If anyone is disappointed with the performance of their CB radio it will never perform the way I described in my experiences unless you drive a Volvo 770 with Co phased antennas outside the rear fairings or a Chevy Tahoe with a Wilson 5000 roof mount. The performance of the radio is determined by the vehicle you are driving and the placement of the antennas or single antenna on that vehicle. That is where 99% of your performance will originate. For the record I never use a single antenna on a tractor trailer under any set of circumstances so if that is what you are doing I can't guarantee any performance at all because I've never resorted to a single element on a tractor-trailer. On a car it's a totally different story. A single antenna in the middle of the roof will smoke any tractor trailer out there as far as radio performance is concerned. So if you want to see your radios true potential get a Wilson 5000 magnet mount and put it on the roof of your car and you will be amazed at how well it performs. Then you have a baseline to compare your tractor trailer to Then you have a baseline to compare your tractor trailer to at which point you can then begin to improve the antenna system on your tractor trailer.
There have been a few times I used a single antenna on a tractor trailer and I was never happy with the performance. Compared to My co-phased Volvo 770 no tractor-trailer will ever come close to that truck as far as radio performance. Unless of course it happens to be a Volvo 770 set up the same way
My Mack Vision came set up with a single from the factory. Unfortunately the coax wore through where it goes through the door jamb. Now I had to run another one out through the passenger side door, since that one never gets opened. Not the best, but it's something. At least the SWR stayed down.
That would probably work too, but since it's a company truck I was trying to keep it somewhat unobtrusive.
Most trucks have a rubber grommet on the firewall you can make a nice little slit and push it right through and zip ties with the factory wiring harness and nobody will ever notice.
The only CB shop I have used is Steel Rods off of I65 in Indiana, they said 2 antennas isn't need and only run a single? Cobra 29
We stuck two on the mirrors and run. I still have my old Uniden PC76XL from the road, I guess buying the mike, power, antenna etc would be more than a brand new one would cost with the stuff already on it. But might do it anyway for the hell of it.
