CB questions

[Just Sam]

Right, here we go:

1) How much current will my CB draw? (It's a Midland 38 - 80 channel UK/EU)

2) Where is the best place to wire it to?

3) I have an SWR meter with built in Power meter (from 4x4cb) - how do i take a power reading? Obviously i switch it to PWR, but 10W or 100W? and do i take a reading whilst transmitting or not? Should it read 4w when i get it all right?

Cheers, Sam

[Terranosaurus]

Current draw is negligible. 4 watts out means less than 1 amp in at 12volts even on the most inefficient rig.

Wire to any good 12v supply and put an earth in as close as possible.

To use your swr meter you need to switch it to power/forward or however its marked then turn the knob to set the needle to reference or set or 100%, depends how its marked. Then switch to swr to take a reading. All readings to be taken whilst transmitting.

Unless you specifically have a SWR and power meter it will only do SWR. If its a new rig it would be fair to assume it is giving the correct 4 watts.

[Just Sam]

This is a combined SWR/Power meter, and i have no difficulty taking SWR readings - I'd just like to know how to take a power reading, the reason I want to check is that i think the CB may have been damaged by someone else wiring it up incorrectly and I'd like to check it is giving 4 Watts of power.

As for where to wire it to, where would be best to minimise interference from the car like electric windows etc?

And finally, a friend had an idea of wiring the CB to a 12v plug for the cigarette lighter - would that be any good to make it more portable from vehicle to vehicle?

[mrcheese]

If you have the type of meter that either has two meters (or is switched between forward and reverse) and an adjustment knob, then you cannot accurately measure forward power as it is not calibrated.

Paul.

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