Yeah just sucks I figured it went to easy... I've pulled the CB so I'm not tempted to keep messing with it... Now I have to order a meter unless I can find someone close by here that had one!! You would think living 10 minutes from Rausch Creek I could find someone that had one and was willing to help out??

 

Sods law. I have a small cheap SWR meter I used for the CB. Have a much better one (Palstar 2000AM) on it's way for my mobile Ham rig.

 

I don't understand how you could be grounded at all with that antenna mount. Isn't the piece that the mount attaches to on the 3rd brake light plastic? I've removed mine, but IIRC it's plastic, not metal. If so, you would definitely need some type of grounding strap or some other way to provide a ground from the mount to the tub.

 

Well I think that may be my big issue... Supposedly others have done it and it worked, (supposedly grounded through the screws) however at this point I have nothing. So I guess my next project is to figure out a good place to run a ground from there... Any suggestions where to run it to? And I can ground it anywhere on the mount correct?

 

You could try running a grounding strap from the mount to one of the bolts on the spare tire carrier. The tailgate doesn't usually make the best ground, but it might be enough to get a decent SWR reading. I can't see from the pic, but you do have the nylon washer on the top of the mount isolating the antenna?

 

Would that be enough with the spare tire bolt even though the carrier itself is plastic? Yes the nylon washer is on top of the bracket then a little toothed washer and then the top half of the mount. I can try and get a better picture tomorrow. Getting dark now. I tried zooming in in the one I had and blow it up... I think this is correct.

 

The stock carrier is actually metal, at least mine was (I have the Teraflex carrier now), although it seems like plastic. You could always loosen one of the bolts and attach the strap between the carrier and the tailgate. It would be even better if you could remove a little of the paint where the strap makes contact.

 

Ok sounds good I'll give that a try tomorrow. At this point I have nothing... So hopefully it helps. I should have went with my gut and just made the mount for the carrier bolts. I just thought this location would get the antenna higher and it would help. I can't even get a weather channel at this point. It won't damage my radio as long as I don't key the mic correct? I did ask for one radio check and after hearing NOTHING never keyed it again... I've only ever installed one CB before I don't remember having any if these issues.

 

If it were me, I wouldn't risk using it until you get the grounding worked out, and the antenna tuned with an SWR reading under 2.0. Definitely don't want to transmit for any lengthy period of time.

 

I don't plan on using it, all I did was one radio check. at this point with it being a midland 75 I've pulled it completely out and disconnected it. It does show a scale at the bottom of "reviving power" I think and as of right before I pulled it it was as low as it goes. I hope once I ground it that scale will increase. So is it safe to hook it up and see if that goes up at least?