Author Topic: Mounted my CB (Read 16287 times)

BigMike · « **on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:00:32 AM »

I've finally got my CB Mounted.

Lets start with some pics:

WHITE_TRASH · « **Reply #1 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:11:14 AM »

That would drive me nuts.... Mine is mounted to the bottom of the steering column. Yea I bang my knee on it everyonce in awhile but its nice having it out of the way and easy to get to while hauling butt on fire roads.

Willy Mammoth · « **Reply #2 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:15:58 AM »

Quote from: WHITE_TRASH on Apr 11, 2005, 01:11:14 AM

That would drive me nuts.... Mine is mounted to the bottom of the steering column. Yea I bang my knee on it everyonce in awhile but its nice having it out of the way and easy to get to while hauling butt on fire roads.

How could it be out of the way when you bang your Knees on it?

Mike, you better stop before you turn around to adjust that thing.

Prismo · « **Reply #3 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:18:08 AM »

Quote from: WHITE_TRASH on Apr 11, 2005, 01:11:14 AM

That would drive me nuts.... Mine is mounted to the bottom of the steering column. Yea I bang my knee on it everyonce in awhile but its nice having it out of the way and easy to get to while hauling butt on fire roads.

That's why I put mine on the passenger side of the tranny tunnel. They can bang their knees against it

BigMike · « **Reply #4 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:18:33 AM »

I thought this would be a good place to put it because I want to put gauges below my radio, once I get that installed

so there will be no room in the dash. And the speaker is at a great level and pretty much right next to my ear.

I had a bunch of Antenna problems the last time I tried mounting it, but as of recently I've discovered that my bed was NOT GROUNDED while I was doing some maintence on my rock lights, so now that the bed is grounded the Antena is working great!

Once I got it turned on I was flipping around through different channels giving out "Mic Checks" but no one was out there.. I was starting to think that my Antenna problems were related to something else, but also I knew that I was in the shop which is a huge metal building (Faraday cage) so once out the shop I tried it again..

And In fact I was able to get out all the way across town into Clovis!!!! Check this out:

WHITE_TRASH · « **Reply #5 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:19:33 AM »

I usually hit it when Im jumping back into my truck instead of just sliding into it. Like today, I was stopped on top of a big hole (had to spot for a tj

) and when I climbed on top of the rocker skid to get back in I tapped it with my knee. Never anything sever just a love tap.

Prismo · « **Reply #6 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:20:54 AM »

Mike,
Did you set the SWR yet for the antenna?

WHITE_TRASH · « **Reply #7 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:21:15 AM »

Quote from: Prismo on Apr 11, 2005, 01:18:08 AM

That's why I put mine on the passenger side of the tranny tunnel. They can bang their knees against it

I actually thought about that until I realized my seats slide too far forward and it wouldnt fit.

BigMike · « **Reply #8 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:25:49 AM »

I'm pretty sure I was talking to a guy at a base station, but he said that I was LOUD AND CLEAR BABY!

Looks like the CB guy tweaked my radio just right

I've been told that a general distance for a CB is about 5 miles in a clear, flat area, but I was able to reach out to Shaw and Villa from Maple and McKinley and my signal was clear. Right across the city, even over the airport which must have alot of static energy in the area! Further more, I was on the south-west corner of our building, which means that I had to go up and over the top of the building just to send a signal out to Shaw and Villa which is nearly due North-East from my position.

Quote from: WHITE_TRASH on Apr 11, 2005, 01:11:14 AM

That would drive me nuts.... Mine is mounted to the bottom of the steering column. Yea I bang my knee on it everyonce in awhile but its nice having it out of the way and easy to get to while hauling butt on fire roads.

It's not in my way right now. Actually it's up high enough that I can still store my jacket or backpack below it and behind my shifters and it will not block the speaker.
Yeah, I considered mounting it beneath the column but I determined that it would SUCK to have it down there, plus I would need some other speaker to hear anything.

Quote from: Willy Mammoth on Apr 11, 2005, 01:15:58 AM

Mike, you better stop before you turn around to adjust that thing.

Maybe if I am changing channels, but its a really basic CB so I've already memorised where each dial is so I don't have to look at it to adjust the volume/squelch/etc.

I am really really happy with where its at. Its right where I can hear it perfectly and its not in the way of anything. The only bad thing is that it might catch the eyes of an idiot thief but hopefully since the unit is only worth about $5 they will move on

Can't wait for the Jamboree. I'm really eager to use the CB now!

BigMike

BigMike · « **Reply #9 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:30:22 AM »

Quote from: Prismo on Apr 11, 2005, 01:20:54 AM

Mike,
Did you set the SWR yet for the antenna?

I have a SWR meter and an extra antenna wire but my antenna is not adjustable so I cant do anything yet...

Actually the Antenna is some really old white fiberglasss antenna that has definately seen better days. I got it for free from TURBO and the CB Radio is really old and I found it at the shop in the storage area and Marlin gave it to me for free also.

So the only money I have in my setup is $20 for a guy to modify the CB, $10 for a used mic, and about $15 in the mount and cables.
So its a slam system that is working great for what I've got in it!

Prismo · « **Reply #10 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:31:48 AM »

I can talk to people at Reiter from my house ~10 miles or more. I have a 3/4 wave antenna though
There is no adjustment under the top cap of the antenna?

WHITE_TRASH · « **Reply #11 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:33:43 AM »

Quote from: BigMike on Apr 11, 2005, 01:30:22 AM

I have a SWR meter and an extra antenna wire but my antenna is not adjustable so I cant do anything yet...

Really? Even the cheap firesticks all you do is take the end cap off and clip off a bit of wire to tune them in. Keep in mine you clip a very small amount at a time off. Like 1/16th of an inch at a time.

BigMike · « **Reply #12 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:40:41 AM »

I have no idea, I'll have to check it out tomorrow. Check my previous post, I added to it. The antenna is so beat up that it doesnt even have a cap anymore.

Hopefully its adjustable so I can put the meter on it and check it out tomorrow. What am I supposed to do, mic up on channels 1 and 40 and try to keep the SWR as close to zero as possible, right?

WHITE_TRASH · « **Reply #13 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:42:34 AM »

Usually I set them at 1.5 so its good allo across the bandwidth. If you set it on the channel that you run exclusively then zero it. At least I think thats how Ive done it. Hell its been a long time....

Prismo · « **Reply #14 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:44:33 AM »

I usually check 1 & 40, Then check 20. I wouldn't want it much above 2 on the reading, it can damage the radio. Lower is better. Mine is at 1.1

BigMike · « **Reply #15 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:45:21 AM »

Quote from: Prismo on Apr 11, 2005, 01:31:48 AM

I can talk to people at Reiter from my house ~10 miles or more.

Wow, that's really cool. I don't know how far I can get out. The guy told me I was loud and clear so Im sure I can get out more. I know Marlin's Cobra can't do that so I was really happy when I heard how far away he was.

A new antenna would definately be a worthwile investment. A 3/4 wave antenna is huge, right? And like $200+? Is that mounted on your rig?!

BigMike · « **Reply #16 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:46:20 AM »

Cool, thanks for the double-team information

Prismo · « **Reply #17 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:48:29 AM »

It is huge, it is a Wilson ~$75.00. Awesome on the road for getting out. Helps when in the mountains too. Mine is mounted above the front fender so it won't smack anyone on the trail

BigMike · « **Reply #18 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 01:54:37 AM »

I'm checking out Antennas on Ebay right now, what do you think about this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=48692&item=5762696727&rd=1&ssPageName=WD1V

It's a Wilson 3' Fiberglass antenna. For no good reason I like Wilson better than Firestick, so I want to get a Wilsons.

The antenna is $12.99 + 9.50 = $22.49. I'm trying to remember what the guy at the CB shop wanted. I think it was more like $30 or $35 so I think that ebay store is a good buy

Prismo · « **Reply #19 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 02:02:05 AM »

I shattered a Firestick. The Wilson has taken a horrible beating over the last 10 years

WHITE_TRASH · « **Reply #20 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 02:02:45 AM »

Nice antenna. Decent price even including shipping. Id get a 4-6 footer but thats just me. One thing you want to make sure of is that the antenna is over your cab. That way the roof isnt blocking any signal.

BigMike · « **Reply #21 on:** Apr 11, 2005, 02:04:01 AM »

Looks like I can find them for under $20 at online stores, so I am going to go to the CB guy tomorrow (if I have time) and try to pick one up for cheap

91 super yoda · « **Reply #22 on:** Apr 13, 2005, 08:58:33 PM »

I bought a cobra dx19 II and in my 91 if fits snugly "IN" the dash where the ash tray used to be. looks very nifty, ill get pics when it gets daylight. and ran the wires through the dash up the windshield post through the headliner and drilled a whole in the roof and mounted my antenna. i put external speakers in the stock speaker wholes in the dash and moved teh radio speakers to the door. it was a little overkill but for as much as im on the highway and on the trails it comes in very handy being right under the cd player.

BigMike · « **Reply #23 on:** Apr 14, 2005, 12:07:59 AM »

Cool super yoda,

Having it in the dash would be nice, I have to admit. After a few days of use I find it annoying having to turn around to change the channel, but I knew that would suck, so I just figured that when I'm actually out on the trail I'm not going to be changing the channel anyways, so what's the big deal?

But of course here in town I am constantly searching around for a conversation to engage with. So for that purpose, having it mounted on the back wall is lousey. But I can hear everything perfectly clear and even with the volume being only about 20%.

In other news - Hey Guys ! I bought a 4' Silver Load Flex Fiberglass Antenna! Its really really flexable and it doesn't even need a spring at the base. In fact, since I have the Antenna mounted atop the bed rail, it flexes in such a manner that it completely avoids the cab! It's stiffer at the base and then flexy about half way up, so most of the movement comes from about where the level of my cab is -- yet you can still bend it completely beneath the level of the cab in case of a tree branch..

It's a much smaller diameter then a regular fiberglass antenna, yet it still has the same power rating.

And it has an adjustable tip, and I installed it at the shop and they even helped me set the SWR.
On channel 1 its 1.3
On channel 40 its 1.1

And I was talking to a guy who was out on American and Clovis and I was at Shields and Fresno... That's about 9.5 miles across town! So I am very excited about my CB performance. Maybe everyone's unit can get out this far or farther, but for me, I never thought this little thing that I found in the back yard and then did some TLC would ever work this great.

But I think its doing really good because he was rather staticky but I could still understand him, but he said I just had normal static and it was easy to understand me. So at least I had more power then he did. Maybe he's got some crappy unit, but he was also getting nearly 10 miles across a city so I don't think so..

Can't wait to get on the trail and actually use it!

91 super yoda · « **Reply #24 on:** Apr 14, 2005, 10:38:32 AM »

picture of dash

19801981 · « **Reply #25 on:** Apr 14, 2005, 05:29:48 PM »

i got an 80 yota and i put mine uder the the small stuff holder on the drivers sode right when u get in and it can swivel if i need it but its perfect

Hyena · « **Reply #26 on:** Apr 24, 2005, 03:43:54 PM »

I put mine on the bottom of my glove box. Passengers still have a lot of leg room, but maybe thats becasue it is an extra cab.

freds40 · « **Reply #27 on:** Apr 24, 2005, 03:54:28 PM »

Quote from: BigMike on Apr 14, 2005, 12:07:59 AM

I was talking to a guy who was out on American and Clovis and I was at Shields and Fresno... That's about 9.5 miles across town!

Hey Mike, not trying to burst your bubble but you weren't talking to the guys @ Darroll's CB shop were ya? (That's the shop I always do business with.) They have such a screaming system, they can receive and send up and down 99 for miles. (and I'm not talking a few) Didn't know what kind of system you were communicating with.
Once running up 99, a guy from Alabama was getting a mi8c check for his system he had @ his house and he was clear as a bell!

V-Man · « **Reply #28 on:** Apr 24, 2005, 04:27:23 PM »

Quote from: 91 super yoda on Apr 14, 2005, 10:38:32 AM

picture of dash

Thats a sweet setup, read how you did it. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. Know what I mean

91 super yoda · « **Reply #29 on:** Apr 25, 2005, 04:22:05 PM »

if you want a step by step process of how i did it i can post it. not really all that hard, just got to know how to pull that bottom part of the dash out, if you have ever put a different radio in you know how to pull the dash out, i just wanted a place to mount it that would be out of the way of my legs, but close enough so i could play with it when i need to. did some measureing and found that it fits perfectly in there.

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