Cb antenna mouting bracket

I need help for a new setup for my cb antenna. Last summer everything was ok with my srw reading. This year i add a basket on the roof and my srw reading is way too high( 3.5 on chanel one and 4.8 on chanel 40) if i remove the basket everything drop to 1.3.
I have a wilson k30 but can change for something else. Probably need to relocate the new antenna. Front or rear, what is the best setup for me ?

 

I don't have an answer to your question, but was curious what antenna you were using, what bracket, and where did you mount it before putting the basket on the roof? Thanks in advance!

 

I was always under the impression that the further away from the radio, the better the antenna location. Is that still the popular theory?

 

No. Case in point hand held radios work just fine can't get any closer than that.

 

Where is your antenna? A picture of the antenna location and the mount? It really should no effect. If it's inside of the basket that may have an effect but it sort of makes the basket useless.

 

You basket is probably interfering with the antenna. I can’t see it in the pics but you probably wanna mount it on the fender.

 

The basket alone should not present an issue unless it's right up against it. How did you come up with the SWR readings? Meter or the radio?

 

I bet his antenna is to short and the basket is messing with it.

 

That is true but I believe the circumstances between the two are entirely different. The effective signal distance ("Fars" for you "Notarubicon" fans) between the two types are significantly different as well. I am sure there are some radios "Experts" on here who can shed some light on this!

 

Stick a straight pice of coat hanger in your antenna. Make it longer then what you have now see if it helps and you can cut It down if needed to find the right length. This is where a tool like the rig export comes in it will tell you what you need quick.

 

The great difference is efficiency. I could use a rubber duck on a base unit (with in power ratings). My 100 watt HF antenna is 5 feet from my radio in my truck my 220 antenna is maybe 2 feet from the radio. Worst case it could effect directionality. I would not relay on an SWR reading from a CB radio. If the antenna is planted next to cage the reflected RF could slew the SWR readings, if the SWR reading changed by moving the antenna t's not the antenna's fault.

 

Nope his SWR is fine once he removes the basket.

 

If the antenna was "short" his SWR would reflect that, soon as he moves it the reading is fine and the length did not change.

 

I will say this I am still learning and have only been licensed for close to 30 years (N3LYT) so yeah I'm still working on it.

 

Thank you all for those answer. I have a k30 antenna ( 35’’ long) and i have a srw meter.

Here is a picture of the setup

 

Yes I can see where you are having problems. Your antenna is electrically short in length. The base, the thing that says K30 is wound with wire that makes up for the shortness of the stinger. It is reacting with the bars on your rack. A bracket of some sort above the roof rack will help maybe on the back edge above the rail. A quarter wave on the CB band is around 10 feet! So just about any thing is a compromise! Get it above the bars and it will work a lot better.

 

Maybe looking for another setup. What do you think if install an other antenna at the tail gate with those parts ? And do you have any antenna to recommand

 

If the mount is at the top of the tail gate that would work. Here is the deal the pictured ones are a 3/8 24 thread it looks like the base load is a MNO mount that will not be compatible. See if the load will unscrew from the magnet. The "black thing K30" is necessary it will not work well with out it if at all. If the bottom of the load is wide it is an NMO mount drilling the hole to fit an NMO would work. I don't know how wide the posted black bracket is but it's possible it maybe wide enough to do what you want with the existing magnetic setup. If the antenna unscrews from magnet post a picture. Your canvas topper should not bother it but the bracket on the bottom of the tail gate will.

 

I’m looking for another antenna. I understand that my k30 will not fit the new bracket. I’m looking at firestik like this one

but if you think there is a better one to fit my need let me know.
Sorry for my bad english, i usualy speak french and its not easy with the technical words

 

Questions:

1) when was the last time you checked your SWR with the basket off?

2) have you checked to ensure your coax is snug (notice I didn't say dead grip tight) at the radio?

3) even if the above questions are answered with (right before basket installation) and (it's hand snugged) that basket can absolutely play havoc on your SWR. I would suggest moving the antenna permanently from your roof if your going to have the basket.

4). Are you running any kind of HPA? If no, relocate to driver side front using a hood mount and switch to a fire stick, route coax through firewall under driver's side. If yes, check coax there and look at relocating antenna to tailgate area.