Just a quick question for a problem I've never had before???

[possom813]

I bought a new to me truck in February and just got around to sticking my equipment in it. It's an 01 GMC Sierra ext cab. I can't seem to get my swr's within reason.

Whole Story:

I'm running a superstar 121 peaked, tuned, all the good stuff. 3 ft of coax to the kris 300 and 18 foot to the 5.5ft francis. I can't get the swr's below 1.7 on channel 40 and 2.5 on channel 1.

I took it to my local cb shop today(Jim's Cb Shop in ennis tx) I've dealt with him ever since I got into this stuff, and he's always steered me right. He seems to think that I need a tunable antenna.

My antenna is mounted on an aluminum tool box with the single lid, and on this truck it is closer to the rear of the truck than the middle like it always has been. I'm running a case ground, as well as a mount ground. Everything is grounded, so I know that can't be the case. In my old truck, the swr's stayed pretty much flat, so I'm kinda bumfuzzled here.

I'd like ya'lls opinions, because I've learned from the other cb shops that I visited they'll either tell you what you want to hear if you're being annoying, or tell you what you need to buy from them to make it work.(this is why I stick with Jim now).

If I do have to change out antennas, I want to, at least, keep a clean look, I can't stand the antennas with coils all around them. I like a firestik, and it won't have any problem handling my radio, but I can't seem to find one that is 5-6ft. I've got an 8 footer, but I believe it would look ridiculous on my truck. I'm also kinda leaning towards the wilson 2000, but I don't want to spend 70 bucks on it right now.

Thanks in advance,

-possom

[Rex_foxhound]

Well, if you say EVERYTHING is grounded well, I would say its either a bad coax jumper or a bad antenna. Thats about all I can think of if its not a grounding issue...maybe somebody else who knows more than me will help.

[Phaze91460]

I have never had much luck with fiberglass antennas, I have a stack of um in a corner. An antenna that wont allow an adjustment cant compensate for different coax materials and lengths. You will never be able to get correct SWR settings.

[possom813]

I have never had much luck with fiberglass antennas, I have a stack of um in a corner. An antenna that wont allow an adjustment cant compensate for different coax materials and lengths. You will never be able to get correct SWR settings.

Right on, so you're saying get the tunable antenna, right?

[steelrain]

I just got the 5 ft firestick with the tunable tip yesterday 31$ with tax. have not tuned it yet so cant say how well it works. Wanted the 6 ft said they couldnt get it in.

[rayray1963]

I use to be a fiberglass only person too till I recently bought a Wilson 2000, and I'm hear to tell you there is a world of difference in the two. I will never ever buy another fiberglass antenna. The Wilson is a good antenna and one of the sponsor here "CB City" in Tyler, has them for a lot less then 70.00. I just upgraded my big truck to a Predator 10K which I love more then the Wilson. I Put the Wilson on the pickup and have had far better luck with it then fiberglass antenna that I have used before. SWR's are 1.2 across the bands.

[jessejamesdallas]

Guess in your case, it's going to be which is more important to you...Having a good radio set-up, that receives and transmits to the best it can...Or, a antenna that you think "Looks" better!

Fiberglass antennas crack, cant handle much power, and are hard to tune. (But most can be tuned)

The Wilson antennas are decent antennas, and like you said, will run close to $70. The 102" Whip, is one of the best antennas, and can be found for around $20, + what ever it cost for the mount.

The Predator 10K antenna is the best on the market, However Jim doesn't carry them, he does however carry some kind of knock-off Big-Coil antenna, but I wouldn't put that thing on my lawnmower!

Now, if you want to try and get the swr better, on the antenna you now have, You said your swr is 1.7 on channel 40, and 2.5 on channel 1 right?

This means your antenna is too short. Try adding a spring, that will improve your swr. If you already have the spring, you could try moving the antenna to a different location, this sometimes helps.

Best thing I would suggest you do, is one weekend run over to Tyler, and check out CB City! They have the Biggest selection of cb antennas, and brands, of ANYBODY In the country! This is NO JOKE! Allot more than what they have listed on their web.Site...And they will help you pick one that's right for you. And install it, and set the swr....

I think their open till 3pm on Saturdays...

[possom813]

Alright, now I'm going to sound **Censored**. I was always under the impression that you couldn't run a spring with a francis. One of Jim's(not his son, the other one) tech's even told me that it wouldn't help to put a spring on it.

Also, I'm going to build a new mount today and get away from the aluminum mounts. Right now I have a tractor supply diamond plate toolbox with the single lid on it which is preventing the mount of the antenna at the front of the truck bed. That's going to change today, if that doesn't fix the swr's then it's off to rat shack for a 102" whip.

[Rex_foxhound]

You will probably get better performance out of the 102" whip anyways.

[jessejamesdallas]

Alright, now I'm going to sound **Censored**. I was always under the impression that you couldn't run a spring with a francis. One of Jim's(not his son, the other one) tech's even told me that it wouldn't help to put a spring on it.

Also, I'm going to build a new mount today and get away from the aluminum mounts. Right now I have a tractor supply diamond plate toolbox with the single lid on it which is preventing the mount of the antenna at the front of the truck bed. That's going to change today, if that doesn't fix the swr's then it's off to rat shack for a 102" whip.

Not sure why anyone would have told you, you cant, or it's not a good idea, to use a spring on a fiberglasss antenna. Firestik makes one for theirs!

Same go's for a 102" whip. You "Will Need" a spring, in-order to get the swr set right. Otherwise, you'll be seeing the same thing as you are with the fiberglass antenna you have now! It will show swr higher on channel 1 than on 40.

[possom813]

Yeah, on the whip I knew you had to run a spring. I was just told when I first got into cb'ing that you couldn't, or weren't supposed to, run a spring on a fiberglass antenna.

Good to know, but I'm still thinking about sticking up a whip, or one of the new 10k's I was reading about earlier in another post.

Thanks for all the help so far...

-John

[theonlysilentbob]

If you have deep pockets buy this...

[Please login or register to view this link]

ATAS - 120, self tuning, can't go wrong. There is a kit that will make it work with any radio. You will get 1.1 or better on all channels :D

[possom813]

The atas 120 is cute, my pockets aren't quite that deep thought, not just for the antenna. But that's still pretty slick. Tomorrow and Saturday I'm actually going to get the mount made(I slacked off today, vacation's almost over though) mounted up. If there's no change, then I'm going to stick the 8 foot firestik up for a few days until I can get some cash together for either the wilson, or maybe a 10k if it will fit like I want. I hate trying to get everything perfect on new trucks.

[jessejamesdallas]

If your thinking about the Predator 10K antenna. There are several dealers in the North Texas area.

"John's Predator 10K"
"CB City, in Tyler"
"Clays, which is off I-20, west of Fort Worth"

Or you can call Kale himself, and he can either send ya one, or tell ya the closest dealer near you...(Kale's Number is: 817-790-6239)

[possom813]

I've got to go back to work Monday, I hate it when vacation gets close to over . Anyways, I'm going to ride over to cbcity next Monday or Tuesday to check that place out. I hope that all the stuff that I've done so far will help out considerably. If not, then, enter new antenna.

-John

[jessejamesdallas]

I've got to go back to work Monday, I hate it when vacation gets close to over . Anyways, I'm going to ride over to cbcity next Monday or Tuesday to check that place out. I hope that all the stuff that I've done so far will help out considerably. If not, then, enter new antenna.

-John

Well...If you go over there, be prepared to stay awhile! It's like a Big CB Candy Store! :D About the only thing they don't sell, is amps...Least last time I was in there they didn't have any..may now! But other than that, if they don't have what your looking for, then it probably don't exist!