CB radio install help

bradjh · Post by **bradjh** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:02 pm

Okay i faintly remember some one talking about installing a CB in their crew and removing the ash tray and putting it down their. How do you get the ash tray out? i also will be putting a 3-4 foot whip antenna on the rear bumper how do you guys run the wire did you have to drill a hole into the cab to get it in or is their a passage hole somewhere? any pics of CB's or antennas would be great. Brad

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:17 pm

What kind of searches hare you tried so far? Maybe you are using the wrong search terms.

GUIDE TO SEARCHING. (Some of the forum software is different but, it has helped me a lot.)

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:20 pm

Oh Gawd!

You have heard the term "I just realized that I have become my father"? It has just hit me but, the dude is younger than I am.

Post by **HenryJ** » Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:29 pm

Check out Paul's post in this thread fro how to run the cable: CB radios

There is also a page on the website: CB install and one for the antenna: CB Antenna Information

HCO4x4 · Post by **HCO4x4** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:12 pm

i put a cb radio in mine i put the wires through the firewall. i also put a 6x9 in the grill for the PA. by the way heres a couple pics with the new wheels.

before

after

green02crew · Post by **green02crew** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:17 pm

Now thats what I'm talkin about! Much better!

Rockrz · Post by **Rockrz** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 4:02 pm

Anybody ever think of getting a radio antenna in the winshield so you can install a power antenna on the fender for yer CB Radio?

That way, the power antenna only comes up when you turn on your CB Radio.

HCO4x4 · Post by **HCO4x4** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 5:41 pm

i never thought of it but thats a good idea. it would look a whole lot better than the huge antenna too. i havent looked though. is there room underneath?

Rockrz · Post by **Rockrz** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:11 pm

HCO4x4 wrote:is there room underneath?

If there's not much room, there's got to be some car out there that came with a short electric antenna that telescoped out to the right height.

I know they have radio antennas that stick on the inside of your windshield, or even on the inside of your back glass that are supposed to work as good as regular antennas.

Anyway, I thought it'd be kinda cool to rig it up this way.

I'd like to have a CB, but I'd want to get some sort of custom ceiling setup to install it in and all have extra storage up there, map lights, and whatever else I can think of to put up top.

Post by **HenryJ** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:27 pm

Rockrz wrote:... there's got to be some car out there that came with a short electric antenna that telescoped out to the right height.

Not likely. CB wave length is 36'. A half wave antenna would be 18'. Shorter antennas include a base coil, wraps around a fiberglass whip, etc. This can be broken down by eighths. A loss of db for shorter antennas. There is a point where proper SWR with not be achievable.

The FM antenna is based upon a 10' wavelength. That is less than one third of what the CB antenna needs. It is generally in fifths , if I understand correctly.

Add to this the quality of the coax and the resistance. Tuning would be impossible at best.

All that said, an FM antenna will not be able to be tuned correctly for use with a CB. Extensive modification would be needed and performance would be poor.

Rockrz · Post by **Rockrz** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:44 pm

Well, if that's true then it's on to plan B...which is to have a regular CB antenna mounted horizontally on the bed (between bed and cab) on some sort of servo that would raise it up right when you turn on the CB to use it.

That ought to be doable because I see guys using CB antennas that are just a little taller than their cab when mounted upright on the top of the bed. At least I could use one made for CBs.

Anything to hide it while not in use.

And, if this is the case then scrap the radio antenna in the window and get an electric antenna for the fender. I listen to CDs about half the time so that can be hidden to when not in use.

Guitar831 · Post by **Guitar831** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 3:37 pm

Rockrz wrote:Anybody ever think of getting a radio antenna in the winshield so you can install a power antenna on the fender for yer CB Radio?

That way, the power antenna only comes up when you turn on your CB Radio.

How would a power antenna work with any CB radio? Don't power antennaes require a 12v source in order to extend/retract said antenna? I've never seen or known of any CB radio that offers such 12v wire that becomes hot when the CB is switched on.

However, you could always splice together your CB radio 12v wire and the main 12v power wire of the power antenna to an external switch and leave the main power switch of the CB always on.

As for windshield antennaes, I haven't seen them in use since pre-1988 full sized GM trucks and SUVs. Where would you find one of those today I wonder?

Rockrz · Post by **Rockrz** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 4:50 pm

Well, they have antenna splicers so you can use your radio and CB on the same antenna...but I have heard, as HenryJ pointed out, this setup doesn't produce the best reception for CBs.

But, I've also heard that this setup can work OK if you use an antenna booster for the CB, but I'll probably not spend money on all that to gamble and see if it does since we know the CB needs a different type of antenna to get the best reception possible

There are modern day foriegn cars that have radio antennas built into the glass, and I've seen on eBay where they have after market antennas that you stick on the inside with adhesive.

Supposedly, glass doesn't harm radio reception.

I'd still kinda like a power radio antenna in my front fender. It would give it that Cadillac feel of redneck luxury!

Post by **HenryJ** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 4:52 pm

Isolate your front bumper and turn it into your antenna.

HCO4x4 · Post by **HCO4x4** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 5:24 pm

HenryJ wrote:Isolate your front bumper and turn it into your antenna.

i like that idea too lol

roadrunner · Post by **roadrunner** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 5:30 pm

Gotta give ya credit on that one Brule!!

I think that's what they call thinking outside the box.

Rockrz · Post by **Rockrz** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 5:50 pm

Anybody ever run their CB off of their front bumper?

Post by **HenryJ** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 6:01 pm

Rockrz wrote:Anybody ever run their CB off of their front bumper?

No, but AM/FM reception is a possibility. It would be directional.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 7:03 pm

GM tried it with windshields. It worked somewhat. For a trail CB it should work ok.

Guitar831 · Post by **Guitar831** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:06 pm

I forgot I just remembered. My aunt owns a 1986 Oldsmobile 88 that has a factory plug-in CB radio handheld unit that shares the antenna with the AM/FM/Cassette radio. It's a powered antenna and if I remember correctly it exteneds/retracts when either CB or A/F/C radio turns on and off. The antenna is mounted on the right rear fender and I'm not sure but probably connected to a splitter with leads to the A/F/C radio and CB radio. If you could find one of these type of antennaes in a bone yard along with the splitter if necessary/possible... problem solved.

Getting it to fit on the fender of a cc.... next problem.

Rockrz · Post by **Rockrz** » Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:17 pm

Guitar831 wrote:I forgot I just remembered.

Isn't that an oxy moron, or whatever they call that?

Thanks for the info. Maybe that would work.