Calgary Jeep Association

4x4 Related Groups => Tech Talk => Topic started by: Rubi03 jef on December 28, 2008, 06:24:43 PM

Title: CB problems
Post by: Rubi03 jef on December 28, 2008, 06:24:43 PM

well i just got a CB for Christmas and its all installed and ready to go .. but i dont know how to get signal or to receive

doesnt seem to pick up anything

or is it because theres nothing out there to pick up no other people transmitting out

is there anywhere or anything i can try to see if i did hook it up right


thanks

Title: Re: CB problems
Post by: 01sahara on December 28, 2008, 09:09:45 PM

Quote from: Rubi03 jef on December 28, 2008, 06:24:43 PM

well i just got a CB for Christmas and its all installed and ready to go .. but i don't know how to get signal or to receive

doesn't seem to pick up anything

or is it because theres nothing out there to pick up no other people transmitting out

is there anywhere or anything i can try to see if i did hook it up right


thanks

Drive over near the truck stop and try it. They have a very limited range. Or post what part of town you are in and someone can go out and turn theirs on while you drive by.

Title: Re: CB problems
Post by: Rubi03 jef on December 29, 2008, 12:28:41 PM

thanks ill try the truck stop that way i dont put any one out of there way ..


thanks again

Title: Re: CB problems
Post by: Gearhead on December 29, 2008, 12:36:52 PM

Truckers seem to use channel 19 alot , you'll find all manner of chatter and ratchet jaw yacking on there , especially near the road king truckstop.

10-4  ? copy that ?

Title: Re: CB problems
Post by: WhiteOut on December 29, 2008, 03:12:04 PM

Truck stop, Glenmore trail, Deerfoot trail are all good spots to test.  Have you hooked up an SWR metre yet and tuned it?  Everthing grounded well?

Title: Re: CB problems
Post by: Rubi03 jef on December 29, 2008, 03:32:04 PM

Quote from: fraserb1986 on December 29, 2008, 03:12:04 PM

Truck stop, Glenmore trail, Deerfoot trail are all good spots to test.  Have you hooked up an SWR metre yet and tuned it?  Everthing grounded well?

the swr metre is built in on it and it did show up some activity but that was close to a poice stattion .
but i couldnt hear anything .

everything is grounded good . ill take a drive down to the truck stop this evening and give it a shot

Title: Re: CB problems
Post by: w squared on December 29, 2008, 04:40:52 PM

What you've probably got on your CB is a signal strength meter. It's similar to an SWR, but not quite the same. The SWR would install between your radio and your coax (which leads to your antenna).

Also make sure that you've got a good coax. I dropped $40 on a really good coax, and don't regret it at all.

An SWR will allow you to see how much of your signal is resonating in the antenna and getting relfected back to your CB. This can changed by "tuning" your antenna. Your antenna package should tell you how to accomplish this. On mine, I loosen off an hex-head screw and slide a piece of wire. Some other antennas, you trim of 1/8" chunks of wire.

The bottom line is that CB's are a bit more difficult to get working properly compared to some other types of radio.

Title: Re: CB problems
Post by: Rubi03 jef on December 29, 2008, 04:52:10 PM

thats awesome .. ill let you all know how it goes tonight when i head to the truck stop