cb coax question

[fatoldfool]

Firestik recommends 18 feet of coax. Do I really need all that?

[DennisJayhawk]

Yes apparently you do. I read on their site they recomend that you wrap the excess Cable like a skien of Yarn (oblong shaped) and then zip tie it in the position. If you just coil it up or bundle it, apparently it interferes with your frequency or something. I thought it was strange too, but I am going to keep the 18' I got with my antenna mount.

[Mitch Davis]

You need 18 feet only if you do not have a tuneable antenna. Otherwise cut it to length and put a new end on.You will hear all kinds of arguements about the length.

[CMSurfer]

Yea, there's been some pretty good discussions about that 18ft. of coax being an old wives tail. I never really had the interest to go and read up on it though.

I bought my coax at a CB shop and they insisted on the 18ft. theory and that's what I bought and everything works fine. Firestick has a really good tuneable antenna. I got mine from Q-Tec for about ~$35 - $40.

CM.

[dillonjm]

Read here, Stu knows his stuff:

http://www.stu-offroad.com/misc/myth-1.htm

[fatoldfool]

Wow, thanks! Stu has great info and great site!

[Scrambler82]

:cool:

Don't know how many CBs and HAM Radios I've installed and I have never used 18 feet of coax, well maybe on a Base Station install.

My theory, as stated here on this post, use only the coax necessary to hook the antenna to the radio, allowing for any accessories and no sharp angles.

I really think the Manufacturer's of coax came up with the 18' story just to sell coax.

Later,

[BostonWrangler]

I've read (and forgot) almost everything about the 18' thing. Arguments for both sides make sense. So I don't know.

I've read that 18' has to do with certain oscillations in the signal.

[Scrambler82]

:cool:

You are right BostonWrangler but that is why you tune the antenna to the system, i.e. radio, coax, antenna over ground mass.

Luck,

[DennisJayhawk]

Is it imperative that I solder the coax cable to my connector?

[deadman]

DENNISJAYHAWK HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.I HAVE READ AND HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT YOU DO NEED THE 18' OF COAX.