Where to install cb radio in a lx 450 ? ? ?

[Tools R Us]

What do you think of that hand held unit some one mentioned?

I have one,,, somewhere? Like all CB's mine is 4 watt, but with the small speaker and antenna they don't preform as well, especially when inside the rig. You can hook the up to power, add an outside antenna and external speaker, but then you might as well have a mounted unit that isn't relocating it's self with each bump?

I carried it for a while, found it handy to loan to others who don't have a radio, but they often couldn't hear well. Also for walking, scouting the trail ahead, it was somewhat handy, but not enough to continue to carry it.

Good mounted units have become very light, compact and inexpensive, so don't see the point, unless you already have one? Mine Uniden mounted with velcro, use a mag mount antenna, so it's unplug the power and it out of the rig in seconds, for my use very convenient.

 

[Ebag333]

I carried it for a while, found it handy to loan to others who don't have a radio, but they often couldn't hear well. Also for walking, scouting the trail ahead, it was somewhat handy, but not enough to continue to carry it.

I have two units that are semi-portable. They're the old school giant brick style units (still listed as "Citizen Band Radios" ) that plug into the cigarette lighter and have magnetic antenna mounts.

They do not work nearly as well as my mounted unit (a "cheap" $50 Radio Shack unit with a "cheap" $20 steel whip antenna), but I keep them around solely to loan out (or use in the wife's truck in the rare case that we are caravaning). I didn't pay more than $20 for either as I picked them up used locally.

But I agree, if you're going to be using it more than a couple times a year it's worth it to have mounted. It'll sound better and you'll get better reception (with a properly setup antenna).

 

[landtank]

my in dash cutie gets about a 1 mile range even in hills. After going with a single din aftermarket radio the left over hole was to good to ignore for a permanent install, that and wiring the external speaker jack to the no longer used front tweeters. You just need to clip the capacitor out of them and they are good to go.

 

[darwink1]

My set up has an external whip that is plugged into the midland unit and the reception is as good as any other rig Ive been in.

Mind you, I dont hold conversations with the space shuttle on a daily basis...... Like others have stated, I use mine on trail rides....and thats about it.


Its also handy if you have 2 vehicles, real simple to switch up if you have an antenna installed on the second vehicle.



To be honest, the real reason I went with the portable unit is that I find the ones that are mounted in the dash look redneck as hell. Id never hear the end of it..

Thats just me though (my friends can be nasty as hell and already consider both my vehicles redneck specials lol).

D

 

[Ebag333]

To be honest, the real reason I went with the portable unit is that I find the ones that are mounted in the dash look redneck as hell. Id never hear the end of it..

Most people don't even notice the CB I have mounted in the ash tray location. If I pulled the mic and cable, it'd be virtually invisible.

Some mounting locations look fairly cheesy, but you can certainly do stealth if that's what you desire.

 

[Tools R Us]

...
To be honest, the real reason I went with the portable unit is that I find the ones that are mounted in the dash look redneck as hell. Id never hear the end of it..

Thats just me though (my friends can be nasty as hell and already consider both my vehicles redneck specials lol).

D

Wouldn't CB ownership/use be the confirming definition of redneck? You have seen Smoky & the Bandit right?

 

[darwink1]

Yup, and thats why I get razzed lol. Now if only they made a collapsible whip.......

And Im only a redneck while on the trail......

D

 

[maxafterburn]

I am mounting mine inside my console out of sight. Will post up some pics when I have some.

 

[Filmpros]

Call me a Redneck then...I get more information and pure entertainment value out of my CB on the road getting the truckers riled up than I do Sirius, FM, and CD combined.

And when a girl gets on my radio...forget about it...!! One thing I will give the truckers, they have one hell of a sense of humor.

 

[Filmpros]

I have heard your rig. It sounds very good within range. It helps that you actually set the SWR. I have seen several who do not even bother. This not only kills performance, but t could easily blow the finals on a rig if it is over 3:1 ratio.

I would love to have a small CB one mounted there...but can't find one I like that will fit.

If I was going to buy a small unit, it would be one of these. There is not a better sounding radio for the size. I just need more power to drive my "helper" that this delivers.

Magnum Mini-Mag - (15 Watts. 4 Times more than a regular CB)
https://www.rflimited.com/Site.asp?CID=2

Magnum 257 - (30 Watts. 8 Times more than a regular CB)
https://www.rflimited.com/Site.asp?CID=2

Magnum makes great radios that output all the way up to 175 watts which is 45 times more than a CB Radio.

Note: If you get one, have the shop "Convert" it for 11 Meters. It is a simple jumper switch but they know how to do it. Also, do not EVER let anyone "Peak & Tune" your radio. I know of only a handful of techs in the country that do it right. Most guys will just trash your radio if you let them "tine" it.


Mine is hovering at around 500 watts .... and gets about 80 Miles under ideal conditions....but realistically 30 to 40 on average. Could be more but only the "Big Ugly Radios" can reach me back ...

I guess I have issues...I need to be heard...LOL

my in dash cutie gets about a 1 mile range even in hills. After going with a single din aftermarket radio the left over hole was to good to ignore for a permanent install, that and wiring the external speaker jack to the no longer used front tweeters. You just need to clip the capacitor out of them and they are good to go.

 

[Filmpros]

Hey, if you are going to do it, do it all the way.

Here you go...

US Patent 4041498 - Collapsible adjustable length citizens-band antenna with coil concealing structure

Yup, and thats why I get razzed lol. Now if only they made a collapsible whip.......

And Im only a redneck while on the trail......

D

 

[Ebag333]

Magnum Mini-Mag - (15 Watts. 4 Times more than a regular CB)
https://www.rflimited.com/Site.asp?CID=2

Magnum 257 - (30 Watts. 8 Times more than a regular CB)
https://www.rflimited.com/Site.asp?CID=2

Magnum makes great radios that output all the way up to 175 watts which is 45 times more than a CB Radio.

How can they sell these? Isn't it illegal to push out that much power?

 

[BenMara]

ahh the days of raising cane when i was younger, talking on Galxey radio behind a sweet 16, gota love people wit big radio rigs.....

 

[Tools R Us]

How can they sell these? Isn't it illegal to push out that much power?

They aren’t CB’s, they use a different frequency. Modifying/converting/using them on CB frequencies is just as illegal as increasing the output of a CB. It’s your responsibility to transmit within the regulations, unfortunately the law is not well enforced.

CB’s are by design/law short range devices, often discounted/slammed because of it, but there is a place for them. They allow lots of users to communicate in a relatively small area, with less crosstalk and saturation. If everybody used long range radios to comment to the rig in front of them, the radio frequencies would be filled with chatter, saturated.

Case in point: Somewhere around one of the places were we like to wheel, is a way overpowered CB. So your out in the middle of nowhere, see the rig your following isn’t on the best line, grab the mic to warn them and some asswipe comes on totally overpowering everyone's units, with an update on the color of his new dress or some equally mindless drivel. Your buddy hits the rock and as soon as there is a break in the drivel, you announce a new channel. Most often you cant just move one channel, because the overpower asshat’s unit causes crosstalk/static on the neighboring channels.

IMHO communication is 2 way, if you are transmitting in a way where the majority cant respond, that’s DICKtating. Say you have a 80mi range, your selfishness is depriving users in a 160mi circle of use of that channel and often one’s closer of the channels on each side. If you need long distance communication, there are radios designed for that and from what I hear, if you own/use them you are one of the cool kids in the off-road world. Overpowering a bunch of users on the “redneck” band, well, cool isn’t one of the words that comes to mind.

 

[maxafterburn]

Tools,
I don't see any problem having a 10 meter radio running 11 meters if used responsibly. When on the trail low power should be the standard, but if you want to sit in your drive at 10pm and talk skip, or if you are in an emergency situation and trying to reach beyond 4 watts what is the issue? Why does having a HAM liscence make this OK?

 

[Ebag333]

Why does having a HAM liscence make this OK?

Because it's an entirely different band, and you're using it for the designed purpose.

 

[1shot1kill]

Tucked away!

 

[Tools R Us]

Tools,
I don't see any problem having a 10 meter radio running 11 meters if used responsibly. When on the trail low power should be the standard, but if you want to sit in your drive at 10pm and talk skip, or if you are in an emergency situation and trying to reach beyond 4 watts what is the issue? Why does having a HAM liscence make this OK?

Your driveway is probably different, but if you draw a 160mi circle from mine there are several lakes, a bunch of trails, tons of camp sites, etc, where people are likely using CB’s for their intended purpose, not to mention people who use them in town. When you turn on your unit, you can’t hear those low power transmissions, so have no idea how many peoples conversations your drowning out when you key the mic. It’s incredibly rude, basically the same as going over to a hummer site, typing in caps about how their rigs suck and you think it affects their sexual persuasion.

Scenario: You setup a trip, a buddy cant make it till late. You agree on a channel and he is going to call on the radio when he gets close. So your sitting in camp, enjoying a beverage by the fire, waiting for the buddy call to direct him to the site you selected and some asswipe comes blaring in about his new pet gerbil. You can’t change the channel or you will miss the call. Your using the unit as intended and being denied by someone who isn’t.

The emergency situation is a good argument, there have been documented lives saved by illegal CB’s and I have never heard of them being prosecuted. But if your concerned about that type of situation there are much better ways to invest, ham, spot, EPIRB, etc. Most times a cell phone would be better than a CB.

Scenario: You have an emergency in the middle of nowhere, fire up the CB and big amp and start transmitting. The vast majority of users that maybe hearing you can’t get back to you, so you have no idea if anything is being done? If you have a ham or even a cell phone, then you know contact has been made, can answer questions, etc. Two way communication is better.

Having a ham license makes ham communication, use OK/legal, it isn’t a license to overpower CB. They are two different things, ham is intended for relatively long range, CB is intended for short range.

 

[96r50]

Nice explanation Kevin!

 

[maxafterburn]

Point taken. I want long range capability and will apply for a HAM liscense.