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Gearing up for WinterFest

I finally bought a CB as well. In my last XJ I had a cheap Radio Shack radio and a long whip that sidriptide gave me. It never worked all that well, so I'm doing a better job this time. I got a Cobra CB and a Wilson 1000 antenna. I mounted the radio today, but I still need to wire it in and mount the antenna (it's going right in the middle of the roof).
 
Make sure you guys tune your radio/antenna installation. Pick up a meter from radio shack for 25 bucks or have a radio shop do it.

There's probably enough of us that have meters that you could find someone to do it for free. Not only is it better for your radio, you'll be much happier with the way it works.

Make sure your radio has a dedicated ground. Also a big plus in the performance/static/drive you nuts process.
 
RedHeep said:
Make sure you guys tune your radio/antenna installation. Pick up a meter from radio shack for 25 bucks or have a radio shop do it.

There's probably enough of us that have meters that you could find someone to do it for free. Not only is it better for your radio, you'll be much happier with the way it works.

Make sure your radio has a dedicated ground. Also a big plus in the performance/static/drive you nuts process.
Click to expand...

My setup will be a cheapo Uniden (40ish bucks) hooked up to a fiberglass wilson 4ft or 5ft? Dont they all come the same length?

This is the el cheapo grande setup. My concerns go in this order, price, performance, looks.:looney:
 
CherBear said:
My setup will be a cheapo Uniden (40ish bucks) hooked up to a fiberglass wilson 4ft or 5ft? Dont they all come the same length?

This is the el cheapo grande setup. My concerns go in this order, price, performance, looks.:looney:
Click to expand...

El' Cheapo Grande can still be tuned.
 
CherBear said:
My setup will be a cheapo Uniden (40ish bucks) hooked up to a fiberglass wilson 4ft or 5ft? Dont they all come the same length?

This is the el cheapo grande setup. My concerns go in this order, price, performance, looks.:looney:
Click to expand...

You're tuning the antenna length to your particular vehicle and installation. It might not make a big difference on the trail talking from the gunner to the leader, but you can still tune those cheaper radios to work well enough to talk all over the campground/trail system.

I found a little mom and pop joint here in town and it's worth it to me to spend whatever they want to tune it up a little.
 
RedHeep said:
You're tuning the antenna length to your particular vehicle and installation. It might not make a big difference on the trail talking from the gunner to the leader, but you can still tune those cheaper radios to work well enough to talk all over the campground/trail system.

I found a little mom and pop joint here in town and it's worth it to me to spend whatever they want to tune it up a little.
Click to expand...

Do you know how much they charge?

Im just trying to get an estimate here.
 
theres more than one of us that usually carries a swr meter to WF... they would prob tune it for free or a beer...
 
99SJ_Ex said:
theres more than one of us that usually carries a swr meter to WF... they would prob tune it for free or a beer...
Click to expand...

Well Im trying to get it to work before then...

What exactly is involved in the tuning process? Im fairly technically minded, but have very little knowledge about LPC.
 
RedHeep said:
Install it, make sure it works. The meter hooks up in between the radio and your antenna cable. It can be done after your install.
Click to expand...

Then what does the actual tuning process involve?

Something about changing the length of the antenna? How you would do that with a fiberglass one is beyond me...
 
A lot of fiberglass antennas have tunable tips that allow you to change the SWR. Cheap antennas require you to trim the antenna for proper SWR.

If yours doesn't have the tunable tip (Wilson and Firestik IIRC), return it and get a tunable one. It is worth the extra few bucks.
 
IllianaXJ said:
A lot of fiberglass antennas have tunable tips that allow you to change the SWR. Cheap antennas require you to trim the antenna for proper SWR.

If yours doesn't have the tunable tip (Wilson and Firestik IIRC), return it and get a tunable one. It is worth the extra few bucks.
Click to expand...

Yeah my Wilson is easy to tune. Much better than having to cut it.
 
CherBear said:
Then what does the actual tuning process involve?

Something about changing the length of the antenna? How you would do that with a fiberglass one is beyond me...
Click to expand...

Your "fiberglass" antenna is a fiberglass stick with a metal wire wrapped around it about a thousand times. You're trimming the metal (the actual antenna) until the wavelength matches up with the rest of your installation.

Firestick has a really good website that explains most of it and I'm not intelligent enough to give you a class, so if you want to know more, look it up.
 
IllianaXJ said:
A lot of fiberglass antennas have tunable tips that allow you to change the SWR. Cheap antennas require you to trim the antenna for proper SWR.

If yours doesn't have the tunable tip (Wilson and Firestik IIRC), return it and get a tunable one. It is worth the extra few bucks.
Click to expand...

I got it for free...:rolleyes:
 
CherBear said:
I got it for free...:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

that's a good price.

let's not forget that a well tuned cb/antenna is nice, however for the most part you need to put out and receive less than a quarter mile.

I have a small uniden in my jeep, with a 'lil wil' mag antenna that I have stuck to the floor of my hatch area. when I had a roof it was on my roof. this is a great antenna.
 
Fore Wheeler said:
that's a good price.

let's not forget that a well tuned cb/antenna is nice, however for the most part you need to put out and receive less than a quarter mile.

I have a small uniden in my jeep, with a 'lil wil' mag antenna that I have stuck to the floor of my hatch area. when I had a roof it was on my roof. this is a great antenna.
Click to expand...

I can agree to this as it is often the case, however, I know last year there were untuned CBs in the group and I couldn't hear several Jeeps behind me with the squelch almost maxed... I run a rig that has 20yrs of on-road use (dad was a trucker) with sidebands on all channels... It can make a difference... My $0.02

tEx
 
99SJ_Ex said:
I can agree to this as it is often the case, however, I know last year there were untuned CBs in the group and I couldn't hear several Jeeps behind me with the squelch almost maxed... I run a rig that has 20yrs of on-road use (dad was a trucker) with sidebands on all channels... It can make a difference... My $0.02

tEx
Click to expand...

Well I will definitely look into this then. It doesnt need to be perfect, but it sounds like some of the trail cbs arent even useful.
 
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