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Steveo2486

Steveo2486

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Hey all just wanted to check in with all my fellow truck drivers on an issue I'm running into with my new truck it's a 16 freightliner cascadia just got in the truck last week found all wiring to be in decent order hooked up my CB I don't have anything fancy it's a uniden bearcat PC787 with a Wilson 2000 attached to the factory mount on the drivers side top rear of the cab but even with adjusting the antenna my swr readings are through the roof sitting at like a 4+ I tried having the shop check for ground and they said it looks ok so I'm not sure to believe it but it's a company truck just assigned to me so I can't do any major modifications to it any ideas would be great thanks
 
Steveo2486 said:
Hey all just wanted to check in with all my fellow truck drivers on an issue I'm running into with my new truck it's a 16 freightliner cascadia just got in the truck last week found all wiring to be in decent order hooked up my CB I don't have anything fancy it's a uniden bearcat PC787 with a Wilson 2000 attached to the factory mount on the drivers side top rear of the cab but even with adjusting the antenna my swr readings are through the roof sitting at like a 4+ I tried having the shop check for ground and they said it looks ok so I'm not sure to believe it but it's a company truck just assigned to me so I can't do any major modifications to it any ideas would be great thanks
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whenever we adjust the antenna, we are supposed to be bob tail away from as much metal as possible, and away from any buildings, and with your doors closed.

have you adjusted the antenna this way?

the antenna coax will ground the antenna thru the cb radio then to ground.

if per some chance you trimmed off a bit too much of the antenna, then you will need a new whip.

or maybe you have NOT already trimmed off some of the antenna, which is it.>???


the antenna must be all the way down and sitting at the bottom of the antenna base. take a reading. if too high, remove the antenna and trim NO MORE than about 1/16th of an inch at a time. replace antenna into the base, try the swr readings again. if they are lower, try trimming a bit more, and read again.

once your antenna IS CLOSE to the 1.5 / 2.0.....swr...leave it alone........!!!!!!!!

it will be "adjusted" no matter what truck you move it to the next time....
 
Thanks I know where my swr needs to be I just was unsure what I needed to to but shortening the antenna is probably what I need to do I had this set up in a Volvo tractor with the antenna mirror mounted previous to now and all seemed good my swr was at like 1.3-1.5 but now that I moved it to this truck I guess my old set up will be ineffective due to the mount of the antenna especially being about 3-4 feet higher now
 
Steveo2486 said:
Thanks I know where my swr needs to be I just was unsure what I needed to to but shortening the antenna is probably what I need to do I had this set up in a Volvo tractor with the antenna mirror mounted previous to now and all seemed good my swr was at like 1.3-1.5 but now that I moved it to this truck I guess my old set up will be ineffective due to the mount of the antenna especially being about 3-4 feet higher now
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once your antenna IS CLOSE to the 1.5 / 2.0.....swr...leave it alone........!!!!!!!!

it will be "adjusted" no matter what truck you move it to the next time....
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i was told by a great cb repair/sales shop person, once the swr is set up, leave it alone, it'll work on any truck and any cb radio.

i lived by that. however, if you choose to cut more off of your antenna, then go to yet another truck, and the swr is not good enough for that truck, what will you do.>?? you cannot add cut off metal.

even a 3.0 is ok. (this is what i was told by that cb repair shop person), and i had done business with that shop till that person died. so did all the other customers.
 
before i'd go cutting that antenna, spring for one of those ground plane adaptors. i can't say how much they are, but if persome chance it lowers your SWR even down to 2.5 to 3, that should be good enough.

cuz i am thinking if as you say, your antenna is about 3-4 feet taller now..??? that'll be a lot of trimming of the mast/whip........

can't say i ever saw a Wilson short mast/whip, but you can buy one (if available) instead of the ground plane.


actually, they do...

http://www.wilsonantenna.com/products/cb-antennas-kitswhips-tips/sp/wilson-36-short-load-antenna/


http://www.wilsonantenna.com/products/cb-antennas-kitswhips-tips/
 
tutone710 said:
If you spend 500$ and get a good CB set up, you will be talking to yourself in the truck.
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I agree with you it's not used for its intended purpose for the most part anymore however when a road is closed or there is a serious accident somewhere I'm headed toward I generally do get a fair warning from someone but other than for that reason I don't need one but that's where my dilemma comes from because with the way I'm getting out now I'll never know of anything going on until I'm on top of it
 
And to update my situation to those who helped I found that the coax had a tear in the shielding and was crimped so even though it's a brand new truck it still has jacked up coax so I tore apart the truck to see what I was dealing with and I'm just going to run a dedicated line from the existing mount to the CB compartment should be cake I just have to buy a end to attach for my CB don't know how difficult those are to put on but we shall see
 
Steveo2486 said:
And to update my situation to those who helped I found that the coax had a tear in the shielding and was crimped so even though it's a brand new truck it still has jacked up coax so I tore apart the truck to see what I was dealing with and I'm just going to run a dedicated line from the existing mount to the CB compartment should be cake I just have to buy a end to attach for my CB don't know how difficult those are to put on but we shall see
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many truck stops have adaptors for the cb antenna cable. do you need the RCA type of adaptor..???

this one.>??

36SMMPL.jpg



https://images.search.yahoo.com/sea...0adapters/femmot_zpsvhucysko.jpg&action=click

what i would do, and have done, is replace the antenna mount with say a vice grip pliers set up, to the back of the cab on the hand rail, that goes across the back, where your air lines may be tethered to, then run the coax thru your window, with enough slack, to allow the passenger door to open. it would be faster, easier, cheaper
 
pro1driver said:
many truck stops have adaptors for the cb antenna cable. do you need the RCA type of adaptor..???

this one.>??

36SMMPL.jpg



https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=RCA cb radio antenna adaptor pics&fr=mcafee&imgurl=http://c.shld.net/rpx/i/s/pi/mp/10139695/prod_11946603819?src=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.doba.com%2Fproducts%2F1%2Fimages_r_images_r3rca.jpg&d=da443cfef78aabf3959ba416f4e98981cb8db3ee&hei=333&wid=333&op_sharpen=1#id=337&iurl=http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss152/quigatolah/antenna%20adapters/femmot_zpsvhucysko.jpg&action=click

what i would do, and have done, is replace the antenna mount with say a vice grip pliers set up, to the back of the cab on the hand rail, that goes across the back, where your air lines may be tethered to, then run the coax thru your window, with enough slack, to allow the passenger door to open. it would be faster, easier, cheaper
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I need the bigger end that screws into the radio itself to put on a cable but as far as the other faster cheaper idea I would love to just do it that way however with the truck being used during the day by different people since I drive it during the night I would not be surprised to have my coax damaged somehow by someone else and if not them the mechanics are idiots and would probably screw with it too so if it's hidden I figure it's safe
 
Steveo2486 said:
I need the bigger end that screws into the radio itself to put on a cable but as far as the other faster cheaper idea I would love to just do it that way however with the truck being used during the day by different people since I drive it during the night I would not be surprised to have my coax damaged somehow by someone else and if not them the mechanics are idiots and would probably screw with it too so if it's hidden I figure it's safe
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i used to run line haul...at night.....i took everything off and in my car's trunk when i was done.

it's just that simple.
 
pro1driver said:
i used to run line haul...at night.....i took everything off and in my car's trunk when i was done.

it's just that simple.
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Yea there are guys who do that as well I don't know I'll see how this other idea works out then if not I'll just buy some coax and run it off the bar on the back from my antenna through the window or door and to my radio I already have a mount so just need the coax
 
Got a smartphone? Download Waze. Other drivers put up alerts on conditions....most times. It aint perfect, but its better than nothing.
 
othertrucker2001 said:
Got a smartphone? Download Waze. Other drivers put up alerts on conditions....most times. It aint perfect, but its better than nothing.
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I guess there really is an app for everything but I already spent the money on a radio and antenna even though I've had both for about 5 years so they have paid themselves off by now but I still would rather have the radio than the app
 
tQ76s8B.jpg

So just to update finally got everything together and working my swr is down to a 1.3 and all is well so thanks everyone who helped and provided input
 
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