CB radio isn't transmitting or receiving very far?

Question

i have a cobra 29 ltd nightview radio in a silverado pickup it isnt getting very good range only about a hundred yards or so
i have the power cord running to the fuse box and i ran the coax down the inside of my rocker pannel out a vent in the back of the cab and to an antenna mount on an aluminum toolbox that has a 4 ft firestik whip antenna i ran an extra wire from the mount to a screw in my side pocket for a better ground any ideas of why it isn't getting out very far?

Answer 1

Many of these answers are right you need to check for SWRs.

If you have to meny SWRs then the signal wont git out of the antenna.

The wire in the coaksial cable and antennas is very small and if you have some SWRs trapped in their it will block the cable that's why you can buy SWR meters to find how many SWRs are there.

When you tune an antenna it opens up more and lets the SWRs out then your signal can move from the radio to the antenna and you transmit further the SWRs meter will show when you have 1 to 1 SWRs.

You only ever want 1 SWRs on the SWR meter if there is like 3 to 1 SWRs then that many will block the cable badly so tune you SWRs out.

Answer 2

First, your power cord goes to the battery + and - terminals, not to a fuse box. Second, poor SWR could lead to transmission line loss, although a 3:1 SWR would still give you 75% power to your antenna. Make sure that's checked. Third, the position of your 4' antenna could be giving you some attenuation, especially with a poor ground plane. Fourth, check to make sure your coax doesn't have a short and is making a proper connection to both your CB and antenna.



EDIT: I'd like to provide a better explanation of SWR than "B's" answer below. The RF energy goes from the radio out to the antenna. If the antenna does not present the correct impedance (i.e. nonresonant), some of the energy will bounce back down the coax to the radio. It then gets reflected back from the radio to the antenna, setting up "standing waves" that can be measured. High SWR induces loss in the transmission line, so B's "blocking the cable" provides only an analogy to what's actually happening. The antenna doesn't really "open up more" with lower SWR. In fact, nonresonant antennas can be very efficient, but I think that's beyond the scope of your question!

Answer 3

Cb Radio Not Receiving

Answer 4

have you swr'd it recently?

try putting the whip on a mag mount on the rooft, see if that improves it. and get an amp/burner to boost the signal, though it really shouod be transmitting more than a hundred yrds.

Answer 5

Go to a truck stop with a cb shop