CB antenna with CB and AM/FM

[Phaze91460]

I have never heard of a automatic switching box, it would be expensive to build and not much commercial resale value. There are a number of mechanical switches around. Since you would need to turn off one radio and on with the other, one move switch anint much.

By the way, welcome the the forum and greetings from the sunny south.

[Phaze91460]

I've heard of um as well, no experiance with it though. If you can get SWR's to read right should be ok

[Glorfendill]

i have heard about them just never used them my self . it looks like a good idea :Peace!:

Dangit, now you guys are making me think I should spend more money!!! I've been having some issue's with my Ol' Chevy S-10... the Radio antenna is about to fall off... (I've got some pictures I'll get online here once my new Harddrive comes in.. I just don't feel like installing my Digital Camera software twice. ) But anyway, sure would be nice if I could just run my radio off my CB, only bad thing is I would HATE if i had to turn the CB off just to use the radio... however at the same time to be completely honest mostly I listen to CD's anyway....

You guys had mentioned you may have to only use either the radio or the CB at one time, you know if that would still be the case with that splitter or what?

[LordDragr]

Looks like it will work.

[231]

what do you guys think about this product?

PRODUCT LINK

FUBAR, welcome to the forum! Those matchers are garbage! Don't waste your money. Many folks over the years have felt just as you have, and have tried many ways to skirt around having 2 antennas. Fact is you cannot have it both ways. Decent CB performance and AM/FM radio receive all in one. The frequencies are SOOO far apart, that there would be no way to combine them. Given that, you could indeed use your CB antenna as a AM/FM receiver...and it'd probably blow you away at your receive capabilities. However, you would indeed only be able to run one or the other with a switch box.

What that matcher does, is allow you to lie to the CB and use a non-correct length / resonating antenna such as your factory AM/FM antenna. Your CB performance will absolutely suck as the result of it. Heck, you might as well just use a walkie-talkie...cause it'd likely work better.

Hope that helps a little.

[Phaze91460]

Ouch !

You allways have to give a little to get a lot. You probibly wont want to run your CD while running your cb anyway. You may find it talking back to you or squeeling.

[jessejamesdallas]

I agree with 231. Dont wast your money on these gadgets...They been around sence the 70's. Yes they do work...sort of...Just like the Glass-Mounted antennas, that look sort-of like a cell phone antenna, they work also...for about 25 yards behind you, and in front!

If you want to use a CB...Stick with regular CB antennas. If you want a am/fm antenna for your car stereo, get a am/fm antenna. Period...

If you decide to go ahead and get this gadget, dont ever plan on running power thru it. And dont expect your swr to even be close to 1.5 or under 2.0 for as that go's....

These things are not worth the money spent on the package they come in.

But...It's a "Free-Country", so do what ever you think is best...JJD

[Phaze91460]

It dont hurt to try something if you can afford to lose the money and time to try a thing.

Sometimes tryin things is what solving problems is all about.

I remember some cars used to come with a AM/FM/CB/CASS units installed with 1 antenna.

[jessejamesdallas]

OK...Back-up. Your right, didnt see where you already bought it. But like I also said. "Yes they do work". Now you also said you were getting a 1.1 swr? Although I find that hard to belive, it may be possible.

Also like I said, just like the Glass-Mounted antennas, which also work. Just wont recive or transmit very far...When you start useing CB Antennas with other radios combined, the CB Radio is usely going to suffer in it's recive, and transmit.

Now if your able to get out as far as you were before, useing this, then great! Just be sure you never use a amp with it...High watt's will fry it for sure. And could damage the am/fm radio...

May have came across a little harsh before...sorry. -JJD

[Phaze91460]

Havent seen one in years, was in the 70's and no, I dont think they worked well. Times were a different then. so many radios on the air that you didnt need much power to talk to a lot of ppl.

[jessejamesdallas]

It dont hurt to try something if you can afford to lose the money and time to try a thing.

Sometimes tryin things is what solving problems is all about.

I remember some cars used to come with a AM/FM/CB/CASS units installed with 1 antenna.

Yep. and every now-and-then, you can still find these radios on ebay. (I had one back in the 70's, that used the same antenna) These things were OK, if ya wanted to talk to people close to you, like on the way to work or something...Just did'nt get out more than a mile or so...

[Phaze91460]

Grug = Group Hug !

[jessejamesdallas]

:88-cheers: :88-jump: :88-punk: :8_head_banger: :skipitrip:

[231]

Not so fast.

Even a dummy load will have a good SWR. So what? Doesn't mean it works on TX/RX for 11 meter band very well. Sure, you can hook any antenna you want up to a AM/FM radio, and it'll work. Heck, I used to use my beam all time late at night and hear stations from all over the world. The HF band antenna (wavelength) is huge in size compared to AM/FM stereo bands. But you missed the point that was being made here by some. How far have you talked? Not just received. That would be the question.

Most all of us here are really more impressed with how well we can make our tranceivers work. Limiting the antenna with an antenna tuner, well it just doesn't make sense to us old 30 year in radio guys. Hams use them, but the ones they use are way more sophisticated and typically they are running a multimeter beam to go with them...or at least a resonating antenna that is at least close to the band they are running.

If it works great for you, awesome. Knock yourself out. But to say they work "good" I would ask, "Compared to what? A dummy load?" If you have nothing to really compare it to, then I'd understand. Oh...and don't forget, you'll likely need to retune it for each and every channel you want to run. And JJD was correct...you might see a mile out of it with no DX rolling (which it hasn't much lately). Wait until the propagation starts again!

[Phaze91460]

All that really maters is that you are happy with your setup. These are just opinions from peoples experiances, not a put down. If everyone agreed on everything, what a dull world we would have.

[jessejamesdallas]

ok, whatever. i'm just not sure why the heck you two are so damn against this thing. i'm not asking you to believe there is life on the planet vulcan, i'm saying it works for me.

you can have the last word. i'm done with the thread. sorry if i ruined your "CB world" for a few minutes.

I'm not against it...I just would'nt use one, because I like talking farther than just down the street! Most people want to be able to get out as far as they can...Which means useing a high quality cb antenna. Your antenna is the most importaint part of your system.

Not sure about that tuner you bought, but useualy, people buy those things, so they can use their existing am/fm radio antenna, with a cb also. That way, no one knows they have a cb in the car...(which at one time, this was a very good idea!)

This is the first time I think I have ever herd anyone wanting to use a cb antenna, for their am/fm radio too.

But, if your happy with it...I have no problem with that. Seen where your a "Super Mudduck", was just trying to get ya off the pond!