Finally going to re-route my CB since it is currently useless. But my antenna will only need maybe 4-5' of coax from my CB. I have read about coax needing to be a certain length to achieve best signal. Any truths to this?

 

I remember hearing something about this too. IIRC what I heard is that you want to stay in multiples of like 3 or 4.

 

NO!!!! The optimum length for a single antenna installation is the shorest distance possible. Period. End of story. That whole "optimum 18ft" thing is a myth perported by "experts" who heard from other "experts" and passed on by people who believed those "experts" for the last 40 something years. It is crap.

Avoid sharp bends that kinck the coax. Avoid loops and coils. Leave yourself about a foot of slack on the radio end so you can move it around and work. And you should leave yourself about a foot of slack on the other end too so you have some wiggle room and incase you need to replace the connections down the road.

 

Sweet, thanks Matt!

I found a page titled Myth of the 18' but the page looked a little sketch.

 

The only time a specific length becomes important is when you are doing two antennas in a co-phases array, which on a small truck like ours is a waste of time anyway.

 

Just check your SWRs and adjust your antenna length for the lowest.