CB parts list questions

RiDE said:
sorry for the ignorance in advance. I haven't done much of search on anything CB. I'm being lazy right now. :)

I know I need to get a CB setup and plan on copying this exact setup. Will the 3ft FIRESTIK be good enough? I want to install the antenna on the corner of my SW bumper. I feel like the 4ft. would be too tall for that location. How will that affect reception?
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Don't waste your time installing it on the bumper. Your truck will absorb a lot of the RF being so close to the body of the truck. You need as much of the antenna as possible over the line of your roof depending on the antenna type. If it's a top loaded antenna (which is really not "top" but more like 2/3rds up) you'll be okay with a portion of it sticking below the roofline. But, having the entire thing obscured by your truck will result in poor performance.
 
Antman said:
This is from CB World: CB Radios & Antennas – Cobra CB Radio, Ham Radio Antennas, Police Scanners

"The best antenna you can use is a 102 inch whip such as the Hustler IC56. Having an antenna standing over 8 feet off of your vehicle is not practical for most vehicles, however. A shorter, more practical antenna will still work. If at all possible, keep it over 3 feet.

Antenna placement.

Where you mount your antenna is very important. You want to mount your antenna as high on the vehicle as possible. The center of the roof is the ideal place. If you must mount it lower, try to keep two-thirds of the antenna above the roof line. Also keep in mind that your signal will be weaker to the side you mount the antenna on. For instance, if you mount it on the driver-side fender, you will not transmit as far to the front left of your vehicle.

Range

It is nearly impossible to know what range you will get with your antenna. With a good antenna, mounted right, you will most likely get 3 to 5 miles range."
Click to expand...

Why would the reception suffer in the direction that the antenna is on? It seems like if anything, mounting it to one side would help your reception in that direction since you have the side of your car to help reflect transmissions to your antenna.
 
Laubage said:
Why would the reception suffer in the direction that the antenna is on? It seems like if anything, mounting it to one side would help your reception in that direction since you have the side of your car to help reflect transmissions to your antenna.
Click to expand...

CB doesn't like multipath (RF reflections).
 
TRY BEFORE CUTTING!

So my idea was to mount the control box close to the cubby hole and thus allow me to easily remove the hand unit by having direct access to the connector. I should have looked at the available space before I started playing with my Dremmel though.

6932237357_21ebd4ab3a_z.jpg


I found a spot where I can sorta cram the control box and have enough wire to feed into the cubby hole, but that is a "mount once, don't try to get back at it" location where I'd have to use zip-ties to secure the box to one of the structural members of the dashboard.

The other option is costing me $85 in replacing the sub assembly with the cubby hole (PANEL SUB-ASSY INST [Part# 5540635050] ) and I can use the gobs of space available under the cup holders and go out the side of the of the tunnel; either by cutting another hole... or by running the cable out from under the side panel like Phillyd2 did. Of course that way the CB is more or less "permanently" mounted unless you pull out the piece with the cup holders each time you want to remove the CB from the vehicle.
6932237953_76fe6d6e1e_z.jpg


Needless to say I'm pretty pissed with myself... you would think that I would have learned this lesson by now. :rockthrow::dammit::withstupid::crybaby:

Okki
 
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Okki said:
TRY BEFORE CUTTING!

So my idea was to mount the control box close to the cubby hole and thus allow me to easily remove the hand unit by having direct access to the connector. I should have looked at the available space before I started playing with my Dremmel though.

6932237357_21ebd4ab3a_z.jpg


I found a spot where I can sorta cram the control box and have enough wire to feed into the cubby hole, but that is a "mount once, don't try to get back at it" location where I'd have to use zip-ties to secure the box to one of the structural members of the dashboard.

The other option is costing me $85 in replacing the sub assembly with the cubby hole (PANEL SUB-ASSY INST [Part# 5540635050] ) and I can use the gobs of space available under the cup holders and go out the side of the of the tunnel; either by cutting another hole... or by running the cable out from under the side panel like Phillyd2 did. Of course that way the CB is more or less "permanently" mounted unless you pull out the piece with the cup holders each time you want to remove the CB from the vehicle.
6932237953_76fe6d6e1e_z.jpg


Needless to say I'm pretty pissed with myself... you would think that I would have learned this lesson by now. :rockthrow::dammit::withstupid::crybaby:

Okki
Click to expand...

What do you mean by "cubby hole"? Hard to tell what I'm looking at here apart from the transmission controls in the center console. I will caution you on two fronts since I installed my remote unit under the center console:

1. The space down there isn't as luxurious as it appears with the cup holders and trim off. Double check to see how deep your cup holders and trim actually go down into that void. I had a difficult time finding a location I was happy with.

2. It *looks* like you have your remote box sitting directly on top of the air line that feeds the passenger area. I would recommend against putting your remote box anywhere near that to keep the temperature a bit stable. You don't want it overheating when you're running the heat in the winter.

I ended-up putting mine nearly below the center console where the transmission linkage is and then I drilled a 1" hole in the center console for the connection. I'll try to take some pictures when I get back home later in the week.
 
okay... some advil, lunch and a couple hours of reflection later.... I picked up some stock aluminum in order to fabricate a new plate that only has a smaller hole to let the external speaker cable through; that way I'm not wasting the sub-assembly. I still had to route that wire anyway, so no harm no foul there.

talking it over with the Mrs, I think I'll be running the handset the same as Phillyd2 for the moment; just need to check if I can get the connection outside of the center tunnel or not.

More to come in the coming days :)

Okki
 
Ummmm- I am lost. What did you mess up, or almost mess up? I keep going back and re-reading the posts and I just don't get it.

Feel free to Flame me if I',m just plain stupid here!
 
limamike said:
I don't get it either...
Click to expand...

I cut a big-**s hole in the back of the cubby hole (left of the Aux-in jack) thinking that the coax with the female terminator would (coming from the control box to the handset) would be long enough to feed through it. that way I can close the door and hide everything when the hand set is not connected, yet have easy access when I want to hook up the hand set.

When I realized the wire was too short I looked to see if I might be able to mount the control box close to the hole that now exists in the back of my "cubby hole". However, there is not good place for it anywhere near the back of that entire sub assembly. You can kind move it back and left (behind the trim piece with the temperature dial) but that's a far from ideal spot. you would have to zip-tie it to a metal support brace.

Now that I've decided NOT to run the connector via the cubby hole, I need to make a new back plate with a small grommet to just run the Aux-speaker cable.

Hopefully that makes things a little more clear. If not.. than I guess you'll have to wait for the full write up :hello: :thumb3:

Limamike/philly2d/antman (?), did you guys use self tapping screw to secure the control box to the plastic it sits on? did you drill pilot holes?

Okki

The original idea:
6932235143_1bd5f960c3_z.jpg

Hole in the back of the cubby.
6932235841_81fdda7066_z.jpg
 
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phillyd2 said:
May want to double check / confirm the cable length. I think I started with 18' but need to head to Radio Shack for longer. But I may have had to go a longer distance than you.
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Hey Okki ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Just sayin...

PS- My control box is just zip-tied outta the way under the armrest area of the console.
 
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Antman said:
Hey Okki ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Just sayin...
Click to expand...

Yeah.. but his mount came "naked" ... mine came with 6.5ft already attached :D :banana:

6.5 + 16 - 22.5ft of cable at my command!

but nice try to give me another "aaawwwwwh *(#@$#*&$#*&" moment :zoom:
 
Don't think I ever mentioned this, but my handset comes out of the center console "change holder" slot. I cut a hole in the bottom, and the connector for the handset tucks into it, but can be pulled out to disconnect easily. I just keep the handset in the center console when I want to hide it... Want some pics tmrw?
 
Antman said:
Don't think I ever mentioned this, but my handset comes out of the center console "change holder" slot. I cut a hole in the bottom, and the connector for the handset tucks into it, but can be pulled out to disconnect easily. I just keep the handset in the center console when I want to hide it... Want some pics tmrw?
Click to expand...

I can always use more ideas and visuals about locations to drill holes in! LOL. definitely curious to see.

Okki
 
Okki said:
I cut a big-**s hole in the back of the cubby hole (left of the Aux-in jack) thinking that the coax with the female terminator would (coming from the control box to the handset) would be long enough to feed through it. that way I can close the door and hide everything when the hand set is not connected, yet have easy access when I want to hook up the hand set.

When I realized the wire was too short I looked to see if I might be able to mount the control box close to the hole that now exists in the back of my "cubby hole". However, there is not good place for it anywhere near the back of that entire sub assembly. You can kind move it back and left (behind the trim piece with the temperature dial) but that's a far from ideal spot. you would have to zip-tie it to a metal support brace.

Now that I've decided NOT to run the connector via the cubby hole, I need to make a new back plate with a small grommet to just run the Aux-speaker cable.

Hopefully that makes things a little more clear. If not.. than I guess you'll have to wait for the full write up :hello: :thumb3:

Limamike/philly2d/antman (?), did you guys use self tapping screw to secure the control box to the plastic it sits on? did you drill pilot holes?

Okki

The original idea:
6932235143_1bd5f960c3_z.jpg

Hole in the back of the cubby.
6932235841_81fdda7066_z.jpg
Click to expand...

Ahhh! I get it now! :D

That is a good idea; too bad it didn't work-out. I haven't yet mounted my control box because I haven't had a chance to tune my antenna yet. Once I tune it I'll likely just zip tie it to something like Antman did. Actually drilling where I have it below the center console is more trouble than it's worth at this point. Drilling into the center console being worth it is arguable, too...
 
Ryan_S said:
Would you even be able to reach the connector way back in there?
Click to expand...

Hi Ryan... You must have missed the 5 or so post prior to yours; there are some definite issue with my original plan! :lol:

It's a nice clean install, but I'm not a fan of putting it in the storage box... besides.. I've got too much other crap already in there (and I don't like the lid not 'locking" because the cable is in the way if you have the CB out.)!

Okki
 
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