CB help!

[dieseldan2005]

I have had 2 different radios on my 06 freightliner M2 daycab. The first one was a uniden elite and now i have an older fieldmaster. With both radios i could only get them to work half of the time. The fieldmaster has the red bulbs to indcate strength. It seems lately that i only have a good signal when its raining out or when there is moister in the air. I have a wilson 5000 antenna. My local cb guy told me that the newer trucks have poor grounds to the cabs and that this might be the problem. I tried to run a ground wire from the antenna mount to the frame but it made no difference. Anyone have any suggestions. Believe it or not my wilson fell off on monday and i got it back but someone ran it over and now it has road rash and the top whip is a little bent right where it comes out of the rubber coating. I had all these problems before this though. I have had trouble keeping the mounts together on this truck too. This is the 2nd mount, they keep wearing out and then the antenna starts flopping around. I run longer distances with my straight truck and this is getting very frustrating cause i would like my radio to work properly.

[panhandlepat]

i have heard the bad ground thing too. i tried running a ground on mine but it actually made the static WORSE. i drive an 07 century condo.
had LOTS fewer problems with the int. 9400/prostar i had at last Co.

[dieseldan2005]

I think my wire made it worse as well. I disconnected it and now my radio only works every now and then. Down in Iowa i should hear people all the time and i never do. My radio has been tweaked and peaked as well. I also have a new SWR meter and everything is always under 1.

[panhandlepat]

mine is good also ont the (factory cobra29) meter but i still have to turn the RF WAAY up to clear the noise.
a CB shop said solar flares or some BS were up the last year, causing alot of radio interference

[FriedTater]

Sounds like a "classic wired to a lighter plug socket"
Try improving the "power/ground" locations on the radio.

If your running a center load antenna and its doesn't clear the top of the cab your antenna location may need to change.

I still dont understand the loose mount issue ??
Mirror mounts are generally four bolt and if tightened properly,"NEVER MOVE"

An easy cure for antenna ground issues is to use a self tapping 5/16 screw run thru the mount into the mirror frame,works real well on FL/Columbia's and the like.

[panhandlepat]

from what i have read tater, the shakers have a bad ground from the mirrors to the frame. i ran a ground from my clamp-on mount to the door frame.....made it worse
ran a ground from the RADIO ground to the frame....made it worse

[FriedTater]

Flat braid ground straps from the door to the cab
secured with 5/16 Self Tappers works pretty good
on the cheap.
After chasing all this stuff I would get a new Coax

[dieseldan2005]

I have a new coax and it didn't help. My loose mount issue is where the antenna screws into the mount. The bracket doesn't come loose, but the stud that supports the antenna gets loose and eventually wears the threads off. This week it separated and my coax was hanging out my window and the antenna fell off. I try to stay on top of tightening it, but i figured that my new mount would stay together better than my old wore out one. Maybe its the weight of the wilson 5000 and when it bounces it wears out the inside. I will have to try the braided grounding straps. I know there is one from the cab to the chassis from the factory.

[FriedTater]

Barjan* sells a decent wide base mount in most TS.
Before installing back the threads off a few turns and put a drop of Thread-Lock*(blue) then run it up "snug"
Over tighting will crush the nylon washer most times.

[dieseldan2005]

Thank you for the help. I will try to fix her up.