As a 20 year old kid getting into cbs and me having multiple issues with grounding and now led headlight interference, which i’m still trying to fix this video has been super helpful, I have the exact same transmitter in my 2nd gen Nissan frontier, and I have a hustler 102” whip antenna which I am not using, I bought because I live in the Appalachian mountains but it is not practical, I also have a 3’ firstik and was unsure how to tune it so that’s how I can across this video. This was a life saver ngl I haven’t found many videos this short and precise, well done and you got a sub from me for sure!😮💨🤘
What I did to "calibrate" my radio to my 3' firstik is to check 1 and 40 and adjust the meter til its almost similar on both ends. Not one side being on the line and the otherside close to it. Make them both equal. Then check your tuning. I bet you can get it properly calibrated if you do that. I did it your way when I first got my kit put together, and I havent seen your video til today, but I did the same exact thing. After a while of playing around with my tuning to get it as best as possible, I managed to get it balanced on 1 and 40 on both the calibrate setting and the tuning setting. Am currently at 1.4 on both 1 and 40 and 1.2 on 19/20.
Bravo, best video I have seen on "how to" for tuning a cb. While maybe it wasn't the most "planned out", or "professionally narrated" video, it was real, and most important, to the POINT! And, you covered ALL the bases necessary. Thank you for not taking 5-10 min with a bunch of nonsense. FYI - I used to be a Firestik guy. I have found that lately, it is a low quality antenna, fine for the application you have...but, I can't tell you how many I have snapped off in my semi hitting low branches, even small ones. I tried to add spring bases, they still break. The fiberglass is very low quality and they shatter easily. Truckers or anyone doing a lot of off-road would be better off with an all metal whip. Wilson is a good brand, all be it a lot more money. There are others too, I can't think of names now, but, do a little research, you'll find something decent.
Per the Cobra manual, you're supposed to hold the button while calibrating, and then switch to SWR WHILE STILL HOLDING the button. If you key it on SWR, the needle will barely jump. I've never seen a CB that did not barely jump, even when not properly grounded/bonded. But if you do it per the instructions, I bet your SWR is higher than shown.
Good video, and a nice T4R! I have a 4' firestik antenna and the mount coming for my 3rd gen so this video helped me understand how to tune the firestik which is not like other steel whips... Right now I have the 3' Little Wil mounted on the roof of my 3rd gen and I'm getting a perfect 1:1 SWR with the Cobra 18 WX ST II in the DIN slot under the stereo but I would love to get the firestik on there for better clearance! Hope to keep SWR below 1.5:1 with it... Thanks for the vid!
Glad you did this vid im just got a duel set like this and the last time i was messing with CBs world talking was in the 70s and early 80 and need to know where to tune these and this was just a short cut to find out now i know thanks
Great video ! You have great communication skills. I have also watched your "CB Radio Mount FireStick FireFly II with MK-204R Door Jam Mount" video. Also compose video for tuning sr-A10 CB Antenna. Thank you.
Being that its a FireStik, its more top wound than bottom, so it actually only needs to be more than 1/3 the antenna. I have a 3 foot on the back of my 96 pathfinder mounted with a 4" spring on my spare tire rack mount bar. And where I have it mounted, I got lucky to have half of the antenna itself over the roof. He has his mounted to his bumper and not sure exactly how long that antenna is, looks to be a 4 foot, and based on the angle I see, he does need a higher mount cause he barely has 1/4 of the antenna above his roof. But as I said, its based on what I see in the video, it might be higher than I can see, but still, doesnt look to be enough for that length.
you are supposed to use that calibrate button next to your channel switch button to set the needle, at least get it right before filming the tuning of the antenna.
@@Magny80 The KW series Firestick doesn't have the tunable tip so you have to remove the rubber cap and pull about a 1/4 inch of wire out and cut it off to adjust the SWR. Only do this if the SWR is higher on 40 compared to 1. If your SWR is around 1.5 or lower across the band, leave it alone, you are good to go! But, never, ever cut the fiberglass rod, only the copper wire and then replace the cap and then check the SWR!
I suspect cause you arent properly grounded. I see that you commented 2 years ago, am pretty sure you probably figured it out by now. If not, you might wanna check to see if you are grounded properly.
i have a 5ft fs2 and I have heard that it doesn't have much give, in the off-road perspective at least. i bought a spring for mine. never can be too safe.
You always check the SWR first on 1 and then on 40 to determine if the antenna is too long or too short. If your SWR is too high on 1 compared to 40 you need to make the antenna longer. If the SWR it too high on 40 compared to 1 then you need to shorten the antenna.
