Firestik install/grounding questions

so i have everything installed for my cb system. Firestik 4' antenna, cobra radio, and 21' high quality coax. I located the antenna off the back above the passenger tail light using the firesik widget swivel mount. Now, the question at hand is, where should i be getting continuity for a ground, and where shouldn't i? for instance, should the bracket be grounded, and should the base of the antenna be grounded? i read somewhere that if you have the antenna grounded improperly you can kiss it goodbye, and i dont particularly want to do that haha. Thanks!

 

[storlied]

You could kiss your cb goodbye(never heard of damaging the antenna), ground the mount to the antenna to the frame. Find a bolt or screw somewhere.

 

[nssj2]

makes more sense, thanks for the clarification. just to be sure im doing this right here is a picture of the mount. where the red arrows are, i have continutity (bracket and coax connector). the blue circle on the base of the antenna does NOT have continuity. Is that how it should be? Just want to measure twice and cut once, so to speak.

 

[storlied]

Woah woah, what are you cutting and why is it at a weird angle?

I don't have a ground directly on the antenna, but I do have a ground on the mount. Which goes to my roof rack so I needed one anyways. No problems here.
I THINK if you ground the antenna itself you might get horrible reception or something, the antenna wouldn't be working properly. I have no problems at all with my system and my SWR is pretty low, don't forget to tune that whip.

 

[storlied]

Ah, I see why it's angled weird. I would also like to say.. Nice Truck... those gauges are awesome. I want your brush guard.. lol

 

[rizzjc]

Looks like you got it right. The shield is grounded, but not the antenna. Grounding the antenna is what will blow your radio. I did it once.

 

[storlied]

eep... at least their pretty cheap.. ish

 

[nssj2]

Ah, I see why it's angled weird. I would also like to say.. Nice Truck... those gauges are awesome. I want your brush guard.. lol

yeah looks like a weird angle, thats cuz its adjusted against my truck for travel and the bracket is weird. soon as the door closes though it looks really clean. haha, thanks man pretty clean looking ride yourself.


ok sweet thanks for the help fellas

 

[storlied]

Sometimes. =P
Good Luck, and once again.. don't forget to tune, it's very important. With every single change, it's best to tune. Even if you move the antenna somewhere else.

 

[nssj2]

right-o!

 

[91exploreron37]

Looks like you got it right. The shield is grounded, but not the antenna. Grounding the antenna is what will blow your radio. I did it once.

Not trying to hijack a thread but how do you keep from grounding your antenna? I connected my antenna directly to the mount and left out the plastic spacer and I'm not getting anything from my radio whatsoever. Its on and will go through the channels and the coax is connected but the meter doesnt light up unless I key the mic.

I have a bad feeling i may need a new radio(I bought it off ebay so maybe it was bad to begin with? or did I ground the antenna?)

 

[storlied]

I don't have a plastic spacer... oh well.. doesn't matter now.. I bought a completely new antenna.. Way better SWR reading.. It's a magmount that has rubber on the bottom.. I guess it doesn't need a ground...

 

[Night Hawk]

Not trying to hijack a thread but how do you keep from grounding your antenna? I connected my antenna directly to the mount and left out the plastic spacer and I'm not getting anything from my radio whatsoever. Its on and will go through the channels and the coax is connected but the meter doesnt light up unless I key the mic.

I have a bad feeling i may need a new radio(I bought it off ebay so maybe it was bad to begin with? or did I ground the antenna?)

What plasitc spacer are you speaking of? Is it the one that is part of the antenna stud that your antenna is actually connected to? If so, I would put it back and that should fix your problem.

 

[Sandy]

I bought a completely new antenna.. Way better SWR reading.. It's a magmount that has rubber on the bottom.. I guess it doesn't need a ground...

All antennas need a ground to operate properly.
The magnet inductively creates the connection to the body to create the best ground plane you can get; that is probably why you have a good SWR.

How did you run the Coax ?

nssj2,

Did you ever get your question answered ?
Did you get the antenna mount grounded OK ?
What was your SWR reading when you matched the antenna ?

 

[Night Hawk]

Correct, the magnetic mounts have what is known as floating grounds

 

[nssj2]

NH-yes, that spacer is needed to isolate the antenna positive from the ground on the mount.

Sandy- my setup works like a charm. very crisp transmissions. as far as my SWR reading, i don't know. i took it to a local shop and had them tune it because i dont have an SWR meter.

 

[Sandy]

NH-yes, that spacer is needed to isolate the antenna positive from the ground on the mount.

Sandy- my setup works like a charm. very crisp transmissions. as far as my SWR reading, i don't know. i took it to a local shop and had them tune it because i dont have an SWR meter.

Luck and enjoy the hobby.