Increasing CB Range
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Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 577
Likes: 19
From: Michigan
Increasing CB Range
I lead a large group of bikes and have tried multiple methods to communicate with my tail gunner. Bluetooth on the phone is not good because we get in areas that have no cell service. I am trying to use my CB and he has amounted unit in his slingshot. We are good across a parking lot of 100ft but in a 15 bike string we cant talk. I am new to CB's and would like to know if i can boost my signal and/or does he need a larger antenna. The antenna he has is about 3ft. Thanks
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 455
Likes: 134
From: Martinsburg, WV
Most CB antennas need tuned for VSWR to the radio they are hooked to. Not sure how to do that with the Rushmore rig. Mine didn't come with the CB but I am considering adding one.
I would also make sure both of the grounds are connected with a good connection to the ground plate in your tour pack, that is what provides the ground plane for the antennas power to be transmitted.
I would also make sure both of the grounds are connected with a good connection to the ground plate in your tour pack, that is what provides the ground plane for the antennas power to be transmitted.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,857
Likes: 2,506
From: Lake Orion, MI
Try this. I had it installed last August - and I can really tell the difference.
Good luck
http://www.jmcorp.com/ProductDetail....ctID=CBAU-HU14
Good luck
http://www.jmcorp.com/ProductDetail....ctID=CBAU-HU14
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 3,820
Likes: 587
From: Michigan
I'd venture to say most of the range issue is with your bike, not the added radio & antenna on the Slingshot (provided that installation was done by someone that knows what they're doing).
See this post:
http://https://www.hdforums.com/foru...l#post16254524
See this post:
http://https://www.hdforums.com/foru...l#post16254524
Last edited by Hammz; Jun 3, 2017 at 06:14 PM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 3,820
Likes: 587
From: Michigan
Try this. I had it installed last August - and I can really tell the difference.
Good luck
http://www.jmcorp.com/ProductDetail....ctID=CBAU-HU14
Good luck
http://www.jmcorp.com/ProductDetail....ctID=CBAU-HU14
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,263
Likes: 36
From: Georgia Mountains
Simple fix:. The "Shorty" antenna is cut for a better tune than the stock long antenna. Size doesn't matter...Proper tune does. It's also tuned better at the low end of the band. Try a shorty antenna on channel one and you'll see improvement.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,347
Likes: 602
From: The 9th Island
I put a CB on my Street Glide and when I did, I had it professionally tuned and the range still sucked. I then just started replacing antennas and I tried allot of them. The one that helped the most and by huge margins was the older style whip antennas, the long ones, the ones that hit the garage door when pulling in.
When I got the Ultra Limited, I had the same problem with the CB. My squelch was pretty much useless. If I bumped it up two or three bars, it acted the like squelch was closed. So I did the same thing, and put the whips on this bike and again, it fixed it. I can now broadcast and hear for miles and I now have full range of the squelch.
Most of the other road captains that have the newer bikes have switched to these antennas as well and are pleased with the results.
When I got the Ultra Limited, I had the same problem with the CB. My squelch was pretty much useless. If I bumped it up two or three bars, it acted the like squelch was closed. So I did the same thing, and put the whips on this bike and again, it fixed it. I can now broadcast and hear for miles and I now have full range of the squelch.
Most of the other road captains that have the newer bikes have switched to these antennas as well and are pleased with the results.
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Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 570
Likes: 6
From: Left Ohio for the middle of no where in Fla.
The "Shorty" antennas are not long enough to resonate at 27 MHz, hell about the only antennas that are, are the 108" whips.
Most of the antennas have a loading coil (usually at the bottom) the coil "fools" the radio and signal into seeing a longer antenna, so the majority of the signal travels down and leaves the antenna instead of flowing back towards the transmitter, too much signal flowing back is high VSWR.
Also, The lower the RF frequency, the longer antenna required.
Channel 1 is lower frequency then the other 39 channels, requiring a longer antenna.
A properly designed load would allow a paperclip to look like a good match. Not much signal would be radiated effectively, but the radio sees a good match.
The proper tune you speak of allows for using the shorty antenna not the other way around.
Ride Safe Everyone,
Club Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 11,468
Likes: 3,572
From: Idaho
Just got back from Run For The Wall, and Rolling Thunder.
The difference in range and audio quality between the stock Harley CB radios and everybody else was startling. Harleys were the worst, with the Goldwing guys having excellent range and clarity, and J&M in the middle. The Harley's range was so bad that the only way for the front and rear of the pack to communicate was by "passing it on", that is it had to be retransmitted over and over to multiple bikes to get from back to front or vice versa.
Overmodulated, distorted, and full of static. Sucked.
The difference in range and audio quality between the stock Harley CB radios and everybody else was startling. Harleys were the worst, with the Goldwing guys having excellent range and clarity, and J&M in the middle. The Harley's range was so bad that the only way for the front and rear of the pack to communicate was by "passing it on", that is it had to be retransmitted over and over to multiple bikes to get from back to front or vice versa.
Overmodulated, distorted, and full of static. Sucked.
