How to use SWR meter to check SWR on CB radio and tune Firestik antenna

How to use SWR meter with CB radio and adjust Firestik antenna.
Checking your SWR:
- Every CB needs to have the standing wave ratio (SWR) checked -- this measures the amount of RF signal being reflected back into the CB; too much and it will fry your radio. If you don't have a built in one on your CB, you can pick up one pretty cheap online or probably at a Radio Shack or truck stop.
- Switch your SWR meter to calibrate (or FWD on some models) mode and depress the transmit button on your microphone to get the needle to the "set" point on your SWR meter.
- Switch to SWR mode (or REF on some models) and key up on channel 1, and write down the reading. Then repeat this on channel 40.
- If your SWR is higher on channel 40 you need to shorten your antenna 1/16 to 1/8 inch at a time (be careful here because it only takes a little to make a difference!). If your SWR is higher on channel 1 you need to lengthen your antenna. (Remember this mnemonic: if your SWR is higher on 40 you need to make it shorty; if your SWR is higher on 1 then you need to lengthen it some.) With a dipole you want to shorten or lengthen equally on both sides. Ideally, you want an SWR of 1.5 or lower, and the same on channel 1 as on channel 40, though this will be difficult to achieve in the real world. Just shoot for the best you can do -- see below about high SWRs. (Note: SWR is often expressed as over a 1, so sometimes you'll see an SWR of 1.5 written as 1.5:1. An SWR of 1 or 1.0:1 means you are transmitting at full power, since none of the power is being reflected back into your radio.)
- Any SWR over 2.0 is considered poor, and over 2.5 is very poor (the danger zone). With an SWR in the 2.0 to 2.4 range you should be alright with occasional or light use of the transmitter, but transmitting with an SWR of 2.5 or higher could damage your radio if you transmit on it a lot. Obviously, the higher the SWR the worse it is on your radio to transmit. Remember, ideally you want your SWR to be 1.5 or lower. You should be able to listen just fine with a high SWR, but don't transmit much until you're able to fix it.

[@loseyourlife4042]

Very good video and content, I met my dad at age 29 in 2005 he was a CB radio technician and I got to learn the install end of the biz and you explained this correct to the T👍🏻💯🇺🇸

[@waltergonzalez3820]

I was 🤏 this close from throwing my CB out the window! Thanks, man!

[@lukiferbrutality1134]

Wanted to say thank you for your helpful tip on the nerf finisher jam issue. I was so relieved that it actually worked! Wanted to leave this comment on that vid but comments are shut off (which I can understand) thank you again!!!

[@paulgrodkowski3412]

FYI Everyone !!! Just making a quick comment to everyone who might read this. I have seen a lot of KZbin videos about checking SWR on CB radios. I appreciate these videos. I will not argue against established knowlegde and science. Far be it for me. I read once in a book I borrowed from a library that although a 1:1 match is desireable it is not the final mark for measuring an antenna. Fiedl Strength is also a measurement. You may have a higher SWR than 1:1, say 1.7:1 or something like that. However if you move the antenna up and down and adjust it a little bit and set for maximum field strength it may be a better measure for antenna operation and range. One of the reasons I am typing this is because although I read about it in a book I have not seen any demonstrations about for it. Noe have I found a Field Strength meter that responds to a cb transmiiter connected to an antenna. It seem that only the SWR meter responds but not the F.S. meter. I would appreciate any thoughts or videos any one who reads this may or might have. Please post a KZbin video or send me a link to [e-mail] 😀🚜⛄🏆🎵🎼🎶🖥🖲

[@kasper6285]

Out of all the videos this guy probably explains the best. That being said I've been searching and the ones I watch are like ok this n this is reading we going to shorten antenna and no understanding on why we do this or when do I shorten or extend. Obviously I haven't seen them all but I do appreciate the explanation.

[@revbeet]

Thanks! If you click the little down arrow by the video title I go into more detail in the video description.

[@RosssRoyce]

Thanks a lot! I always forget the calibration part 😀!

[@BandoBuggout39]

Thank you so much for the XX-700 issue, I was about to throw mine out.

[@charlesgreene7811]

Nice instructions

[@preciousvalentinolagv2328]

Thank you so much ! Easy explanation

[@Atarix777]

Ha, great video. I just got one of these and the instructions where translated so bad that I couldnt understand them. Now I got it ;DDD

[@thesimbo111]

Wow, this video was hard work.

[@maverickproductions5407]

Yo thank you so much for the nerf finisher jam problem and it worked! I’m gonna sun and like

[@maverickproductions5407]

Sub*

[@sideshowbob3857]

Thanks for the help!

[@jimiandersonblackknight7554]

You forgot to check channel 20 as well and the final part of your poem is 24 the money! You probably did not need to adjust your antenna, moving it to the rear center of your truck cab would have given you a better reflective plane. Try putting your antenna on the little flat spot just above the truck bed light on your cap and you will see what I mean. Ideally you want to get to 1.5 across-the-board, or as close as possible. If on the low end you are hitting 1.1 top 1.5-7 on 20 you should be 1.3, after the move you will need to reset and if every part, cables, antenna can be measured physically divide by three if anything is leftover you need to shorten or add coax to get to a perfect divide by 3 your antenna will work better and should need little to no adjustment!!! I ran the cb shop on I70 east of Columbus in Hebron/ Buckeye lake for about four years then otr for 27 years, I would work on cb’s out of my truck all over the country! With a handheld I wouldn’t worry about perfect. Now if you plan to go SSB/FM with or without an amp I would go for perfect. SSB/FM is coming back with the pepper’s and militia crowd, as well as other ham radio frequencies. All the guys I shoot and train with have 50 mile setups at a minimum!

[@revbeet]

Thanks for the tips!!

[@no.1_trustno1]

Btw, if you have problems after modding or opening your Rival Mercury and the trigger jams try hitting it

[@cdlthelion6034]

He should realize that when you put a SWR power meter in line and you're adding that jumper cable that alone can change your SWR I have a Galaxy dx86v and it don't have to be calibrated. I run 102 inch stainless steel whip on the back of my car and you adjust that by length of coax rule of thumb that every 9 feet is a one-to-one match but that depends on what type of coax you run as well I run an lmr-400 coax I got a 1.2 on my radio I added a jumper in there and brought it down to a 1.1 now you can add or you can take away to get your match it's a little work but the better the match on the radio the better the output!

[@dangerdoberman]

I'm ecstatic for Astatic. Obliged for the help. Just put a CB on my Blazer.

[@revbeet]

No prob! Thanks for watching!

[@watchme3962]

Well I tested mine and channel one won’t read anything. Channel 40 reads 3.2

[@howardmiller4241]

Ok I want to make sure I’m correct , I have a 4 door cab pick up. I was going to set the Stryker towards the back of the cab right in front of the 3 break light, I was thinking I should have it centered as close as I can on the vehicle. I was told I should center it on the cab roof not center of the entire truck , what are your thoughts?

[@revbeet]

Yep, I'd center it on the cab roof since that is your ground plane.

[@warzone7571]

Can I use only the watt meter to test my tyt th9800 watts power??? can I use it on any frequency to test the watts on my mobile radio

[@revbeet]

Yes, you should be able to do that. Check out easycbradio dot com for more info.

[@warzone7571]

Can y check if my mobile radio is throwing the right watts with this meter

[@buck2552jr100]

So I have the same set up as you and I can only get readings of 2.5 on both. Any ideas?

[@revbeet]

Please check the video description where I go into more detail. Also check out www.easycbradio.com -- my website :)

[@sexistlexus6183]

Do you leave your swr meter in-line all the time? I know some do and some don’t

[@revbeet]

I don't keep one in-line. I just check it every now and then, or if I notice a problem.

[@sexistlexus6183]

@@revbeet thank you 🙏

[@kurtnagl9507]

Which firestik and mount combo is that?

[@conquerthemoon4]

Altoids !!!

[@kasper6285]

Is there an issue with using a 9' cord from meter to cb? They didn't have a small one. Also can I leave the meter plugged in while using 🤔

[@kasper6285]

Obviously this is temporary until I can find that link cord

[@revbeet]

I think it will be ok as long as you are not planning on doing a lot of transmitting. Eventually you'll want to test it with a one foot jumper coax cable. The length of coax sometimes affects the SWR -- that's why it's a little bit of an issue.

[@kasper6285]

@@revbeet it reads good with the cable so I left everything on but I don't want to ruin the radio either.

[@revbeet]

@@kasper6285 sounds good! Just keep your transmissions short. Listening is completely fine though!

[@arconeagain]

That should be fine unless the the difference in the impedance compared to the radio and antenna are great. The extra coax will act as an impedance transformer.

[@coryshane9511]

Why use a jumper with that radio?

[@oscarlara207]

antenna power capacity watts

[@goldengirlamy1]

Do you have to complete this process every time you plan to connect to a channel?

[@revbeet]

Nope, you just do it when you are setting up your CB or when you make changes to your antenna.

[@warzone7571]

Can I use only the watt meter to test my tyt th9800 watts power??? can I use it on any frequency to test the watts on my mobile radio

[@RunninGunner04]

Why would my swr meter be reading zero when I turn it to tune it, maybe a bad ground? Or is the swr meter broke? I can pickup a small amount of static when someone talks right now.

[@revbeet]

When you switch it to FWD?

[@RunninGunner04]

@@revbeet on every mode, I cycled through them to see if any of them produced a reading, none of the modes produce any signal

[@revbeet]

Hmmm I wonder if you have your coax hooked up wrong. Check that first. If that's ok I'd be looking at an issue with the coax, the antenna, or the radio itself.

[@RunninGunner04]

@@revbeet it’s a dual antenna setup I think they are hooked up right. I wouldn’t want to tighten the fittings any tighter

[@RunninGunner04]

@@revbeet the radio revived noaa weather just fine

[@luisbarrios4430]

What if the swr is high on both ?

[@craigpeneguy2839]

The goal is to get below 1.5. If you can't get the SWR down to an acceptable level, start looking for problems such as an electrically shorted coax (shielding touching the center conductor), a bad antenna mount ground, or bad antenna location. Also take note that adding an antenna spring effectively lengthens the antenna, requiring retuning the antenna and slightly elevating the SWR. Without the spring I can get a 1.05 across all 40 channels. With a spring that changes to a 1.3.

[@kennedymcgovern5413]

So, if I have a 102 whip...there is really no calibration to be done. Is that what I am seeing here?

[@revbeet]

It all depends on the SWR reading you get with your set up. Check out easycbradio.com for more info on SWR testing.

[@TomokoAbe_]

that's a mess! And dangerous if you are on the road.

[@revbeet]

It's only hooked up like this for testing. Thanks for watching!

[@pipedreams57]

terrible filming

[@revbeet]

Sorry! I'll eventually replace this with a better video. It's hard to film and do everything with one hand lol.