CB Radio Cable Routing

[BigRogers]

Hey guys....I am going to be installing a CB in my rig sometime in the next couple of weeks. Picked up a Uniden 520xl, 3' firestick, a ODL antenna mount, and some other goodies.....

So seeing quite a few of you have shown the install of the unit, but not much on installing the cable. Any do's or dont's as far as it comes to routing these things to the back?

Also it will be a little ways down the line but i was thinking of installing a amp/sub. would it be worth my while to go ahead and run the nessecary cables while I have things opened up?

Anybody have pic's of their wire run through the rig? I am a total newbee at car electronics and CB's in general so any info will probably go a long way.....

 

[J-money$$$]

Just buy a long cable. My 18 foot coax barely fit. Run it from your unit under the carpet and then out of the vent for the cab which can be found behind the bumper side on the driver side. A coax fits through it just perfectly.

 

[Kurtis]

It really doesn't matter too much. It only takes a dozen bolts/screws and 10 minutes to get all the trim off to run cable to the cargo area.

 

[thorridder]

i just put mine in. was super easy but i dont have screws on my panels. i pulled the skinny ones and ran it in that channel with the doors, got to the back seats and just lifted the carpet some and out to the back thin floor panel where i grounded it, then pulled the rubber sealer and ran it through there to the outside, i got a bracket that claps to my back light guard and just has a single wire that goes under the plastic part of the bumper to my 4" firestick.

 

[Blanco]

Just buy a long cable. My 18 foot coax barely fit. Run it from your unit under the carpet and then out of the vent for the cab which can be found behind the bumper side on the driver side. A coax fits through it just perfectly.

I did the same thing in preparation for my ODL Drifter mount. Just ensure you don't pinch or kink the cable as it will mess with your SWR and make sure you ground your antenna as well for that same reason.

 

[Blanco]

Sorry, I realize I just threw that 'SWR' out there without explanation :nerd:

Here's some info from the interweb...you can buy a SWR meter for around $10.00 if you don't already have one.

WHAT IS "SWR" & ANTENNA TUNING?
SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) is a measure of how well your antenna is "matched" or "tuned" to operate at CB channel frequencies, & to your vehicle. Unlike TV, AM/FM or scanner antennas that do not transmit, the CB & other "transmit" antennas need to be tuned to operate or transmit correctly & most effieciently. If severely "out of tune" (having a poor SWR reading), damage to the transmitter can result. While most good CB antennas, when mounted & grounded correctly as the maker intended, will usually have a "safe SWR", keep in mind that it is still a good idea to check & optimize your SWR reading. Regardless of manufacturer's claims, there really is no way to "factory pretune" mobile antennas for the CB frequencies. The same exact antenna can actually give very different SWR readings, when mounted on different vehicles, or even in different spots on the same vehicle! Remember, when setting the SWR you are NOT matching the antenna to the radio, but rather the antenna to the vehicle, & frequency of operation.

 

[BigRogers]

I did the same thing in preparation for my ODL Drifter mount. Just ensure you don't pinch or kink the cable as it will mess with your SWR and make sure you ground your antenna as well for that same reason.

Thanks for the hint. so you just ran your cable straight out of the vent??

Sorry, I realize I just threw that 'SWR' out there without explanation :nerd:

Here's some info from the interweb...you can buy a SWR meter for around $10.00 if you don't already have one.

WHAT IS "SWR" & ANTENNA TUNING?
SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) is a measure of how well your antenna is "matched" or "tuned" to operate at CB channel frequencies, & to your vehicle. Unlike TV, AM/FM or scanner antennas that do not transmit, the CB & other "transmit" antennas need to be tuned to operate or transmit correctly & most effieciently. If severely "out of tune" (having a poor SWR reading), damage to the transmitter can result. While most good CB antennas, when mounted & grounded correctly as the maker intended, will usually have a "safe SWR", keep in mind that it is still a good idea to check & optimize your SWR reading. Regardless of manufacturer's claims, there really is no way to "factory pretune" mobile antennas for the CB frequencies. The same exact antenna can actually give very different SWR readings, when mounted on different vehicles, or even in different spots on the same vehicle! Remember, when setting the SWR you are NOT matching the antenna to the radio, but rather the antenna to the vehicle, & frequency of operation.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Gerdo]

If you have extra cable DON'T coil it up real nice. The coil will act like a choke and kill your signal!

 

[Riggity]

With the ODL mount CHECK FOR HATCH CLEARANCE! After hearing that some people hit the mount on their hatch, I checked my clearance before slamming the hatch and am super glad I did. A little pressure from my foot while the mount was on some carpet and it fit like factory.

 

[Ghostrider]

I remember reading that there is a ratio with the length of the cable. So don't cut it to fit - you have to coil it

 

[thorridder]

With the ODL mount CHECK FOR HATCH CLEARANCE! After hearing that some people hit the mount on their hatch, I checked my clearance before slamming the hatch and am super glad I did. A little pressure from my foot while the mount was on some carpet and it fit like factory.

if this is what or close to what i have, i had to mount it a little to the side, its leaning to the front a little but barely touches the hatch.

 

[ChildrenOfBodom]

My setup: CB mounted in the ashtray spot, 90 degree coaxial cable adapter. The coax runs up along the firewall, down the driver's kick panel, underneath the side trim, behind the cargo panel, and out through the vent behind the bumper end.

The driffter mount with 18 foot coaxial cable ended up being the perfect length.

Whatever you do, do not coil your coaxial cable. It will destroy your signal. (I know it was mentioned, but it's worth mentioning again). This is why the 18 foot length was optimal for me.

 

[Gerdo]

I remember reading that there is a ratio with the length of the cable. So don't cut it to fit - you have to coil it

DO NOT, DO NOT COIL THE EXTRA CABLE!!!

If you have extra cable you will need to stretch it out and lay it without coiling it, run it back and forth. The bigger the loops, the better.

We all know that there is a power line and a ground line going to the CB. Sometimes the ground isn't that great. Run another wire from a good ground in the rig to the chassis of the CB. This can minimize a lot of problems.

Most problems are due to bad grounds either at the radio or the antenna.

Antennas- Anything under 4' will reduce your output. About 1' or more of the antenna needs to be above the rig. The surrounding metal will add the output so if the antenna is fender mounted, the hood will act as a ground plane (which is a good thing).

NEVER TRY TO TRANSMIT WITHOUT AN ANTENNA, YOU WILL BURN UP THE CB!

 

[RJLeagles2010]

My setup: CB mounted in the ashtray spot, 90 degree coaxial cable adapter. The coax runs up along the firewall, down the driver's kick panel, underneath the side trim, behind the cargo panel, and out through the vent behind the bumper end.

The driffter mount with 18 foot coaxial cable ended up being the perfect length.

Whatever you do, do not coil your coaxial cable. It will destroy your signal. (I know it was mentioned, but it's worth mentioning again). This is why the 18 foot length was optimal for me.

sorry to bring this back up but i have looked and have not found out how to run the cable to the vent. do you or anybody else have pictures of how to get to the vent from the inside ?? my setup is vary similar to yours COB so...ya any help is appreciated.

 

[yota_addict]

sorry to bring this back up but i have looked and have not found out how to run the cable to the vent. do you or anybody else have pictures of how to get to the vent from the inside ?? my setup is vary similar to yours COB so...ya any help is appreciated.

Since this a really old thread and this question was never answered...

Found a drain grommet under carpet. Pulled, ran cable, cut small slit in grommet and siliconed hole.

 

[jstim]

Where did you manage to find an ODL antenna mount?

 

[Fishwerks]

Where did you manage to find an ODL antenna mount?

From ODL since this thread is from 2012.

 

[jstim]

From ODL since this thread is from 2012.

Note to self....look at dates on the thread.:doh:

 

[turbodudey2]

Some helpfull info

DO NOT, DO NOT COIL THE EXTRA CABLE!!!

If you have extra cable you will need to stretch it out and lay it without coiling it, run it back and forth. The bigger the loops, the better.

Antennas- Anything under 4' will reduce your output. About 1' or more of the antenna needs to be above the rig. The surrounding metal will add the output so if the antenna is fender mounted, the hood will act as a ground plane (which is a good thing).

Since this thread got bumped, and some people might read it again, I guess now would be a good time to attempt to dispel some misinformation:

Myth #1: Do not coil extra coax.

Truth #1: Coiling extra cable will not harm the signal. As long as you don't make the bends in the coil too tight (which may cause physical damage to the coax), the coiled coax will have zero affect on the performance of the radio. The minimum bending radius will depend on the specific type of coax you have, but in general a loose coil around 12 inches in diameter will suffice.

Regarding coax coils - Captain Kilowatt said it best, "No you do not add inductance. The coax cable shield isolates each turn from the next one. The only inductance created is on the shield itself and that only comes into play if common mode currents are present on the shield. Again, coiling coax does NOT add inductance and will NOT affect SWR. The coiling adds inductance myth is due to a misunderstanding of what common mode currents are and how they can be choked off using a coil of coax at the antenna feedpoint. The inductance is only present on the shield and NOT on the inner conductor."


Myth #2: Vehicle sheet metal will act like a ground plane.

Truth #2: In reality the body of a vehicle is ineffective as a ground plane. Instead it couples to the surface under it like two plates of a capacitor. Since there is some resistive loss, a portion of the return current is radiated by the body, but this radiation has little effect on far-field signal strength. Increasing the height of the antenna above the ground (roof vs. bumper mounted for example), may improve performance by reducing ground losses, but it does not increase the equivalent electrical length of the antenna.

Read more at: Antenna Myths


73 - KF7YVR