show your cb radio and antenna install

[4x4junkie]

Standard 4 Watt CB radios are good for about 5 miles tops in normal conditions. Get back in the woods and you're lucky to get 2 miles out of it.

Perhaps if you have a stubby little antenna like what you mentioned... (especially if it's mounted so low it's almost entirely blocked by the vehicle's body)

A decent setup should normally reach about 10 miles or so (provided the party you're talking to also has a decent setup too). 50 or more miles is easily possible if you have a clear shot across a valley or between hilltops.

5½ foot Francis whip w/spring on a triple-mag-mount. The spring keeps trouble with tree branches at bay.

 

[E.J.]

Little uniden in the ashtray slot, speaker in the overhead sunglasses holder, 5' firestick on the bumper. I used to run a 3" firestick on the rack but moved to the bumper because we had the RTT up top for a while.

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

Cobra 29 LX mounted to the XJ center console...



Firestick 4' mounted on the brush bar out front.



I am not 100% convinced that this is the best spot for it for protection. It is on a flexible spring, and easily removable if it gets tight in the trees. It keeps it out in the open however, so it is a tradeoff.

Need to power this up this weekend and tune it.

 

[AFBronco235]

Dual Firestiks on hood mounts and springs with a Cobra 19DXIV mounted sideways on my custom control console. Dinky radio, but it works for what I need. I'm thinking about moving one antenna to the back at some point, if just to balance out how it looks.

 

[Mauka2Makai]

Uniden PRO 520 XL

Now that I have the Blue Sea fuse block installed, I'm able to concentrate on the installation of the accessories that I had waiting. I purchased the Uniden Pro 520 XL from Right Channel Radios at least two years ago. This radio is compact in size, reliable, and for the most part has everything you need minus weather band. It was a combination of waiting to get the fuse block installed and figuring out the best location to install for me. I considered installing in the ashtray, on the dash, passenger side center counsel, and lower center cubby driver side at cup holder. Some times it just takes sitting down and visualizing each spot on whether it will work for you in that particular location. All spots would have worked well, but I decided on mounting the Uniden at the lower center cubby driver side just forward of the cup holder. At this location I am comfortably able to adjust all controls and have the speaker faced towards me so not requiring an external speaker or overly blasting my wife in her direction.



Perfect location with ease of use. The dimensions of the Uniden allowed it to be installed without contacting the parking brake and best of all I didn't have to remove the drink holder. The Unidens mounting bracket was attached to the center counsel with two blind rivets. The bracket is solid and secure.
I did have trouble tuning my 5' Firestik antenna due to improper placement of the stainless washer. I mistakenly placed it on the bottom side of the bumpers tab rather than on top of the teflon washer. FYI pay attention to antenna hardware stackup as it will affect your ground plane and prevent you from tuning your antenna.



After performing a ton of resistance checks and using Firestiks and Right Channel Radios trouble shooting guides, I was just not able to get my SWR reading below 3 until I notice a picture on Everything a CB'er should know The pic showing PL-259 to K-4A stud assembly is what saved me. I now have 1.1:1 reading on channels 1,19,and 40.
Citizens Band will be my primary form of communications while on the trail and road as I feel its important to always use the least amount of watts for your communication needs.
FYI I will be looking into a Yaesu FT-8900R for long range and emergency communications.

 

[Wainiha]

Mauka2makai where you from? Some where in Hawaii I'm guessing. I'm on Kauai. Have I asked you before? How is the CB HAM reception in the valleys?

 

[Black Dog]

Do I really need both CB and HAM?

No, buuut, it would be a good idea. When I was in Montana I would be up a valley or something with no way in heck of getting my 2m FM signal out, but a couple miles up the road is a logging operation using CB who I could talk with. I carry FRS and GMRS radios too.

 

[ssapach]

Radio, because apparently I think a CB is more important than a mirror.....

This is all I'm doing for my antenna, the roof is reserved for UHF and I didn't want an antenna on my rear bumper.

 

[WSS]

Running a tri band 6m/2m/440cm radio and a cobra CB. The am/fm is a sony marine with usb, nice radio

Ended up with a top loaded firestick instead of the bottom loaded wilson

Here is the console finished:

 

[eugene]

Fuse/Relay block


Antenna

 

[mantree91]

Little uniden in the ashtray slot, speaker in the overhead sunglasses holder, 5' firestick on the bumper. I used to run a 3" firestick on the rack but moved to the bumper because we had the RTT up top for a while.

i dont know if yours has it but my old Subaru had a pocket right behind the hand break that was perfect for a speaker that would free up space for other things on the roof

 

[UltraHDGames]

Old thread but oh well, just a basic Cobra 19 and a 3 ft firestik, the antenna mount my Grandfather made for me. Occasionally the cb does get in the way of the passengers leg if they're taller but for the most part its no issue and easily in reach for my self

Here's the antenna mount, doing it this way I did have to add an extra wire to the antenna to properly ground it but it works quite nicely

 

[tyler.96]

Old thread but oh well, just a basic Cobra 19 and a 3 ft firestik, the antenna mount my Grandfather made for me. Occasionally the cb does get in the way of the passengers leg if they're taller but for the most part its no issue and easily in reach for my self

Thanks for bringing it back. I like threads like these, that are generic enough to give people ideas. I'll have to throw up my solution in a bit when I get home. Nice Mazda btw! I used to have a 2wd S10 with manual everything, I had thought about building out. Upgraded to a bigger truck, though.

 

[tyler.96]

Sorry, forgot to post these up. Hard to see, but it's a Browning 63" Whip.


Made this mount for my headache rack.

Nit picky, but I want to move it to the passenger side. It hits on every drive-thru. :smiley_drive:

 

[UltraHDGames]

Sorry, forgot to post these up. Hard to see, but it's a Browning 63" Whip.


Made this mount for my headache rack.

Nit picky, but I want to move it to the passenger side. It hits on every drive-thru. :smiley_drive:

Thanks! And yea moving it over to the other side might be a good idea, Any parkade or garage I enter I almost always hit my antenna