An interesting phenomenon

Discussion in 'CB Radio Forum' started by Broke Down 69, Jan 21, 2017.

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  1. Jan 21, 2017 #1
    Broke Down 69

    Broke Down 69 Road Train Member

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    My cb, a bearcat 880, stock mic, antennas and coax, has a terrible swr...over 2.5 most of the time...and will only reach out about a mile or so.
    The last three weeks I've been running through horrendous weather...ice and snow left and right...and I started to notice something interesting .
    When my antennas iced up my swr started dropping and my transmit/receive range would begin to open up...a lot. As soon as the antennas thawed, back to poor ranges. I have actually seen a 1.00 swr and 12 mile range in all this winter weather.
    Any explanation for this or extrapolations for when I upgrade my cb and antennas...looking at a general Lee or Stryker 955 if that's at all relavent, not sure on antenna setup yet.
    Just curious if there's some lesson to be learned here.
     
    Broke Down 69, Jan 21, 2017
    Broke Down 69, Jan 21, 2017
    #1
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  3. Jan 21, 2017 #2
    Neverready

    Neverready Medium Load Member

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    Ice is changing something in your system. Is it completing a ground? if you grab the base of the antenna when drydoes it improve the swr?
     
    Neverready, Jan 21, 2017
    Neverready, Jan 21, 2017
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    rabbiporkchop and Broke Down 69 Thank this.
  4. Jan 21, 2017 #3
    Broke Down 69

    Broke Down 69 Road Train Member

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    Yes it did. Bad ground? 2015 Coronado with stock factory mounts.
     
    Broke Down 69, Jan 21, 2017
    Broke Down 69, Jan 21, 2017
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  5. Jan 21, 2017 #4
    L.B.

    L.B. Third Generation Truck Driver

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    check your antennas. sounds like something may be loose and/or you have cracked antennas. (I'm assuming they are stock fiberglass)

    check all the bolts and connections are tight, even under the plastic cover. ice/moisture may build up and complete a normally broken circuit which would explain why you have a lower swr when you are in icing conditions.

    a cracked antenna may cause high swr when it swings back and forth but when it ices up and holds still it may have a good connection. (this has actually happened to me before)
     
    L.B., Jan 21, 2017
    L.B., Jan 21, 2017
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    rabbiporkchop and Broke Down 69 Thank this.
  7. Jan 21, 2017 #5
    wolverine11

    wolverine11 Road Train Member

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    Thats strange my SWR goes skyhigh when the antenna accumulates ice. A week ago I was parked in York NE during ice storm Jupiter and my Swr was 3.0+, once everthing thawed out things got back to normal.
     
    wolverine11, Jan 21, 2017
    wolverine11, Jan 21, 2017
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    bored silly Thanks this.
  8. Jan 22, 2017 #6
    Neverready

    Neverready Medium Load Member

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    If grabbing the base of your dry antenna improves your SWR it usually indicates a poor ground. You body is completing the circuit.
     
    Neverready, Jan 22, 2017
    Neverready, Jan 22, 2017
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    Broke Down 69 Thanks this.
  9. Jan 22, 2017 #7
    Broke Down 69

    Broke Down 69 Road Train Member

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    Any suggestions for improvement? I'm not much of an electronics guy but I am pretty handy and can follow instructions pretty well.
     
    Broke Down 69, Jan 22, 2017
    Broke Down 69, Jan 22, 2017
    #7
  10. Jan 23, 2017 #8
    Neverready

    Neverready Medium Load Member

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    As LB suggested make sure everything is clean and tight.
     
    Neverready, Jan 23, 2017
    Neverready, Jan 23, 2017
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    Broke Down 69 Thanks this.
  11. Jan 23, 2017 #9
    Broke Down 69

    Broke Down 69 Road Train Member

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    I did all that and checked for cracks in the antennas, no change. How and where to add grounding strap(s)?
     
    Broke Down 69, Jan 23, 2017
    Broke Down 69, Jan 23, 2017
    #9
  12. Jan 23, 2017 #10
    Jonrulerofearth

    Jonrulerofearth Light Load Member

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    It all sounds like sorcery to me.. just saying.
     
    Jonrulerofearth, Jan 23, 2017
    Jonrulerofearth, Jan 23, 2017
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