My CB is not working

purpleTJchick

purpleTJchick

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Location
Durham
I can hear really good, but I can not get anything to go out (I.e I say sound test, and no one hears)
I think my antenna needs tuning. (before you say it my computer will not let me search, I wish it was that easy)
How much does the SWR tuner cost and where can I get one... Or can anyone around Durham help me out? (I am sure this is all I need)
I am sure this is a repost, and I am sorry.
But thanks in advance
Lulu
 
First, how are you testing?

If you are just trying to catch a trucker on the interstate, they'll ignore most stuff like that and not answer.

How close is the other CB you are testing with? If the other CB is real close, like right next to you in the same driveway, you can be overloading the front end of that receiver, and it appears you are not getting out. Try them a hundred or so feet apart.

Other problems I've run across include:

Power/ground leads too small gauge of wire -- when you draw the extra power to transmit, the juice ain't there. Transceivers of any type should be run directly to battery (fused of course) with heavy gauge wire (absolute minimum 14ga, not 18 or smaller...12 is great, any thing bigger is more than you need for a legal CB).

No ground plane on an antenna that requires one. For a normal ground plane CB antenna, you need at least a couple of square feet of sheet metal around the base of the antenna. The more centered the antenna in that area, the better your performance will be. I use a Firestik NGP (No Ground Plane) fiberglas antenna successfully on my CJ. Other antenna installation issues include antennas mounted not perpendicular -- you see a lot of semi's now mounting antennas at about a 45* angle -- most of the signal either shoots into the sky or the to the ground. (Ground plane and antenna orientation will more affect your long range and quality of signal, than what you are describing).

Check the quality and condition of your coax cable. A bad crimp or abrasion anywhere along the cable will affect or inhibit performance. Check the coax connector too...did you put it on, or did the antenna come pre-terminated?

Has the mic ever been keyed up w/o the antenna attached? You can easily blow the transmitter side of most radios if you do that.

That ought to get you started.
 
If it was simply a tuning issue, you could likely still be heard.

DP - she's a chick. any chick on the mic gets an instant response, so it's probably a safe bet she really isn't getting out. :D

My bets is a kink/break in your cable somewhere, which unfortunately could have fried your output...
 
Try wiggling the mic cable where it attaches to the radio as you transmit.

You could have a broken wire in the mic cable.

Matt
 
I've had the same issue for about 2 years now on a cheapo used CB I picked up. I've always attributed it to the Mic. One day it worked the next it didn't... I just said Oh well, since I paid $5 for the radio :D
Edit: rather helpful info huh?:shaking:
 
Little more info, I have the 29 ltd classic, just installed. When I push in the mic the little peg that tells me something is comming in and going out moves into the red zone

kaiser715 said:
First, how are you testing?

If you are just trying to catch a trucker on the interstate, they'll ignore most stuff like that and not answer.
Click to expand...

yup, maybe that is part of my problem

How close is the other CB you are testing with? If the other CB is real close, like right next to you in the same driveway, you can be overloading the front end of that receiver, and it appears you are not getting out. Try them a hundred or so feet apart.

Other problems I've run across include:

Power/ground leads too small gauge of wire -- when you draw the extra power to transmit, the juice ain't there. Transceivers of any type should be run directly to battery (fused of course) with heavy gauge wire (absolute minimum 14ga, not 18 or smaller...12 is great, any thing bigger is more than you need for a legal CB).
Click to expand...

I do not have the thin wire, this is the thick wire. looks like 12, might be 14

No ground plane on an antenna that requires one. For a normal ground plane CB antenna, you need at least a couple of square feet of sheet metal around the base of the antenna. The more centered the antenna in that area, the better your performance will be. I use a Firestik NGP (No Ground Plane) fiberglas antenna successfully on my CJ. Other antenna installation issues include antennas mounted not perpendicular -- you see a lot of semi's now mounting antennas at about a 45* angle -- most of the signal either shoots into the sky or the to the ground. (Ground plane and antenna orientation will more affect your long range and quality of signal, than what you are describing).
Click to expand...

I am useing a wilson, It needs a ground. I have it hooked the the back of my tailgate in one of the holes intended for the stock tirecarrier, and the ground is bolted in another hole. Any metal touching the sheet metal and been sanded down/grinded off so I have the best contact the PA works so I know my mic is at least working.

Check the quality and condition of your coax cable. A bad crimp or abrasion anywhere along the cable will affect or inhibit performance. Check the coax connector too...did you put it on, or did the antenna come pre-terminated?
Click to expand...

The wire is brand new, and no crimps, even where it is mounted it is not binded at the end close to the CB. The coax connerctor? not sure what that is... but if it is part of the antenna that connects the antenna to the bracket I think we put that together (I had someone esle doing the antenna in the back)

Has the mic ever been keyed up w/o the antenna attached? You can easily blow the transmitter side of most radios if you do that.
Click to expand...

not sure??
 
Rich said:
If it was simply a tuning issue, you could likely still be heard.
DP - she's a chick. any chick on the mic gets an instant response, so it's probably a safe bet she really isn't getting out. :D
My bets is a kink/break in your cable somewhere, which unfortunately could have fried your output...
Click to expand...

what if the mic works on the PA system?
 
purpleTJchick said:
I am useing a wilson, It needs a ground. I have it hooked the the back of my tailgate in one of the holes intended for the stock tirecarrier, and the ground is bolted in another hole. Any metal touching the sheet metal and been sanded down/grinded off so I have the best contact the PA works so I know my mic is at least working.
Click to expand...
This could be part of the problem, you are grounded to the tailgate, which grounds thru the gate latch and the hinges MAYBE. both of these points are iffy grounds at best.
either actually fasten a ground strap fron the tail gate to the body or move the antenna to the body so it is actually grounded.
 
IIRC, the 29 should have an SWR meter built in to it... if you switch the cb over to SWR mode and key up the mic, the gage will give you a reading...

i cant remember what the range is off the top of my head, but i think that you want to be close to 1... if you are high, you want to get a longer coax...
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
IIRC, the 29 should have an SWR meter built in to it... if you switch the cb over to SWR mode and key up the mic, the gage will give you a reading...
i cant remember what the range is off the top of my head, but i think that you want to be close to 1... if you are high, you want to get a longer coax...
Click to expand...


correction, it is the 25 not the 29
 
Blkvoodoo said:
This could be part of the problem, you are grounded to the tailgate, which grounds thru the gate latch and the hinges MAYBE. both of these points are iffy grounds at best.
either actually fasten a ground strap fron the tail gate to the body or move the antenna to the body so it is actually grounded.
Click to expand...


I am getting amzingly good incomming, I can hear crystal clear If I had a bad connection wouldn't that make the incomming bad?
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
i cant remember what the range is off the top of my head, but i think that you want to be close to 1... if you are high, you want to get a longer coax...
Click to expand...

UH, no.

You do want the SWR as close to 1.1 as possible.
Coax just needs to be long enuff to reach from the radio to the antenna.
If it needs to be adjusted, you actually adjust the length of the antenna if it's a stainless steel whip.

It could still be possible to have a bad mic wire, but I think a working PA would indicate it's OK.

Is the cb new? new to you ?


Matt
 
sry yeah thats what i was thinking... its been a long time since ive dialed in my CBs... the antenna may need to be longer or shorter to dial it in... steel whips can be cut and fiberglass sticks can be tuned sometimes...
 
It works :)

After leaving Raleigh Last night Jon really wanted to go to the garage to test it again.... after 2 hours of listening to the old mans internet someone finally answered him (thank GOD)

Thanks for the help
 
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