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CB Radio.

K

Kingkong0192

NAXJA Forum User
Location
New Milford, CT
Got a free CB radio. Not the best, but a CB radio at that. Figured i'd run some wires for it and when my pockets grow deeper buy a nice CB and have all the wires ready to just plug it in.

Anyways, is it just a coax cable from the antenna to the cb radio and then a lead from the battery to the radio and a ground?

Plan on mounting a 5' firestik antenna to my rear passenger side bumper.

Am i overlooking anything?
 
The connector is different than your typical household coax cable. So you will either need a cable with the correct ends, or an adapter. I got a 20ft (I think) cable on amazon for fairly inexpensive.
And yes, do not forget a fuse.

And if you have excess wire. Do NOT roll it.
 
Yah, basically power to the radio. I usually tap an auxiary fuse in the fuse panel.
If you can locate the one for the stock radio, that will work.

The radio's harness should have an in-line fuse already. If not get one with a 3a fuse in it.

Radio to antenna connection is a PL-259 connector and the Coax is RG-58. I believe for a 5/8 wave firestick you need 18ft of coax. You can buy complete cables in the appropriate length at most any truck stop.

Make sure the antenna end is grounded. One of the most common issues with CBs and Jeeps in general, is a good antenna ground.

I won't go into installation details because Firestick has a whole technical section on how to install their product.
Yes, you can coil the excess, just make large loops.

-Ron
 
An old HAM guy told me once that for CBs, because of the wavelength of the CB band, your anteanna and cable need to be cut in increments of 3ft. For instance if you have 3ft of anteanna and 10ft of cable, cut 1ft of cable off so you have a total of 12ft. He says thats the best way to get optimum signal out of whatever unit your running. Disclaimer, I am not now nor have I ever been a HAM. If there are any HAMs on here, please correct me if I'm wrong.

x2 on the grounds.
 
I think most newer ones are tuneable without cutting, but I recommend an antenna that uses a "screw" to adjust the SWR. I have the Radiocrap brand/version of a firestick antenna, which has a "screw" in the end that you adjust. I haven't had to as it seems to do well as is. But I would like to tune it someday.
 
Google for the owners manual to your CB, or to similar CB, they all install just about the same.

Buy a FireStik II tunable CB antenna, and 20 ft of CB coax cable. You will also need a mounting bracket, and antenna stud that works with the cable assembly.

The 3 foot increments of coax is BS, use whatever length cable that comes in the package, or fits between the two.
 
O-Gauge Steamer said:
Check with your local Radio Shack to see if they can check the Standing Wave Ratio after the radio is installed. The antenna needs to be tuned for a proper SWR reading.
Click to expand...


Funny guy. Radio shacks these days are mobile phone stores that carry extra stuff.

Ask a counter person anything remotely techie and you get the deer-in-headlights look.
 
I hate CBs. I have one, and admittedly they are great for communicating on the trail, but is it any wonder it's a dying technology? Getting the stupid things to work right takes some kind of hocus-pocus I haven't quite figured out yet. Just look at the speculation on the hocus-pocus in this thread alone - cut the coax so that coax plus antenna equals 3 ft increments!? And don't coil, oh wait, do coil, but big loops!? And then wave your magic wand over it and hope it works.

Rant over. Git 'er done.
 
RockTracXJ said:
I hate CBs. I have one, and admittedly they are great for communicating on the trail, but is it any wonder it's a dying technology? Getting the stupid things to work right takes some kind of hocus-pocus I haven't quite figured out yet. Just look at the speculation on the hocus-pocus in this thread alone - cut the coax so that coax plus antenna equals 3 ft increments!? And don't coil, oh wait, do coil, but big loops!? And then wave your magic wand over it and hope it works.

Rant over. Git 'er done.
Click to expand...

Hahaha I feel you on this, I've had a CB sitting in my based for about 3 years now. I haven't installed it because of this. I have too much of a "do it right" attitude and what bit of searching I did seemed to lead to a lot of information that that was said to be wrong by someone else. Add that to getting them tuned by what is now a cellphone store, or not needing it tuned, and all that jazz.

So I just said screw it. I'm still young and hopped up on Monster enough to hop out of my rig to talk on the trail. On the road I can just call.

It probably helps nobody I know has a CB in there rig either, or a rig at all for that matter. Ohh they joys of a Detroit Jeeper.
 
bugout said:
An old HAM guy told me once that for CBs, because of the wavelength of the CB band, your anteanna and cable need to be cut in increments of 3ft.
Click to expand...

Currently, the most common CB antennas are the 5/8 wave Stick antennas.
Though it transmits and receives well, the problem with the 5/8 Wave antenna is that it does not present a 50 ohm load at the feed point. So to match it to the transmitter, they use the coax as an impedance match.

That's why pre-made coax assemblies at Trucks Stops are either 12' or 18'.

CB's are not magic, nor are they hard to setup with the right antenna.
Base load antennas don't have this matching issue because it's all done in the base, not the feed line.

I agree, Rat Shaft isn't what it used to be.

Ron
 
I know it seams ridiculous to spend 100$ on an antenna but just buy a Wilson 1000 magnet mount antenna and be done. Out of the box it will work fine for a trail rig and probably pretty well on the road. It's money but they work every time.
 
bugout said:
A 10meter unit is what you want....Cheap on craigslist or ebay.
Click to expand...
Rant ON

I very much hope you didn't just advise people to go get 10 Meter Radios and Operate them without a the appropriate License.

** 10 Meter ( and 2 Meter) equipment requires an Amateur Radio License to Operate **

Even if you do have an Amateur License, it is illegal to use 10 Meter equipment in the CB Band.

/Rant Off
____________________________________________________________

For most of what we do (Chatting between Jeeps on the trail), a regular CB works well and doesn't require any special knowledge or license to use.
Heck most of us are too cheap to buy a CB with Sideband.

Even lower on the Technical Spectrum is a set of ""Bubble pack Radios" you can pick up darn near anywhere from Walmart to a Truck Stop.
You buy a pair and leave them in your Jeep. When you go riding with someone who has no radio, you set them up on a channel you want and toss one to the other guy. A bunch of my buddies use them.

For those who do Search And Rescue work or want greater communication range, or the ability to take advantage of a large network of repeaters, getting an Amateur Radio License is a must have. Your options for Radios and Power increases as does your potential for extra fun. The use of 2 Meters has become popular out West where the outback is a bit more remote.

For those interested in Getting their Amateur Radio License:
They are inexpensive, but you need to read a book and take a test to learn the regulations and a bit of radio theory, and take a test.
IMO if you are into CB, this is the next step on your journey.
Here is a good starting point:
http://www.arrl.org/getting-your-technician-license
 
WB9YZU said:
Rant ON

I very much hope you didn't just advise people to go get 10 Meter Radios and Operate them without a the appropriate License.

** 10 Meter ( and 2 Meter) equipment requires an Amateur Radio License to Operate **

Even if you do have an Amateur License, it is illegal to use 10 Meter equipment in the CB Band.

/Rant Off
____________________________________________________________

For most of what we do (Chatting between Jeeps on the trail), a regular CB works well and doesn't require any special knowledge or license to use.
Heck most of us are too cheap to buy a CB with Sideband.

Even lower on the Technical Spectrum is a set of ""Bubble pack Radios" you can pick up darn near anywhere from Walmart to a Truck Stop.
You buy a pair and leave them in your Jeep. When you go riding with someone who has no radio, you set them up on a channel you want and toss one to the other guy. A bunch of my buddies use them.

For those who do Search And Rescue work or want greater communication range, or the ability to take advantage of a large network of repeaters, getting an Amateur Radio License is a must have. Your options for Radios and Power increases as does your potential for extra fun. The use of 2 Meters has become popular out West where the outback is a bit more remote.

For those interested in Getting their Amateur Radio License:
They are inexpensive, but you need to read a book and take a test to learn the regulations and a bit of radio theory, and take a test.
IMO if you are into CB, this is the next step on your journey.
Here is a good starting point:
http://www.arrl.org/getting-your-technician-license
Click to expand...


Ummmmmmm, no, I would never do that!:doh:
 
Kingkong, here is a great resource for CB related info, including antenna selection, antenna placement and radio tuning with an SWR meter.
http://www.wearecb.com/cb-radio-information.html

A little reading will go a long way on taking the scaryness out of CB installs.

FWIW, I run a cheap Uniden CB, paired with a nice Wilson 1000 mounted on the roof (easier than you think) and get great reception.
 
Installing a 10m radio in your Jeep for trail use is really money spent that is not needed unless you plan on talking on a lot of frequencies above 28 Mhz and have at least a Technicians License. The 11m (CB band) is 26.965-27.405 Mhz and operating a radio in the higher frequencies requires that you either carry two antennas or have a broad banded antenna.
The legal CB radio has 4 watts of transmitting power; the export or ham radios that are modified to talk in the 11m band generally put out 25-100 watts. Their receive is generally more sensitive and prone to more incoming vehicle noise.
The radio I operate is a old style Cobra 148 GTL SSB with a Wilson 1000 and LMR 240 coax.
I purchased the antenna mount used and replaced the damage coax with coax that I had laying around. You will find out the older style radios are more forgiving to abuse, dust and temperature changes than the newer surface mount technology radios of today.
The setup I use has been installed since 1997 and has worked very well on the trail. I also have a Yaesu FT1500M 2m radio for times where the 11m just wont do it.
There is alot to be said for stainless whips over the fiberglass antennas; they are more durable and broad banded.....
 
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