CB reception in 2014 Cascadia

piattteam · Apr 1, 2014

May have been covered but couldn't find anything.
We have purchased a 2014 Cascadia and the CB radio use SUCKS!!!
Have installed a "Cascadia" CB kit, mount in mirror screw location, with separate antenna and coaxial for CB. Didn't help.
Had a CB shop tune radio and antenna. Didn't help.
In our 2013 Cascadia, radio worked great!
Any ideas?
Thanks!!

EASYTRADER · Apr 2, 2014

Maybe your cb has crapped out.

A CB guy can measure your antenna resistance and the tune it properly if he knows what he's doing if the anntena is crapped out hell know as soon as he put the meter on it.

So try another radio if it works your cb was out, if a known good radio fails, you probally need to install your own antenna cable and antennae mount. That's probly easier than trying to figure out where the factory jacked up the install.

EASYTRADER · Apr 2, 2014

Of course I see now you say the "reception is bad", if you have electronic interference, like buzzing that chages pitch with truck speed or something.

Pull the CB power direcly from the battery, (fuse it), pull the power from the battery terminal that is farthest from where the truck cable is connected, this will allow the battery bank to absorb some of the interference.

The also make a little transformer deal that goes between the power source and the radio, they work pretty well to isolate alternator buzz. They are sold at most truck stops. I had to put one on mine to its a pretty common challenge.

Sent from my SPH-D700 using EO Forums mobile app

skyraider · Apr 2, 2014

It is amazing that a standard cb only reaches out maybe a mile to 2 miles, and it is a fortune to get one fixed where it reaches 3 to 5 miles, but that was my experience talking to a CB tech in Knoxville.

zorry · Apr 2, 2014

Sometimes OEM use a two piece coax. The screw on connecter that attaches to the radio is only a 12-18" piece that has a smaller plug in connection like the ant connection into the am/fm radio.
This gives the oem a smaller connector to fish up thru your A pillar,etc.
if you have this style it may have come unplugged.
The better fix would probably be a good quality coax.

tknight · Apr 2, 2014

My freightliner has never been able to get a good cb radio signal since the truck was new nor can it get a good am-fm signal I think it has a lot to do with bad grounds and aluminum body, my Sirius radio works just fine though!

piattteam · Apr 3, 2014

Thanks all.
Is a brand new radio. Brand new antenna and cable (I installed).
Our factory antenna and lesser model CB worked 5 miles out, in our 2013 Cascadia.
Thanks again!

Moot · Apr 3, 2014

Did the CB shop test the radio and tune the antenna after you installed it? A radio can be tweaked on the bench but tuning the antenna requires it to be installed on the truck. Does the new radio have an SWR meter?

TeamCaffee · Apr 3, 2014

I did a little asking around and everyone said the same thing. You have a grounding problem.

zorry · Apr 3, 2014

I think it's a ground plane (plain ?) problem.
Something I don't fully understand but a GOOD radio guy will.
Is the roof cap fiberglass ?
I think the issue is the signal doesn't radiate, or bounce off the materials today, as well as it did years ago.

Why the difference between the two Cascadias ? I have no clue.

Try wearing a tin foil hat.
It may not help, but it'll give us all a chuckle.

Jamin_Joe · Apr 3, 2014

There are three simple things that can cause poor radio performance.

1. Whining noise that increaces with acceleration -electrical noise in power supply wires. Quick fix is to install a Choke, a two wire device that looks like transformer.

2. Bad electrical ground. Verify radio metal case is electrically connected to chasis ground. Run a wire from a metalic screw on the radio to another metalic screw that you know is has metal to metal contact with the negitive on the battery. Normally a metal bracket hooked to the firewall.

3. This is what I suspecte the problem is Impedance mismatch. Is your antenna resistance the same as the radio calls for? If not the antenna power out/in will be much weeker. the cable length, thickness, quality, different metal types in connecter to jack, and connector impact Impedance or RF Resistance.

If your antenna isn't mounted as designed, magnet mounted on metal that is electrically grounded or not connected on an electrically grounded metalic base of the vehicle to the metal base of the antenna. The antenna needs that "ground plane," to make it polarized correctly.

Hope this helps.

piattteam · Apr 4, 2014

Thanks all! No whining noise at all. Yes, radio has SWR switch. CB guy tuned radio/antenna separate. I did run an extra ground from frame to antenna and will run one to the radio, when I get a chance.
Again, thanks for all the advice!

Jamin_Joe · Apr 4, 2014

You dont need to run the ground to antenna, just make sure the magnet base is on the painted main part of the truck. You ma need to get a pair of those duel antennas some of the big rigs got.

Hope that it is a simple, low cost fix

RETIDEPXE · Apr 5, 2014

Measuring SWR

Hope you have some time on your hands.

Jamin_Joe · Apr 5, 2014

So, how did it measure?

zorry · Apr 5, 2014

I'm thinking a ground plane is more of a reflecting surface than a traditional electrical ground that completes a circuit.
I may be 100% wrong. I don't understand radios and have no interest in the subject.
This is just a silly little notion rattling around in my semi-empty head.

Jamin_Joe · Apr 5, 2014

You are correct, but with Radio waves the size is 1/4 the size of the radio wave. The antenna base can also fool the wave to think a smaller surface is large enough.

here is a troubleshooting guide

CB Radio Articles: Selection | Installation | Troubleshooting

piattteam · Apr 22, 2014

Well, I did install a dual antenna system- no help!! ARGH!!!
I did a ground to antenna base.
I even ran a separate ground from frame to CB!
Even replaced the microphone!
STILL TERRIBLE RECEPTION!

Jamin_Joe · Apr 22, 2014

Something weird is interfering with the signal.

Does this problem happen everywhere you go?

Could something like buildings, distance or mountian be weakening the signal?

Go to a truck stop or highway with many truck to get a clear radio check?

On your Technicians bench did it work ok, possibly see if you can try a buddy'cb in your rig to see if it is the cb or an external factor.

Is it possible at your location someone, likeca ham radio operator is transmitting a signal that is interefering with you. Possibly a amped up cb is near by?

pearlpro · Apr 23, 2014

Did you tune these Antennas, what brand did you buy, Try a WILSON TRUCKER, just One, you really dont need two antennas, if you get a Wilson then you have to TUNE that antenna using a SWR meter, WHAT COAX did you install, unfortunately the little thin coax is mostly crap, Have a CB shop or electronic shop make you a piece of coax like this,

Wilson CB Coax with Boot & FME | Right Channel Radios

Dont install it, just connect it to your antenna , set and adjust the SWR do you have better EARS, Reception...many times these Y cable coax with two antennas is just junk and cause more problems then you need, Proper Grounding of the antenna, Radio all helps...

If your still having issues Id have the radio tested to be sure the recive portion is working correctly, a properly tested , tuned, peaked CB will HEAR further then you might imagine with the proper MATCHED antenna, COAX and Radio, It all has to work together.

Wilson CB Antennas, CB Accessories, CB Mounts - Wilson

Wilson 2000 Trucker Antenna - Worth Buying? - YouTube

WalcottCB.com - Cobra, Uniden, Midland, Galaxy CB Radios, CB Antennas, Scanners Technical Forum

Theres a bunch of tech healp articles in that LINK....

Let me know what happens, one last thing, DONT ASSUME THAT NEW COAX IS NEW AND PERFECT....it happens quite allot that new Coax is crap, TEST IT, have tested...