CB antenna use in multiple vehicles

Thread Starter

Whtwolff

Joined Apr 15, 2021
4
I recently retired & a newbie to CB radio use. I purchased a Midland 75-822 portable CB radio & Nagoya CB-72 HD magnetic mount antenna to use during travel. After tuning the antenna can it be used in my other vehicle?

Thank you for suggestions & guidance.
 

Thread Starter

Whtwolff

Joined Apr 15, 2021
4
Mostly, yes. If you place it in a similar location the SWR will not be much different if at all.
I had no idea the darn antenna had to be 'tuned' I feel kinda stupid. So for the dummy in me, tuning the antenna would need retuning if I switched actual radio unit?
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,079
I had no idea the darn antenna had to be 'tuned' I feel kinda stupid. So for the dummy in me, tuning the antenna would need retuning if I switched actual radio unit?
No. The antenna is tuned to a particular impedance (50Ω) and it will match all radios.
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,079
No problem. Read about antennas: resonance, matching, and transmission lines. Find some introbutroy material. It's worth the time. You don't have to become an engineer, but it you understand the basic principles you will know where to look for problems and information and not have to work blind.
 

Janis59

Joined Aug 21, 2017
1,834
RE:""tuning the antenna would need retuning""
In cases where significantly changes antenna capacity toward the ground (as high vehicle v.s. low vehicle or vehicle with thick layer of paint v.s vehicle with thin layer of paint) means antenna may naturally become de-tuned. So, between two light cars probably will be a very minor detune, but between a heavy duty truck and small personal car probably re-tuning will be necessary.
P.S. About Yaakov idea, yes, it is mandatory thus many years I THOUGHT I something understand on the topic. Only when I obtained a vector analyser I realized how far it was from the truth.
 

Thread Starter

Whtwolff

Joined Apr 15, 2021
4
RE:""tuning the antenna would need retuning""
In cases where significantly changes antenna capacity toward the ground (as high vehicle v.s. low vehicle or vehicle with thick layer of paint v.s vehicle with thin layer of paint) means antenna may naturally become de-tuned. So, between two light cars probably will be a very minor detune, but between a heavy duty truck and small personal car probably re-tuning will be necessary.
P.S. About Yaakov idea, yes, it is mandatory thus many years I THOUGHT I something understand on the topic. Only when I obtained a vector analyser I realized how far it was from the truth.
Thank you for the info! I have much to learn
 
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