Hi,
I just installed a oringinal delco am/fm/cb radio and I can't get a good match on the antenna.I didn't install the oem electric ant. but tryed a rear glass mount. Any advice would be helpful.
Thanks,

mgb19 :cool:

 

Man, it has been a long time since I've had to mess with CB stuff. If memory serves: you have to match the cable and antenna length with your SWR reading to match as closely to the radio as poss. The orig antenna came with an adj load on the ant shaft that would assist adj.
Maybe I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but sometimes getting a decent match is a real PITA. Good Luck -Rod :chevy

 

mgb19,
i have the same radio but have yet to put on the antenna if you are talking about the antenna that looks like a cel phone antenna i think the overhang on top of it might not be letting it work i take my car on long trips (leaving for dallas at 2:30 303 miles door to door) so i hope to be getting this working soon
please let me know if you get it working so i can do mine
thanks
mike

 

Well that is something i mess with all the time still! you can use your AM radio ant. What you need is a Match Box. G. M. produced one in the mid '70
to do just that. there are several aftermarket ones that do the samething.
as long as you can get the reading under 3 you'll be fine.
if you need more info or a meter i can help. :D

 

Yep, the above advise is correct. Borrow an SWR meter from someone until you get it down in the safe range which I think is 1.5 or lower, but it should say on the meter. Or else you will ruin your radio. I spent sometime with these radio's when I was younger. Even talked across country (barefoot), no illegal amplifiers.

 

to follow up, your Vett. is like a boat in the respect that is NOT metal!
if your tying to match the ant. , it won't without a groung plane (metal).
what you need is a 1/2 wave or a 5/8 wave ant. which does not require a ground plane. alass no need to match ant. your local boat dealer will help you out. Also R.S. carries the that type of ant.
hope this helps! :jester

 

I used to have one of those glass mounted antennas for my CB in my first vette when I was seventeen. It supposed to be mounted near the metal in the window frame for a good ground but I never did get a low SWR with the fiberglass body. Radio Shack does have a pretty good GM replacement antenna that mounts like a regular antenna. If you don't like that, you can buy a bracket that mounts with a bumper bolt under the rear bumper and put a good ol' fiberglass whip antenna out the back. You will get a low SWR and transmit and receive better.