Is it OK to cut UHF cable?

Is it OK to cut UHF cable?

You can shorten the cable without any adverse affects, but just make sure you leave a little length in case you have to resolder a coax connector. Worse thing you can do is have a coil of cable coiled up.

Can you shorten a CB antenna cable?

There are several methods for shortening an antenna which vary by manufacturer. As a starting point, it’s best to put the tuning screw either all the way in or out, so each antenna is the same length. Then, based on your SWR readings, length or shorten BOTH antennas the same amount each time.

Can you cut down UHF antenna?

No. Changing the length of the antenna will have a significant effect on it’s performance and in the very worst case may cause damage to your radio.

What is the best height for a CB antenna?

Generally, the higher the antenna is above ground, the better it will perform. Good practice is to install your vertical antenna about 5 to 10 feet above the roof line and away from power lines and obstructions. Remember that the FCC limits your antenna height to 60 feet.

What can I do with excess UHF antenna cable?

Excess coax between your radio and antenna mount should never be wound into a circular coil of less than 12″ in diameter. Doing so can cause system problems. Your best option for handling excess coax is to serpentine the cable into a 12 to 18 inch yarn-like skein.

How do I shorten my CB antenna?

To adjust that type of antenna, you turn the screw in or out, easily lengthening or shortening the antenna. For other antennas that don’t have a tuning tip, you can shorten the antenna by cutting off a very small portion (repeat: about 1/4th inch) of the tip at a time.

What makes a good UHF antenna?

Choosing the right UHF antenna is important as more powerful antennas can broadcast signals further and clearer. Lower gain antennas are 3db or lower, for distance over flat terrain a 6db UHF (ultra high frequency ) antenna or higher will suit better.

How do I choose the right UHF antenna?

When choosing an antenna you want to make sure it’s going to be effective for your UHF needs and not just look good on the bull bar. Antenna gain is measured in dBi and is simply the measure of an antenna’s ability to direct or concentrate radio frequency energy in a particular pattern or direction.

Why does my CB antenna have high SWR?

If your coax cable has an open – that is, the wire is broken and current can’t flow through it – you’ll get off-the-chart SWR readings. Follow this guide to test your CB coax for problems. Just like potential coax problems, if the wire in your antenna is broken you’ll experience high SWR.

How does shortening the coax cable affect VSWR?

Cable loss also improves VSWR, so in the absence of any other factors, shortening a cable will increase VSWR slightly. At UHF, a 1 m change would only account for 0.1 VSWR though. Finally, if your antenna mount isn’t well grounded, the coax cable itself might be part of the antenna.

How to tune a CB antenna using auswr external meter?

How to tune the CB antenna using the AUSWR external meter Turn your CB off and disconnect the antenna coax cable from the back of your radio. Connect the end of your antenna coax to the SWR meter where it indicates “antenna” or “ANT”. The connector inputs could be on the back and the labels on the front of the meter.

Why do I need to cut my coaxial antenna?

Cutting the coaxial able to such a length where the end which plugs into your SWR meter or radio is at a point where the incident and reflected waves arrive out of phase with each other will fool your meter or radio (and you) into thinking you have a well tuned antenna system.