SWR question on a bearcat 880

[Novix]

Hey folks I've been looking all over for info on my issue. So I thought I would post it here and see if anyone has experience with these CB's and what you think.
I have a bearcat 880, pair with a fire stickII 4ft on the back of my 2014 Dodge ram. I have snaked the cable through the back of the truck all the way along the drivers side door and into the center console. The power is directly hooked up to the battery. Now the issue comes in the form of calibration, IF I have the graph on the line in the calibration mode my SWR is stupid high, 5-6. Now if I back the calibration off to half way to the bar I get SWR of 1.5-2. Is there anything wrong with this setup? I have the antenna screwed in as far as it will go to lower the SWR. Could I need to ground the antenna at the back? I read that might help... I'm new and have looked online for days with only finding youtube videos that don't really help much.

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[cobrien86]

How is the antenna mounted? On the bed rail, bumper, a toolbox?

The first thing I would do is make sure your mount (not the antenna itself, but the mount you installed on the truck) is grounded well.

 

[ko6jw_2]

First of all, lowering the calibration control just gives you a false reading by reducing the sensitivity of the meter. If the meter is calibrated correctly and reads 5-6, that's what it is.

You don't say what kind of mount you're using, but it should make a solid ground connection to the truck body.

The high SWR could be the result of many things. Bad coax and/or bad connectors could be a problem too. You should check all of those.

 

[K5MPH]

First of all all antennas need to be grounded ..........

 

[Novix]

Sorry for got to mention the mount, it is a Firestik SS294A Stake Pocket mount. I'm guessing the grounding might be the issue, I thought the inside of the stake hole would be the grounding point but if the bedliner spray got in there it will not make full contact. I'll find a good grounding point under the truck and run a separate line there. I'll let you know if that works

 

[byndhlptom]

High SWR

"First of all all antennas need to be grounded "

just to make sure.....

the coax braid at the antenna needs to be grounded. The center conductor is only connected to the whip. The mount is grounded, not the antenna

 

[cobrien86]

Sorry for got to mention the mount, it is a Firestik SS294A Stake Pocket mount. I'm guessing the grounding might be the issue, I thought the inside of the stake hole would be the grounding point but if the bedliner spray got in there it will not make full contact. I'll find a good grounding point under the truck and run a separate line there. I'll let you know if that works

I ran one of those for a long time with a Wilson Trucker 2000SW. Great setup.

I'd strongly recommend using the shortest wire possible, and something at least 10 gauge.

Don't forget heat shrink tubing -- it only takes 6 months or so for unprotected copper to oxidize enough to make a noticeable difference, in my experience.

 

[k8krh]

GROUND, ground , and using a 4ft whip, hope you don't want to talk to far, a WILSON 1000 would be my choice<that is what I use> swr 1.1 to 1 ....
DOCTOR/795 CHNL 36/SSB/AM

 

[WA0CBW]

It might not be so much the ground as the "ground plane". Mounting in a stake bed hole isn't a very good ground plane.
BB

 

[KB0VWG]

Which Pocket is the antenna mounted in? The one closest to the cab? If that's the case you could be also getting reflection from the cab causing the swr to climb. test it in the middle stake hole and see what the swr is like then and of course check the ground.
kb0vwg
wqoi992

 

[cobrien86]

Half the antenna is below the level of the roof. It won't be absolutely terrible...

If you end up swapping antennas, take a look at a Hustler SCB. It's a "trucker antenna," but it'll get the load up above the cab where it does the most good.

That's the closest antenna to the Wilson 2000SW that's still in production, and I never had any issues.

 

[Novix]

Ya I'll have a look at different antenna's, the 4ft came with the cb so what the heck. I do need something that I can take off while still maintaining the line into the truck. I think both the Wilson and the k-40 do that? I'll look up the Hustler one, Thanks again for all the suggestions and help folks !!!

 

[cobrien86]

Ya I'll have a look at different antenna's, the 4ft came with the cb so what the heck. I do need something that I can take off while still maintaining the line into the truck. I think both the Wilson and the k-40 do that? I'll look up the Hustler one, Thanks again for all the suggestions and help folks !!!

Pick up a quick disconnect. It mounts between the antenna and the stud. This will also give you a bit more length (~4"), so you can get more antenna up in the air.

Adding a QD will also change your SWR, so you will need to re-tune afterwards.

 

[Novix]

OK here is the update, finally got the ground on and tested everything. Calibration was set to the line and the SWR is now 1.0. I thought the antenna was already grounded, my bad, lesson to everyone make sure the antenna grounded!!!!

Thanks everyone for your help, next looking at a different antenna

Peace