CB Radio

[PA Rifleman]

It is mounted to the tool box. The tool box is clamped to the bed. Th 2010s have a rubber guard around the edge of the bed. And the metal is painted. Best to just run a ground and be done with it.

I think I may even have some braided ground strap in the basement.

A layer of chicken wire or metallic window screen will work as a RF ground. It needs to be bonded (connected) to the chassis ground electrically, tho.

[Curmudgeon]

A layer of chicken wire or metallic window screen will work as a RF ground. It needs to be bonded (connected) to the chassis ground electrically, tho.

I've never tried it so I don't know, but I'd be very interested in seeing what your VSWR looks like when your RF energy is dancing across a chicken wire ground.

It's not like ground strap is expensive.

[PA Rifleman]

I've never tried it so I don't know, but I'd be very interested in seeing what your VSWR looks like when your RF energy is dancing across a chicken wire ground.

It's not like ground strap is expensive.

The same as when RF is dancing across your trunk lid, roof or toolbox lid. [8^)

These are fun projects, now you're getting me in the mood for some serious antenna work.

When the RF finds the plane, the reflected power ("SWR") drops down to a usable level. I've used 3-4 wires laid out across the ground, as many ham radio operators have in the past. I have a photo of a 8' CB antenna in the middle of a grass yard with wire radials, an SWR meter just barely lifted the needle. I had to use an FDR meter to measure the return loss.

Don't underestimate the importance & suitability of the ground plane if you're trying to skip one of the halves of a dipole. To your radio, you're trying to make the appearance of a center-fed half wave antenna (dipole), except half of the antenna's missing.

Google "Marconi Antenna", that's what you're trying to make. (Wiki)

Have fun, wish I was there.

[normanvin]

Just thought of something.

The antenna has plastic isolation bushings. So the metal of the mount is isolated from the metal of the antenna. If this is correct why ground the mount?

And when you mount the radio itself the case would be grounded to the frame. wouldn't the coax be grounded through that?

[PA Rifleman]

Just thought of something.

The antenna has plastic isolation bushings. So the metal of the mount is isolated from the metal of the antenna. If this is correct why ground the mount?

First, this isn't as simple as basic DC theory. You're trying to encourage the development of an electrical field around your antenna without the second half of the dipole present. So, this is a force-at-a-distance project. The antenna *mast* must be electrically isolated from"ground".

The antenna is fed by the coax, the RF current in the coax is in the center. There isn't supposed to be any current in the outer shell. Grounding the outer shell at the endpoint (IOW, at the antenna bracket) helps keep the RF shield current down.

[Exbiker]

They make marine antenna's with no ground and that is what I had to use in 85 on a Mack with a nonmetallic composite body.

[wa3ra]

Marine antennas use the water as a counterpoise.

[WoollyPullover]

I finally hooked up my CB. I haven't got the antenna tuned perfect but 1 and 40 are under 2.0SWR according to the built in.

The PA works pretty good with the cheapo speaker I got off Amazon. So on a nice day like today I gotta ask is it illegal for me to yell at cyclists on the road through the speaker?

[wis bang]

I think there also may be a plug at the back of the cab. I just have to crawl around a bit to look.

Warmer days are coming for that.

Mine is a crew cab silverado and there is a cable and grommet under the driver seat I used for the backup camera line...it's location was in a you tube 'how to' on installing a camera.

Pop up the sill and peel the floor mat back.

[Exbiker]

I ran a cobra ltd classic stock with a well-adjusted quality antenna. Shakespeare twins. Worked great, took a beating. In the side box, I carried a spare, a tiny little Uniden with 3 knobs, volume, channel and squelch.........worked great too.

Years ago when you could jack up the old 23 channel radios we that and we all ran sideband..........all unnecessary. Even had a Mack Ultraliner in the 80's that had composit doors and cab so I ran a marine antenna.

Galaxy used to make a good radio.