An SWR meter, whether built-in or in a separate unit, will also help you determine where to mount your antenna. If you have a separate SWR meter or other devices between your radio and antenna, you need to use a coaxial cable jumper. Your goal is to bring the SWR ratio as close to as possible, and you can move your antenna around until you locate the best spot to install it on your vehicle.
Move your vehicle to a spot with no obstructions. Calibrate your meter according to the instructions, and test the SWR by pressing the key on channel 1 and then channel Note that a reading of over can damage your CB's health. Check out our video below on tuning a number of different types of antennas.
This video also illustrates what to do if your antenna is too long or too short. You can save a lot of money by installing your own CB on your motorcycle using common tools you probably already have. You'll need an inexpensive CB antenna such as the Midland that's designed for motorcycles, as well as a place to mount it on the rear end of your bike. Also, don't forget about the in-helmet headset.
The customer is using the with the mobile adapter. The mount and antenna were installed on the passenger side front fender. The customer reports, "Installing on the Hyundai Santa Fe required some bending of the bracket and even then it will result it some hood contact. If the mount was slightly thinner this would be avoided. You could always ask a knowledgeable friend if one's available.
If you don't have anyone available to you can look for additional information in our technical library. About Us. Store Links. Customer Service. Get advice, hear about specials, and much more when you follow us on social media!
Read more From all of us here at CB World, we wish you the very best. Search CB World. Do you have questions? My Account. Track My Order s Anti-bot validation. Sign in Register Email Address. Password Forgot your password? Register for a new account. Anti-bot validation. Sign in. Remember me. Cart Checkout Cart Checkout Cart is empty. Cart is empty. View Cart. By Type. By Brand. By Vehicle. Antenna Parts and Accessories. Microphone Parts and Accessories. Radio Parts. Choosing a Radio In one way, all CB radios are the same, no matter what you pay: they come standard with four Watts of power.
No matter what the type, manufactures distinguish various models of radios by including a variety of features, such as: NOAA - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides up-to-date weather reporting, and some radios can receive local NOAA stations. But knowing what length to get is crucial. Most manufacturers have a tendency to factory-tuning their antennas using 18ft. This explains why most of the top-rated cables you'll find on the market come with a length of around 18ft.
We suggest that you get a cable around this length as it gives you flexibility when installing an antenna in smaller as well as larger vehicles. Don't be tempted to go for longer cables unless you really need to use it. Linger cables can lead to higher signal loss and have higher chances of breakage. Longer cables are more likely to develop kinking with time, especially if laid out carelessly. As much as possible, we advise you to avoid using a too long cable, especially for short distances or CB equipment.
Unfortunately, a TV coax won't work for your CB system. This is mainly because the TV cables have an impedance of 75ohm, unlike the 50ohm impedance of CB antenna cables. You'll need to match the antenna feedline impedance with that of the coax cable for a successful CB system setup.
If you try connecting a TV cable to your CB radio, you'll hear something faint and unsatisfactory. And if you try using the TV cable, you might end up roasting your CB radio! If you have excess coax cable or just want to store your antenna cable, it's important to know how to store it correctly to avoid crimping, crushing, or bending it and affecting its performance.
The safest way to store your coax is by placing it into a loose figure 8 shape, about 1ft. If you connect your new cable and it doesn't seem to work, then most of the time, the culprit is the connectors. If you want to avoid spending your money on junk and getting a high-end coax cable, you must start by learning the different types of cables available and the varying qualities they come with. Having outlined all this crucial info in this guide, we hope that you'll spend your money wisely on a quality product.
You can get your best CB coax cable today from our top picks above for the betterment of your CB system communications. Alice lives in the City of Long Beach with her husband, an exceptionally small chihuahua, and pound Maine Coon.
Alice got a bachelor of science in biological science from UC Berkeley. Now, she likes writing about a lot of things; including but not limited to technology reviews, science stuff, and anything food-related. Can you use a TV coax for CB? How should I store coax cables? How do I know if my cable is bad?
Final Verdict Related posts. Coax Connector. Edible Printers Best Cardstock Printers. The most common, versatile CB antennas come as steel whips and fiberglass tube antennas of various heights. Most common antennas use the quarter wave length about 9 feet with most of the antenna wound up as a coil.
This coil can be located within the base Base-Loaded , partially up the antenna Center-Loaded , near the top Top-Loaded , or wound up most of the length of the antenna Continuous Loading. Steel Whip antennas are nice because they flex well and most steel whip antennas will have a base-loaded coil keeping the bulk of the antenna away from branches.
Fiberglass antennas will flex somewhat but coupled with a spring mount, will resist damage. Some fiberglass antennas have the benefit of being center-loaded and top-loaded putting most of the antenna as high as possible for better output and reception. Though not unbreakable, fiberglass is strong and light-weight. Center-loading or top-loading a steel antenna adds additional weight or bulk to the center or top of the antenna, which is not ideal for off-road use.
All CB antennas shorter than a inch whip have a coil. The wire in the coil is the remainder of quarter wave inches minus the height of the antenna itself wrapped up in a tight or spread out coil. The location of the coil affects output because the higher the coil is on the antenna, the higher the bulk of the antenna is in relation to the ground and the vehicle. Higher is better. Antennas can be base-loaded, center-loaded, top-loaded or continuous-loaded.
How do you identify what type of antenna is what? Base-Loaded — Base loaded antennas have the bulk of the antenna at the bottom of the antenna within a sealed plastic base, usually attached to the magnet or secured to the roof of the vehicle. Most magnetic mount antennas are base loaded due the weight and bulk of the coil. Center-Loaded — Center loaded antennas usually have the coil further up the antenna but not always in the center.
Center loaded antennas will generally have a thicker steel shaft up to the coil for support. Top-Loaded — Top loaded antennas are very common and inexpensive yet are also the most efficient. Top loaded CBs are usually fiberglass construction with a thin wire wrapped around the fiberglass pole and covered in a protective layer of vinyl plastic.
The thin wire is wrapped tighter towards the top placing most of the wire near the top. Benefits of a top-loaded fiberglass antenna is that option to mount the antenna lower on the vehicle yet placing most of the antenna higher, hopefully above the roofline of the vehicle. Continuous-Loaded — Continuous loaded antennas are very similar to top-loaded antennas in their construction with the exception of the wire distribution over the shaft.
With continuously loaded antennas, the wire is not concentrated towards the top or bottom, but rather distributed evenly over the entire length of the shaft. There is very little benefit to continuous loading vs top loading. When installing a CB, you have a long coaxial cable that runs from the CB to the antenna. Typically this is about 18 foot of cable, which according to some theory, is the optimal length of cable to use regardless of how close the antenna is to the CB.
So if you have 18 foot, you probably have some or a lot of extra cable to deal with. This will cause performance issues. Instead spread out the wire loosely in broad lengths. Route the cable out of the way as good as possible. If the antenna is in the rear of the vehicle, that can be a challenge. Under carpet, along the door jam, under the seats, along the roll cage are all common ways to route it.
This can result in a damaged CB. Most required me to purchase a mount of some kind or make a complicated […]. CB Radio Articles Installations […].
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