Maybe they are using the Harley CBs that got refurbished - lol
Kidding aside, CanAm and Harley pre2014 use the same CB.
It was a killer on my ElectraGlide both transmitting and receiving, but never gave it consideration for the CanAm for various reasons.
Both Harley antennas are pretunded to work with the unit. The CanAm antenna looks NOTHING like the Harley so begins the problem.
The CB in the Harley is in the front fairing using a set amount of cable to reach the rear antenna (again measured for optimum performance).
In the CanAm the unit is in the rear requiring a shorter cable which should require some sort of loading at the antenna base or a much longer antenna. Again, no loading coil and antenna length is not of long enough to be properly tuned for the new location of the unit.
What this means is a higher VSWR (voltage standing wave ration) in the CanAm as compared to a Harley.
A VSWR of 3:1 at the antenna means 25% less power being radiated. A typical and properly Car installed CB will have a VSWR of a range from 1:1 to 2:1 depending on the channel being used (0 loss to 11%). For reference, the VSWR of my Harley was measured at the antenna as 1.75 - 2.75 depending on channel.
From the typical complaints and the amount of CB failures BRP has encounter, I making a guesstimate that the actual VSWR in a CanAm is closer to 6:1 (or higher) meaning 50% of the power is being reflected to the source and how is this dissipated? By the unit in the form of heat. For the user it means the distance of a transmission is half what it should be.
It also means overtime whenever you key the transmitter you are hitting the transmitter's heat sinks with 100% of the transmitted power (heat) and 50% of the reflective power (heat). Think that might lead to premature unit death?
CanAm may have some great design and manufacturing engineers, but I seriously doubt any RF/Communication engineer is on their payroll.
AJ
I have seen where there is an after market CB antenna made for my 2014 RT-L that may improve my CB transmission and receive capabilities. Both are poor at best. I have installed the grounding strap as suggested. It did not help. Perhaps the antenna could help.....I searched our posts, but could not find it. Thanks.
For BRP. I do not understand why you would put out a quality machine and have a CB (cost 2X my Gold Wing) that is useless.... My GW CB is 3X better than Mr. Cognac's CB and my 2011 RT-S was at least as poor. :banghead:
:spyder2:
