Can't get SWR <3
 

Hi all, I've been wrestling with a cb installation for the last week and having very little success.

http://www.firestik.com/Instl-Art/k14bm-inst.jpg

I have the a firestick ball mount (diagram above) that I attached onto my rear bumper with the antenna going up at a 90 degree. Then goes the spring and then the firestick 4' fiberglass antenna. I realize that this isn't the ideal place for an antenna, but I was told it would be alright and I'm fine with not getting the very best performance.

The reading I get is always somewhere between the infinity and the 3, no matter what I do or which antenna I use (I have another crummy one just for kicks). I assumed that maybe it was shorted or something, but I can't see how, connecting the ground directly to the frame rather than the bolt in the diagram results in the same reading. If my hole for the center stud isn't large enough could it be shorting between bumper (ground plane) & center stud? Experimentation would say probably not because while I couldn't quite get it to 1.25" (almost though) as directed, even taking out the nut to assure plenty of clearance gives the same reading.

While I was constantly checking the SWR I got snippets of peoples convos on channel 20 that were intelligible about 1/4 of the time, but tons of static.

Any ideas? Hate to go back to the cb shop again and ask more questions and spend more money, but will probably have to. I will post up some pics of the install tomorrow in case they're needed.

Start off doing all the continuity and open tests on the Firestik.com tech page.

Do you have the adjuster on top under the rubber tip of the antenna adjusted??
Try running a better groung to the frame ???

is the nut that holds the ball mount on touching anything metal?
if so this could be your problem