CB Radio test. Silver Rod just 2m off the ground

Silver Rod antenna on a short pole 2 meters off the ground. CRT SS9900 on SSB. Practice what i preach but will i get heard on SSB. ?

[@paganphil100]

I once used a Silver Rod lower than that Fred......it was fixed to the shaft of a garden spade which was stuck into the ground so the base of the antenna was about 3 feet / 1 metre (or less) above the ground. It worked perfectly and we were being heard more than 250 miles away in Devon. However, we had a little advantage because we were on the summit of Helvellyn, Cumbria, which is about 950 metres / 3100 feet A.S.L. As they say, "height is might" :-)

[@crlguitar1]

Wow...Nice little CB rig. They've changed since I was a CB'er. I haven't looked at CB radios in quite a few years. I kind of left the hobby a couple decades ago. I had a couple of SSB radios in California that I enjoyed but eventually sold them, went Amateur for awhile, but the DX novelty went south as computers allowed people to talk around the world via the internet.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hi. Yes radios are becoming more and more menu based with less knobs iam afraid.

[@crlguitar1]

@@CB-RADIO-UK My CB's in the US were about 4 watts AM or 12 SSB unless somebody illegally tweaked 'em. Are they the same in Great Britain?

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

@@crlguitar1 Same here not that anyone takes any notice anymore.

[@callyc1633]

Today I ordered a Silver Rod, I've been studying your videos recently Fred and I've gone for it. Chatting on local cb groups on fb and found there's plenty of lovely people in my local area. So excited and want to thank you Fred for your fab videos, guidance and encouragement. 👍🏻

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Nice one Cally. Iam really glad that you have found some activity in your area.

[@petepip]

Cally, how have you got on, as I'm thinking of taking the plunge too?

[@callyc1633]

@@petepip had no problems with the silver rod at. Attached it to a 6 ft pole at the end of my garden. Works great for the money. I have upgraded my cb and now using a crt 6900n so I get out fairly well in my area.

[@petepip]

@@callyc1633 that's great. Thanks for the info.

[@petepip]

Got a brand new 5/8 wave length silver rod from a friend I made today when using my homemade dipole for the first time since 1994 😄 Looking forward to setting it up in the next couple of weeks 👍

[@indridcold8433]

During the golden age of radio propagation 1980 to 1999, I made a vertical 261.61 centimeter (103 inch) vertical with a 261.61 centimeter (103 inch) counterpoise. This was set vertical with the counterpoise just barely touching the ground. The entire mess was 523.24 centimeters long and fed in the middle. With this ungainly, homemade, vertical dipole, I was able to talk all over the planet using 3 watts AM from a three channel RadioShack Walkie Talkie. Those were amazing times. Today, all bands are closed higher than 15 megacycles and nobody is on any of them, except the rare occasional 2 meter user. These are bleak times for any sort of radio hobby.

[@26CW128Jake]

I use a very similar setup, but with the antenna even lower! The antennas definitely get the job done, especially for the price!

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Totally agree. Only issue is local QRM noise being so low but even on 11 meters you can certainly get out and be heard.

[@jemmadodson9813]

Great little video there Fred, certainly answered my frustration over my return to cb radio, made myself a T2LT last weekend and it’s ok not the best grade Rg58 as it turns out but ok for my handset. 73s Barnie CT3250 ( not Jemma lol that’s the OH )👍🏼

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Welcome back Barnie. T2LT's work pretty well.

[@robgibbsofficial]

Great vid Fred! 73’s

[@iainmeteorscan1555]

Hi Fred - good video. The “Silver Rod” type antennas are usually cheap and cheerful, but nevertheless do a very good job and ideal for 26-28MHz CB. Incidentally (and for Jason Prince further down in comments) noise is QRN. QRM 1:36 is interference from other stations on, or near, the same frequency you are working.

[@MirlitronOne]

QRN (Natural); QRM (Man-made).

[@VickyGeagan]

@@MirlitronOne Fred is correct power lines. Cable lines and cell towers, as well as wi fi and dab/ dab+ transmitter. Also finally a certain medium wave station on 648 khz.

[@b.2221]

It's doing the job Fred, nice one 👍 Tom.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Thanks Tom.

[@JohnRitson78]

It will be most notable for long distance DX contacts as you have lowered the angle of take off towards the horizon thanks to the lower antenna height above ground. The downside is that you will lose out on the local contacts as you found out as most of the signal is either attenuated with nearby buildings for instance or passing straight over them in the form of propagational reflection, it is a technique employed via many amateurs who have small gardens so they set their vertical antennas low and include a large range of wire radials around the antenna. Try adding lots of wire radials connected at that base and see if you notice the difference with QRM and reports back, wire length not important just lots of it all over the ground.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Great info. Thanks John. What you say makes perfect sense and was proved in the test.

[@stephengunrunnerhanson3550]

but most heard fred the same or better says not allot for the A99

[@jemmadodson9813]

Good to know🤔👍🏼 cheers John.

[@simonbussey7530]

I don't believe this is true for a number of reasons. The radiation pattern changes as you raise the antenna above the ground. Try modelling an end fed halfwave at ground level and at 1/2wavelength height (5m), you'll see the 5m high antenna has a lower angle of radiation. What most do not realise is that nearly every CB antenna is an end fed dipole. As the feed point moves from the centre to the end of the dipole the impedance increases significantly. This is why you have a matching network at the antenna feedpoint. Also worth noting is that because it's a dipole, groundplanes are not required. In fact adding them will do very little at all. The reason us amateurs use ground mounted antennas with lots of groundplanes is because they are 1/4wave groundplane antennas. They require a groundplane, and it needs to be as good as possible. The little radials you see on this silver rod would do nothing, instead you need substantially longer elements to do the job. Why are we using 1/4 wave ground mounted antenna designs instead of raised 1/2wave end fed dipole verticals? Because their length would be too long. For the 40m band for example you would need a 20m long vertical element. Why not raise a quarter wave groundplane up? Well the groundplanes would need to be 10m long and suspended in the air. So you end up with a ground mounted quarter wave for practicality reasons. The alternative is a horizontal antenna if you have the space. Also worth noting is that because all CB antennas are essentially the same antenna (end fed half wave dipole) they all perform largely the same, despite what the marketing tells you. A small improvement can be see from extending a half wave to a 5/8wave antenna. If @Fred in the Shed mounted a 5/8 Silver rod in the exact spot as his A99 we would actually see a slight improvement in performance! DX commander (on KZbin) has a great video about CB antennas. Worth watching. He shows how they all work.

[@AndyOutdoorsman]

Makes sense, I'll try that, thanks.

[@EMRJoel1330]

cheers for the inspiration of getting back into the hobby I've just imported one into Australia hope to see how she goes cheers I really wanted to get back into it but all the antennas here cost an arm and a leg was cheaper to import a silver rod :D WR1330

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Best of luck!

[@AndyOutdoorsman]

Hi and thanks for replying, I've got the 5/8 high gain and had it mounted with the Base just above the gutter at just over 20ft off the ground, I have struggled with high swr so after a lot of messing around I took it down and replaced it with a 9ft 1/4 wave stainless steel tank whip mounted in the same place ,above the gutter and added 2 x 9ft copper wire radials and it receives and gets out better than the 5/8 wave silver rod. Why would this be, it doesn't make sense. Thanks in advance. Andy 26TM331.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Homebase antennas like some room to breath. It might be that your 5/8 wave was too close to your roof. Some of the transmit power may have been reflected back causing the high SWR issue. The tank whip has no coil at its base so is prob happier near the roof. I would try the 5/8 away from any structures and see if your SWR improves.

[@RingwayManchester]

Mines just arrived mate. Hoping to put it up tomorrow

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hard to beat a basic Silver Rod. Have fun.

[@agoraphobicadam1171]

30 quid? Sounds like a bargain. Thats a nice radio as well.Keep up the good work Fred.73's 2ao697

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Thanks mate. Never had a bad report from the CRT SS9900

[@markkane5176]

Good Vid Fred, yes ran the silver rod on top of a 12ft pole in garden for a good while , does the job for start up station,still have it my shed!! Nice traffic👍 well done!!

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Thanks Mark. I worked with mine for a while on a pole and also got good contacts.

[@simc9684]

just had my silverod delivered this morning, happy days

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Good choice!

[@simc9684]

@@CB-RADIO-UK are they easy to get a swr on as bottom section of it has a slit in it and some people have said make sure 2nd rod end is in line with slit to get a good swr

[@sahhull]

For the majority of my CB carrier in the 80 & 90s. I used a homemade antenna.. Locally known as the electric washing line. It was a 36ft dipole made of 2.5 twin core cable. I strung it down the garden at clothes line height. It was a temporary antenna that lasted 15 years. My silver rod snapped at the coil after a year of use.

[@jasonHobbyAddict]

What height did the QRM go ? After 15 years of not being on ive started with a mobile setup, but now have a 5/8 wave on a pole about 12 ft off the ground and get 5db of noise. which is disappointing. Thanks for the videos, its really made me want to get back into Radio. Hope to speak to you on the 305 soon. 26CT2647.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

The best height is to get the bottom of the antenna above the peak of your house roof. If your on a pole its more important to keep it away from buildings if thats possible.

[@indianachrisUDX1313]

I just ordered a silver rod from the UK. Cheers

[@union310]

Me too, how did you get on?

[@indianachrisUDX1313]

I bought mine from a EBAY seller in the UK@@union310

[@kevinblair191]

Cool video! I have found several of these over in your neck of the woods but none over here in the states for sale. Thinking about getting one. Quick question or two, it sounds like you get local fine but will it be good for DX? Do you run barefoot or do you use a footwarmer? Thanks!

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hi. The old Silver Rod works great with DX. I normally run straight out the back of the radio but iam not running legal power.

[@digitalanaloguehamradio]

Do these work on 10 m. Or do you have to lengthen or shortened it.thx

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

In theory yes they should tune to 10 meters if you shorten them. Best drop the seller an email to check.

[@josefranciscofigueroa1387]

Mine run thru 26.500 to 28.500 1:1

[@AndyOutdoorsman]

Was this antenna a 1/2 or 5/8 wave , thanks 73s

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hi its 1/2 wave

[@lesliehopgood9693]

your working ground wave, signals will be low. dx you'll be 59 skip allowed ?????

[@apophusra59]

Nice video fred, Your lucky where you are, down here in ashford, kent CB is dead, just 1 person i talk to about 18 miles away in canterbury, other than that nothing, tho I do get lots of european DX'rs comming in around 9 pounds signal strength, but i just don't seem to be heard :( I guess my paltry Legal 12 watts isn't enough on SSB, So I plan on getting the CRE 8900 at some point & if that doesn't work then i will give up LoL

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

It was dead around here on SSB a couple of years ago but through Facebook we got a little net started in the afternoons. Try the Charlie Tango forum to see if anyone local to you are on the air. Best of luck.

[@robgibbsofficial]

I’m close to Ashford and just setting up my home base having first started in 1981!

[@davidbeard2081]

How do I unlock my mass 5000dx it's stuck on 19 and not come off thanks

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Can only think the key lock might be on. Try FNC + NB/ANL to lock or un lock

[@borgred]

silver rod had one in the late 70s on AM

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Yes they were often called a GPA. Still work well today.

[@133Gordini]

I wish i had a noise level as low as that Fred.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Varies from nothing to S7 at the weekends and BH on FM

[@ernestoeduardoastetevaras8798]

Hola Fred tu sabes cual es la medida de esta antena para la frecuencia de 274555 Mhz

[@josefranciscofigueroa1387]

Si la montas como viene con las medidas de fabrica corres 1:1 desde la 26.500 hasta la 28.500. Por lo menos ese es mi caso con la silver rod elevada a 20 pies de altura.

[@jeromegrzelak8236]

Nice back yard fred

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Thanks. Its small but you dont get much with these modern builds.

[@davidcooke7744]

Hi thanks very much for the help but sadly I’ve failed you see they say the email address belongs to another account. I did apply once before but never had any reply so I gave up and can’t remember what I’ve done. So I’ve wasted my time.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Could you set up a sub email account on your main email. Ive got about 4 i use.

[@Massey_Fferguson]

Fred I raised my silver rod another 3 meters today and my swr jumped from 1:1 to 2:8 why is this thanks

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Unless you have placed it near a solid object you have an issue. Check all the sections are locked tight and have not slipped. Check coax plug.

[@Massey_Fferguson]

@@CB-RADIO-UK I've brought it back down and it's back to 1:1

[@Massey_Fferguson]

@@CB-RADIO-UK it's going higher clear of roof nothing about I can add pic on the 305 zello

[@Massey_Fferguson]

@@CB-RADIO-UK dropped pic on chat on zello

[@paulcalvert5735]

Hi Fred I’m new to cb radio and would like to know how do you get your names ?

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hi Paul. If you mean the Charlie Tango call signs you need to join the free Charlie Tango forum and then you can request a CT number.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

charlietango.co.uk/index/

[@mariomarchese8335]

Ciao mi chiamo Mario e vivo in Italia Ho comprato la tua stessa antenna ma non riesco accordarla Mi sai dare un consiglio 73 (SWR 1.7/1.9) Hi my name is Mario and I live in Italy. I bought your own antenna but I can't tune it. You can give me some advice 73 (SWR 1.7/1.9)

[@zukispur5493]

Did you manage to sort it out Mario?

[@ozone385]

What radio is that?

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

CRT SS9900

[@stephengunrunnerhanson3550]

there good antennas far better the a99 antenna but it lasted 4.5 years before it was bent one wild night I had a spare and a old one used the old to fix the bent one and still had a new one and a spare and lots I talked to said I sounded better and got out better, the A99 at time 9.30+ of noise and were we lived it was 2000ftasl and I had 3 A99s and if I was to go for a home base antenna a silver rod would be my choice again , and the noise level dropped with the silver rod to sig 3 and less says lots for the A99.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

My Silver Rod was up about 5 meters on a pole and started to bend after 6 months. It worked well enough and for £30 you just cant go wrong.

[@RianGalway193]

Fred, when are you gonna get licensed and get on the ham bands?

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

No time soon. Iam really enjoying the freedom of SSB 11 meters.

[@RianGalway193]

You’d have more freedom on the ham bands mate. 11mts is good especially this time of the year, but you’d be great on the hf and v/uhf. You pass the exam easily.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

One day i might Ray. LOL ive got the equipment. Work and life takes most of my time these days.

[@RianGalway193]

Work gets in most people’s way Fred. Unfortunately we have to do it to buy the goodies that we have. Enjoy your videos keep up the good work buddy! 73

[@theyorkshireladyoyo]

Is this antenna good for cab

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

cab ?

[@theyorkshireladyoyo]

@@CB-RADIO-UK cb

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hi YES deffo the Silver Rod has always worked very well on CB freq

[@theyorkshireladyoyo]

@@CB-RADIO-UK yeah cheers great videos me and dad just getting back in to the cb so when skip is booming hope to hear un

[@shaneweightman]

i experimented yrs ago and found similar results between 2 identical antennas, till i changed mode to fm ,,, massive differance then,,also the saying goes that for a given freq it needs to be half a wave lenth heigh off the ground to radiate properly ,, try that on 160 meters top band,, imagine a piece of long wire 250ft high blimey but most of you new this already

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

I am going to test out a T2LT on monday and see how that performs.

[@shaneweightman]

fredintheshed1 I was that impressed with mine , it stayed up for 9 months but to get a good test it needs to be in the same place and height as ur daily antenna,, this is were people loose because they stick it on a puny pole somewhere at half the height of the normal one and say it's ok ,,, think the noise floor is lower than anything else I've used here ,, then you realise how much money you have wasted over the yrs ,, mine preformed better than the gain master that I paid 130 quid for ,, 6 quid of coax with an ugly choke , however I have paid and order a new antenna this morning from knights so that should be here tues ,, so when the weather is half decent will be up the ladders and another video cheers mate bravo delta 33. Shane

[@davidcooke7744]

Hi ya I’ve asked several people about the Charlie Tango call signs but I might as well fly to the moon in a bucket. They send me the links but it’s a waste of time.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Its fairly simple. You go to the Charlie Tango Forum (google) register (free) and request a call sign. I made a video about it here is the link. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnq9oIyIqclgiLc

[@koenraaddroeck129]

bether than antron 99 and imax 2000 this is myn opinium !!!!

[@brunobassi2440]

venom is the economic version of the gainmaster ... less maximum power ... less heavy .... very cheap ... problem that must be painted with a paint without metal particles because it deteriorates quickly.

[@M7XCB]

I had 1 in the late 70s think it was 1/2 wave I did made lots of contact with USA on just 12 watts great days.

[@CB-RADIO-UK]

Hard to beat the value of a Silver Rod.