CB parts?

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Does anyone have an antenna cable and/or antenna mount hanging around doing nothing? I picked up a fire stick and a cobra antenna cheap, and I have a CB that I'm not sure if it works or not... but I'd like to get a semi permanent set up in the Caird soon...

The cable is more important... Cause I can't make one...

 

[retrofive]

I dont. But they are pretty cheap, and you will want a proper length. IIRC the cable needs to be divisible by 3 and over 9'.... or something like that. Any excess you'll want looped in a large figure 8 pattern. The cable I used has a ground wire included in it. Not 100%, but think its the only way I can get away with my placement, given its not on a grounding plane.

I have SW meter as well if you need it to test.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Cool! I was pricing cables and yeah, they are not too much... I just have to decide where to put it....

 

[knoll0351]

I have a spare cable with ends factory installed.

 

[Ebag333]

IIRC the cable needs to be divisible by 3 and over 9'.... or something like that. Any excess you'll want looped in a large figure 8 pattern.

The cable length should not matter if you tune it (which you should do anyway). But yes, shorter = better, more so from a clarity/power standpoint than anything else.

The cable I used has a ground wire included in it. Not 100%, but think its the only way I can get away with my placement, given its not on a grounding plane.

Mounting it so it grounds through the base is the best solution.

If you mount it to a door (such as the 80's lift gate) you can get a flat braided copper wire to fully ground the door to the body. You may or may not need to do so (I'd only do it if there was noise).

Getting a magnetic mount and putting it in the center of your roof would be ideal, but that's usually not the most feasible position. (Not to mention magnetic mounts are hard on the paint....that may be less of a concern for you. )

 

[Oregon Smurf]

I have a cable also, I'll throw in it the Smurf. Maybe when we (the whole club) gets together we can help configure how to install it 'couse as you know "To many cooks spoil the broth" or "Keep cuttin' holes soon one will work" or "Fooie pass me some tin foil and bondo" COOL I love to work on other rigs.

 

[retrofive]

The cable length should not matter if you tune it (which you should do anyway). But yes, shorter = better, more so from a clarity/power standpoint than anything else.



Mounting it so it grounds through the base is the best solution.

If you mount it to a door (such as the 80's lift gate) you can get a flat braided copper wire to fully ground the door to the body. You may or may not need to do so (I'd only do it if there was noise).

Getting a magnetic mount and putting it in the center of your roof would be ideal, but that's usually not the most feasible position. (Not to mention magnetic mounts are hard on the paint....that may be less of a concern for you. )

Sorry should have put that in there as well. I totally agree with ya, the mount grounded on a flat horz. surface dead center is optimal.

Only reason I brought cable length is they say to keep your CB in sync with antenna. CB running on channel 27 will be around 27.4Mhz or something like that, wavelength in feet =36', so half wavelength give you 18' and 1/4 wave being 9'. Whether or not thats true, dunno. Just what what I have read.


My setup was more of test that happens to works well enough

And yes you should tune it, but not all antenna's are tunable. My is almost dead on the SW with out any other adjustments.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

On the other hand 3/4 of my roof is fiberglass..... Ok, I'll see if I can find a good spot to mount the antenna and we'll plug 'er in when you cable jokeys get here...

Travis and Smurf, how long are your cables? I was thinking rear bumper mount... but we'll have to see...

 

[retrofive]

Yep jerod - you're part of the j**p crowd on the fiberglass issue. Search a few j**per's and you'll quickly see what they have to overcome in the CB area.

This is LAME drawing, but you will get the idea. The rectangle is for say the truck. Blue circle is the transmission on a metal horz. space. The antenna uses this to "bounce" the signal out. But putting the antenna in a offset situation you'll strenghten (given grounding plane) toward the "most" metal. So the red oval repersents the placement and area of strongest signal strength if place like mine, Travis's or Garret's. It is not precise and over exaggerated (drawing) just an cheap example.


Truckers I have found will often (if they are thinking about it) put their antenna's on the passenger side, do to the US left hand driver. So their signal will be stronger on the oncoming traffic side as well as good coverage on the side they are driving. Again center is optimal.

Marine CB's use a "non" ground plane antenna, they are relativaly more expsensive, but same reason for a fiberglass top applies to a fiberglass 4runner or J**p.

These are fully functional for auto and often use on RV's for the same reason.

Like I said mine was more of an experiment. With SW meter (which I'll bring) and some goofing around we find a place for your setup.

One last note, again this is all loosley based on my research and could be very wrong. Rear bumper placement is ok long as I think they say 1/3 of the total antenna should be placed above the highest place (most likley roof, havent heard of racks being too obstrivise)

Im not saying any of this is 100% and correct, just in my research for a trucking project found these general concepts on CB operation.

If this info is inaccurate please educate me I battled my last client CB project with zero knowledge and had to read for hours to make a function base station for truck communication.



PS: I love playing with stuff, so more than welcome to collaborate on the CB stuff.

 

[Ebag333]

On the other hand 3/4 of my roof is fiberglass.....

Yep jerod - you're part of the j**p crowd on the fiberglass issue. Search a few j**per's and you'll quickly see what they have to overcome in the CB area.

That's why we need to have Travis redo your top in sheet metal.

Travis and Smurf, how long are your cables? I was thinking rear bumper mount... but we'll have to see...

One last note, again this is all loosley based on my research and could be very wrong. Rear bumper placement is ok long as I think they say 1/3 of the total antenna should be placed above the highest place (most likley roof, havent heard of racks being too obstrivise)

In this case, more over the roof = better. 1/3rd is kinda the rough "rule of thumb" minimum I've read, but I've seen setups with a short stubby completely below the roof line. Then again the ones of those I've seen myself have had crappy transmission ranges....

For combination ease and ideal spot, I think that if you could mount it on the back of the cab roof, where the canopy meets the cap, dead center, would be ideal. (You don't want it too near the engine or you can very likely pick up noise/interference.)

If you use a ground plane antenna, you'll get a pretty big boost forward, wherever your nose is pointed. Directly to the rear you will not have that big boost, but you should be able to send/receive decently.

Where I've mounted mine is not really ideal. It's very heavily strong to the front and drivers side, fairly weak to the rear and passengers side. I do plan on relocating it eventually to mount on the rear hatch, but that's more for protection of the mount than anything else.

All that being said, I'm happy with the reception and transmission range. But I have a couple of advantages with the large flat roof, and a steel antenna.

Marine CB's use a "non" ground plane antenna, they are relativaly more expsensive, but same reason for a fiberglass top applies to a fiberglass 4runner or J**p.

These are fully functional for auto and often use on RV's for the same reason.

Definitely something to consider. It'd mean forking out some $$$ (and we all know how much you love that), but it's an option, especially if you want to run it towards the rear where all that fiberglass is.

Either way, I'd try your antenna first. Worst case scenario is you burn up your CB radio.

 

[strever]

think about all of the handheld/walkieTalkies
they have a little stubie antenna and seem to work ?

Truckers use 2 antennas, one on each side.
usually mounted on the mirrors

BUT for our vehicles
the best antenna is the 9' stainless whip
it can mount almost anywhere on the vehicle and work very well
as long as the ground connection is good

 

[knoll0351]

I don't recall how long the cable i have is, but it is long enough to go from my CB (under the dash) to the ant mount at my rear hatch. And yes with what we use our stations for pretty much having a cb and any ant will put you in business

 

[retrofive]

think about all of the handheld/walkieTalkies
they have a little stubie antenna and seem to work ?

Truckers use 2 antennas, one on each side.
usually mounted on the mirrors

BUT for our vehicles
the best antenna is the 9' stainless whip
it can mount almost anywhere on the vehicle and work very well
as long as the ground connection is good

As for the walkie talkie radios they run on a different Freq.

The handheld CB's I've yet to see one get any range with a stubby antenna and usually get poor reviews. Im really tempted though to try the Midland 79-822 with my extern. ant.

9' Stainless rock I couldnt find one when I was looking and got impatient and went with the firestick, oh well.

One way or another el presidente will have a operational CB by time were done.

Might just hack the fiberglass roof for better reception LOL j/k.

 

[retrofive]

Well I'm completely aborting the Midland 79-822 and Cobra75wxst hand units. Spoke with Don (I thinK) at Southwestern Mobile Communications. He has boxes of these units he pulls from trucks/cars/rvs. They plain suck is the bottom line. Nice guy BTW.

Not to steal your thread, but thought it was relevant.

Here is their info in case anyone cares:

southwestern communication loc: Central Point, OR - Google Maps