Remove (unscrew) knurled barrel sleeve from main connector and drop over coax. Make sure that the internal threads are up (see Diagram C).

The SWR meters built into CB radios are okay for general readings, but are rarely sensitive and/or accurate enough for fine tuning of antennas. Use them mostly to indicate serious high SWR problems only. RG-59 type coax is 72 ohm cable. It is used for dual (co-phased) CB, 2-meter or 10-meter installations. It is also commonly used for TV antennas and AM/FM receive only antennas. Do not use this coax on single CB antenna installations.VSWR (swar) this is a ratio of the reflected power (reverse voltage) on your transmission line, the coax. It is just that, a ratio, so there is no such thing as SWAR. It is Voltage Standing wave ratio and the closer you can get to 1:1 the better.

The maximum practical gain that you can receive in the distance is when you use a 450-watt amplifier. It is pointless to opt for an amplifier of more than 450 watts. If you want to achieve that, a 500-watt amp should suffice. Should I use a 1000-watt or a 3000-watt amplifier? An amplifier should be capable of increasing the output power during the transmission of signals. In general, output power should be above 150 watts. Even 100 watts will work just fine, depending on what type of range you want to achieve. Just ensure that the output power is never below 100 watts. The following assumes that your SWR meter has a standard set of switches, knobs and meters. That is, there will be at least one switch with the marking Forward (FWD) in one position and Reference (REF or SWR) in the other. There will also be a knob or sliding controller marked “Set” or “Adjust”. Most meters come with full instructions. If the common configuration does not match your meter you will need to rely on the meters manual for assistance. Compatibility is by far the most important aspect to consider when purchasing a CB linear amplifier. You need to have a sound knowledge of FCC regulations.In “no ground plane” systems, it is best to choose a system that terminates the coaxial ground at the radio end of the cable. These systems are far less reactive to cable routing errors and will almost always outperform systems that are terminated at the antenna base or antenna end of the coax.

Use end of nail or other pointed object to unbraid the copper shield. Trim to approximately 3/8″ (10mm) long all the way around. Beware of information from “experts” (real or self-proclaimed). There is antenna theory and there is antenna reality. We have yet to see a vehicle that simulates a lab. While theory is a good starting place…experience is the only place to end up. The best book on theory will produce the worst antenna you could own. If SWR is in the “red zone” on all channels, you probably have an electrical short in your coax connectors, or your mounting stud was installed incorrectly and is shorted. DO NOT USE YOUR RADIO UNTIL YOU HAVE FOUND THE PROBLEM. Shopping for CB linear amplifiers is not an easy task. There are different factors that you need to consider. Here is what you should be looking for: A. Compatibility The vehicle, in mobile installations, is just as important as the antenna and other components. The antenna is the radiating unit, the vehicle is the reflecting unit. All transmit antennas need a reflective unit. What effect does the vehicle have? Plenty! If you were to install and tune your antenna on a bumper mount then move it to the roof, you would see a change in the SWR. This is due to the change in the antenna’s position relative to the vehicle surface. Location is important.Coaxused for mobile CB radio is usually rg58u or rg58au another myth is that cutting the coax to a certain length is the best way to help with VSWR. This is totally false. the only thing you do by cutting the coax to a 1/4 wave length or half wave length etc is to fool your wattmeter. best is to make the coax 5.8m (17′) . Remove (unscrew) PRO-259 knurled barrel sleeve from main connector and drop over coax. Make sure that the internal threads are up. If budget is your concern, then buy MegaWatt S-350-12. Otherwise, it’s better to buy the MegaWatt S-450-12 model as it offers 450 watts output. John Slide appropriate cable adapter over coax, INS-58 for RG58 cable or INS-59 for RG59 or RG8X cable. Make sure wide shoulder is down, threaded portion up (see Diagram B). When tuning your antenna(s), make sure that you do so with the vehicle doors, hood and trunk closed. If left open, they can cause inaccurate SWR readings. Try to simulate actual operating conditions.

If you mount two or more antennas close to each other, you will alter the transmission patterns of each one. The affect may be either positive or negative. We recommend that a minimum of 12″ exist between your CB antenna and other types of antennas. Copper is 55% better than aluminum, 27% better than gold and 578% better than tin insofar as conductivity is concerned. Silver will conduct AC/DC current less than 2.5% more efficiently than copper, but the cost to performance is generally unjustified and any gain, insofar as RF transmission is concerned, is negligible. The MegaWatt S-350-12 amplifier comes with an adjustable output of 9.5 volts to 15 volts DC, making it a suitable option for gear up to 13.8 volts. That shouldn’t deter you from using it with equipment that draws 33 amps to less at 12 volts. The S-350-12 will work great with such equipment. A normal 4-watt CB radio will give you a range of up to 20 miles in ideal conditions. The amplifier you buy should depend on how far you want to reach. If your target is to reach about 65 to 70 miles, a 100-watt amplifier should work perfectly fine. How to take care of a CB amplifier? For SSB, the maximum output is 300 watts for 10 watts of input. If the input drops to 5 watts, the maximum output for SSB is 250 watts. The minimum allowed input for SSB is 2 watts.Beware of the wire wound mobile antennas mentioned in ads that claim them to be “full-wave” or “wave and a half”. At best, you are being deceived by the misleading association of wire length to actual performance characteristics. Wire length, for all intents and purposes, is irrelevant. With “very” few exceptions, antennas must function as a 1/4 wave or 5/8 wave to be useful on mobile installations. For example, Firestik and Firestik II antennas between 2 foot and 5 foot have a radiation pattern similar to a 5/8 wave reference antenna. However, wire lengths range from 20 feet to 32 feet (0.6 to 0.9 of a full wave length). If wire length was relevant, each antenna would need 22.5 feet of wire. If SWR on the lowest channel is higher than it is on the highest channel, your antenna system appears to be electrically short. Your antenna length may need to be increased. MegaWatt S-400 amplifier is an affordable power booster, one of the best build qualities and far superior to other linear amplifiers. I would suggest this to anyone who’s looking to buy the best CB linear amplifier. John Unlike receive only antennas (AM/FM radio, TV, scanner), antennas that transmit require tuning. Antenna manufacturers can supply you with an antenna that is pre-tuned to the general frequency of the intended equipment, but they cannot promise you perfect performance “out of the box”. The six needed components for a mobile installation are the radio, power feed, coaxial cable, antenna mount, antenna, and ground plane (counterpoise). Even if the manufacturer supplies you with an entire kit (coax, mount & antenna), this, in most cases, leaves you without the counterpoise requirement. There is an exception to this general rule; antenna systems that use the coax cable as a counterpoise. These no-ground-plane kits are generally marketed to owners of fiberglass vehicles. However, for most applications, the mobile antenna will use the vehicle’s body as counterpoise. Unless otherwise stated, the following information pertains to installations that DO NOT use coaxial counterpoise antennas.