This is how you want your antenna system to work. If Superman were to shake that same rope and that wave took that building off it's foundation, this low SWR as all of his power was radiated by the building. This is high SWR as all of your power came back to you. That wave will move away from you, hit the building and come back and shake your hand. You pull it fairly taught and whip it up & down once. These are just my pet peaves.:) Anyway, imagine that you have a rope tied to a building.

If you have a standard Cobra 29 out of the box, you have ONE final TRANSISTOR. Most radios except for some modified hams or high power exports HAVE ONLY ONE FINAL TRANSISTOR!!!. If your SWR is too high, not much is going out the antenna and is being reabsorbed by your RF FINAL, (another bolt!!!). What this is is the amount of your signal that is being absorbed / radiated by your antenna system, (including your coax), as opposed to how much is being sent back down the coax and back into your radio. In the words of The Highlander, 'There can only be one'. (I get a lightening bolt down my neck when I hear it called 'SWR'S'.) If this is the case, check or have checked your SWR. If this is the case and you are using mirror mount antennas, are they the new 'no ground needed' or 'ground free' antennas? Does your 'pete' have a fiberglass body? I suspect it does.

Hear myself through mic