Need new antenna. couple questions.

Ok so the shop just threw a cobra classic in my truck and didn't tune it or anything and the old antennas are old and beat up and super rusted.

So after a few youtube videos I tried tuning it myself because my shop is useless and I don't trust them. I can't get my swr below 1.5 or so I can hear people now but I can't transmit I don't think. I also need to shorten my antenna but it's not changing the swr no matter what I take off the antenna. 40 is higher than 1.

So yeah, it's a Volvo 670 with dual antennas. But I pull tankers so can I just throw one away and buy one single? I plan on getting an antenna somewhere on 80 in Iowa during my 10 hour break and getting it working properly.

Can I run a single and just leave one mount empty? If so how big of an antenna should I get and I'd like to get one you screw the tip to adjust.

Thanks!

 

Well the antennas on it now are all rusted and full of water. I have a tiny antenna on the back which I think is for the fm radio. I don't have a tv or anything. It's just a tiny sleeper only a bunk and nothing else. It's the low roof model I can't stand in it or anything.

It's not my truck so I don't want to spend a bunch of money but I can spend a little on some antennas. So maybe get one firestik II and try that and if it doesn't work I'll get another? I'll probably sleep at that massive truck stop on I80 between IL and Des Moines. I know they'll have some decent antennas.

 

I did some reading. I do need to run both through the factory system.

The old antennas are that kind where you trim the wire, I cut off all I could and still couldn't get channel 40 even close to 1.

They are mounted on the mirror and it's a flat top Volvo 670. I don't know if to coax is bad, the antennas just look like they were beat to hell from trees or something. The plastic was all split up and the wires all rusty from water.

I could run new cable and mount it somewhere but I'd probably just make my shop do that since it's not my truck.

 

Does it matter that my swr on channel 40 is higher than 1? I keep trying to check and no one responds so I gave up.