What is an acceptable amount of SWR?

SWR 1.0-1.5: The ideal range! If your SWR is under 1.5, you're in great shape. If you're at 1.5 and really, really want to drop down to closer to 1 it's likely possible to do with addition tuning, different equipment or a different mounting location.

What SWR is too high?

There are two basic points to understand before adjusting the length of your antenna: If the SWR on channel 40 is higher than that on channel 1, your antenna is too long. If the SWR on channel 1 is higher than that on channel 40, your antenna is too short.

Is a 2.5 SWR good?

The radio will receive and transmit well with a good “SWR” reading of 2.5 or less across all channels. The lower the “SWR” reading the better your radio will perform.

What is the desired SWR value?

A SWR of 1:1 is ideal. A SWR of 1.5:1 is very good, especially for low-power applications in which the SWR consumes available transmitter power. Generally, the lower the SWR, the better.

Why is my SWR higher than 2?

One of the most common causes of high SWR readings is incorrectly connecting your SWR meter to your radio and antenna. When attached incorrectly, readings will be reported as being extremely high even if everything is installed perfectly.

SWR explained

How do I bring a SWR down?

If your antenna is mounted down low on the vehicle, like on the bumper or behind a pickup truck's cab, the signal can bounce back to the antenna, causing a high SWR. To alleviate this, keep at least the top 12 inches of the antenna above the roof line, and position the antenna as high as possible on the vehicle.

Do you shorten antenna and lower SWR?

If the SWR is lower on channel 1, then the antenna is too long. Make the antenna shorter. If the SWR is lower on channel 40, then the antenna is too short.

Does high SWR affect reception?

If the SWR is too high, not only is the performance of your CB seriously hindered, but you run a very high risk of damaging your radio. You need to make sure that there isn't too much power being reflected back into the radio through the feedline from the antenna, which prevents the proper signal output.

Why is high SWR generally undesirable?

A common example is a power amplifier connected to an antenna through a transmission line. SWR is, thus, the ratio between transmitted and reflected waves. A high SWR indicates poor transmission-line efficiency and reflected energy, which can damage the transmitter and decrease transmitter efficiency.

What does an SWR reading of 1 1 mean?

What does an SWR reading of 1:1 mean? The best impedance match has been attained. An antenna for another frequency band is probably connected. No power is going to the antenna.

Does SWR affect transmission?

Effect of standing wave ratio on real-world applications

Standing waves affect the power transmission efficiency in any system that uses RF and matched impedances. Simply put, there is a significant loss in the transmitted power.

Should my CB be on S RF or SWR?

S/RF, SWR, CAL SWITCH - The normal operating position is the S/RF position. In the S/RF position the meter will show transmit power and receive signal strength. The CAL and SWR positions are only for checking the SWR of the antenna. Recommended Setting: The S/RF position.

Can a pinched coax cause high SWR?

A damaged coaxial cable is a big reason behind high SWR readings. A coax can get twisted, shorted, or pinched while routing through the vehicle.

Does high SWR hurt radio?

IMPORTANT NOTE: Radio damage will only occur when you're TRANSMITTING from an antenna with high SWR readings. Leaving the radio on to receive signals poses no risk to your radio.

Does coax length affect SWR?

AD5GG (February 8, 2023) Coaxial Cable Length Does Not Change Antenna SWR.

How do you calibrate a CB SWR?

SWR CAL Knob: Turn your radio to channel 20. Key your microphone and turn the SWR CAL knob until the needle on your radio's meter goes to the CAL mark on the top right of the meter. Unkey the mic when adjusted. SWR Switch: Now you've calibrated your meter.

Should I set my antenna to short range or long range?

A good rule of thumb is that a short-range antenna is probably fine if the tower transmitting the signal is less than 40 miles away. However, if the signal is weak, getting a long-range antenna can help you pick it up clearly. You can check signal report sites to determine what kind of signal to expect.

Does ice affect SWR?

Snow or ice isn't a great conductor, but it's a much better conductor than the air or PTFE insulator that was between the halves of the antenna. Clearly the antenna impedance, and thus the SWR, will be affected.

How do you tell if your CB antenna is grounded properly?

If your CB antenna mount has a good ground, the multimeter needle should move all the way to the right when the probes contact these two locations. If you get very little or no needle movement on the multimeter, test that your meter is working properly by touching the two probes together.

Why am I getting so much static on my CB radio?

CB radios can be affected by engine motions, cellular broadcasts, and electrical wires which can cause white noise and static on the CB, reducing the radio's effectiveness. Aside from the filters, using the squelch function on the radio can help reduce the noise.

Does CB antenna need to be grounded?

Ground Your Antenna Mount

If you're using a standard CB antenna (i.e., anything except a no ground plane, or NGP, kit), you'll need to make sure your antenna mount is solidly grounded to the vehicle's chassis. A bad ground will result in an un-tunable antenna and sky-high SWR levels.

Are two CB antennas better than one?

That's when having two antennas comes in handy. With antennas on both sides of your vehicle, you're much less likely to have large dead spots because the antenna system can "see" more. This is one of the primary reasons most 18 wheelers have dual antenna setups.

What CB channel do truckers use?

CB Radio Channels

Channels 17 and 19 are the two channels most commonly used by truckers; in some areas, those on north- and southbound roads use channel 19, while those on east- and westbound roads communicate on channel 17.

Can you tune a CB antenna without an SWR meter?

Without an SWR meter, you'll need to plan and create space for tuning, prepare your CB radio and antenna, and adjust the antenna accordingly. Of course, the process is a little more detailed than that, but you get the picture.