Thinking about getting back into CB

Hi all,

I'm thinking about getting back in to CB I've never really been into the UKFM side of it. I'm just interested in operating AM & SSB.

One big problem I face is having no outdoor space to put up an antenna, no roof access other than putting things out of the window. Maybe its possible I can use an end fed wire antenna with a UNUN or something. My experiences with simple wire antennas is that they never really work unless there is a something like an UNUN or transformer, balun. An end fed would be easier to work with. A halfwave would be fine which would roughly be around 18 foot long, maybe I could chuck it out of the window into a tree or something to get on air but I need help with a design for an end fed with a suitable balun/UNUN impedance matching other than wire soldered to coax. 

Thanks.

Spider281 wrote:

Hi all,

I'm thinking about getting back in to CB I've never really been into the UKFM side of it. I'm just interested in operating AM & SSB.

One big problem I face is having no outdoor space to put up an antenna, no roof access other than putting things out of the window. Maybe its possible I can use an end fed wire antenna with a UNUN or something. My experiences with simple wire antennas is that they never really work unless there is a something like an UNUN or transformer, balun. An end fed would be easier to work with. A halfwave would be fine which would roughly be around 18 foot long, maybe I could chuck it out of the window into a tree or something to get on air but I need help with a design for an end fed with a suitable balun/UNUN impedance matching other than wire soldered to coax. 

Thanks.

Maybe something like this would work for you.
1. EndFed
2. Gainmaster 5/8

The EndFed is slightly better than the Gainmaster, while the Gainmaster has a wider range for operation.

Thanks, the gain master looks good. I might build that one.

Spider281 wrote:

Thanks, the gain master looks good. I might build that one.

Let us know what you think when it’s done.
I use it daily on a Spiderbeam 12m telescopic pole.
Unfortunately, I have no experience with AM, but from Germany (USB), I have reached Brazil, Philippines, Indonesia...

Apart from a little rig in the campervan, I don't use CB frequencies. However, I built a vertical antenna for the CT 10m challenge that works really well. It shouldn't present a problem adapting it for 11m

The coaxial dipole, otherwise known as the 'flower pot' antenna, is very simple to construct, all you need is a length of coax! Basically, you strip the outer shield from the coax the correct length to make the driven element, or you can just solder on or crimp a 1/4 wavelength piece of wire. Then, just under 1/4 wavelength from the driven element, you wind the coax onto a former as a choke.

That's it, you're done. I built mine in under one hour, and that included rummaging around for a piece of 50mm plastic pipe to wind the choke on. Here's the construction for 10m, just convert the measurements for 11m. Coaxial dipole construction.

I hung mine on a 10m Spiderbeam telescopic pole, but you can hang it anywhere so long as the choke is above ground. I guess you could even string it out horizontally, but not tried that.

Deb

Update with CB

Unfortunately, I may have to give up with CB. No matter what I do I'm barely getting out. I'm going about 3 miles on 20 watts which is pitiful. I tried the boomerang style antenna with a 9ft tank whip and small 75mm whip for ground it looked good but performed like garbage. I'm in a bad area for it with no elevation. 

The problem with CB is unless you got a half wave or 5/8 wave anything else isn't going to cut it at least not where I am. There is just too much in the way and no clear signal path, even the outdoor TV antenna signal sucks.

A half wave might just about do the trick with 50 watts but that would be more than 18 foot and too long. I don't think its worth all the hassle. If I was allowed to install a permanent antenna it would make life a lot easier but its not an option for me.

I was under the impression thinking I could treat CB like HF and throw a random piece of wire in a tree on a balun but this does not work for CB because everybody on CB are using verticals with high power. Being horizontal when everybody else is vertical isn't much good.