SWR pegged. Coax is grounded from radio?

[zimm]

I went off-roading, and my buddy could only hear my radio within 50 feet of the jeep. I figured something was wrong so I double checked my antenna K4 stud and mount. It's properly grounded on the bottom, the stud is not. I have a 4' firestick antenna. My SWR is pegged on all channels using an external radio shack meter. Something strange is that if I check continuity on the coax on the antenna side from the pin to the outside, I get a beep. This is when the coax is plugged into the CB on one end, and I'm checking continuity at the antenna side. Is that normal or is my radio fried? If I unplug the coax at both ends- I don't have continuity, so I know the wire isn't shorted internally.

HELP!

 

[RatsoW8]

Check continuity on the radio side pl-259 with the other end attached to the antenna. If there is a short and you are using a 3/8" stud mount it may have vibrated loose and shorted somewhere.

Test the radio into a 50 ohm dummy load.

 

[zimm]

Well after trying that- it turns out my coax cable must have a short. With it unconnected at both ends, I'm getting continuity from barrel to pin. Dang it. Time to run a new cable?

 

[Road Squawker]

odds are the problem is at one of the connectors, take them off , re test the coax for continunity and re solder them on

 

[zimm]

Good thought. I desoldered the ends and even cut them off to have fresh wire. There's a still a short in the line. At least I found the problem! New wire on order.

 

[Tallman]

Look for a place where the cable has been squashed. The reason I mention this is because the wire may have been trapped during the install, or something that moves catches it.(Seats etc.)