New Truck; New Problem

Sure it does, it eliminates the problem.

I don’t know what you would do, the system is setup for two types of radios using the same antenna or antennas, it does this with a unit that produces a lot of losses for the cb end of the system. Trying to tune the antenna is a band aide approach, eliminating the problem is the solution.

you don’t need two antennas, leave one alone for the am/fm radio and pull new coax and properly ground the mount on the other, problem solved.

 

Whoever told you the antenna was to short got it completely wrong. When your SWR readings are 3 or higher, that is a clear indication of an antenna ground plane problem.
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.First thing to do is fix the antenna ground plane issue. This is a common problem with new vehicles. Search for "ground plane" or "bonding" in the cb radio forum.
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.After that is taken care of, run your own antenna setup and bypass all the multi-antenna junk in the truck. MultiPlexing setups [where the antenna wiring system has multiple signals to different delivery points] is a known problem for cb radio installations. It is best to run your own standalone ,single purpose antenna setup.

 

In this case, what you're calling a "band-aid" solution is far superior to making the stock system work. Factory systems use the cheapest stuff possible to get the job done, you will get far superior performance running a new good coax to your own antenna.

But hey, if mediocre at best performance is your thing, knock yourself out on spending more effort than it's worth to make the stock stuff work right.

 

Okay.............most may poo poo this but it worked on the 2016 Volvo VNL (uses basically the same antenna system as a Bulldog) that I was moved into late last year.
Try adding another 9 foot antenna cable to the factory coax. I bought a new untouched Uniden PC78 and went to hook it up on the dash mount, using the factory coax and the SWR was high (according to radio SWR meter). Previous driver had his radio mounted in the overhead stock compartment, but ran an extra 9 foot coax from dash mount up to overhead, due to no coax hook up above. I tried using that extension coax and the SWR came down to near perfect! So I left it alone.
I no longer use that system as I have upgraded radios, but would not hesitate to use it again for a stock 4 watt CB.

JD

 

BTW...........listen to what Mr. Ridgeline says.You will be replacing those RAMI antennas in the not too distant future. They and their mounts don't mix very well with the overhead obstacles you'll probably encounter in your dump trucking endeavors!

JD

 

You can’t just fix it, I buy macks for my fleet and everyone of them has the same issue so they get the same treatment before they even get on the road. This has been brought up to freightliner, Mack and other companies but they don’t care.

 

To the original poster, the factory system IS CUURENTLY A HAZARDTO YOUR RADIO. If the swr reading is 3 or higher, and it is, that alone can cause damage over time to your radio's final amllification circuit. You really do not want a radio that can only communicate in a parking lot but, not out on the road where you need it.
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DO NOT USE THE RADIO UNTIL YOU GET THE SWR BELOW 3.0
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.The most immediate problem is fix the antenna ground plane problem. Then, install your own antenna set up to bypass all the factory junk and their inherent issues.

 

To the original poster, your radio IS CURRENTLY AT RISK OF BEING DAMAGED. Anytime your SWR is 3.0 or higher, you will damage your radio's final amplificationr circuit over time.
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.It is imperative that you stop using your radio until the SWR is below 3.0
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.First, fix the antenna ground plane problem. That is the immediate problem.
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.Then install your own standalone antenna setup that bypasses the factory setup. Factory setups with multiple signals carried on one wiring system saves the manufacturer money. But when the driver puts their cb radio in the truck, the factory setup is a nightmare to troubleshoot. From past experience, it is much easier and cost effective to run your own antenna and coax to the cb radio and avoid all the problems.
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.18 feet of coax is not necessary to connect the radio to the antenna. Shorter lengths have less signal loss and therefore are actually preferred.

 

One of our drivers was installing a new antennae and coax on his newly assigned Mack anthem this week,,He eliminated the factory antennas, mounted new antennae directly to mirror arms. I assume bad grounding right from the factory.