Tuning my Cb

I'm having trouble gettin my CB antenna tuned. I've read extensively on how to do and have installed an SWR in-line to do so but just can't get this thing under the 1.5 max.

Gear/setup:
Cobra 19 (stealth install into center console)
the instal required a right angle coax plug between the dado and the wire if that makes a huge difference

18' firestik, firering coax cable (carefully run through the grommet in the rest of my cab)

custom/homemade bed mount. I did this with a piece of steel flat bar, simple bend and screwed directly to the bed with the two bolts just inside the tailgate on the passenger side. it was originally clear coated but I have sense sanded the areas around the screws and coax connections to provide good ground.



I've been careful to instal the fire ring cable per firstik's instructions to I don't believe that to be the issue. I've also been careful to not coil the excess cable, it is in an "s" pattern under the carpet of the rear floorboard. from there it runs through a hole into the storage compartments under my rear seat to the SWR meter, then from there to the CB installed in the center console.

As I said, I've read extensively on setup and tuning of these antenna's and believe I've don't everything right, I just can't seem to get it with a reading under 1.5. The only thing I haven't done is to try moving the antenna, I don't really mind doing this but I'd prefer to try EVERYTHING else first as it will require me to remove a lot of plastics and the rear seat to get enough coax out to get to the other side of the truck or really any other location.



so that's my story... any input?

 

1.5 is really not that bad if that's what it is. My cb's swr's change frequently. If the truck is wet, it's about 1.7. Dry about 1.3. I think the rule is under 2 you're safe from any damage

 

Do you have 1.5 on all forty channels? If so I'd take that and run. It's tough to get a 1.1 swr. The best I can get is 1.8 with a 3foot firestik 2 and 18 feet of new coax but my firestik is mounted on my left front fender, one thing to try is checking your swr with no obstructions nearby such as buildings other vehicles ect.If you have a 1.5 swr on all 40 channels that is 95% out 100 power output and receive. Hope this helps you.

 

I can't get my set to stay or get under 2-3 on ch.1 or 40... If it was stayin under or around 1.5 I'd be happy but ya... It was so bad this last trip that I could hear either of the two guys with me hardly at all, they could both hear each other and me clearly

 

Make sure your coax is good. Make sure your ground is good all the way to the battery. I had a problem where my negative battery terminal was corroded so the truck had a ground problem

 

Waaaaaaiiiiiiitttttt.

They can hear YOU fine, but you can't hear them???

That would seem to indicate you're tranmitting OK and don't have an SWR problem. SWR approximately equal to 2 won't keep you from hearing the other guys.

Stupid first thing to check - your squelch isn't turned up too high?

Stupid second thing to check - your radio doesn't have some funky privacy setting like all the FRS radios do?

Can you hear the WX stations OK? That would rule out a speaker wiring problem.

After that, I'd tend to suspect an internal problem in the radio.

 

I'm gonna triple check my ground at the antenna bi I know he one at the radio and the one at the battery are good, both very clean and well connected..

Squelch is turned down, not the issue. Radio doesn't have WX or other settings so that can't be it either...

 

could be just your radio, try one of your buddys radio.

 

Try changing out your mic. Also make sure it's not sticking in TX.