Admin Table of Contents
How high should a CB base antenna be?
Generally, the higher the antenna is above ground, the better it will perform. Good practice is to install your vertical antenna about 5 to 10 feet above the roof line and away from power lines and obstructions. Remember that the FCC limits your antenna height to 60 feet.
How do you ground a CB base antenna?
The first rule of grounding is to direct the current to a single point inserted into the ground. The ideal case is a metal pole driven eight to ten feet underground; this ensures that even in the warmest and driest of climates, it will always be in contact with damp earth.
Is a longer CB antenna better?
Length – Tall antennas generally work better and get a longer range than short antennas. The higher the antenna goes, the farther your message will go, and you can receive messages from farther away. The ideal length antenna for CB radios is 102 inches (about 8 and ½ feet!) because it is equal to ¼ of a wavelength.
Does a CB antenna need to be vertical?
So, ideally you want a vertical antenna. Pretty much any other shape is going to distort the polarization and result in less signal being picked up by other users. Also, a horizontally polarized antennas at CB frequencies gets to be a bit cumbersome.
How do I increase the signal strength on my CB radio?
There are several procedures for ensuring maximum output.
- TUNE THE RADIO. A CB radio is only as good as the coax and antenna connected to it.
- USE CB-SPECIFIC ANTENNAS.
- ESTABLISH A GROUND PLANE.
- CHECK THE VSWR.
- ELIMINATE RESISTANCE.
How far will a CB base station reach?
Base Station Antennas Between two base stations, you could have a range of about 20 miles. A well-installed system should provide about a 15-mile or more range. If you’re contacting a mobile CB station, you may have a range of ten miles or so.
How do you tell if your CB antenna is grounded properly?
If your CB antenna mount has a good ground, the multimeter needle should move all the way to the right when the probes contact these two locations. If you get very little or no needle movement on the multimeter, test that your meter is working properly by touching the two probes together.
How do you adjust the SWR on a CB radio?
Turn the radio to channel 1. Key the microphone (depress the button and hold it). Turn the knob on the SWR meter labeled “SET” or “ADJUST” until the needle reaches the setting position at the end of its range. While still keying the microphone, flip the switch on the SWR meter to the “REF” or “SWR” position.
How do I increase the range of my CB radio?
How do you tune a CB antenna with a built in SWR meter?
How do you fix a high SWR on a CB radio?
If your antenna is mounted down low on the vehicle, like on the bumper or behind a pickup truck’s cab, the signal can bounce back to the antenna, causing a high SWR. To alleviate this, keep at least the top 12 inches of the antenna above the roof line, and position the antenna as high as possible on the vehicle.