Help a Radio Newb

[GoGoGirl]

Looks like a good mount, just no ground plane, however should be well-grounded via bolts to the frame I’d hope.

I did forget about springs, as someone mentioned. I’ve never needed nor had one. I do know that you have to buy stainless steel or they will rot.

 

[GoGoGirl]

More about coax...remember this is just my opinion from experience and that of my friends.

You can try cheap coax and I did for years. Sometimes you might get the luck of the draw and get something great that lasts. My experience has been that the cable itself can be decent quality (not as important on HF as higher frequencies), but the problem is with how the connectors were assembled. Hand-soldered is best, and if you can solder then by all means do it yourself. Radio Shack used to sell, and I admit I bought for years, cable with oddly crimped-on connectors. For some reason I thought that was better than the ones with the strain relief “boots” on them that were also widely available for cheap (think typical truck stops and whatnot). I think the RS crimped ones were actually worse! So I’d highly recommend staying away from that type.

Here’s the cheesy RS type of crimped connectors:

https://www.radioshack.com/products...MI-P3t2J2R3QIVRkwNCh2KlgjvEAQYASABEgIUYvD_BwE

Your usual retail style of premade coax with the strain relief boots:

https://www.amazon.com/RG58AU-Cable-PL-259-Connectors-Radios/dp/B001JT14SI

And the cat’s meow, DXE stuff (look at the closeup of the connector, and read the reviews if you like):

https://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/7582

 

[noJeepshere]

CB installed! I think I have a bad swr meter, I get no signal when I hook it up and the meter maxes out when I try to test it. But the install went smooth otherwise.

 

[GoGoGirl]

Yay! Do you hear anyone on RX? Mic cord double-checked?

 

[noJeepshere]

I was thinking about it, and the only thing I'm not 100% on is the ground on the antenna mount. I'm going to work on that tomorrow and see what happens

 

[noJeepshere]

Thanks so much for your help @GoGoGirl your input was much appreciated.

 

[GoGoGirl]

You’re welcome.

It does sound like something isn’t grounded correctly. Weak or no RX can be due to an antenna ground issue, or the mic pins may be slightly out of alignment.

I’m not sure of the science behind it as I’m not a mic expert, but your typical radio (like yours) doesn’t have an “active” mic, but the connector still makes a difference. That is, it doesn’t draw power from the radio via the cord. [Some do use mic cords to get power to an active mic, such as certain Magnum brand “export” radios.] Even though your Uniden has a normal mic, believe it or not the cord becomes part of the circuit and you won’t get any RX audio if the mic isn’t fit in carefully. Again, I’m not exactly sure why, but that’s the case with many radios. I could start speculating but you’d fall asleep.

Edit to add: I can’t see your mount too well. Is it all metal on metal, no paint? Has to be, even if only in one spot (not ideal but at least it’d work). And the bumper should be mounted to metal as well. Your ground is traveling through that.

Did you calibrate your SWR meter first?