Hello Everyone,
I’m new to the forums but used to have CBs years ago and recently decided to put one in my vehicle. I’ve had a lot of unexpected difficulty and was hoping you guys might be able to pinpoint the reason I’m not able to transmit and why I get limited reception. Thank you in advance for your time and expertise!
I’ll try to be concise but want to lay this out so you’re looking at the whole picture.
Below is my setup:
Cobra 29LTD
Firestik K-8A 18 foot RG-SBA/U Coax cable w/PL-259 connectors - UPC: 716414200232
FireStik SS-274A Channel Swivel Mount w/K-4A Stud - UPC: 716414201123
Firestik II Tunable Tip Model FS4 CB Antenna 4 Foot 5/8 Wave Antenna Top Loaded - UPC: 716414110081
Wadoy SS-3H CB Antenna Spring Mount,
Squelch is all the way down until I get this figured out so there’s a lot of static so the speaker is working. Sometimes I’m hearing others conversations and then sometimes I’ll get nothing but static. Have done numerous radio checks on different days and different times yet no one responds. Whenever I key the mic, the radio goes quiet, meter goes 3/4 to the right, the antenna light stays off, and the Rx/Tx light turns from green to red . On the surface, it appears the mic is working other than no responses from radio checks (I have tried two mics on this CB).
This CB has a CAL-SWR-S/RF switch and I’ve tuned to about 1.4.
Since I thought it might be the CB, I purchased a $30.00 Uniden PRO505XL 40-Channel CB just to plug in and test. I hooked up the antenna and tried both mics and I’m still having the same issues.
I checked for grounding issues and I found something that seems inconsistent with what I have read and have seen on youtube videos. These were my results:
Tested coaxial with ohm meter and got expected results:
1. Outside to outside on each end: reading
2. Inside to inside on each end: reading
3. Inside to outside on same end, then did the same for the other end: no reading
4. Then outside on one end to inside of other end: no reading
Tested antenna install with ohm meter and got these expected results (WITHOUT coaxIal connected to CB):
5. Touch mount and stud underneath: reading
6. Touch mount and stud on top: no reading
7. Touch mount and chassis of vehicle or any grounding site on vehicle: reading
8. Touch mount and spring attached to antenna: no reading
9. Touch mount and end of antenna: no reading
10. Remove antenna and touch bottom and top of antenna: reading
11. With antenna attached touch anywhere above mount and tip of antenna: reading
Here’s something that seemed questionable. When I connect the CB, what happens is, #6, #8, and #9 changes from ‘no reading’ and I get a reading. I don’t understand this since it’s my understanding that the mount should be isolated from the antenna. Even if this is normal, I’m still not able to transmit and get very limited reception other than static on the original cb and now the extra one I purchased in order to test.
Not only is the mount securely bolted to the metal inside the hood, but I have a 12 gauge copper wire connected from the mount (not shown connected in included pic) to the end of the negative battery cable where it attaches to the metal chassis so there should be no mount grounding issues.
The antenna is attached in the below order from top to bottom:
Antenna, Spring, lug, metal lock-washer, flat metal washer (I removed flat washer because it was hitting the ground screw), plastic washer with lip that fits inside metal mount to isolate top from bottom, Mount, bottom stud, coaxial that leads to CB.
Thank you all for any advice you’re able to offer! Really want to get this thing working!
I’m new to the forums but used to have CBs years ago and recently decided to put one in my vehicle. I’ve had a lot of unexpected difficulty and was hoping you guys might be able to pinpoint the reason I’m not able to transmit and why I get limited reception. Thank you in advance for your time and expertise!
I’ll try to be concise but want to lay this out so you’re looking at the whole picture.
Below is my setup:
Cobra 29LTD
Firestik K-8A 18 foot RG-SBA/U Coax cable w/PL-259 connectors - UPC: 716414200232
FireStik SS-274A Channel Swivel Mount w/K-4A Stud - UPC: 716414201123
Firestik II Tunable Tip Model FS4 CB Antenna 4 Foot 5/8 Wave Antenna Top Loaded - UPC: 716414110081
Wadoy SS-3H CB Antenna Spring Mount,
Squelch is all the way down until I get this figured out so there’s a lot of static so the speaker is working. Sometimes I’m hearing others conversations and then sometimes I’ll get nothing but static. Have done numerous radio checks on different days and different times yet no one responds. Whenever I key the mic, the radio goes quiet, meter goes 3/4 to the right, the antenna light stays off, and the Rx/Tx light turns from green to red . On the surface, it appears the mic is working other than no responses from radio checks (I have tried two mics on this CB).
This CB has a CAL-SWR-S/RF switch and I’ve tuned to about 1.4.
Since I thought it might be the CB, I purchased a $30.00 Uniden PRO505XL 40-Channel CB just to plug in and test. I hooked up the antenna and tried both mics and I’m still having the same issues.
I checked for grounding issues and I found something that seems inconsistent with what I have read and have seen on youtube videos. These were my results:
Tested coaxial with ohm meter and got expected results:
1. Outside to outside on each end: reading
2. Inside to inside on each end: reading
3. Inside to outside on same end, then did the same for the other end: no reading
4. Then outside on one end to inside of other end: no reading
Tested antenna install with ohm meter and got these expected results (WITHOUT coaxIal connected to CB):
5. Touch mount and stud underneath: reading
6. Touch mount and stud on top: no reading
7. Touch mount and chassis of vehicle or any grounding site on vehicle: reading
8. Touch mount and spring attached to antenna: no reading
9. Touch mount and end of antenna: no reading
10. Remove antenna and touch bottom and top of antenna: reading
11. With antenna attached touch anywhere above mount and tip of antenna: reading
Here’s something that seemed questionable. When I connect the CB, what happens is, #6, #8, and #9 changes from ‘no reading’ and I get a reading. I don’t understand this since it’s my understanding that the mount should be isolated from the antenna. Even if this is normal, I’m still not able to transmit and get very limited reception other than static on the original cb and now the extra one I purchased in order to test.
Not only is the mount securely bolted to the metal inside the hood, but I have a 12 gauge copper wire connected from the mount (not shown connected in included pic) to the end of the negative battery cable where it attaches to the metal chassis so there should be no mount grounding issues.
The antenna is attached in the below order from top to bottom:
Antenna, Spring, lug, metal lock-washer, flat metal washer (I removed flat washer because it was hitting the ground screw), plastic washer with lip that fits inside metal mount to isolate top from bottom, Mount, bottom stud, coaxial that leads to CB.
Thank you all for any advice you’re able to offer! Really want to get this thing working!