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how to tune and phase


schneiderz

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Hey I am installing dual antennas on my truck can anyone tell me how to tune the radio and antennas as well as phase them?
 


02RangerXLT

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Well you need an SWR meter... and... you shouldn't run two working duals, you should actually only hook one of them up, and leave the other on for looks. On a Ranger, duals are too close together to work effectively as a co-phase setup.
 

schneiderz

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ok well the wire that comes with the antennas I ordered is a dual wire so they both have to be hooked up
 

4x4junkie

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Omit the co-phasing harness and hook one antenna up how you normally would with a single coax wire (and do not ground the other antenna, leave it "free-floating", otherwise it'll affect your transmission as well).

Like was said, duals do not work correctly if they're not spaced at least 8½ feet or so apart (they really were designed to be used on OTR semi trucks).

I would've gotten a single antenna that mounts right on top of the roof, it would work a lot better (use a magnetic mount if you don't want to drill a hole). Mounting a full-length whip on the forward bedrail behind the cab is another option that works well too.
 

schneiderz

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ok well they are being mounted on to the toolbox in the bed of my truck so how is it not grounded already when hooked up there
 

4x4junkie

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Only the bracket is grounded, the center has an insulating washer on it. Leave that washer in place so the whip itself is ungrounded on that side, and leave it disconnected (no coax cable going to it).
 

AllanD

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Dual antennae are 60% cosmetic and 90% mental masterbation.

You are generally better off having ONE properly tuned antenna

The idea behind dual antennae in certain specific situations is
(IF properly phases and tuned) generate a slight directionality fire and aft
of the direction of vehicle travel, the first problem with that is roads are not perfectly straight.
(No not even in Nebraskakansas/etc)

the second problem with that is that dual antennae are almost NEVER properly phased.

Proper phasing is difficult to accomplish without a fairly long length of additional coax to
one antenna or the other, OR a relatively short "tuning stub" of 75ohm coax inserted in one lead

The thing is there is a vast ammount of "snake oil" associated with CB antenna

Don't be taken in by the salesmen of that "snake oil"
Don't buy it, don't drink it, don't even put it in your mouth.

AD
 
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Spott

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As an electronics engineer, with experience in communications, and a ham radio operator, I have to agree with AllanD.

It is much more effective to tune two antenna elements to reinforce each other linearly, than to attempt to phase them in such a way as to peak in a sideways direction. I mean, look at a TV broadcast antenna, or ham radio multi-element "beam" antennas...all the gain is in line with the elements, not off to the sides.

If you want a slightly stronger signal front-to back, go for duals, but mount one on the fender and one on the bed rail. Just a hair over 9 feet apart is great. Then run two pieces of coax, exactly the same length (and cut from the same cable, if possible) to a T-connector, and then run one cable into the radio.

Side-by-side duals are likely to be more responsive to the sides of your vehicle, and have weaker reception front-to-back, than a single-antenna setup, without some complicated cabling and mounting arrangements. And again, you'ld want 'em 9 feet apart, which isn't likely to happen on a compact pickup.

Most users will find the best performance is realized with a single antenna, mounted centrally on the vehicle. Even if it doesn't look as "tough".

Spott
 

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