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Adjusting Long and Short Antennas

If you’re having trouble with your radio’s SWR being too high, your antenna may be considered “long” or “short”. In this article we’ll cover what each of those mean and how to fix your system to regulate your SWR.  

Long- for an antenna to be considered long, the SWR on the highest channel, for CB this is channel 40, is higher than the SWR on the lowest channel. To fix this, a reduction of the antenna height or conductor length will likely help. To do so you may consider removing the antenna tip, unwinding and clipping off wire, or screwing down the antenna tip lower.  

Short- an antenna is considered short if the lowest channel’s SWR is higher than the highest channel’s SWR. To correct this, lengthening the physical antenna or electrical length will fix the issue. To do so, turn the screw further out, add a spring and a quick disconnect. Short antennas can also be fixed by using dual antennas or a no ground plane antenna kit. If using a dual antenna setup however, keep in mind any adjustment to one antenna needs to be made to the other as well.  

We hope you found this guide on how to fix long or short antenna situations to maximize your SWR efficiency helpful in your own CB radio adventure! At CB Radio Supply, we are here for all your radio needs and offer a wide range of customer service! Our free domestic US shipping and hassle-free returns is our guarantee you’ll be satisfied with your choices. Give us a call to speak with our expert staff today!  

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