What Every CB'er Shoul Know

After reading the endless posts asking for help, I have put together a list of problems which may help you install or fix your rig. This information comes from various sources including but not limited to:-

Antenna Theory by The Royal Signals Training Wing HM Forces Blandford Wiltshire England..
Understanding Radio by James H**** call sign G1****.
What is an Antenna by Robert W******** Phd Military Research IBM.
Racal Plessy Electronics.
HF Antennas By Les M****** G6****.
Vertical Antenna Classics by ARRP Publications.

1. 1. Every industry has its bottom dwellers. We cannot protect you from them. Consumers who make decisions based strictly on price, or on what someone says instead of what they can do, will often fall prey to the bottom dwellers.
      
   2. Beware of information from "experts" (real or self-proclaimed). There is antenna theory and there is antenna reality. We have yet to see a vehicle that simulates a lab. While theory is a good starting place...experience is invaluable when it comes to real problems. The knowledge gained from the best book on theory will not necessarily produce the best antenna design.
      
   3. Some "experts" may "claim" 5/8 wave mobile antennas are not possible because they would need to be 23 feet high. They are wrong! Physical length and ground wave performance are not the same. If you ever hear someone make that claim, ask them how a hand held CB can have a 1/4 wave antenna 8 inches long and mobile 1/4 wave antennas can be anywhere from 12-60 inches long in spite of the fact that a physical 1/4 wave is 108 inches.
      
   4. Never key up or attempt to operate your CB without a working antenna or "dummy load" (non-radiating antenna simulating device) connected to the radios antenna jack, unless you have extra money to buy another radio, or know a good repairman.
      
   5. All mobile and base transmitting antennas need counter-poise, more commonly called ground plane. The antenna is the reactive unit, the ground plane is the reflective unit. Neither is more important than the other. In mobile installations with standard antenna systems, the vehicle metal (body, frame, etc.) acts as the ground plane. In "no-ground-plane" systems, the coax shield is used for counterpoise.
      
   6. Most, but not all, manufacturers pre-tune their mobile antennas on a test bench. To protect your radio's circuitry and achieve optimum performance, mobile transmitting antennas (CB, cell phone, amateur, etc.) need to be tuned on the vehicle.
      
   7. Before transmitting, you should check your antenna system for shorts or opens areas. If you have continuity between the center pin of the connector and the outer threaded housing, you may have a short. Don't transmit! If you do not find continuity between the center pin of the coax and the antenna base, you have an open. Fix it. (See "Testing Continuity") Exceptions: Some base loaded antennas use a center tap design and there will be continuity from ground to center conductor. Also, "No Ground Plane" antenna kits will have coaxial center pin to ground continuity.
      
   8. An SWR treading that pings the needle on all channels almost always indicates a short causing a miss match between the CB and the antenna. You should not attempt to tune the antenna until the short is fixed. Operating with a high SWR will probably damage your Radio's internal circuits.
      
   9. It is important to make sure the antenna you are using is the right antenna for your application. Don't use a TV antenna or an AM/FM antenna for your CB. Likewise you should not operate your CB without an antenna or dummy load.
      
   10. Transmitting antennas are sensitive to objects in their "near field of radiation." Tune your antennas in an open area. Never tune inside or next to a building, near or under trees, near or under power lines, and never with a person holding or standing next to the antenna. Try to simulate normal operating conditions. Obviously for a Home Instillation you could use a vehicle antenna although a exterior fixed mast would be better for direct waves.
       
   11. If you mount two or more antennas close to each other, you can alter the transmission patterns of both antennas. The affect may be either positive or negative, this means either the Antenna (Positive)or Ground plain (negative) can be affected. Therefore a it is recommended that a minimum of 12" exists between your TX RX Radio Antenna and other types of Antennas.
       
   12. Your radio is not self thinking and therefore it cannot tell one component from another. As far as the radio is concerned, the coaxial, mounting bracket, antenna and vehicle is ONE unit. Hence it it is important to eliminate faults on other areas of your instillation before assuming your Antenna is the problem.
       
   13. Here is an Interesting fact, when operators returned antennas for warranty service, 75% showed no signs of being tuned to the vehicle. Even though most antenna's are per-tuned at the factory, It does not mean they should not be checked prior to use as most will require some fine tuning for a good Antenna match. Because this can be so time consuming and frustrating is one reason operators like to use an antenna tuning unit (ATU). Some ATU's automatically tune the antenna to the radio frequency being used whilst others require a manual adjustment. However it was found that less than 3% of all returned antennas have actual performance causing issues. And of those, 50% of the problems were diagnosed as operator errors or wrongly installed equipment. A high SWR (Signal Wave Ratio) and other performance problems are 20 times more likely to be caused by a bad coaxial, bad connections, shorted mounts, poor installation location or faulty or misused test meters.
       
   14. If you get the same SWR reading on channels 1 as on channel 40, you will need to evaluate your antenna and its location. The SWR will not improve at this point unless you resolve what is causing the SWR to be so high. If the SWR is still over 2:1, after resetting and checking your antenna you have other problems to conquer. But it must be noted there are rare occasions when the ground plane is so small or large that the wave length is out of synchronization with the antenna, (especially with high-performance antennas). If however you have a high SWR on all frequencies having confirmed that you have no opens areas or shorts in the coaxial, it is suggested that you try making small tuning adjustment to the antenna. There could also be a situation where the SWR drops equally across all channels, if you find this to be a continuing problem you should carefully adjust the antenna by carefully trimming the length or using and antenna tuning unit.
       
   15. When your SWR is high on all frequencies (over 2:1 but not pinging the needle) after you have tuned the antenna usually indicates insufficient ground plane, ungrounded antenna mounts or that a coax cable problem still exists.
       
   16. It should be remembered that doors, mirrors, spare tire racks, luggage racks, etc. on most vehicles are insulated and restrict grounding with nylon or rubber bushings. This is also true of fiberglass vehicles. Which require special attention to make sure your antenna mount is grounded. In some cases running a ground wire to the vehicle chassis will be required.
       
   17. A whining noise being emitted from your radio while your vehicle is in operation, is very possibly caused by static being generated by the ungrounded equipment and the electrical interference that is transmitted from the vehicle electrical system, normally originating from the distributor. This problem can be over come by adding a suppressor at the distributor. What can also create problems are wiring your equipment in to a location already allocated for vehicle needs. Whereby wiring straight to the battery will provide a cleaner reception.
       
   18. When buying your coaxial you should buy the best coaxial you can get. You should never compromise quality for cost when purchasing coax. Your best bet is to stay with a coaxial that has a stranded center conductor and a 90% or higher shielding.
       
   19. Most manufacturers of high performance antennas recommend a specific length of coax cable. If your antenna manufacturer suggests a specific length, give priority to that recommendation. It should also be remembered that lengthening a coaxial cable longer than 25 feet will increase the resistance which in turn will weaken the signal.
       
   20. If your vehicle ground plane is good, and your mount is grounded your antenna is in a favorable location. Coaxial length is rarely an issue. Although not impossible and if a mismatch occurs, you may find high SWR. This can easily be rectified by the aid of an ATU.
       
   21. The length of your coaxial between your radio and antenna mount should never be wound into a circular coil of less than 12" in diameter. Doing so can cause system problems resulting in a high SWR and breaking the coaxial insulation. Your best option for handling excess coax is to serpentine the cable into a 12 to 18 inch yarn-like lengths. And secure it with plastic ties at each end.
       
   22. A single antenna installations will require a coaxial with approximately 50 ohm's resistance (RG-58/U, RG-58 A/U or RG-8X). Whereas a Dual antenna installation will require 72 ohm cable (RG-59/U or RG-59 A/U).
       
   23. A coaxial cables with foam (poly foam) center conductor insulation should be your last choice for use on mobile (vehicle) installations. Even though it will work, it has limited life and does not stand up to the conditions encountered in a mobile environment. Where ever possible always select a coaxial with a polyvinyl insulation for a mobile installation.
       
   24. It is important to remember coaxial cables should never be cut and spliced together like common electrical wire. Joining or splicing will result in a high resistance and a high SWR creating signal loss.
       
   25. Coaxial cable with holes in the outer insulation, severe bends, broken ends or door, trunk or hood caused pinches will cause performance problems. Therefore selecting the coaxial path is as important as the location of the antenna.
       
   26. If you live in an area where adverse weather is common, wiping your antenna down with WD-40, Armor-All, Pledge, light oil, etc. will prevent ice building up which that overload and brake the antenna. Butter, cooking oil or anything containing a light grease or oil base could also be used but will not last as long as WD 40 or repel water as efficiently.
       
   27. When tuning your antenna you should also make sure you do so with the vehicle doors, hood and trunk closed. If left open, they can cause inaccurate SWR readings.
       
   28. For best performances Mobile antennas, should have no less than 60% of their overall length above the vehicles roof line. For co-phased antennas (Twin Truckers) to perform optimally, the space between the top 60% of the two antennas needs to be unobstructed.
       
   29. Remember, all transmitting antennas need ground plane (counterpoise). Base antennas, much like "no ground plane" antennas are built in. Although a Mobile antenna can be use for a base station, it is recommended that unless you know how to make an effective ground plain you refrain from attempting it.
       
   30. It should also be noted that if you can only install your antenna on one side of your vehicle, it will perform best on-the passenger side. If installed on the drivers side interference of passing vehicles will effect performance. If you are operating a large trucks or vehicles pulling large trailers should put the antenna on the drivers side to avoid the signal from being blocked by the trailer and to keep from hitting road side trees.
       
   31. Co-phased (dual) antenna installations will create a radiation pattern that favors communication directly in front and back of the vehicle. This is why co-phase antenna systems are popular with people who do a lot of highway driving. For the best results of a Co-phase antennas they should be center or top loaded antennas of which top loaded antennas are the best.
       
   32. It is widely believed that co-phased antennas must be separated by a minimum of nine (9) feet. However it has been proved successfully that the use of a co-phase antenna systems with spacing as little as four (4) feet between antennas works well enough for the short ranges accessible for a vehicle borne instillation. It should also be remembered that space changes the pattern of the wave length and not interference from each other. Of course every vehicle will be different according to height of the antenna and vehicle construction.
       
   33. Co-phase antennas can improve performance on vehicles that lack good ground plane characteristics. The lack of metal does not mean that you must spend hours making an efficient ground plain, and before doing so you should check your SWR due to both antennas radiating and reflecting signal energy between themselves and using each others electric field.
       
   34. It is also best when tuning co-phased antennas to adjust both antennas equally, to achieve and maintain their individual resonant frequencies.
       
   35. You should never try to tune a co-phase antenna system independently by using an RG-58 type of coaxial or any other form of equipment that makes the antennas work as two singular vertical rods. They should always be tuned together on the same harness to achieve maximum performance. It is also immportant to know that it is possible to have one of the co-phase antennas out of tune creating the overall high SWR. This is why it is very important to check the full system. And although you should never tune antennas individually. You can unscrew one antenna at a time to check if that antenna is the problem.
       
   36. If you are experiencing a high SWR across the entire band and have eliminated shorts, opens cuts, groundless mounts and coaxial as potential problems it is highly probable the problem is caused by a lack of ground plain. Although it is not a guarantee adding a spring or quick disconnect to the antenna base. will resolve the problem as will repositioning the antenna relevant to the limited available ground plane.
       
   37. One of the greatest benefits of the FS series antenna is when there is lack of available ground plane. If the tuning screw reaches its "maximum out" position before satisfactory SWR is realized, a common 1/4-20 threaded bolt or screw of a longer length can be used to replace the supplied tuning screw. If the vinyl cap is too short to remain in place, the user can disregard it or clip a hole in the top for the longer screw to pass through.
       
   38. In rare instances, like antennas mounted in the middle of a metal van roof, excess ground plane can cause a problem. This usually shows up as high SWR across the band. In these cases, a tunable tip antenna may not be the best choice. The reason being, the antenna is too long and the tunable tip cannot adjust down far enough. If you suspect this, and have an antenna with wire you can removed a little at a time which will balance the system.
       
   39. There may also be situations when a tunable tip antenna will bottom out before optimum tuning is achieved. If this happens, try removing the knurled jam nut and finger tighten the tuning screw against the o-ring. If it is still too long you can remove the tuning screw altogether. However if the total removal causes the antenna to go short, cut the tuning screw in half and re-insert it into the tuning extender and re-test the SWR.
       
   40. The vinyl cap on any "tunable tip" antennas is optional. However, your antenna needs to be tuned as it will be used . . . with or without the tip.
       
   41. Magnetic mounts should be used in temporary situations only. If you leave them in the same spot for a long period, the paint will not age like that of the uncovered areas and moisture will be trapped between the mount and vehicle causing rust or discoloration. To avoid this devaluating problem it is recommended that you periodically lift the magnet and gently clean off the underside of the magnet and the vehicle surface. Cleaning the surface will also help keep a balance SWR and better wave reflection.
       
   42. It is a bad idea to use magnetic mounts and amplifiers together, magnetic mounts rely on capacitance grounding. Causing this situation to literally cause the paint under the mount to bubble or discolor due to excessive heat build up.
       
   43. On wire-wound antennas that require wire removal for tuning purposes, the best overall performance will be achieved by keeping the loose end of the wire pressed down tightly against the wire coil. Be warned that if you use power amplifiers on top loaded antennas and do not process the end of the wire load so it can dissipate its heat into other adjacent coils, which will result in the tip of the antenna melting.
       
   44. Generally speaking, center loaded antennas perform better than base loaded antennas, and top loaded antennas perform better than all. For any given antenna design (base, center or top loaded), the taller the antenna the better. With length comes a wider bandwidth (lower SWR over more channels), more power handling capability and overall performance increases.
       
   45. When ultimate mobile performance is desired, function should be given precedence over mounting location, convenience and appearance but remembering location can affect performance!
       
   46. You should not confuse SWR with overall performance. You should seek an SWR of 2:1 or lower on channel 1 and 40, but keep in mind that best performance may not be found at the lowest SWR readings. For the most part, if you get your SWR below 2:1, on both ends of the frequency range, you should not be overly concerned about using an ATU to trick the radio in to believing the antenna is in tune.
       
   47. The SWR meters built into CB radios are general factory calibrated readings, sensitive enough and accurate enough for everyday radio operations. Although some areas of Radio will insist they are unreliable and the operator should use a separate SWR Meter. This has not been proved and should be take with a grain of salt and treated as profiteering.
       
   48. It should be noted manufacturers have tested literally hundreds of external SWR [Signal Wave Ratio] meters of which a large percentage of these have shown to be off by 0.3 to 0.7 when compared to a piece of certified equipment. There is no standard among production meters. However, unless a unit is defective, most will indicate a serious problems you may encounter.
       
   49. Aside from cost, the type of wire used in or on antennas (copper, silver, aluminum, gold, tinned, etc.) has negligible effect on antenna performance. The antenna must be designed to resonate with the wire type and gauge chosen by the designer. However, larger wire gauges will normally increase the bandwidth and heat dissipation abilities of the antenna.
       
   50. Copper is 55% better than aluminum, 27% better than gold and 578% better than tin insofar as conductivity is concerned. Silver will conduct AC/DC current less than 2.5% more efficiently than copper, but the cost to performance is generally unjustified and any gain, insofar as RF transmission is concerned, is negligible.
       
   51. If devices other than an SWR meter are going to be used between the CB radio and antenna, the SWR tuning should always be done first and without the device in line. If left in line and your SWR is high realize your error and see where the problem is.
       
   52. In "no ground plane" systems, it is best to choose a system that terminates the coaxial ground at the radio end of the cable. These systems are far less reactive to cable routing errors and will almost always outperform systems that are terminated at the antenna base or antenna end of the coax.
       
   53. Cables and antennas from standard & no-ground plain kits are not interchangeable with ground plain required systems .
       
   54. Wire wound antennas with a plastic outer coating will greatly reduce audible RF static when compared to metal whip antennas.
       
   55. If you leave your antenna on your vehicle permanently, remove the rubber o-ring that is found on the threaded base of some antennas. Tighten permanent antennas with a wrench. And add a lock washer if you want.
       
   56. If you use mirror mounts and often find yourself in areas with overhead obstructions, tighten the bolts just enough to keep the antenna vertical at highway speeds. If the antenna contacts something overhead, the mount will rotate on the mirror arm and protect your antenna helping to stop breakage and other unseen damage.
       
   57. If you use long antennas and find that they bend too far back at highway speeds, tilt them forward if possible. When under a wind load, they will end up in a relatively vertical position.
       
   58. On antennas that are topped off with a vinyl tip, make sure that you take your SWR measurements with the tip in place. If you tune your antenna with the tip off and then reinstall the tip, your SWR will change.
       
   59. Without advocating the use of power amplifiers or unauthorized channels, take note that the tunable tip antennas have a fairly large metal tip that broadens the frequency range and dissipates a considerable amount of heat.
       
   60. It is illegal to use power amplifiers with CB radios. It is illegal to "tweak" the radios internal circuits to increase output power. The transmition power of a legal, FCC certified CB radio is 4 watts AM.
       
   61. If having one antenna for CB/AM/FM is appealing, use a CB antenna and a splitter that allows it to be connected to your AM/FM radio and other devices that let you use.
       
   62. If your on a budget buying a cheap radio and a good antenna will perform better than a bad antenna on an expensive radio.
       
   63. Beware of the wire wound mobile antennas mentioned in ads that claim they are a"full-wave" or "wave and a half". At best, you are being deceived by the misleading association of wire length to actual performance characteristics. Wire length, for all intent and purpose, is irrelevant. With "very" few exceptions, antennas must function as a 1/4 wave or 5/8 wave to be useful on mobile installations. However, wire lengths range from 20 feet to 32 feet (0.6 to 0.9 of a full wave length). If wire length was relevant, each antenna would need 22.5 feet of wire.

Edited to remove names and personal identifications

 

Hi Ridgeline,

1. As stated at the beginning of the post the sources are only a short list of many. And no I'd did not write it, I merely C&P'd various points.

2. The ones I listed are authentic the only thing I have edited is the Names and Call Signs, because from previous post Admin has done it with an edit.

3. I don't doubt that you have previously seen some of the content I posted, as most of it is widely published on a lot of Q&A' pages within Ham Radio and CB alike..

4. ARRP = Antenna Reflected Radio Propagation =
http://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...-t-900&va=Antenna+Reflected+Radio+Propagation

5.HF Antennas By Les M****** G6****.
http://www.eham.net/articles/1213

6.Vertical Antenna Classics by ARRP Publications.
http://www.arrl.org/shop/Vertical-Antenna-Classics/

7. Antenna Theory by The Royal Signals Training Wing HM Forces Blandford Wiltshire England.. There is no Civilian published information, this is a Military Regiment that specializes in all forms of communications. Having served in the British Military as a Communications instructor I still have some manuals and operating procedures in my possession... Most are probably outdated but still restricted.

8.Understanding Radio by James H**** call sign G1****. This is a book I have, it was published in 1951, 2,3,4,5,6 were from this book. I also didn't find a link so it could be out of print.

9.What is an Antenna by Robert W******** Phd Military Research IBM. This is a book I have published in 1968, again a search turned up no links and again I assume it is out of print.

10.Racal Plessy Electronics.http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Racal. This company makes and tests a number of military and civilian Radio's and associated equipment world wide, If you spend some time you will discover numerous areas of interest. My information is part of the now obsolete Clansman military Radio instructional manual regarding Vehicle mounted Antenna's

Edit;-
Although my main information is Military based, It applies across the board. What can be used from HF to Gigahertz , Single Side Band to Double Side Band and even CW to Voice is connected through the common foundation of Electricity and the way it is used. Even a basic Wave Length is and electromagnetic pulse traveling at the speed of light. Which can be absorbed, reflected and distorted by its surroundings. If you study the old Ham Sylabus for HF licensing you will see the majority of it was regarding Electricity and Antenna's. At that time a Ham would build his own Radio from ex Military parts and make his own Antenna's from Copper Wire. Generally a sky wave horizontal Dipole would be used and CW was the chosen format of communications because of range. Mobile use was rare but not impossible and verticle rods were ex military tank Antennas.

 

I see no validation in this comment, especially as you're own remarks are childish with no positive infusion.

Perhaps you should look at my profile, as stated before at my age I have nothing to prove and no reason to lie. If I help someone that's what counts and any recommendations I make are the choice of the reader to either accept or deny. If its ignored no big deal, I just hope it didn't cost them anything.If they accept it and helps them that's great.

I wonder if you had the same approach and point of view when you learned to operate your skate board?

Have a nice day,