i KNOW NOTHING about CB radio so

[Shayne]

Yeah i meant is it better or worse for the radio , if it doesn't work this time i swear i will huff and i will puff and ......... sit in a corner and cwy .

I am basically just running a 17 amp wire from the spare wheel carrier to chassis , assuming it doesn't matter a damn if the door is ground or not then .
But because its coming through the door into the jack cubby and out through the floor to chassis , i was thinking why not split it and bolt it to the body inside the cubby as well .

In truth i can't see how it matters either way but that said i can find no reason at all my cb has never worked

 

[StarCruiser]

Connect with a heavy braid from the base of your antenna/spare wheel mount, remove paint so the connection is metal to metal. Take this to the door through a fixing bolt or such. Then put a braid from the door to the body in the door shut, again with good metal to metal connection/scraped off paint.

Once done, test the SWR and see what you get. You could test it before and then after you've fitted the braids.

 

[Shayne]

I have never had a problem getting a low swr . I think i just hate the thing because the first radio i had arrived broken from 4x4cb or whatever its called .

 

[StarCruiser]

In which case if you get close to 1:1 then whatever you've been doing with the antenna is good. You may be part shielding it with the truck due to where it's mounted or perhaps the radio needs volume or gain turning up. Difficult to know without being near it hence its useful engaging a local CB enthusiast (Rig Doctor) to help test things out and know what to expect.

 

[Shayne]

Select Ref on the meter and turn up fully to set , this measures power going to the antenna , which in my case is zero .

And I can't get the bloody thing to change from EC to UK and the instructions are very simple .

Hold scan - turn on the radio - and while the band flashes use the up down buttons to select band - only the up down buttons do nothing .

............................................................................................................................................

 

[Shayne]

I was just about to kick the chair from under me when i realized the SWR meter doesn't work .

 

[Shayne]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SWR-Meter...564203?hash=item462b8ff06b:g:9ygAAOSw9IpXyCS1

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SWR-125-C...763681?hash=item1ec9544ba1:g:PJoAAOSwJkJWk6qS

Which one of these shall i stamp on next week .

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

if you can't get the CB into UK mode it might be set to an EU AM band and that could be why your SWR meter isn't registering any power output. If that's the case there should be some deflection of the needle if you whistle into the mic but to set the SWR you'll still need to get the radio into FM mode. Or it could really be the SWR meter is bust!

 

[StarCruiser]

You need to adjust forward power first and set the knob Shayne.

I copied the following from here 'https://www.cbradio.co.uk/cb-radio-tips-and-tricks.html' which is very useful.

Procedure: The SWR meter needs to be placed in line between the antenna and the CB. Connect the antenna (normally connected to the back of the CB ) to the connector marked "Antenna" or "Ant" on your SWR Meter. Connect one end of the patch lead to the "transmit" or "Xmit" on the SWR meter. Connect the other end to the CB.

Assuming you have a standard SWR meter the switches should read as follows: REF or SWR, FWD, and there should be a slide switch marked "set" or "Adjust". If different consult your meter's user manual.

With the radio on the lowest channel (1 on CB) and the SWR meters switch in the Forward (FWD) position, depress the transmit switch (key up) located on the microphone. While holding the unit in this transmit mode, adjust the meter needle to the set position using the Set or Adjust knob on the meter. As soon as the needle is in alignment with the corresponding mark on the meter face, flip the switch to the Reference (REF) position. The meter is now showing your SWR on channel one. Note the value and quickly release the microphone switch. Record this reading.

Repeat the previous step on channels 19 and 40.

I got this meter. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/221583971769 You don't need another patch lead if you've already got one.

 

[Shayne]

Thanks John it was set to EU and i did a factory reset which changed it to EC , and after 30 odd failed attempts to set it to UK as per instructions i gave up . Exactly the same instructions worked perfectly an hour later and so did the meter .

According to this https://www.rightchannelradios.com/blogs/installation-guides/18330687-cb-antenna-tuning-instructions i have the ideal settings albeit in my back yard as the truck has no wheels at present , and a few radio check calls on 14 and 19 got no answer though i didn't give it much time as family taxi duties called .

 

[clivehorridge]

Who nicked your wheels Shayne?

I hope it wasn't the guy that said he could get me a set of near new for next to nothing...

 

[Shayne]

Still painting underneath mate , or at least thinking about it , you know how it is when you think you have a clean slate to get on with things I'm off home for a few days tomorrow as well , another funeral unfortunately

 

[clivehorridge]

Still painting underneath mate , or at least thinking about it , you know how it is when you think you have a clean slate to get on with things I'm off home for a few days tomorrow as well , another funeral unfortunately

Sorry to hear that mate. No fun at all, funerals....

 

[Shayne]

No but at least i'm unlikely to break any bones this time ..... i hope !

 

[clivehorridge]

 

[StarCruiser]

You need to check SWR in an open space Shayne. It'll probably be ok but worth a recheck when you're mobile and 30 feet or more from anything.