Ford Explorer

[Rocky Mountain Oyster]

Working on the install of a cobra 29. I have had it for a few years and never installed it. SWR's are high all the way across the board, 3.0+. I have an old mag mount w/fiberglass antenna w/spring. All is unused. I have grounded the battery neg to the frame already, but no change. Are the bodies all insulated from the frame so well that this is part of the problem? Hopefully I will get some time soon to finish running the ground wires. I am still working on the deck for Sweety so I only get a few mins just before dark. I read where everyone was bored with no skip rolling and I will offer you something to keep busy with, come on up and you can put in deck screws. If the skip starts again you will be at 6000 ft. and ready to enjoy it.

Have a good one.............Lynn

[Little Reb]

Have you tried the antenna without the spring? I think someone once said that the spring isnt needed on anything other than a 102 inch to make it 108inch

[521 Houston]

Throw that antenna away and get a Wilson mag mount. Your problems will be solved.

[oknaz]

ya that antenna is pretty much junk .....go with a wilson or a k40

[Rocky Mountain Oyster]

sounds good, I work in the national forest and the current antenna just might have some problems with that. I have been looking at the Wilson antennas, I think that the lil Willie might be the best choice, it is the shortest of the bunch. I wanted to use a 10K, but I think that it would have a problem with all of the tree limbs.

If you would like to see the work site, check below.

[Please login or register to view this link]

[521 Houston]

Nice looking place, but where's the monster 4 wheelers with the cb antennas on them? LOL!

[Rocky Mountain Oyster]

they were all out in the back country, trying to navigate the goat trails

[oknaz]

OMG i can see a huge tower up behind a resort home and it be about 60ft high with an antron 99 . BIG Base radio with an AMP swing about 300 watt's . AUDIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO lol

[521 Houston]

LMAOOO! Good one, Oknaz!

[Rocky Mountain Oyster]

Yessss! and the home is at the 9200 ft level........

[jessejamesdallas]

If your seeing 3.0+ swr, you have a ground short somewhere. Most likely either a bad coax connector, or maybe your antenna mount itself. Antenna could have the wire inside of it broke also. But I think I would start by checking out your connections where the coax hooks to the mount, and radio...Also check coax for pinched places in it. Center conductor wire may be broke, or the ground braid could be touching the center conductor wire somewhere. (generally this would be in one of the PL 259 connectors)

[Phaze91460]

sounds good, I work in the national forest and the current antenna just might have some problems with that. I have been looking at the Wilson antennas, I think that the lil Willie might be the best choice, it is the shortest of the bunch. I wanted to use a 10K, but I think that it would have a problem with all of the tree limbs.

If you would like to see the work site, check below.

[Please login or register to view this link]

Can I get a hunting license with that room ?

I agree with JessieJames. Get rid of that fiberglass make believe antenna, check your grounds, check your mount.

I have had more than my share of SWR problems on my dodge, I have tried quite a few antennas and mounts as well as regrounding everything.

I live in the woods here in Georgia, you might be suprised at what antennas can go through. I have an 8 footer on top of my ladder rack, tops out at 14 feet. I hear it hit trees and sometimes wires but so far so good.

[Rocky Mountain Oyster]

That sounds like fun. Don't have a license w/room, but can get you a good deal on elk hunt. I have given up on the fiberglass thing, I have purchased a lil willie. I have decided to give the old one to the son-in-law, I hope that he does not ask me to help him mount it on his ranger....he he he

[521 Houston]

I have given up on the fiberglass thing, I have purchased a lil willie.

Good idea if I say so myself..... WAIT! I DID say so myself! LOL!

Throw that antenna away and get a Wilson mag mount. Your problems will be solved.

[Rocky Mountain Oyster]

well I got the lil willie installed, ran the power line to distribution block, grounded to the seat post. Checked the SWR, 1.1 on 1 and 40 and no needle movement on 20. Thank you guys. Now I have to run the ole' 29 till I get the clams for a new RA...
It has rained for the last 2 days so I could not work on the deck, he he he

[521 Houston]

Most excellent! Rock on, Oyster dude! LOL!

Oh, and don't knock that old Cobra 29 too much... set up right, they're a mean talking little radio!

[Rocky Mountain Oyster]

OK, I have used the lil willie for a mo. now. So I broke down and ordered a Wilson 1000 from RA. The little one worked ok, talked to sweety from work to home (22 miles) ok, but like all good CBers I wanted a little better, figures. So now I have a pile of antennas in the corner, but its not getting any bigger, I think. The skip here in S/W Colorado has been real flat, just not here. I did hear south America the other day for about 10 min. It's so quiet at night that you can hear the space between the static in the background with the volume all the way up. Talking to sweety at night she is at 6000 ft. and I am at 9200 ft., it sure talks down hill nice.

[Rocky Mountain Oyster]

Got the Wilson 1000 yesterday and got it installed this afternoon. WOW, 1.1 across the board, and my engine/alternator/wiper/power window/etc. are all gone, not to be heard as of yet. I went to the other end of town and talked to sweety, she said I was a weakie, weakie portable. Can you imagine that, and suggested that I get a better radio and put that one in her car w/lil willie. OHHH, look out RA, we is going to need another general with the works............

[Rex_foxhound]

LOL. Glad you're liking that new antenna.