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FedEx Freight | CB Radios

Redracer3136 said:
I hate to correct such a good post (but you know I’m gonna :438:) but actually the ground has nothing to do with the SWR’s, a good ground will improve your ears by taking out all of the background noise and interference caused by all of today’s electronics and fiberglass trucks. I could get excellent SWR’s by moving the antenna around like you said but I usually had to run a ground wire from the bracket down to the frame to clear out all of the noise...especially on those T2000’s!!

As long as your SWR’s are below a 3.0 on the meter, a barefoot radio will be fine. If you plan to add “fire to the wire” then you’ll want at least 1.8 or lower. Agreed, 18’ of coax is optimal but as long as you use increments of 3’ you’ll be fine. I ran dual antennas on the T2000’s with 6’ of coax from each (because that’s all I needed), a ground wire on both sides, and could “walk the dog and kick the cat”, c’mon!! Agreed, the built in meters on the radio were very unreliable...I always used a Dosy TR-1000 myself.
Click to expand...

No worries. It's been years since I've run one on a regular basis, and my memory ain't what it used to be, but keep in mind that there is a difference between the ground plane and an electrical ground. Your antenna needs both.

The mount your antenna is connected to needs to have a good ground to the vehicle chassis. For metal mounts (mirror mounts, side mounts, 3 way mounts, etc) this is done through metal to metal contact. Running a grounding strap from the mount to the chassis like you said works too.

The Francis antennas used to be adjustable for SWR without the need to trim didn't they? I know most fiberglass can be trimmed at the tip, but it was permanent for that particular vehicle once it was set.
 
I guess even CB's are in the 21st century. A quick google search found this:


8leqB5X.jpg
 
SWR RANGE EXPLANATIONS
SWR 1.0-1.5: The ideal range! If your SWR is under 1.5, you're in great shape. If you're at 1.5 and really, really want to drop down to closer to 1 it's likely possible to do with addition tuning, different equipment or a different mounting location. But the drop from 1.5 to 1.0 won't make a substantial increase in performance. It's not nearly as noticeable as, say, going from 2.0 down to 1.5.

SWR 1.5 - 1.9: There's room for improvement, but SWR in this range should still provide adequate performance. Occasionally, due to installations or vehicle variables, it's impossible to get SWR lower than than this. You should try to get it lower, but performance should still be acceptable in this range. If you've tuned the antenna, SWR in this range is likely an issue of a less-than-ideal mounting location for your vehicle and/or an antenna that isn't ideal for the mounting location. To troubleshoot, see this article on problematic CB antenna mounting locations.

SWR 2.0 - 2.4: While not good, this likely won't damage your radio with casual use. However, you should definitely try to improve it if you can. SWR in this range is usually caused by a poor antenna mounting location and/or a poor choice of equipment for your specific vehicle. To troubleshoot, you'll likely need to move the mounting location and/or use a more suitable antenna. It's by no means a good tuning job, but will function if you've exhausted all other troubleshooting possibilities.

SWR 2.5 - 2.9: Performance in this range will be noticeably decreased, and you might even damage your radio if you transmit frequently and for extended periods. We advise you not to operate your radio in this range. SWR in this range is usually caused by a poor mounting location and/or a poor choice of equipment for your specific vehicle. To troubleshoot, you'll likely need to move the mounting location and/or use a more suitable antenna.

SWR 3.0+: Performance will be severely affected, and you're likely to damage your radio with extended transmission use. You SHOULD NOT transmit with your CB at SWR levels above 3.0. If your SWR needle swings all the way to the right (off the charts) when getting your 3.0+ readings, you almost certainly have a major installation problem. This is almost always the result of a poor ground or incorrectly assembled stud, but on rare occasions can indicate a faulty coax, antenna, or incorrectly attached SWR meter.


https://www.wearecb.com/troubleshoot-a-high-swr.html
 
Dick Dastardly said:
No worries. It's been years since I've run one on a regular basis, and my memory ain't what it used to be, but keep in mind that there is a difference between the ground plane and an electrical ground. Your antenna needs both.

The mount your antenna is connected to needs to have a good ground to the vehicle chassis. For metal mounts (mirror mounts, side mounts, 3 way mounts, etc) this is done through metal to metal contact. Running a grounding strap from the mount to the chassis like you said works too.

The Francis antennas used to be adjustable for SWR without the need to trim didn't they? I know most fiberglass can be trimmed at the tip, but it was permanent for that particular vehicle once it was set.
Click to expand...
All correct but I recommend avoiding those crappy aluminum antenna brackets that you find at most truck stops. Find a good stainless steel bracket with an oversized stud OR go with the vise-grip bracket and you’ll have no worries...although you may still need to ground to the chassis as we both stated.

That’s why I always ran a Master Blaster, it came with its own ground plane (plus my added ground wire) and the whip was adjustable...but we found through trial and error that with the old Volvo’s you had to get an extra long whip then cut it down to dial in the SWR’s, the stock whip that came with the antenna wasn’t long enough.

I’ve never known the Francis to be adjustable other than trimming the tip. Personally, I avoided trimming and just kept relocating the antenna until I found a spot on the truck where the factory length and the SWR’s came together....could be a massive headache at times but it kept me from having to buy a new antenna every time I changed tractors.
 
Dick Dastardly said:
SWR RANGE EXPLANATIONS
SWR 1.0-1.5: The ideal range! If your SWR is under 1.5, you're in great shape. If you're at 1.5 and really, really want to drop down to closer to 1 it's likely possible to do with addition tuning, different equipment or a different mounting location. But the drop from 1.5 to 1.0 won't make a substantial increase in performance. It's not nearly as noticeable as, say, going from 2.0 down to 1.5.

SWR 1.5 - 1.9: There's room for improvement, but SWR in this range should still provide adequate performance. Occasionally, due to installations or vehicle variables, it's impossible to get SWR lower than than this. You should try to get it lower, but performance should still be acceptable in this range. If you've tuned the antenna, SWR in this range is likely an issue of a less-than-ideal mounting location for your vehicle and/or an antenna that isn't ideal for the mounting location. To troubleshoot, see this article on problematic CB antenna mounting locations.

SWR 2.0 - 2.4: While not good, this likely won't damage your radio with casual use. However, you should definitely try to improve it if you can. SWR in this range is usually caused by a poor antenna mounting location and/or a poor choice of equipment for your specific vehicle. To troubleshoot, you'll likely need to move the mounting location and/or use a more suitable antenna. It's by no means a good tuning job, but will function if you've exhausted all other troubleshooting possibilities.

SWR 2.5 - 2.9: Performance in this range will be noticeably decreased, and you might even damage your radio if you transmit frequently and for extended periods. We advise you not to operate your radio in this range. SWR in this range is usually caused by a poor mounting location and/or a poor choice of equipment for your specific vehicle. To troubleshoot, you'll likely need to move the mounting location and/or use a more suitable antenna.

SWR 3.0+: Performance will be severely affected, and you're likely to damage your radio with extended transmission use. You SHOULD NOT transmit with your CB at SWR levels above 3.0. If your SWR needle swings all the way to the right (off the charts) when getting your 3.0+ readings, you almost certainly have a major installation problem. This is almost always the result of a poor ground or incorrectly assembled stud, but on rare occasions can indicate a faulty coax, antenna, or incorrectly attached SWR meter.


https://www.wearecb.com/troubleshoot-a-high-swr.html
Click to expand...
Good info...to each is own but I’ve never burned the finals running SWR’s 2.9 or lower barefoot. Again, if you’re gonna run a linear it’s best to be at 1.8 or lower...I used to have a Galaxy 48T and it had a built-in fail safe that wouldn’t allow it to transmit if the SWR’s were above 1.8...saved me money a couple times!!
 
Redracer3136 said:
I hate to correct such a good post (but you know I’m gonna :438:) but actually the ground has nothing to do with the SWR’s, a good ground will improve your ears by taking out all of the background noise and interference caused by all of today’s electronics and fiberglass trucks. I could get excellent SWR’s by moving the antenna around like you said but I usually had to run a ground wire from the bracket down to the frame to clear out all of the noise...especially on those T2000’s!!

As long as your SWR’s are below a 3.0 on the meter, a barefoot radio will be fine. If you plan to add “fire to the wire” then you’ll want at least 1.8 or lower. Agreed, 18’ of coax is optimal but as long as you use increments of 3’ you’ll be fine. I ran dual antennas on the T2000’s with 6’ of coax from each (because that’s all I needed), a ground wire on both sides, and could “walk the dog and kick the cat”, c’mon!! Agreed, the built in meters on the radio were very unreliable...I always used a Dosy TR-1000 myself.
Click to expand...

I guess we had as bad of setup as you could run a CB, just clamp vicegrips on mirror arm, never checked ground, never measured coax lenth, never owned a meter.
Guess i was lucky, never burned up one.
I did one time, tried to get in on passenger side, door was locked, I set my hand bag down in front of tractor
started running my ,mouth and forgot my bag was in front,ran right over CB, FM and everything in my bag.
Don't know if I was senile back in those days.

Redracer3136 said:
I hate to correct such a good post (but you know I’m gonna :438:) but actually the ground has nothing to do with the SWR’s, a good ground will improve your ears by taking out all of the background noise and interference caused by all of today’s electronics and fiberglass trucks. I could get excellent SWR’s by moving the antenna around like you said but I usually had to run a ground wire from the bracket down to the frame to clear out all of the noise...especially on those T2000’s!!

As long as your SWR’s are below a 3.0 on the meter, a barefoot radio will be fine. If you plan to add “fire to the wire” then you’ll want at least 1.8 or lower. Agreed, 18’ of coax is optimal but as long as you use increments of 3’ you’ll be fine. I ran dual antennas on the T2000’s with 6’ of coax from each (because that’s all I needed), a ground wire on both sides, and could “walk the dog and kick the cat”, c’mon!! Agreed, the built in meters on the radio were very unreliable...I always used a Dosy TR-1000 myself.
Click to expand...
 
seabreeze said:
I guess we had as bad of setup as you could run a CB, just clamp vicegrips on mirror arm, never checked ground, never measured coax lenth, never owned a meter.
Guess i was lucky, never burned up one.
I did one time, tried to get in on passenger side, door was locked, I set my hand bag down in front of tractor
started running my ,mouth and forgot my bag was in front,ran right over CB, FM and everything in my bag.
Don't know if I was senile back in those days.
Click to expand...

But you guys only had five channels!

:poke: :438:
 
Dick Dastardly said:
But you guys only had five channels!

:poke: :438:
Click to expand...

You're right, I had a White Face Johnson with only 5 channels, graduated to the Black Face with 10 transmit and 23 receive, this was be fore the CB craze in trucks.
I had 23 when I was working, I think a Francis antenna it was about 4 or 5 ft, orange fiberglass.
The commercial fishing boats grabbed those old Johnsons, they were tube type with more power, those guys
used these instead of VHF Marine.
I traded my White Face for a 1931 A Model Ford.
 
Dick Dastardly said:
Sounds like the finals are burned out. Man if you weren't so far away I've got milk crates full of stuff in the building and would give you one. Hell, I've got radios, mics, and miscellaneous parts from radios from the seventies up to the 2000's. Quite a few have only 23 channels or less. Come to think of it, my collection of CB junk would fill up BD's hat.
Click to expand...
I appreciate the sentiment, Dick. No worries. The CB is still semi-useful as-is and my T660 has good factory mounts for when I do the upgrade. Factory CB antennas are always gonna be garbage and I doubt whoever owned this truck first cared too much about the SWR.

That all said, I'm interested in knowing from those who have been at it longer what kind of unit I should replace this Cobra 29 with. My last one was good, a NightWatch model, but I'm open to a Galaxy or a Uniden (some guys swear by the Bearcat, I dunno) if it'd be a better radio.
 
Canadian Flyer said:
I appreciate the sentiment, Dick. No worries. The CB is still semi-useful as-is and my T660 has good factory mounts for when I do the upgrade. Factory CB antennas are always gonna be garbage and I doubt whoever owned this truck first cared too much about the SWR.

That all said, I'm interested in knowing from those who have been at it longer what kind of unit I should replace this Cobra 29 with. My last one was good, a NightWatch model, but I'm open to a Galaxy or a Uniden (some guys swear by the Bearcat, I dunno) if it'd be a better radio.
Click to expand...

If i were going to spend the money I'd go with a Galaxy model 33. They're (were?) side pin mic mounts. If that's an issue then I'd go Connex 3300.
 
Canadian Flyer said:
I appreciate the sentiment, Dick. No worries. The CB is still semi-useful as-is and my T660 has good factory mounts for when I do the upgrade. Factory CB antennas are always gonna be garbage and I doubt whoever owned this truck first cared too much about the SWR.

That all said, I'm interested in knowing from those who have been at it longer what kind of unit I should replace this Cobra 29 with. My last one was good, a NightWatch model, but I'm open to a Galaxy or a Uniden (some guys swear by the Bearcat, I dunno) if it'd be a better radio.
Click to expand...
I run the Bearcat 880 and I'd trade it strait up for my old Cobra 29. To many bells and whistles you'll never use, (however the guys I slip seat with love all those options.)
 
The new Galaxy 33's (33hp2) are front mic, I had one, great radio. Essentially a 3300hp connex, or a general lee. I run a Stryker 447hp, in my 2018 volvo, have thought about upgrading to the new Ranger 93vhp, which is cobra 29 size, but is a 100w radio. Anyhow, check out Galaxy's 10 meter radios, they are bringing back all the old lineup, and making them smaller chassis, for these trucks that have to put them in the overhead consoles.
 
Big Dave said:
I provide Coop drivers with Cobra 29.3/4 radios running 426ZHPgh with 9465$ side bands on double over/under channel 6......-15%.
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Dear Dave, thanks so much for my new radio, but I have a problem, it only receives in Moldavian, not sure about
transmitting because I never talk to myself.
Do you think DD can correct this problem?
 
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