CB radios

your coax could be your problem test it by using your multimeter take test leads one lead on the center pin and one on the sheild which is the part the screws to the radio if you read anything you sheild is hitting the inner core of the coax that would cause you major problems if you have another coax try it.

FWIW On my last rig I mounted a new CB antenna bolted into the metal frame just above the drivers window. Not an ideal ground plane but it helped.

I don't use the CB antenna often these days.

CB antennas require a metal ground plane to work correctly. So as we've moved away from metal vehicles a NGP antenna which uses the coax as a ground has become popular, but they are usually very marginal. You may have a NGP antenna and per above whatever you have the SWR has to be set.

I suspect that many of the antennas installed by the mfg are like the tank monitors and have only one purpose - for the salesman to sell you the rig - "You've got a CB antenna and you can monitor your tank levels..."

As mentioned above, it may be the "skip".

Generally, an antenna needs to be "tuned" or "matched" to the antenna, aka setting the SWR - this could be your problem. Much more important for transmitting than receiving.

I live 1 mile off a US Highway with much truck traffic. I do not receive truck chatter from US 33.

I don't necessarily want to listen to it, but I would like to have access to oncoming traffic to get road conditions etc during traffic jams and weather.

Why isn't my new radio picking up or sending any distance. I have a little antenna on the drivers side roof about 18" factory from Fleetwood and a Midland radio.

Back in the 1970's I used to talk 15 to 20 miles on Single Side Band with a 102 inch steel whip antenna mounted on the left rear corner of a Datsun 610 station wagon. 5 to 10 miles on AM with the same setup was not uncommon.
With the co-phased mirror mounted dual antennas on my old Dodge one ton, in flat terrain, 10 miles to the front and 15 to the rear was not uncommon.
It depends not only on the antenna, but antenna placement on the vehicle is vital as well. The ideal place is right in the middle of the vehicle, but for many people this is unacceptable. Either they don't want the antenna sticking up there, or they don't want to put a hole in their vehicle!
Or both...

As I used to point out, the moon lander had a 4 watt radio (actually, I'm not sure what the power was, but it was low) BUT they had a $50,000 antenna system!
That makes all the difference!

The Wilson Little Wil magnetic mount antenna is a good performer and can be moved around.

During this part of the skip cycle an antenna only let's you talk to stations 1500 miles away, but you're lucky to get 2-3 blocks locally at times. It happens every 11 years and this cycle is one of the strongest in decades.

When the skip is out it IS all about the antenna.


(Edit iphone spellin')

depends on antenne location on truck or car also on interferance from objects being in the same location try to get antenna high as possible on vehicle remember 99% percent of radio system is your antenna you can have a cheap radio and good antenna and get out better than expensive one and don't get out at all magnet mount is what I have.

It depends upon the antennas: 1/4 mile to 3+.