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wildcat
04-07-2011, 08:24 PM
of course i don't want to spend alot of cash. any suggestions? saw one at the truck stop for @ $15. dont remember the brand.

prerunner1982
04-07-2011, 11:06 PM
The way I see it.... any meter is better than no meter.

bluedragon436
04-08-2011, 08:21 AM
^^ +1!! But from what I got told by a guy @ Radio Shack when I started looking pretty hard for the items needed/wanted for my CB setup... purchase one do what you need, sine you only need it one time, and return that bad boy and just say that your friend already had one, so you didn't need it or something... that way you don't waste the money on something that you most likely will never use again... Just throwing that out there....

Mudderoy
04-08-2011, 08:51 AM
^^ +1!! But from what I got told by a guy @ Radio Shack when I started looking pretty hard for the items needed/wanted for my CB setup... purchase one do what you need, sine you only need it one time, and return that bad boy and just say that your friend already had one, so you didn't need it or something... that way you don't waste the money on something that you most likely will never use again... Just throwing that out there....

SWR meters, generally, are cheap, and I wouldn't want to have a transmitting radio without one. Things happen all the time to antenna, mount, coax, and it's very handy to have a meter available to see there is a problem.

xj4life2
04-08-2011, 01:41 PM
Yes there is a $$ value difference in SWR meters but for the basic stuff $15.00 is cool , if your gonna run power I would go for the better unit for sure. We have two here at work not real expensive but get the job done (just for matching antennas)

Mudderoy
04-08-2011, 01:54 PM
Yes there is a $$ value difference in SWR meters but for the basic stuff $15.00 is cool , if your gonna run power I would go for the better unit for sure. We have two here at work not real expensive but get the job done (just for matching antennas)

50 watts plus will cost you closer to $100 for a meter.

xj4life2
04-08-2011, 03:18 PM
50 watts plus will cost you closer to $100 for a meter.

So what does 200+ cost :rolleye0012:

Mudderoy
04-08-2011, 03:28 PM
So what does 200+ cost :rolleye0012:

Same 50+ watts include 200+

Oh sorry that is up to 200watts, I thought it went to 2k watts.

The 3k Watt meter is $150
the 200 watt meter is $99

http://www.rfparts.com/picts/meter.jpg

The difference between 100 watts and 200 watts is barely noticeable at a distance. 100w, 500w and 1000w are noticeable increases. I talk all over the world from my Jeep on 100w. With a fixed station antenna more than 100w really isn't needed.

xj4life2
04-08-2011, 03:59 PM
I run 250 in the jeep and shoot skip all the time , use to have a Siltronix base , that would pump up to a 1000 with the beam it was pretty efective

Mudderoy
04-08-2011, 04:00 PM
I run 250 in the jeep and shoot skip all the time , use to have a Siltronix base , that would pump up to a 1000 with the beam it was pretty efective

$10k fine brother. I wouldn't talk about it openly myself.

xj4life2
04-08-2011, 04:04 PM
Fine for what ???

Mudderoy
04-08-2011, 04:09 PM
Fine for what ???

Well you said skip, so my assumption is you are running more than 4 watt out on 11 meters, CB band.

:link: (http://www.southgatearc.org/news/november/cb_operator.htm)


The FCC has imposed large fines on a Washington CB operator who now holds a Technician class amateur license and own an Ohio CB shop that's run by an apparent amateur licensee.

In an October 18 Forfeiture Order (NOF), the Commission levied a $10,000 fine on Robert A. Spiry, now KD7TRB, of Tacoma, for unauthorized operation on 11 meters that also involved the use of uncertificated equipment and the use of an illegal external RF power amplifier. The alleged violations occurred in 2002.

The FCC is usually made aware of the illegal RF power amplifier with neighbors complaints. Church PA systems are notorioust for picking up illegal amps from mobile CB'ers so the complaints to the FCC can from from anywhere.

xj4life2
04-08-2011, 04:17 PM
Sorry bad typing I ment Shooting Skeet ya thats it lol lol

Mudderoy
04-08-2011, 04:29 PM
Sorry bad typing I ment Shooting Skeet ya thats it lol lol

lol yeah, it really is unlikely that you'd be caught and fined, but it CAN and does happen.

prerunner1982
04-08-2011, 04:39 PM
Use to hear a lot of high powered CBs on channel 6. However I have not heard them lately, which is surprising since the atmospheric conditions seem to be getting better. Not that I want to hear them.. nothing but trash, just an observation.

wildcat
04-09-2011, 07:43 AM
assuming my system needs tuning. how do you tune a firestick? there is nothing to trim.

wildcat
04-09-2011, 08:20 AM
did some googling. looks like you pull the tip off and trim the wire if it is too long.

Mudderoy
04-09-2011, 10:23 AM
assuming my system needs tuning. how do you tune a firestick? there is nothing to trim.

People don't understand how a quarter wave antenna works, and therefore they don't mount it correctly. Also they will mount the antenna right next to a large piece of metal, or even a piece of a glass with metal on it (defroster).

Remember when you test your antenna with a SWR meter you are seeing what the ratio of power out to power in is. It's called "reflected" power. That's the portion of the RF energy that is being reflected back into your radio.

So antenna length certainly has to do with the amount of reflected RF energy but the proximity of other antennas, metal, tree limbs, all have an effect.

A SWR meter is your friend.

xj4life2
04-13-2011, 07:37 PM
did some googling. looks like you pull the tip off and trim the wire if it is too long.

Must be an older Stick but you are correct just be sure to do a little at a time cus you can put it back after you've cut it

LizardRunner
09-23-2011, 04:18 PM
I have just one cb now and one swr meter, don't remember what it costs but I also have one base load antenna and one fire stick. just haven't decided which to install on da lizard. In the 70's I got pulled over by the FCC truck but got lucky, they couldn't find any "booster", which they thought I had since some of their equipment picked up 150 watts at the time I was in their antenna field. I just run 5 watts but I also get my swr as near to 0 as I can. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

bluedragon436
09-25-2011, 04:44 AM
I think I am going to have to pick up an SWR for my CB setup.. Because when I first hooked up my setup.. I was able to talk to someone that was quite a distance from me on it.. but since then I haven't been able to get ahold of anyone using it.. so want to make sure everything is setup correctly before I damage my radio..

prerunner1982
09-25-2011, 05:49 PM
I cleaned my antenna mounting this weekend. My SWR was a just above 1.5, now it is down to 1.1 to 1.2. Not that 1.5 is bad.....but I knew I could get it lower.

jeepers2001
03-17-2013, 05:37 AM
i bought my swr meter at radio shack

jeepers2001
03-17-2013, 05:42 AM
if u can not get a hold of anyone u might want to take the cb radio to a cb shop and have it check u may have blowed it up i dont know if u know this but if the swr is too high u will blow up the cb when i put a new radio or antenna on a vechele i go to the closes cb shop and have the swr check

gary63
03-17-2013, 10:10 AM
$10k fine brother. I wouldn't talk about it openly myself.

I shoot skip with 4 watts all the time the cheap poorman way sideband and a really good power mike. it's not 2 meter but it does work.