# Get Out And Explore! > Tech Section >  CB antenna

## mtyler11

FINALLY got good SWR.  Initially following install 2 yrs ago with a 3/8ths stud mount and Firestick I was at a shade under 1.5 (with spring) and I was satisfied with that.  Late last yr started having issues with the compact "CB in hand" models and after fighting with them this spring broke down and got a 'proper' compact CB.  
But I was still fighting higher SWR than previous.  Best I could get was 2.  I could talk farther on the mag-mount than on the installed Firestick... grrr.  So I started grounding (almost) everything in back.  I still might tie the chassis/bed ground to the trailer 7-pin neg...
Also, shot the feedline into a dummyload and SWR was near perfect, so I know the cable is fine...
But still wasn't below 1.7...  grr...  plus I noticed the threaded stud (through the sheet metal-mount) was bending... so I said to hell with it and found some NMO mounts and went all in.  Tram's NMO-3/8" CB adapter isn't great.  BUT the Browning NMO 5/8 whip gets GREAT swr.  Now I just need to do some distance testing to see how far it will talk.  

Still don't understand why the NMO-3/8 adapter is causing so much SWR.  I even tried it without the spring, same results.  Unless the Firestick went bad somehow?...

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## Rubicon

I know a lot of people are for some reason, but I am not a fan of Firestick antennas, as I prefer whips(always did I guess). The reason is that I rarely am able to get them tuned well or at all most of the time, but a whip is almost able to be tuned real well every time, even a cheap one.

Anyways, congratulations Tyler! :)

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