Best CB set-up:

[gary in ohio]

It's not my article....Gary.
It's just links and info from the Wilson website......which was "ON Topic" with what TACODOC said above.......and he really seems to like his Wilson Antenna!
Obviously your CB Radio is just not working for you.....and you don't like CB Radios..........I'm sorry........so the answer is simple. Just stop using it. They are junk! Right?
.

Never said it was your article I simply pointed out the article had no technical merit to show its a better antenna. As for CB not working for me, CB has its place and does well for that. My dad got a CB license in 62 right after the CB band was carved out of the 10m ham band. I was active during 70 hey day of CB and have had a CB in my vehicle for over 30 years. CB as a general communication medium is close to worthless in many areas, Ch 19 once a great spot to listen for traffic and safety tips is now awash with vulgar language, racist BS and over modulated, echo driven signals that are almost impossible to understand. WHY people think over modulation or echo will get the signal further is beyond me.

Now if you have small group of traveling buddies off on your own channel it can be very useful, but finding a channel that isnt filled with rubbish is hard now a days.

CB still has its place but using for that purpose is getting hard and harder due to the those who feel the rules where not ment for them. People somehow feel that license free means no rules and its hardly the issue. CB rules just like every other radio service and if people followed them then CB would be once what it was.

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

This site seems to have good easy question and answer info....all on one page.

http://www.advancedspecialties.net/cb-radio-faq.htm <~Clickit


Some important points I see there are "Ground Plane"...... "Antenna Size"......."Antenna Placement".


.

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Mobile Antenna Placement.............

http://www.olypen.com/craigh/antennab.htm


"If you desire maximum range and performance from your CB, then you do not want to compromise the radiator, and you will need to consider mounting a full ¼ wave antenna somewhere... but your choices are few. The bumper is probably the poorest location for an antenna you can find, because the body blocks too much of the radiator, and usually gives a bad SWR (you might as well have a shorter loaded antenna where it will do some good). Mounting it on a tire carrier or on the front of a brush guard will work okay, but isn't a good coupling to the GP. So for the best performance that only leaves the roof (best performance, but not strong enough for a 1/4 wave whip), or high on the rear quarter panel."


Setting the SWR..............

Setting the SWR.........

 

[alfio]

"If you desire maximum range and performance from your CB, then you do not want to compromise the radiator, and you will need to consider mounting a full ¼ wave antenna somewhere... but your choices are few. The bumper is probably the poorest location for an antenna you can find, because the body blocks too much of the radiator, and usually gives a bad SWR (you might as well have a shorter loaded antenna where it will do some good). Mounting it on a tire carrier or on the front of a brush guard will work okay, but isn't a good coupling to the GP. So for the best performance that only leaves the roof (best performance, but not strong enough for a 1/4 wave whip), or high on the rear quarter panel."

(bringing this thread back...)

this is the key section in a very clearly written piece (seems to be a rarity in all things antenna and/or cb related).

for those of us with pickup trucks -- especially if we use the bed for loading stuff -- the only option seems to be to mount the antenna somewhere on the front, either on the bullbar (if we have one) or on the inner fender/hood. does one location offer better performance than the other?

 

[Snafu]

Well I took my first step into the CB world just last night...ordered a Cobra 18WXSTII (like to start simple...and the built in speaker seems nice) and a 60" whip.

I plan to someday get the HAM operator license and all that but I wanna learn from here and work my way up. Plus I want both capabilities since I live in what is basically a big island in the desert called El Paso and find myself driving through very remote, and desolate areas.

I don't usually have trees to worry about but I wanna keep it lower than the roof. Looking to mount it on the edge of the toolbox and I figure I could tie it down when I find myself in the mountains where all the trees are.

Should be here on Friday and I'm hoping to install it without issue.....fat chance I know :costumed-smiley-007

 

[Per]

I might have found the best CB setup for my vehicle. My radio is a Magnum S9 and a Sirio Performer 5000. To gain range I also use a linear amplifier from RM Italy 203P. The antenna is mounted in the center of the roof for optimum performance.

 

[sxharr05]

When I had my Ram, the best performing setup I ran was a Uniden PC78LTW (weather) with a Wilson 1000 mag-mount, center roof. In my experience/opinion, the Unidens seem to be better performers out of the box than the similar Cobras (29 LTD, etc.). As for compact units, I had really good results with the Pro520XL and the same antenna. I also ran a Galaxy 959 SSB for a bit but it was more than I needed plus there seemed to be quite a bit of drift on the sidebands. Although it was cool listening to people in San Diego shoot the breeze (I'm near Philly, FWIW). Skip was good on those occassions. All radios have been wired directly to the battery and have run an SWR of 1.1:1.

 

[1911]

In my experience/opinion, the Unidens seem to be better performers out of the box than the similar Cobras (29 LTD, etc.).

I have also found (by having installed and used both in the same 33-year-old truck) that Unidens are better shielded against RF interference than Cobras.

 

[dra2120]

when you guys say you are wiring straight to the battery, are you literally connecting straight to the battery or are you connecting via a relay switched by the ignition?

 

[Scott B.]

I run mine fused to the battery.

It is occasionally nice to be able to have the radio on without needing the ignition key.

 

[craig333]

Definitely straight to the battery. There are many times I want my radio on when the engine isn't running. Amp draw receiving is minimal. Of course everyone now and then just as you get comfy in bed and the radio squawks, you wish it was wired differently

 

[conifers4]

I might have found the best CB setup for my vehicle. My radio is a Magnum S9 and a Sirio Performer 5000. To gain range I also use a linear amplifier from RM Italy 203P. The antenna is mounted in the center of the roof for optimum performance.

Wish I had seen this post earlier. Per, that is a hi-drive radio your running into a low drive amp. Those amps only require a 1 or 2 watt deadkey or you will smoke them. That radio is really to powerful for that amp, but I must say you made a great choice in radios. I have owned two and they were incredible performers. Not criticizing your setup but just wanted to make you aware if you visit this thread again.

 

[Per]

Wish I had seen this post earlier. Per, that is a hi-drive radio your running into a low drive amp. Those amps only require a 1 or 2 watt deadkey or you will smoke them. That radio is really to powerful for that amp, but I must say you made a great choice in radios. I have owned two and they were incredible performers. Not criticizing your setup but just wanted to make you aware if you visit this thread again.

In Sweden we use FM and SSB. The radio have variable RF-power set to 10W FM output and the amp can handle upp to 10W input power and gives 100W output. This setup gives me very good reports. In AM mode I don't use the amp because the radio is powerful enough. In good locations I reach up to 100 miles talking to base stations.

This week we had very good skip conditions and I could hear the east coast of USA in my radio.

I run my radio setup directly from the battery. I have cables for both plus and minus to the battery to decrease noise from the car electrics.

 

[RickNV]

anyone have a Uniden BC-980?
looks really nice but wanted to get some feedback from those who have one???

 

[4x4junkie]

anyone have a Uniden BC-980?
looks really nice but wanted to get some feedback from those who have one???

Curious about the radio myself, some Google searching brought me to this:
http://www.worldwidedx.com/cb-band-cb-radios/140017-uniden-980-ssb.html

Looks like a good radio that has a very annoying beep when pressing the panel buttons (but there's a link to a YouTube vid on how to disable it). I don't see where you'd need SSB if it's just for trail communications though, but if you want to try for some DX, I'd say go for it. Certainly the price is right on it. If anything, radios having SSB tend to have better performance even when used on regular AM mode as well.