Mini-RG8u is the only way I have seen it, locally we have two choices cheap radio shack RG-58 which is pretty rigid and the jacket cracks after a couple of years of exposure. Then the truck shops carry a relatively expensive mini-RG-8/U which is much more flexible, better insulated (both electronically and from weather) and my choice of the two. The foam center insulator is cracking where I didn't cover it with heat shrink, but the jacket is in good shape and flexible after 3 years.

 

I am just clarifying that the coax you speake of is refered to in many different names, Mini-8, Mini-RG8, and RG-8X (which is what it's cable designation is). Some my look at you cross eyed, cause they may not know the different designations they go by.

Kind of like saying you need a 5" Cherry Rivet Cutter, most won't know it by that. But they know it as 5" Diagonal cutter, or Dikes.

 

no no no don't forget the wild boars!!! badass mothers!!

 

Well being a cheap person like I am... I never bought the rest of the CB stuff....

But we ewnet wheeling Friday Night, and decided I needed to get on to it. And turns out my buddy had a spare coax and spare antenna. Its a Kenworth antenna (from his dads old semi)

So i mounted it to my tool box, used the rubber thing on top of the mount. Ran the coax, and wired up the CB. After playing with the sqwelch some, I finally could hear people talking. But I could not send out any messages. I figured that It was because of my SWR reading, so I tried to tune my radio, but could not get the SWR reading to drop at all. The readings are in the mid 3s. I have heard that this could be from a bad grounding plane.



Do you think I need to run a ground strap off of my bracket to something else, or what is your guys advice?

 

How is your SWR? I'd think the tool box is a large enough ground plane for most uses. At least I think it's a steel/aluminum box.

The tusk thing is a Red vs Blue quote. Sarge introduces the M12 Light Reconnaissance Vehicle, and he likes to call it the wart hog because M12 Light Reconnaissance Vehicle is to hard to say at parties.

 

Toolbox needs to be grounded to the truck bed better, if it is at all.....No ground = hi SWR and blown finals in your radio. You will receive, but won't be able to transmit.

 

well what setting do I put the radio to to find out my swr? There is a RT, SWR, and CAL setting. And how bout when using the radio?

The tool box is bolted to my truck bed, is that not eough ground? Do I need to ground it to the actual frame?

 

I take it that you have an analog gauge then, set the switch to SWR and sit in the middle of a field. You need to have as much open space around your antenna as possible. Key up and watch the needle. If it pegs, you have trouble. Some where on the gauge it should be scaled for 1:1-~1:1.5. Some radios say to use the calibration **** to set the SWRs to 1.5 or the calibration mark on the gauge.

Unless you used self drilling/tapping screws, then you have very little electrical contact between the tool box and bed. The bed is grounded the frame with ground straps, but it's likely they aren't the best anymore (12 years of road conditions can take a toll.) I never bothered with my old radio/truck, the tool box is nearly large enough for a ground but not optimal.

 

Just put the switch in the swr position, key the mike and adjust it. Your book that came with the cb should tell you how.

 

I have done what the book says, and I get mid 3 SRWs. Going to take it to a cb shop tomorrow and see what's up.

 

A quick and dirty method to test if it's your ground plane (a.k.a Truck sheet metal). Loosen a bracket bolt, take a wire and strip a inch or so off the wire, any wire will do. Wrap the wire around the bolt and tighten the bracket bolt up. Try and find a bolt that is somewhere near the antenna. Don't worry if the wire may be a foot or two long, you just need a good solid electrical connection to the truck frame, chassis or sheet metal. Then retest the SWR. If the SWR drops then yes your ground connection from the antenna and bracket is poor.

 

Another sugestion is to start by checking all the grounding inthe system. The chassis should be grounded through the mounting bracket, tne power cord grounded well, and finally the antenna system grounded to the truck (ex. mount -tool box- truck box- truck frame).

The S.W.R adjustment on the radio really just "smoke and mirrors" because the radio can not really compensate for the antenna. S.W.R is matching the antenna to the radio.

A good C.B. shop or commercial radio installer could match the antenna with device that will match the antenna right on. I used on of these on my 3 antennas for my C.B., 2 Meter Ham, and Low Band fireradio. And all matched @ 1.5:1 or less. By getting a good match will get you more efficency (ex. more distance, less power needed).

Also when you assembled the antenna mount did you use the nylon bushing to not ground the center conductor @ the antenna?

A properly tuned short antenna can be just as good as a 102" whip

Good luck

Tim