Big D!

ok, so i just got two 5ft Fire Stick whips and have mounted them between my hood and fender. i only have one hooked up, and i have a 40+ old MIDLAND... and everything is staticy, but when i adjust the squelch, you can't hear any talking unless the person is closer to you. now heres my question, do you think my radio is too old or is it only because one antenna?

Buckskinner38

well, there is a couple of ways to look at your problem.
Did you set your SWR's? (Standing Wave Ratio)
How did you split up the coaxial cable or did you?
Is the coax new or old?
Did you assemble the PL-259 on the coax? (that the connector on the coax)

Im asking these questions because sometimes these can problems can lead up to a **** poor RF reception.

Running dual antennas doesn't really do anything for most common radio setups... Unless you intend to set up your radio and your truck as movable beam. (that's another long diatribe in communication that I don't really want to get into)

The 1st thing I would do is look at the antenna. Is the plastic frayed, split or cracked. Look for loose wire or wires. Check the SO-259 ( the female part of the connector) see if its loose. If it is worn, you can sometimes repair the connections. But you may be better off buying another. I suggest K-40 or Wilson for 11 meter Citizen Band ops.

2nd thing i would look at is the coaxial cable it self. Same scenario go for the coax as it does the antenna. If it is old coax, GET RID OF IT. Go and buy some RG-8U ( around 20' ft) DON'T BOTHER WITH DUAL WHIPS OR SPLITTING THE COAXS. Its a waste of time and money.

Once you have all of these together then you need to set your SWR. Radio Shack Meters are cheap. Last time I checked there around 40 bucks. But if you keep your eyes open at garage sales or thrift stores, you could pick one up for a buck or two.

Do the checks 1st then text me back and I'll help you go through your radio.
BTW... What radio are you running?

Big D!

everything is brand new except the radio itself, so new coax and whips, and i need to set my SWR but don't have the money to buy a meter, so i might just go to the local cb shop and have him do it. i'm running an old Midland 13-882C(from '70-'71). i'm wondering if it's part the radio cause it's analog. on my signal meter, i'm under 1 on the meter, sounds like a problem with signal?

4X4times4

I would have the local CB shop look at the radio. It may just need a good once over and be as good as or better then new.

Big D!

anyone else with suggestions?

Buckskinner38

I would agree with 4X4. That rig is modifiable from the standard 23 channels. Make sure you didn't pick up someone else's "Butcher Job'. A good sign that someone else's "Golden Screwdriver" have been in the radio is to do a search on modifications for your radio and open it up and see if the mods been done.
Whats the worst you could do? Take a chance and look around.
A) Your not going to do any more damage than whats all ready been done.
B) You may learn something new.
Go ahead... Dont be afraid to explore

prerunner1982

If the radio is shot you can pick up a newer radio pretty cheap. I typically find them for about $5 at garage sales, but even the Cobra's 19s are cheap when new.

Big D!

the radio has been in the family it's whole life, it was my grandpa's and he bought it when my dad was one, so no modifications to it. idk what could be wrong.

prerunner1982

Where is the plastic washer on the antenna mount positioned? Should be directly on top of the mount.

Mendax13

right coax? 95% shielding 50 ohm resistance and all that fancy stuff? it took me a while to tune mine just right. but mines a cobra 29ltd

also check your squelch?

alnielsen

SWR would have nothing to do with receiving a signal. That only comes into play when your transmitting. Touch a coat hanger into the coax connector (SO-239) on the back of the radio and see if it is still staticy and you can receive a signal. Unless you are near an expressway or an industrial area, with lots of trucks, you may not. This will let you know if the radio is good or not. If it is as old as you say, it is probably a 23 channel radio and their output power was about 3.5 watts, where as todays 40 channel radio is closer to 4.5 watts of transmitting power. If the static goes away then it is not the radio, it is probably a problem with the coax somewhere along the way. Look for a short, broken ground shield or bad solder connection.
BTW, the Midland 13-882C, I sold those at the radio shop I worked at while I was going to tech school back in the mid 1970's. It was a good radio for it's time. But, that time is over.