There are still people out there having old souls and love listening to the radio. For making your radio give high-end performance, you must install a CB antenna rightly. A properly tuned antenna results in robust radio performance and on the other hand, an inappropriate tuning can lead you towards the poor performance of radio. Additionally, improper tuning can cause damaging your radio and it is pretty scary for radio lovers.
Before moving towards the instructions to tune a CB antenna, you must understand an antenna tuning. Right? So, let us make it clear first.
What Is An Antenna Tuning?
Antenna tuning is a process in which an antenna is adjusted to turn the radio’s output power into radio signals to enjoy the possible efficiency. It basically deals by increasing or decreasing the length of an antenna. The main purpose of tuning is to match the physical length of an antenna to the radio frequency, and it will ensure the standard performance and the signal transmission capacity.
Note: You can measure the efficiency of radio by Standing Wave Ratio (SWR) as it depicts that how much radio power is turned into radio signals.
Instructions To Tune A CB Antenna
For tuning a CB antenna, you need to install your CB radio and CB antenna properly. Also, you need to have a Standing Wave Ratio Meter along with a coaxial jumper cable. If you do not have these things, you can easily shop them in 20$.
Now, let us move towards the instructions to tune a CB antenna without even wasting a second.
Look For An Open Area
The first step in tuning your CB antenna is to look for an open area and drive your car to that open place. You have to make sure that there are no buildings, plants, or any other obtrusion in the range of 15 meters. Also, make sure that there is no one out of the car and the doors are also closed while taking the readings. This will help you in taking precise SWR readings.
Make A Connection Of SWR Meter
Now the second step is to disconnect the antenna cable from your radio and connect it to the option says ANT or Antenna on the meter. Now connect one end of the jumper cable to the radio and connect the other end to an option on the meter saying TX or Radio. Now the meter has been installed in-line to radio and antenna.
Take The Readings
As your SWR meter is now connected, so you can now take the readings. You can take the readings by using Channel 1 and Channel 40 for reaching the similar SWR level.
Steps To Take The Readings
- Change the switch on SWR meter and turn it to FWD setting and also flip the radio to channel 1.
- Hold the talk button on microphone and turn the meter dial saying SET or ADJUST. Hold this button until the meter reading gets reached to position SET.
- While holding down the Talk button, change the switch on the meter to REF or SWR position. Now note down the numerical SWR reading that meter is showing. Now you can take your hold back from Talk button.
- Now alter the radio to channel 40 and repeat the above steps to take a second reading.
Step To Perform After Taking Reading
After getting the results, you will have to do one of the following steps based on your results.
If The Readings On Channel 1 Is Greater Than Channel 40
If the reading on channel 1 SWR is greater than the channel 40 SWR, it depicts that you need to lengthen your antenna. The fiberglass antenna mostly comes with a tuning screw located at the tip of your antenna and you can adjust the length of antenna by loosening or tightening it. Keep in mind, if your antenna possesses a weather cap covering its tuning screw, you need to put it back in a space while taking the SWR readings.
If The Readings On Channel 40 Is Greater Than Channel 1
On the off chance that the reading on Channel 1 is not exactly the reading on Channel 40, your antenna is excessively long and should be abbreviated. Utilize the suitable tuning feature, examined above, to make the alteration. Make tiny changes and afterward re-check readings on the two channels. And if that your antenna possesses a weather cap covering the tuning screw, ensure it’s in back spot before taking your SWR readings.
Goals Of Antenna Tuning
The primary goals of antenna tuning are achieving the SWR readings of 2.0 or lesser on the both channels and to tune the SWR levels of both channels very closely to the most possible extent. Keeping the SWR below 2.0 is appreciated because it can give an excellent performance of both channels. In the case, if the SWR reading exceeds from 3.0 on even one of the channels, using the radio can be damaging and so it must be fixed before operating.
On the other hand, matching the SWR levels brings out the efficiency required to tune antenna for using across the spectrum of channel 40. But it can be very complicated to match the two readings exactly. So, if the SWR readings of both channels are below 2.0, it is safe to operate.
Conclusion
Keep on lengthening or shortening your radio CB antenna dependent on your SWR readings until you have completed either of the above-mentioned goals. At the point when you are done with its tuning, eliminate the SWR meter and the jumper cable from the installation and reattach the antenna straightforwardly to the radio by using the first coaxial cable.
So, following these steps, it can make your CB antenna tuning easier than you think. Do not get yourself engaged to complex ways and follow the guidelines mentioned in this post and you will easily get to your objective you are working for.
