Not getting out well...

A low SWR indicates how much of your transmission is radiated outwards as opposed to going back into the radio. The size of your antenna, in addiditon to your SWR, dictates how well you can transmit. A 5 foot whip will get out better than a 3 foot whip. But a 9 foot whip will get out better than a 5 foot whip.

Since you have a General Lee, you are running only on the CB band...right? B/C that radio can also get you on the 10 meter ham bands. And to be able to talk there, you not only need a license but you also need the right sized antenna, which a CB antenna is too long. (10 meters uses a shorter antenna than the 11 meter citizens band does). If I'm not mistaken, a converted to work on CB General Lee is on band D on the high side.

Also how far are you getting out? That radio, with the right size antenna and the low SWR *should* allow you to talk 5 miles reliably. Maybe more, depending on terrain, atmospheric conditions, if skip is rolling, if the other party has a good receive on their radio, if their antenna is a good one, if they don't have their radio squelched up to block out everyone except those 10 feet from them, etc.

 

Have you got your antenna installed correctly? F'r instance, is there a nylon washer on the top side of the mount (under the antenna shaft)? Some folks go for the best mechanical installation but forget the mount has a hot side and a grounded side. Might be worth having a tech look at the installation.
Also possible your radio is not tuned correctly. Any idea what work may have been done to that radio prior to your getting it? Also remember that a good SWR just says that your antenna system (including the coax and all connectors, the mounts, etc.) is presenting around a 50-ohm match to the radio. But if you think about it, if there were a dummy load on the end of the coax, you'd *still* have a great SWR.
Your antenna has to provide a large radiation resistance to the transmitter, and ground losses must be minimized.
There's more than just bolting it on and hoping it's all good, especially with gear that isn't new.
-- Handlebar --

 

Stick a Amp behind that General Lee and you'll get your name called every time you Key the Mic!

I run a General Lee in my work van, along with a Davemade Amp and have no problem talking from one end of Dallas County to the other regardless of conditions!

 

Unless the radio is burnt, most issues are the antenna, but you say you hear people far away. Is it possible you are hearing only the far away ones running high power? When people hear you, do they say your modulation is strong?