Ok so i just installed my new cobra 25 nw and it turns on fine but i dont hear anyone. As for an antenna i am running a barjan 3ft whip. it came with a mirror mount (dont want a magnetic roof antenna). So I used a 2x4 in one of the holes in top the bed and mounted it to that. Now i am thinking that is where my problem is at. Do these antennas need ground? I couldnt find any place to mount it on the body. If this is my problem can i leave it hooked to the wood and run a wire from it to a ground? any help is appreciated. thanks

 

I'm not sure for that particular antenna. I know that they DO make a self grounding antenna you can mount like that. Check on the companies website, and if they have nothing just make a phone call to a CB Shop and im sure they'll help you. I am pretty sure it needs a ground.

Good Luck

 

ya you need a ground unless it is a self grounding antenna. they make mounts for the stake holes in the bed

 

the stake hole mount looks good but how the heck do you get in there to tighten the nuts? I think i mite just run a ground from the antenna to somewhere on the bed. thanks guys

 

i dont know. i had some guy who works for the police install my antenna in the center of the bed wall right behind the rear window

 

any pics?

 

sorry i dont have a camera this is the mount i used http://www.pepperelectronics.com/acatalog/Macs-sm.jpg

 

the stake hole mounts have bolts on top that when you screw them in it tightens the mount http://66.240.181.174/store/media/ss-294a.jpg

 

ok, thanks. i tried running a ground wire from the antenna and it didnt work cant figure it out

 

the cb antenna also has to be tuned on an swr meter. take it to a cb shop they should be able to help you

 

It needs to be grounded well and mounted to metal to make it work right. Use the mount you bought and mount it directly to the stake pocket on the inside of your bed. You may never get a 3' firestick to work right behind the cab. They look nice but the majority of your antenna needs to be above the cab to work well. As for the SWR, you will need to tune the antenna once you get things figured out but SWR does not affect recieve at all.

 

alrite, i'll try to figure out a way to mount it to the bed

 

Have you checked ur squelch ?

 

couple things to consider-tips from cb shop i got my antenna from
Best place to mount antenna is center of roof with magnet, if not this way then as close to center of truck as possible- stake hole directly behind cab with 3' antenna is good enough
it has to be grounded through the mounting plate and or a wire running to ground
antenna needs to be tuned to your truck-local cb shop can do it for couple bucks
squelch should be up(also if mic is bad your cb doesnt work if im correct)
For my setup i have cobra 148gtl cb with a wilson fiberglass antenna mounted on side of bed-just next to stake hole-mount wouldnt go far enough out for wire to clear the side of the bed
Also you may have to consider that nobody is talking on the channel you are on or you are out of range-most low end radios and antennas that we run only have a range of a few miles depending on weather. call out on a station and ask for radio check, see if anybody replies

 

thanks. i was on channel 19. I have a cobra 25 with nightwatch. Saturday i'm gonna work on it some more. No local cb shops so i'll have to wait til i pass a truck stop.