MURS Mobile Antenna Question

[Mike7883d]

I have 2 MURS radios and VHF\UHF magnetic mount antennas to go with them. I checked them for SWR and went out to test them with a friend. Since the SWR was low, I never cut them. The reception was terrible. We couldn't hear each other after only a half mile. We had more range than that with just the stubby antennas that came with the radios. I also had troubble checking the SWR. The needle on the meter will not move and the next time I try it will. I'm totally confused now as to what could be the problem. Am I doing something wrong with the antennas? Any help would be appreciated!

 

[N_Jay]

I have 2 MURS radios and VHF\UHF magnetic mount antennas to go with them. I checked them for SWR and went out to test them with a friend. Since the SWR was low, I never cut them. The reception was terrible. We couldn't hear each other after only a half mile. We had more range than that with just the stubby antennas that came with the radios. I also had troubble checking the SWR. The needle on the meter will not move and the next time I try it will. I'm totally confused now as to what could be the problem. Am I doing something wrong with the antennas? Any help would be appreciated!

Get yourself VHF antennas.
Are you useing a VHF SWR meter or a CB one?

 

[Mike7883d]

Actually the antennas I have are the ones listed in the radio instructions as being compatible. The SWR meter I'm using is good for MURS frequencies.

 

[N_Jay]

Actually the antennas I have are the ones listed in the radio instructions as being compatible. The SWR meter I'm using is good for MURS frequencies.

A dual band antenna is typically not as good as single band antenna.

How long is the cable?

How old are the setups?

Has the cable been crushed or overly bent?

 

[Concrete1]

If the SWR meter sometimes goes dead or "doesn't move", either your radio's output is dropping to near zero, the SWR meter is bad, or there is a problem/intermitt in the coax or connectors. If it is the meter, you can't trust the readings
Your external antenna should be Much, Much better than a stubby in an A/B comparison, regardless of weather it is dual band or not.

 

[Mike7883d]

Ok, in my attempts to figure out what the problem is, I tried both radios on the meter and the same antenna. With one radio the SWR meter did not work. When I tried the other radio, the meter seemed to work fine (also with a clearer reception of the weather station). Yet when I test the radios with the stubby antenna close range they both seem to work. Could the one radio be bad?

 

[fourwd1]

Yeah, you could have a bad radio and still work at close range.