Why is your SWR too high?

Why do you have a high SWR?

• An inappropriate ground plane is one of the major causes of high SWR readings. A sound ground plane with a full metal surface should be selected.
• The ground straps should be run through as many parts of the vehicle’s chassis as possible. The system should be grounded well with the plane so that readings can be normalized.
• Improper installation and mounting of the antenna is another factor causing the problem. It is always advised to mount the antenna as prescribed in the manual and ground every part of the CB system properly to avoid any loopholes.
• Use a voltage meter to determine the vehicle's points that might hinder your system's grounding, and then try to ground those parts to improve your ground plane.
• Damaged coaxial cable is a big reason behind high SWR readings.
• A coax can get twisted, shorted, or pinched while routing through the vehicle. It might come damaged when buying from the market. Hence it is essential to check your coax cable thoroughly before purchasing. Use a 50-ohm coax for single antennas and a 75-ohm coax for dual antennas.

POOR CB ANTENNA MOUNTING LOCATIONS

If you have achieved an SWR reading somewhere between 2.0 and 3.0, then your system is not tuned correctly and needs to be dialed in better.

Another major factor that can lead to such high SWR readings is the poor location for mounting your CB antenna. Your mounting location is a poor one if it has the following characteristics:

• I am keeping the antenna below the roofline.
• I was keeping it blocked or covered most of the time.
• Letting the antenna exposed to too much metal in the surroundings.

If your mounting location has these three characteristics, then change it right away.