Hey Boys,

How're they hanging?

Just needed a bit of advice on the subject of handheld CB radios. I'm set up now, with one in my car, but currently, I'm the only one of a group of friends that has one. I use on 4x4 treks with other trucks, but just wanted to use one around the city, when we travel in convoy.

What I wanted to know was the efficacy of the handheld CB's when used within the car. That is, if I bought one (say a Uniden 340XL) and lent it to a friend on a trip, would we be able to communicate using it? Car to car? I understand a handheld's range is limited already, but will it at least be all right going car to car, a few hundred yards?

Also, what is the general range of CB's. I know it depends on a lot of factors. Just say a fine day with no cloud cover...regular stuff. How much different would the handheld be to the mobile unit?

You guys seem to know everything...

Thanks,
BK

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Don't forget to put your pants on.

In my experience, vehicle-to-vehicle handhelds perform very poorly. As to range, a "few hundred yards" is optimistic--more like 100 yards maximum, with much static noise. (Others will probably claim better performance than this.)

Suggestion: if you must use handheld units, get those with antenna jacks and plug them into magnetic mount external antennas. When you reach your destination, then you can plug in the rubber duckie antennae for outdoor portable use.

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Guy A.
Ripley, TN

Thanks, Guy...

I was wondering about doing that. The uniden handheld does come with a detachable rubber ducky antenna, so it can be attached to coax. But would I have to tune the antenna (the mag mounted one)? Check the SWR? Or doesn't it work like that? It's this tuning business that has me most perplexed.

So the best bet would be to buy the handheld (for outdoor use) PLUS a mag mount antenna (for in car use). Makes sense to me. But maybe I'm crazy.

Thanks again,
BK

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Don't forget to put your pants on.

It's always best to optimize your CB's output by adjusting the length of the antenna with an SWR meter, but you will probably get good performance by just plugging in a standard length antenna. Pawn shops frequently have mag mount antennae for next to nothing!

Tuning the antenna means that you must beg, borrow, buy, or steal an SWR meter--with manual if you don't understand how to use one. Then you connect the meter between the radio and the antenna coax, tune to the channel where you want maximum performance, and trim the antenna to the length which gives the lowest SWR reading. Most folks compromise and tune for Channel 20, mid-band.

Serious radioheads (I used to be one) use antenna tuners, essentially an SWR meter with a tuning knob or two which allows you to peak the antenna for whatever channel you wish.

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Guy A.
Ripley, TN

Guy,

Yeah, I know bits and pieces about tuning antennas (i had my 5' whip done the other...paid the shop dude). But what i was wondering is if i need to get the mag mount (bottom loaded?) antenna tuned to my car/CB.

Thanks for all the help,
BK

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Don't forget to put your pants on.

Yes--the antenna's tuning is affected by the mass of your vehicle, as well as by where you mount it.

And there's more to gain from tuning a magnetic mount antenna than from tuning a hard grounded antenna, because they have a narrower band, i.e., they maintain their maximum efficiency over fewer channels than grounded antennae. Also, mag mounts are inherently less efficient than grounded antennae. Even in the best of tune, they transmit less rf energy than a grounded antenna.

I use a magnetic mount from Radio Shack, and the best SWR I can get is 1.25:1. The SWR rises quickly as I move higher or lower than channel 19, but that's of little concern, since I use 19 99% of the time!

Hope this helps,




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Guy A.
Ripley, TN

Thanks Guy,

This has cleared a whole lot of stuff up. I know the most important part is the antenna, and i know it is important to get it tuned. I just didn't realise you couls tune a mag mount antenna...they look like a piece of bendy wire!

Oh well, I have one properly set up CB, that should be enough for now!

Thanks again,
BK

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Don't forget to put your pants on.