i just put a CB radio in my truck and it worked for a few days but now wont get reception its failing the antenna check and the rf out test the radio is the newer uniden bearcar 880 and the antenna is the firestick tuneable 4ft fiberglass i have it mounted on the steak hole closest to the tailgate on the passenger side i dont know anything about these things so any advise its much appretiated

 

Well, you indicated that everything worked until recently. The failed antenna check is a strong clue. Did the transmission line (coax) become disconnected or possibly shorted at some point? If the antenna connection at the radio end is replaced with a dummy load, does the radio now pass the antenna test (acceptable SWR)? I am assuming that the radio is not set for PA (public address), the RF gain is up, and the squelch is down. If the radio keys up normally into a dummy load, investigate the antenna and transmission line. The outer case of the coax connector (PL-259) should have continuity when tested with the body of the vehicle. There should not be continuity between the center conductor and the vehicle body or outer shell of the coax connector. Remember, only key up the radio for short periods until the antenna system is confirmed to be working properly.

 

LOL I just installed a new CB radio in my truck too. I had a basic Cobra CB now a Cobra 29 LX LE 50 year Anniversary Special Edition. I love it.

From what I gathered from the CB shop is that you must use a 18ft coax cable and depending on how you mounted the antenna make sure the outside shielded wire is grounded and like said above make sure the center wire is not grounding out. Also tune your antenna to get low SWR's or else you will burn out your CB and kill it.

Post up a picture on how you mounted yours. I posted a picture of my setup on the "What did you do to your Dakota today" Thread.

 

i will get you pictures as soon as i cant get some day light hopfully tomorrow, i did use an 18ft coax cable but i dont know what else we could have done wrong im waiting the cb shop by me to slow down a bit there doing all of the cop cars fire trucks and ambulances before the years end

 

here are the pics you asked for

i removed my ashtray and made a bracket using the old rail guard for the top of the tailgate that was on the truck when i bought it using the same holes and screws that the ashtray mounted to

the radio is a uniden bear cat 880 its a cool radio its got 40 channels to talk on and 7 weather channels all digital display scan feature and norm 9/19 were it bounces back and forth between channel 9 for emergancy or 19 for the truckers i have day and night display and 7 colors to choose from and it wasnt badly priced either about 120 from amazon.com



the antenna is a firestick 4ft fiberglass whip and i mounted it with the stake hole mount so i wouldnt have to drill any holes in my truck


and for a laugh i ordered up my hunting permit

 

hahaha love the permit.

 

very nice i had CB on the brain too the last month...still in decision mode but i know im gonna get that antenna where did you get it at?

 

How is it mounted on the bed? How do you have the wire run into the cab? It sounds like a connection issue on the antenna.

 

Nice, you mounted your cb the same way I did it in my cutlass. In my truck, I mounted it above the rear view mirror. There are 2 holes in the right spot in the reinforcement between the visors, no drilling!

 

Scrappy: i got everything on amazon.com the antenna and the mount are sold separatly along with the spring for the antenna here are the links

mount:
antenna:
Marcar: its mounte on the bed by two metal plates and the coax cable connects to them and it grounds its self then i ran the wire into that hole on the side under the bedrail and behind the quarter then up front of the bed i found a pre existing hole then went under the cab and found a rubber gromit that i cut a holein and that came up behind the pannel inside then ran it under the moldings and up into the cd radio. your right it does seem like a connection problem i just dont know enough about the set up of these things to figure it out i know there a pain to get working right but once you do your pretty much set im thinking its in the radio its self or the antenna isnt grounded right i might just run a ground wire from the antenna mount to a bolt under the truck