Brand NEW to Radio Comms

[badbanterer]

Hello,

I tried to configure a home CB set up but I clearly do not know enough to have ordered everything I need and I don't know what I don't know.

I got a CB Bearcat 9800SSB for backup communications. This is meant to be primarily for home (base) but I did not get it to set up some kind of elaborate set up. I purchased a power supply, a mount and 3 different antennas to try:
Little Will
WILSON 305-495 3500-Watt Trucker Antenna (Black)
FireStik FL3-B Three Foot FireFly Antenna With Tuneable Tip (Black)

I have a 60 V PS set to 13.8 V and 4.5 amps. Connected them using a Wilson Antenna 305-830 18' Belden Coax Cable with PL-259/FME Connectors to a Workman Double Groove CB Radio Antenna Mount W/ SO239 Stud BRV1. I used a thin solid wire to ground the Firestick and the Wilson Truckers antenna, the Little Will has its own cable.

Ok, I think those are the basics. I get SWRs greater than 3 on 1, 20, 40. Depending on the antenna, 1 might be lower than the other two channels but still over 3.

From what I see, it could be grounding and I checked everything I could without a multimeter but I think that I am missing something very basic that any one of you could spot right away from my description. Either wrong type of antenna or perhaps I need some kind of ground plane?

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks,
Jorge

[badbanterer]

When I say I "grounded the antenna", I mean I connected the mount to the ground of the power supply.

[MDYoungblood]

You actually answered yourself in the first post, those types of antenna need a "ground plane", this is a counterpoise or the other half of the radiating element. There is a lot of info here on the forum about making your own antennas, best to search it out. In the meantime you should make a post here to get a post count started,

viewforum.php?f=89

3's

Greg