Radio swap crazy swr readings

[Slimjim85]

Im new to the world of cb. I understand some of how things work but just a little. I drive a freightliner columbia daycab. Mirror mount 4' fiberglass no name antenna. 12' no name coax. Uniden bearcat 880, stoc mic. Im under 1.8 swr 1,20, and 40...however when i install my president richard with stock mic the swr is all over and sometimes showing over 20!!!. I am only using the internal swr meter in both radios.you can fine tune swr on bearcat but not sure you can on president richard..any help would be awesome.

[Slimjim85]

Also, when i do the diagnostic on the uniden, it shows antenna fail. And power on no tx/rx it has an alert icon in the bottom left??

[635 HogPen]

a good starting point would be to make sure there is a GOOD ground to your mirror mount from the chassis, may have to add a extra wire... and that your antenna has the plastic washer in the correct position, 2529

[Alabama Buckeye]

Nearing 30 days since post and I've seen little response to thread.
I'm WAGging it here: Bearcat 880 is a 5W DK CB radio while the President Richard is a 10M 50W PEP radio. It's the wattage I'm addressing. Is your no name 4' antenna on its last legs and poorly matched to the Tricky Dick radio? Any squeal feed back? Internal SWR meters rarely good enough for calibration purposes. The digital SWR meter on the Tricky Dick perhaps was the better measure than the Bearcat all along. You should strive for under 1.5:1.

[Slimjim85]

Thank you for the feed back guys, its just an old beat up antenna with a coax thats been slammed in the door a few thousand times. Im getting into a new truck in a week or so and thats when i will put all new coax, mount, and antenna and try this again. Theres a 8' helacoil on the international ill be driving. Would that be a better fit for the tricky dick?? Or would the brand new francis 4' be the way to go??

[Alabama Buckeye]

Have no clue about what a 8' helacoil is, other than a fix for mucked up threads. And can't speak to Tricky Dick (TD) radio. The simplicity of the control knobs is inviting. President has a good rep. I expect the TD is electronic SWR so its zero set at all times. Key up and your SWR is displayed.

As to Francis 4', well it just doesn't seem to fit with your new rig. I'm not a trucker so I can't address why dual whip antennas is the preference otherthan the challenge of hiding twin coax cables. Or angling forward of antennas to offset 70MPH wind loads. Or the preference to divide radio power output by half that dual antennas offer. Whip not a single top center cab magnetic mount. Break the Dogma barrier, be the first tractor with a Stryker SR-A10.
Or any lesser priced commonly known mag mount antenna.
I suppose you would have to consider low hanging rural town R X R bridges. The SR-A10 is 5.5', atop unknown cab hgt; the radiator could succumb to Peyronie's disease.

[Slimjim85]

I miss spoke I'm referring to AK40 helical type antenna. If that would be better for the td

[Alabama Buckeye]

K40 brand? Then you've got your mag mount antenna? Or K40 Helical Coil for mirror mounting? I see the K40 Helical Coil is tunable by adjusting the final radiator length. Have no clue where the Coil is on this antenna, base or mid-length. Frankly Id choose it over the Franci or Firestik II for sake of wind load. And longevity. I would expect a measure of wind load on the Coil and its stout tube lengths before and after the coil; but, negligible on the whip. Attachment to mirrors tight + quarter turn.

I'd choose a single K40 Helical Coil antenna for that 20,000W capability of this antenna for the full power coming from your radio. Why dual antennas; so the trucker on your left or right (opposite side from antenna) can also enjoy your blathering? Pass him a note:300 (188):or holler.

[Slimjim85]

Just for the sake of stating what has already been stated lol, a single whip is going to be my best way to go? If that's the case then my job is half done. I have a little will that has seen about 4 months of use atop my pickup truck would this be something that would this be usable

[Alabama Buckeye]

I'm patting you on the back right now. The 3'er Lil Wil might be just the right ticket. Very low wind load and less chance for Peyronie's syndrome affliction. And you'd have a heck of a ground plane. If the smart way doesn't work fall back on dogma.

[Slimjim85]

The help has been great, i thank everyone. I will be sure to post an update. I think ive run into magnetic issues with the roof, as in aluminum cabs....ill see what fate should bring.

[Slimjim85]

I forgot this little bit, last night i got out the ol' lil will and stuck that sucker on my metal garage door. Ran the wire through the window and hooked it into said td. The radio smiled with glee. I was bouncing from 1,1.2, and occasionally 1.6. I decided i would ask for a radio check....from my shipping office 6 miles away!!! She said yes i hear you fine, could you put a trailer in the door for me??? I said well im at home on my radio. She tells me oh my it sounds like your in the yard!!! I am very pleased to hear this.

[Alabama Buckeye]

occasionally 1.6:1 - Coax bad? shake it and it goes one way or the other, really it does.:300 (158):
6 miles :glee:

2nd thought - Doubting 3'er will do it with vertical reflecting surface of trailer. Need 50% + radiator length above trailer height. I'm thinking, Wilson 5000$110 or Styker SR-A10$99. Walcot or Bellscb; Shipping Walcot $$$40$$$ Bellscb$25. I'd look more deeply into factual Wilson height. Walcot sez 6.5' RightChannelRadio reports 62"; 15" difference. I know the SR-A10 is 68" before tuning; 63" whip. That raised my eyebrow? 2" of whip is inserted into base mounting shaft. Base measures 5" from tractor cab roof to gun barrels of SR-A10 base.
I am wagging 30" trailer height above cab height. If I'm right the SR-A10 radiating portion of whip is a smidgen over 50% above trailer height.
I surely don't know the distance between tractor mounted antenna and blocking trailer. The reflected power may be negligible but the blocking component is a assured.

[Alabama Buckeye]

https://www.wearecb.com/selecting-the-correct-coax-cable.html
Should you reconsider and go toward dual mirror mounted antenna the information herein may be of value - storage of excess coax and the co-phased coax importance.

Just thought I'd add: I was just reading on ClaysRadioShop a real good write up on the Wilson 1000, I've no knowledge of Wilson, but sure sounded inviting. Beefed up coil with 10 AWG and improved interface between coax and coil. http://www.claysradioshop.com/citizensband_Wilson_1K_mag_mnt_specs.html
Fair price until shipping is tacked on. Might as well goto Stryker SR-A10 for $2 more and 6 AWG coil. 10K vs 3K watts. And the A10 has glowing blue lights on transmit. woo-hoo

[Slimjim85]

So, yes...break in outer layer where coax joins coil base:300 (2): it was a 40$ mag ant i guess no great loss. My next choice is the stryker...primarily for the blue tx lights lol. My biggest fear is blowing up the td due to faulty ground.

[Alabama Buckeye]

Fear not, Dr. GoobermintHeR3tik is here. I'm may not help with your problem but I can tell you how tyranny happens.
Dr: What do you mean your flow isn't regular, Shirley? Shirely: Nuttin wrong with my flo, just like anybody else's, plain ole linoleum. I rode a Triumph R3 for years.

Antenna ground? You get a 1.1:1 SWR from your bonifide SWR meter, and I ain't talking about the one in the radio; you get better than 1.5:1 be happy. I test antennas out side 6' away from the all steel (not tin) shop on a 4'H steel post, vertical or horizontal doesn't matter. Crude but it works. I get 1.1:1 or better all day long.

The mirror, mounted semi-torqued to body does make for weak ground, and all those bolt connections between here and there. Supplemental ground is logical. Why not go to magnet mounted antenna and be done with it.

Magnet mounts have been in use for how many decades? No one saw need to drill a hold in their roof top to add a superfluous ground. The tractor body is well grounded to the frame. Good enough.

The Stryker SR-A10 has a PL-259 connector unlike any I've previously known of. The collar of the connector can be removed. You're left with a fitting on the coax I measuring at 13/32" (0.40 or an RCH bigger than 3/8) versus 5/8 (0.625). If you're gonna drill a hole in the under body to pass coax through 1/2" grommet beats 3/4".
Can't post image; not entitled.
https://strykerradios.net/store/sr-a10-magnetic-mount-cb-antenna/
That plain steel disk must me for plastic Vette? This image doesn't show it but there is a removable black rubber shield fitted under magnet base; for paint protection. Must be new since picture taken.