i am trying to install a cb radio into my truck but eveytime i turn the cb radio its really fuzzy and can barely hear anything. i figure someone on the site could help me out a little bit. thanks.
hooking up a cb?
- Thread starter Crapple21
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Crapple21 said:
not sure I understand. You've got the squelch turned down all the way and all you hear is static? or you can't hear anyone that breaks squelch? you've got an antenna that you know picks up signals?
First critical thing, make sure you have an antenna properly connected to the CB before you try to use it. If you transmit without an antenna, you'll fry the radio. Properly hooking up an antenna includes making sure it's grounded if the antenna requires it. If your antenna is hooked up properly, go to channel 19 and do a radio check. If anyone hears you in your broadcast range, they'll let you know. Depending on how close you are to major roads, there's a possibility that there isn't anyone nearby using it.
I don't know about now but in the 70's CB days you had to calibrate the antenna with a standing wave length meter connected inline between the CB and antenna. The places that sold the CB's would do it or loan a meter to you so you could do it yourself back then. It's just a matter of adjusting the antenna length until you get the right numbers.
Lets get him receiving first 😉 Then we can worry about SWR and stuff (but yeah don't key it up without the antenna.) A little more information is needed about the problem and the setup.
Everything is hooked up I think the right way and I can hear people talking but it's just really fuzzy and hard to understand what they are saying. Maybe I need a better coax cable? The one I have is old and not in the best shape.
cb'ers aren't known for being the clearest to understand even in good conditions. 
you've got the squelch knob turned just to the point where the static shuts off, right? then you'll get any signals strong enough to 'break' that. If they aren't speaking clearly, using crappy echo boxes, or otherwise terrible setups then they'll sound like garbage. I usually can't hear anything clear unless they're less than a mile away, or x-mitting at illegal power levels. (used to be some fun ones on Ch 6 I think ...) the coax doesn't really matter that much for receiving.
just park it on 19 for a while, see if anything better turns up. go hang out near a major highway or truck stop for a while and see what you get.
you've got the squelch knob turned just to the point where the static shuts off, right? then you'll get any signals strong enough to 'break' that. If they aren't speaking clearly, using crappy echo boxes, or otherwise terrible setups then they'll sound like garbage. I usually can't hear anything clear unless they're less than a mile away, or x-mitting at illegal power levels. (used to be some fun ones on Ch 6 I think ...) the coax doesn't really matter that much for receiving.just park it on 19 for a while, see if anything better turns up. go hang out near a major highway or truck stop for a while and see what you get.
i havent really tried messing with the squeelch knob but ill just mess with it at work since i work and fedex and all the trucks have cbs on them.
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