The RF ground is the shield in the coax. Should be tight, clean, uninterrupted. It is the signal path for the antenna, along with the center conductor. A bonding/ground wire connects body parts together, engine to the frame, frame to the body, etc. If the RF ground has high resistance for some reason, a tight solid set of ground wires can provide the signal path instead. Common sense says its all the same, but the RF signal works best if the ground wire in the coax is the best (lowest resistance) path from the transmitter to the antenna.

I'm from the electrician side of things, and mess with audio and CB as well. Sometimes the different terms for things drive me nuts. There are endless interpretations of this grounding thing.

 

I'm not a radio expert although I've listened to them from a very young age. I have installed many data radio systems for municipal and industrial customers over the past 20 years but that doesn't make me a CB expert either. I do have a CB in my 2010 JKU that I installed following the kit’s instructions to the letter and it works fantastic. Transmits at least 5 miles and has SWR readings of 1.0 – 1.5.

What I do know about CB antennas I read on the FireStik website. What I have read about grounding is that unless you are using a groundless antenna (primarily designed for fiberglass cars/boats) which uses the coax shield for your ground, you definitely need a grounded metal surface (ground plane or counterpoise) to transmit radio waves. Without the counterpoise, the radio frequencies are reflected back to the radio causing a high Standing Wave Ratio (SWR). The coax shield in a cable for use with a standard antenna is to keep the radio signal intact until it reaches the antenna. It is not your counterpoise connection.

Read more here:
Measuring SWR

 

I am in East Mesa. Just got the Jeep a few weeks ago and have been out quite a bit. Amazing all the places to see right in your backyard.

 

I'm up by sedona. Next time you're up this way lets get some wheelin in!

..............Ok so back to mount grounds................

 

Here are pictures of mine in the write ups section.

JK CB antenna install

 

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