioned, should it be done? Probably not, as you said.
Well, maybe I should've been a bit clearer: "not done" in this application because it might not be worth it (although I could be wrong), although in general I've seen that technique used in the past using some unusual things for antennas--everything from a slinky to bed springs--and the user was at least able to get on the air. Maybe no phenomenal results (depending on luck with propagation), but at least the op can say they're on the air.
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