Can't hear others past a quarter mile or so

Discussion in 'CB Radio Forum' started by QuietMike, Feb 8, 2013.

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  1. Feb 8, 2013 #1
    QuietMike

    QuietMike Medium Load Member

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    A couple months back someone hit my passenger side mirror in a truck stop and my company replaced the whole thing. I don't think they hooked anything up on that side because my beacon light and the power and heated mirrors aren't working. Since then I haven't been able to hear people past maybe a quarter mile at the most and I'm pretty sure it's actually less than that. My columbia has the antennas on the left and right side. If I put a different antenna on the driver side do you think it will make a difference? It's kind of pain since quite a few of the places I go use cbs and I can't hear them but they can hear me. It's a company truck and I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be in it since the mileage is getting up there so I don't really want to spend to much money or run any new wires. I don't need a whole lot of range..I mean it would be nice but for the time being I'd at least like to be able to communicate with the guard shacks and shipping departments up to like maybe a mile out. Just don't know if replacing the one stock antenna will help or if since I'm supposed to have two antennas if it's causing some kind of issue.
     
    QuietMike, Feb 8, 2013
    QuietMike, Feb 8, 2013
    #1
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  3. Feb 8, 2013 #2
    Lantern

    Lantern Road Train Member

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    More then likely wrong, thought the right side was radio and left side was CB. Or they might be mixed. I have no idea. Saw this post and I'm pretty interested in how it works.
     
    Lantern, Feb 8, 2013
    Lantern, Feb 8, 2013
    #2
  4. Feb 9, 2013 #3
    kor b

    kor b Light Load Member

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    You could get a hand held cb if you dont
    want to run a new coax of your own. Or try
    to get your company to fix it. Go in with the
    primary problem as the heated mirror.
     
    kor b, Feb 9, 2013
    kor b, Feb 9, 2013
    #3
  5. Feb 9, 2013 #4
    Lantern

    Lantern Road Train Member

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    Problem with that is the CB in the company trucks are not something they fix. They see it as a unnecessary addon. Since the trucks are pre-wired for the CBs they allow it, repairing the wiring is touchy though.
     
    Lantern, Feb 9, 2013
    Lantern, Feb 9, 2013
    #4
  7. Feb 10, 2013 #5
    Voltrucker

    Voltrucker Medium Load Member

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    Now wait a sec, you said it's a Columbia? The Columbia doesn't have factory antennas but the Cascadia does. If its a Columbia and you have the antenna mounted on the mirror, more than likely it knocked the antenna out of wack or knocked a ground loose or something. Switch mirrors. If that doesn't help, invest in a new antenna.
     
    Voltrucker, Feb 10, 2013
    Voltrucker, Feb 10, 2013
    #5
  8. Feb 10, 2013 #6
    Lantern

    Lantern Road Train Member

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    Really? Strange because every columbia in the fleet has them (good amount of trucks). Even my truck (a columbia) has them built into the mirrors.


    "If you're reading this, you love lot lizards!"
    Haha, fooled me.
     
    Lantern, Feb 10, 2013
    Lantern, Feb 10, 2013
    #6
  9. Feb 10, 2013 #7
    Voltrucker

    Voltrucker Medium Load Member

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    Hmm, after a lot of thinking, some of the Columbias have them in the mirrors but some do not. Wouldn't run a CB off the stock antenna though.
     
    Voltrucker, Feb 10, 2013
    Voltrucker, Feb 10, 2013
    #7
  10. Feb 11, 2013 #8
    Tricky Rick

    Tricky Rick Light Load Member

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    Put a 5 1/2 Francis fiberglass antenna on the drivers side mirror frame mount. Try that first. If that doesn't work, add new coax from CB to said antenna. $25 to $45 max. and you can take it with you. I ran my coax thru the door frame with no problem. I also ran 2- 5 1/2 ft on both sides with a co phase coax and it worked good.
     
    Tricky Rick, Feb 11, 2013
    Tricky Rick, Feb 11, 2013
    #8
  11. Feb 11, 2013 #9
    Bones2384

    Bones2384 Light Load Member

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    I would check the ground first. The ground to the antenna can reduce range. As well you might want to check the swr's or have them checked this will also affect range and may also fry the radio. I would put a Wilson 2k or 5k on it. Most cb shops will set the antenna properly to the radio specs. And a decent antenna and install usually doesn't cost much.
     
    Bones2384, Feb 11, 2013
    Bones2384, Feb 11, 2013
    #9
  12. Feb 11, 2013 #10
    mike5511

    mike5511 Road Train Member

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    I vote with Tricky Rick. Your antenna is damaged.
     
    mike5511, Feb 11, 2013
    mike5511, Feb 11, 2013
    #10
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