Connex 3300 240-Channels Base CB Radio Logo
Posted on Nov 08, 2007
Answered by a Fixya Expert

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Connex 3300hp radio

How do i set the swr is reading a 1.4 but some cb cant get me is it my radio or do i have to set my radio on high or low to set my swr

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  • Anonymous Mar 16, 2008

    I run a connex general lee 10m radio. I use 18 feet of high-quality coax, and my antenna is a 102'' stainless steel full 1/4 wave. My radio is mounted above my rear view mirror, and my antenna is mounted through the roof, in the middle of my jeep cherokee (just above the rear seats). My SWR was once about 1.3 but it now reads between 3-4 (on both channels 1 & 40) and my output power meeter immediatly flies off the chart as soon as I key-up. (though only when I hook the antenna up to the radio, when I go through the SWR it reads low, around 3-4 watts) I have tried a new whip, a new mount, a 12 ga. ground wire both to the frame and directly to the earth. (the ground wire I hooked up is about 15 feet long) The only thing that does any good is when I hook-up this old POS mag mount, then I read an SWR of about 1.4. I'm pulling out my hair here, can anyone help?

  • Anonymous Mar 16, 2008

    I run a Connex General Lee (super whack-packed, super recieve, tuned radio from radio active radios.com) I use 18 feet of high quality coax, a through the roof mount (in the middle of my jeep cherokee just above the rear seats) and a 102'' full 1/4 wave length whip antenna. My SWR was once about 1.5, it is now reading between 3-4. I have tried a new whip, mount, cleaned the rust off the hole through the roof, and even added a ground wire (approx. 15 feet, to the frame and even to the earth its self.) Also, when the SWR meeter hooked inline on the radio, I read a power out-put on the radio's meeter of between 2-3 watts, but when I hook the antenna directly to the radio my meeter flies right off the chart on both high and low out-put. The only way I can get a good reading is to hook-up this old POS mag mount antenna (approx 1.5 SWR) I'm pullin my hair out here! Can anyone help!?!

  • vbersv Jul 17, 2008

    When my bass ant is down on it side I got a 1.1 swr when I put it up it go up to a 3..4 what is going on with it. Note I have a lot of trees but the ant is not tuching them.



    Bill

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hooyaman

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  • Posted on May 02, 2008
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My connex 3300 is cutting out. you can hit bottom of the cb and it will stat working again. please help

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  • Posted on Nov 08, 2007
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Hi,

Based on your post/description:

1. how do i set the swr
Normally SWR are calibrated on your operating channel (where you usually stand-by). This is to maximize transmit power and receive sensitivity. To set SWR, switch to channel of your choice, switch SWR control to CAL, key or press PTT, while pressing PTT rotate ADJ knob until max deflection of needle on meter, release mic, switch control to SWR, key/press PTT, needle reading/deflection is SWR for that channel.

I would suspect that your SWR will vary from your current 1.4. This is because you have too big excursion of channels (240 channels).

2.reading a 1.4
This reading is good enough and should do. However as earlier stated, you seem to have 240 channels which would mean that your radio + antenna moves in a wide bandwidth and since the antenna tuning is affected by frequency, your SWR will also be affected by channel.

Best if you can further lower it down.

3. some cb cant get me
This is because the standard CB radio is only 40 channels. The next would be a 80 channel and then 120 channels.

4. is it my radio
Yes, you have a wide coverage radio almost an extended 10 meter rig.

5. do i have to set my radio on high or low to set my swr
I will assume you are referring to power output, set it to HIGH when doing SWR calibration

Hope this be of some help/idea. Pls post back how things turned up or should you need additional information.

Good luck and kind regards.

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  • Posted on Jan 23, 2008
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First off, sorry to tell you, but you can not set your swr with your radio's swr cal knob. Trust me, I own a cb shop and know what I am talking about. I have been working on cb radios for years.

You must have an inline swr meter, which can be purchased online or from a truck stop. The ones at truck stops are cheap ones, but will do the trick for the most part.

You connect your antenna 18ft coax to the antenna plug of the swr meter, and a jumper coax (any length) to the transmitter plug of the swr meter and then to the radio.

Close all doors and make sure no one is messing around with the vehicle or antenna. You must be set up as you would normally be transmitting.

Now set your cb radio to channel 40 and your swr meter to fwd. Key up your microphone and at the same time turn the set knob on the swr meter until the needle is at the line that reads set. Unkey your mic and set the the swr meter to ref. Key up again and note what your reading is. Now leave the swr meter in ref and turn the cb to channel 1. Key up and take your reading. If the reading on ch 1 is higher than ch 40 you must raise the stinger on your antenna. If ch 1 is lower than 40, you lower your stinger. You are trying to get lower than a reading of 3 and as close to 1.5 as possible. If you lower your stinger as far into the antenna as it will go and you need it shorter, you cut the bottom of your stinger no more than 1/2" at a time, and recheck your swr reading after each cut.

Once you have gotten the best reading you can, connect your antenna directly back to the radio.

The setting your swrs is to make your antenna as efficient as possible, by trying to get it as close as you can to a 50ohm impedance. THE ONLY PART OF YOUR SYSTEM THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR SWR IS YOUR ANTENNA, not your coax and not your radio.

On the swr meter, the fwd/ref switch stands for forward (power that is being transmitted out) and reflected (power that is reflected back into the radio.

Just for information sake, the swr cal switch on your radio is used to set the meter to reflect the swr that your antenna is set at. The meter on your radio is like a dummy light on your car. ONCE AGAIN, YOU CAN NOT SET YOUR SWR ON YOUR RADIO, only the antenna!!

  • Nick Jones
    Nick Jones Apr 27, 2016

    So do you use hi power to set SWR??

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3rd.. make sure the rf power at your radio is turned down to low..over powering (over driving) your amp will fry your finals. (just as important)

If it's not any of these..then I'm not sure.
I have always used an Road King RK56. Not the knock off but the real deal. I would sometimes shock my lips on the metal grille , when I keyed up with my linear on high. I could also power flourescent lights when I got under them..lol and that was with a 250w box and a galaxy 99!
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You are using an inline swr meter to set your swr right, not looking at the meter on the radio? Here is the process to set swr on an antenna:

You must have an inline swr meter, which can be purchased online or from a truck stop. The ones at truck stops are cheap ones, but will do the trick for the most part.

You connect your antenna 18ft coax to the antenna plug of the swr meter, and a jumper coax (any length) to the transmitter plug of the swr meter and then to the radio.

Close all doors and make sure no one is messing around with the vehicle or antenna. You must be set up as you would normally be transmitting.

Now set your cb radio to channel 40 and your swr meter to fwd. Key up your microphone1.gif and at the same time turn the set knob on the swr meter until the needle is at the line that reads set. Unkey your mic and set the the swr meter to ref. Key up again and note what your reading is. Now leave the swr meter in ref and turn the cb to channel 1. Key up and take your reading. If the reading on ch 1 is higher than ch 40 you must raise the stinger on your antenna. If ch 1 is lower than 40, you lower your stinger. You are trying to get lower than a reading of 3 and as close to 1.5 as possible. If you lower your stinger as far into the antenna as it will go and you need it shorter, you cut the bottom of your stinger no more than 1/2" at a time, and recheck your swr reading after each cut.

Once you have gotten the best reading you can, connect your antenna directly back to the radio.

The setting of your swrs is to make your antenna as efficient as possible, by trying to get it as close as you can to a 50ohm impedance. THE ONLY PART OF YOUR SYSTEM THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR SWR IS YOUR ANTENNA, not your coax and not your radio. Your radio and coax can give you false readings, but only the antenna can actually change the swr.

On the swr meter, the fwd/ref switch stands for forward (power that is being transmitted out) and reflected (power that is reflected back into the radio.

Just for information sake, the swr cal switch on your radio is used to set the meter to reflect the swr that your antenna is set at. The meter on your radio is like a dummy light on your car. ONCE AGAIN, YOU CAN NOT SET YOUR SWR ON YOUR RADIO, only the antenna.
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