Not much range...

Maybe I miss read this but you can't adjust SWR with the radio meter ....

 

Bingo....The built-N meter just tells ya what your SWR is...It doesn't adjust anything...You have to do that with the antenna....

 

The SWR fetcher on radios is just so you can check the SWR and see where your at...First you would calibrate the radio by flipping a switch to the "CAL" setting, then Key the Mic and adjust the needle on the meter with the Cal knob till it lines up over to the right where it's marked on the meter...Next you would flip the switch to "SWR" and Key your Mic...Where ever the needle then points, is your SWR....

To adjust the SWR you have to adjust the stinger (whip) on the antenna up or down...If you have a fiberglass antenna they are a little different.

Some fiberglass antenna's have a screw that does the adjusting, and others you take the cap off the top and pull out a little of the wire and cut it off "IF" the antenna is reading "Too Long"...

You need to check your SWR on channel 1 and 40...IF you see that the reading is higher on channel 1, than on channel 40 then your antenna is too short (try adding a spring at the base)

If channel 40 is higher than channel 1, then your antenna is too long and some trimming is required.

If by chance the needle pegs the meter all the way to the right once calibrated, then you have a ground short somewhere...could be the mount, or a bad coax connector...

 

For what it's worth...A external SWR Meter is the best way to set the SWR, but you can get in the ball-park using the meter on the radio.

AND...IF anyone posts after me telling you different, they are wrong, because I'm right! So when a certain "Channel Guru" starts posting a bunch of nonsense, don't even bother reading his rant...

 

Set radio on Ch20, flip SWR switch to Cal. Key mike while slowly turning knob to Cal mark. Then flip SWR switch to SWR. Do not adjust anything else. Key mike and see what SWR reads. Then turn to Ch1 key mike while watching meter. Then the same on Ch40. Then if SWR is off adjust antenna to bring it down. The meters in the radio are not the best. But it may give you a clue on your SWR being way outta the park.

 

Your problem sounds directly related to the antenna. I would ditch the 4" Wilson and get you a Wilson 2000 if you can. The more antenna you can get in the air, the more you will hear, and the more you can transmit, all else being equal.

 

I realize on a truck you have limits however a longer antenna will work better MOST of the time . 4 Foot is about as short as I would use on CB 5 ft would be better ......You might check into the wilson ..... if it is longer it should work better ..... On the ham bands I use 7 foot HAMSTICKS even on 10 meters MUCH better than some shorter antennas made for ham use .... CB is no diffrent ....


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