CB Radio Install - Writeup

[PoopSmith]

Recently my wife and I took the 4R and my 92 Pickup up to Silver Lake,

and I wanted a way to talk to her while on the dunes. I looked at different CB mounts people had done and they all looked too aftermarket. I like more of an OEM look, so this is what I came up with;

I spent too much time deciding on a radio. Ended up going with the AnyTone Apollo 1. The reviews were meh, but the price was fair and I liked how the display was on the handset.

Amazon.com: AnyTone APOLLO I 10 Meter Amateur Radio for truck, LCD display and function key in microphone, AM PEP power over 17W: Sports & Outdoors

Another perk of this was that the headset plugs into an RJ45 jack, which allowed me to keep the radio remote, and plug the handset into my dash.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07TB63NH9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I didn't want to do any exterior drilling so I decided on the Lip mount Comet RS-720 (if I was to do it again I'd probably go with the RS-840 so it holds position better. It seems to move a lot when bumped on things). Also decided on the firestick FL3-B for no reason other than it was the only 3ft on 2 day prime at the time :shrug:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AR08N9I/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005AUJXLM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I purchased an 18ft pre-terminated coax cable and inorder to get it ran through the loom on the hatch, I had to cut off one of the connectors and use a fishtape to pull it through. A couple of cable tie mounts I stole from work, and it turned out pretty well.

I decided on the center console for the radio's location. Ran the anteanna cable along the headliner, down the B-Piller, and into the bottom of the center console (power is soldered in line to the supply for the cigarette lighters in the back).

Since the handset is just an RJ45 plug, I ran some CAT6 and terminated it at the switch blank where I wanted it. The cable just plugs into the back of adapter (Be aware that it's not a perfect fit. I had to dremel off some of the top to get it to fit in).

Crimped a PL-259 connector back onto the coax and done!!

Pretty happy with the results! I havent tuned it in an open field yet (just quickly in my back yard) but the reception seemed great on the dunes! Only thing I would change is that antenna mount. It's great for DD, but any tree branch, or catching it on the carwash sprayer hose moves it out of position.

 

[Signal]

The real question is where did you get the 4 Runner key chain?

 

[PoopSmith]

The real question is where did you get the 4 Runner key chain?

Haha was wondering if anyone would comment on that. I got it from this eBay seller last year. He had all sorts of vehicles at the time, but doesn't look to be selling anything currently

https://www.ebay.com/usr/steels2015?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2754

 

[Pure4Runner]

That's a nice setup! Super clean. Does that radio do CB and HAM???

 

[Bumbo]

That's a nice setup! Super clean. Does that radio do CB and HAM???

CB = AM
HAM = FM

I have yet to come across a radio that can transmit on both. That said, many HAM radios can receive on AM.

Its also worth mentioning that your antenna requirements for both bands would also be competently different.

 

[Surgical Precision]

Warning

I installed mine nearly identical with it mounted in the center console, running the coax cable up from underneath like that. If anyone else wants to do this my biggest warning is that when drilling through the bottom of the center console make sure to drill the hole towards the passenger side of the vehicle. The duct that runs A/C and Heat to the back of the center console for the rear passengers runs right under that. You will know if you are drilling too close as you will get a lot of insulation caught in your drill bit before drilling into the duct..... ask me how I know. But if you drill towards the passenger side it won't be an issue.

 

[Bumbo]

So that’s one way of making the center console cooler box the Land Cruiser has.

I guess its safe to say you drilling work was not done with [MENTION=201016]Surgical Precision[/MENTION] ? :rofl:

 

[PoopSmith]

I installed mine nearly identical with it mounted in the center console, running the coax cable up from underneath like that. If anyone else wants to do this my biggest warning is that when drilling through the bottom of the center console make sure to drill the hole towards the passenger side of the vehicle. The duct that runs A/C and Heat to the back of the center console for the rear passengers runs right under that. You will know if you are drilling too close as you will get a lot of insulation caught in your drill bit before drilling into the duct..... ask me how I know. But if you drill towards the passenger side it won't be an issue.

Yup! I said ****it and pulled the whole console out to ensure I cleared everything when running cables and drilling

 

[MossJenks]

CB = AM
HAM = FM

I have yet to come across a radio that can transmit on both. That said, many HAM radios can receive on AM.

Its also worth mentioning that your antenna requirements for both bands would also be competently different.

You really should have clicked the link to the radio before answering!

This funny little radio is a 10-meter ham that can be converted to 11m for CB operations. It will modulate both AM and FM. It's only 4 W though and has no provisions for running digital QSO modes....so I'm not sure what good it's supposed to be as a ham radio. There are some really oddball radio products coming out of China.

10m would be an unusual band for trail communications anyway though....normal for that is 2 meter and 70 centimeter.

Seems like an odd choice for a CB - odd choice for a radio in general - but to each his own.

 

[jhguth]

You really should have clicked the link to the radio before answering!

This funny little radio is a 10-meter ham that can be converted to 11m for CB operations. It will modulate both AM and FM. 10m would be an unusual band for trail communications, however.

Seems like an odd choice for a CB, but to each his own.

you can't legally use that radio on CB

 

[MossJenks]

you can't legally use that radio on CB

That doesn't really surprise me - seems par for the course for these odd Chinese radios - but why? I read the specs to say it's 4 watt max unless you modify it. Other than the 4W limit isn't CB pretty much a free-for-all?

 

[PoopSmith]

You really should have clicked the link to the radio before answering!

This funny little radio is a 10-meter ham that can be converted to 11m for CB operations. It will modulate both AM and FM. It's only 4 W though and has no provisions for running digital QSO modes....so I'm not sure what good it's supposed to be as a ham radio. There are some really oddball radio products coming out of China.

10m would be an unusual band for trail communications anyway though....normal for that is 2 meter and 70 centimeter.

Seems like an odd choice for a CB - odd choice for a radio in general - but to each his own.

Yeah I followed the below guide to switch it to CB. I agree it's a little odd but it met my desire for a handset LCD and RJ45. Plus it seems to do well. Did a range check on the highway and a trucker reported I was coming in good at just under 5miles (and I still haven't done a final antenna tune). Which I agree is well below what a good system gets, but I'm okay with it. Plus it covered the entire dunes with no issues :shrug:

This Internet thing will never catch on.: Anytone Apollo 1 "10 Meter" CB mod

 

[Bumbo]

You really should have clicked the link to the radio before answering!

This funny little radio is a 10-meter ham that can be converted to 11m for CB operations. It will modulate both AM and FM. It's only 4 W though and has no provisions for running digital QSO modes....so I'm not sure what good it's supposed to be as a ham radio. There are some really oddball radio products coming out of China.

10m would be an unusual band for trail communications anyway though....normal for that is 2 meter and 70 centimeter.

Seems like an odd choice for a CB - odd choice for a radio in general - but to each his own.

When I made that comment it was primarily in reference to 2-meter/7cm or other VHF bands like MURS.

Even if it did work, probably won't be type accepted. I also agree that 10 meter is an odd choice for trail coms.

While I am a HAM, too many people I wheel with are not. I have a case full of MURS loaners for people who don't have their $hit together... so I generally end up being labeled as the "COMs guy", which I don't mind at all.

 

[jhguth]

That doesn't really surprise me - seems par for the course for these odd Chinese radios - but why? I read the specs to say it's 4 watt max unless you modify it. Other than the 4W limit isn't CB pretty much a free-for-all?

CB is license by rule which basically means that you kind of have an assume license as long as you are operating within the rules and use a radio that is type accepted (a legal CB radio will have an FCC number for it's type certification, in that sense the license is kind of attached to the radio instead of the operator)

Since this radio exceeds the power limits and isn't type certified for CB, you aren't operating within your license by rule and you could technically get a steep fine for this as well as using unauthorized equipment and exceeding the power limit

people will use these or get linear amplifiers to blast on the CB frequencies, if you're dead set on using an 10m ham on CB at the very least set the power to low and don't use CH19

 

[PoopSmith]

CB is license by rule which basically means that you kind of have an assume license as long as you are operating within the rules and use a radio that is type accepted (a legal CB radio will have an FCC number for it's type certification, in that sense the license is kind of attached to the radio instead of the operator)

Since this radio exceeds the power limits and isn't type certified for CB, you aren't operating within your license by rule and you could technically get a steep fine for this as well as using unauthorized equipment and exceeding the power limit

people will use these or get linear amplifiers to blast on the CB frequencies, if you're dead set on using an 10m ham on CB at the very least set the power to low and don't use CH19

After doing the mod to get the CB frequencies, it is locked in at 4W. No way to go higher. So I'm good there. But you are correct. It does not have an FCC certification, so it isn't technically legal...

 

[Bumbo]

I don’t know about your area but around here a lot of people use “race radios” and or MURS radios. Basically a VHF radio for frequencies in or around the 151-157 mhz range.

It’s a lot more popular than CB around here… might be worth considering something like this as well.

The antenna requires are also far smaller and easy to find a quality handheld that will work a lot better than CB.

 

[sr5peed]

Super clean install, nicely done