I hooked my CB up to the power today. Hard wiring it in. (I had taken it all off.)

Got it all set, turn the CB on and the static is barely audible with the volume to the max. I run down to the local highway and sit for about 2 mins as semi's pass, and don't get anything on the radio. It's usually a pretty busy Ch.19 area of the highway.

I get frustrated, rip all the power wires back out, and in the process spill my electrical kit and connections all over my truck.

Now.. after doing all that, I'm wondering, what I did wrong.



By chance my Coax cable to the antenna runs straight, no extra length, the antenna is hooked up like I've been told, and how I had it last time, when it was working.

Is it possible I fried the CB's? I have two.

They power up, and have static, but do not seem to be receiving.

(Did not transmit for radio check, didn't have mics with me, they were in the garage at home. )

 

CB's are sensitive machines. After you get it figured out its actually pretty simple.

Here is a link that will help alot. Tech-Docs Index

Also make sure that all your connections with the coax are good. Mine did the same thing that yours is doing and it was my mount that I was useing. Make sure that your mount is free of paint and it attached to a good clean metal spot on your truck.

 

I'll double check my mount ground. I had sanded the areas that I had used last time, but it may not of been enough.

 

Wasn't the ground.. I did everything but test the ground with a meter. (don't have one.)

It's either the Antenna or the CB radio.

I pulled out another cable, and ran it on the outside of the truck, same result.

 

what kinda of antenna and what is it mounted on? and what kind of cb radio?

 

5ft Firestik antenna.

Alon mount.

Cobra 19dx or an older 1980's model CB radio.

I had made a run on the highway, with the antenna attached to a medium strength spring, and it was whipping back and forth quite a bit. (But the antenna itself wasn't bending that I know of.)

 

well im not a fan of the fire stiks, ive gone to a guy around my area called the cb doctor he personally recomends the 8ft steel whip and it to be grounded to the truck, it might be the CB radio since its over 20 years old so you should find someone to tune it and see if it working alright. my cb which is about 30 years old recieve but not send and it only cost me 32 dollors to fix

 

The fire stik worked fine, the last time I had it installed.

The Cobra 19dxIV worked fine the last time it was installed as well.

I use the firestik because it's a lot easier to tune then a steel whip.

And the steel whip bounces way too much at highway speeds, even with a heavy duty spring.

 

well my cb worked one day and then the next it didnt so i would still get it tuned and aligned it shouldent cost much, if its between $20-$30 thats a good price, what is the mount mounted on?

 

This is a much older photo, back when I did have an 8ft Steel whip, and a heavy spring installed on it.

 

well the only thing i can think of it not working is because something is wrong with the cb so i would take it to someone that knows about cb radios (not radio shack), check around the local truck stops and get the radio checked and have him check your set up. oh and with a firestik you dont really need a spring unless it hits alot of stuff and i didnt read the end of the first thread that well when i first read it you NEED the mics for it to work

 

The mic shouldn't matter, plugged in or not, for the volume of the CB, correct?

 

On my Uniden cb, if the mic is not plugged in, it wont receive either.
Plug in the mic before you fear other things.

 

i've got the exact same radio as you, with a 2 foot magnet mount antenna, and had the exact same problem with it at one point, the problem was the mic, i thought the same thing, "it can't be the mic" but the mics are a 5 conducter plug, that has to work for the entire system to work... don't know why... just the way it is... unplug your mic, let it warm up (if it's cold outside) in your house or something, make sure the connection is clean, and plug it back in, make sure that it is tight, and then turn your cb on, see if it works... or you could look into getting an aftermarket mic...

 

It was the mic.


=)

Thanks guys.

I can't believe I didn't remember that.

I think I had the same problem the last time I first installed.

 

lol!

 

Okie dokie....

Took the truck out to the local park, had a 10-25yd radius around the antenna, tuned the SWR to the point where it had a 1.2:1 ratio.

Was receiving transmissions with the SWR meter connected, took it off, hooked it up straight to the antenna...

NOTHING, except on channel 40, where there was a kid talking to his dad. (CUTE!) But that was even horribly received.

I hooked the power for the CB straight to the battery using 18ga. wire. When ever I accelerate, the static worsens, and grows. (When I have the squelch set for idle.)

-dumbfounded-