Make sure to set your SWR's for the radio...You will burn the radio up if you use it without adjusting your antenna

 

per google maps you might actually be a little far from the Hwy to get truckers, but try both 19 and 17. Also for the weather station stuff, see if you can find it on your radio, if it is faint on your radio then your CB might not be able to pick it up. Although normally AM stations have a further reach depending on where it is actually broadcasting from your CB might not be able to boost it enough for you to get it. We have a Weather channel in Norfolk that I had to almost be in Norfolk to hear. The one in Richmond is the same way. Check that wire, tune your SWR, if that doesn't work. Then either find someone else with a CB and do a comms check or goto a CB shop and have them do a comms check with you. Not sure about up there but down here in VA/NC you get a little something just about anywhere due to people pushing more power then they should be. Hell I here guys from across the nation with what they are pushing and Solar Spikes.

 

I am going to see what happens taking that ground wire off the antenna. As far as getting F
Weather that comes in perfectly clear

 

I don't know if there is any other advice but I realized earlier today that when the the key is in the off position I was actually picking up some channels, however when I turned the engine on I was getting a lot of noise interference and that seems like why I could never get AM channels. The radio is wired right to the battery so I can't imagine it being a ground issue but I am at my wits end.

 

It is essential that the antenna "ground" is the same as the "ground" for the transceiver. The antenna is mounted to the rear gate but is the rear gate properly grounded?

 

Never thought to check that I just assumed that it was. What's a good way to test this?

 

Sorry but don't confuse the two....DC ground and RF ground are entirely different critters. But I do agree the tailgate needs to have a solid ground as well. And because of the pivots on the tailgate it isn't that good.

 

I would assume the gate is not grounded and run a wire from a good chassis ground to the gate, preferably to one of the mounting bolts of the antenna mount.

 

I run a separate ground from off the bottom of antennae to a good ground and not using the tail gate as a ground

 

would the antenna ground even be an issue if it works properly when the engine is off? Sorry to keep dragging this on with questions but I'm losing my mind with this.