You appear to have two wires coming from your mount. Is one from another antenna?

Also, did you need to Dremel the antenna mount side as well as the location for the bolt on the Jeep?

 

I'm hoping that since the meter is giving me a "realistic" number, versus no reading or a maxed out reading, it is functioning properly. I am using a quality coax and don't believe I have any severe bends.

I'll try a couple of the suggestions provided and see if I get any changes.

Thanks!

 

yes, i have a cb and ham antenna, ran a ground wire from the cb mount bolt to the ham mount bolt and from the ham mount bolt to the body ground bolt inside the jeep. you do need to grind the underneath side where the antenna mounts, not the top side. i didn't grind the inside of the mount where the bolts go through, just the outside where the bolt heads are.

 

Good info...now I have to go redo some stuff before powering up.

 

One of the problems with the JK is all the plastic. Without an expanse of metal under the antenna the antenna performance is affected. Sometimes a mag mount in the middle of the hood is a good test. Don't shorten the coax that comes with the antenna on a mag mount. If you get good performance out of the CB you can conclude it is your antenna, the coax, how and where it is mounted.

A common point for all grounds can help. The doors, tailgate, tire mount, frame points, engine and tranny and body all tied to a ground point and to the neg bat post.

http://www.k0bg.com/loops.html is a good reference on all things mobile for radios.

 

x2 on this. i tested mine with a mag mount on the center of the hood, got a 1.1 swr. told me everything with the radio was fine, just needed to ground the tailgate antenna better and ended up with under 1.5 on it.

 

please give us swr numbers for many channels, as in 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, & 40.

The reason I am asking for this is very simple, if your antenna is to long or to short and out of the bandwidth you can have an SWR like you are seeing. Thus you might have to go a lot shorter or a lot longer to get it in range.

Since you don't have an antenna analyzer if you give us those numbers I and the other hams on this list can help you out by looking at the slope of the line from the numbers you post.

Also what is the actual antenna you are using and what is its means of adjustment. Somehow I have missed that in your post.

 

I am still working out the ground issue. Trying to find time with work and all is difficult.

However, SWR readings were all very consistent from the channels I checked (1, 20, 40, and a few others I do not recall). They all were around 3.5.

I am hoping the ground is the problem. I may end up placing a ground strap on the tailgate, but that will only work if I ensure the antenna mount is grounded to the tailgate, correct?

The actual antenna is a 36" Firestik with a tunable tip which is screwed in and out (about one inch travel total).

 

I bet you have something wrong with you coax, or a bad connector. I believe your swr is based on your cable acting as an antenna, 3.5 on all channels.. remove your antenna, you'll probably still have a 3.5. I had this problem and there was an open in my coax.

 

Yes. The ground of the mount should be connected to your tailgate and your gate connected to the rest of the vehicle. This will give you a much better RF ground for your antenna and should bring that SWR down.