Am I going to have to buy a SWR meter when I get my CB set up?

Question

I bought an older handheld CB at a flea market that works fine. And I'm going to be buying a magnet antenna for my car soon. Is it guarnteed that my SWRs witll be all screwed up and I'll need to get a meter? Or where can I get my SWR readings adjusted and for how much?

Answer 1

You will likely have a setup that will work within the operating parameters of the radio so an SWR meter is not a necessity.

They become a handy item if you operate a base station and have long runs of cable, large antennas etc. that might require adjustments or repairs.

I doubt you will get satisfactory operation though from a handheld unless you are talking to persons relatively close; the power out of those handhelds is usually quite low. Still, this might the window to fun with radio and lead to more stuff down the road.  Enjoy!

Answer 2

You don't necessarily need a meter.  Depending on the antennae, you won't be able to adjust it anyway.