How to mount CB equipment
CF Veteran
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 4,169
Likes: 6
From: York, PA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I have never ever been a fan of the passenger console CB mount. I'd like a CB radio one day for easy communication between my wheeling buddies, but I'd love to see other options!
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 3,004
Likes: 1
From: Wilmington,NC
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Position your bracket a decent distance from the bottom edge of your centre console. About 1" up or more, mark and drill thru the plastic. Slip your hand up in behind,
and use nuts and washers to back the plastic holding your bracket in place. Fender washers distribute the weight even better. I just use the dash cover thickness at the heater controls to mount my mike. The little button on back of mike will latch right to your dash, no extra mount bracket required there
.
and use nuts and washers to back the plastic holding your bracket in place. Fender washers distribute the weight even better. I just use the dash cover thickness at the heater controls to mount my mike. The little button on back of mike will latch right to your dash, no extra mount bracket required there.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 3,004
Likes: 1
From: Wilmington,NC
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 538
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From: McDonough, GA
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 3
From: Northern Illinois
Year: 90
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Just so you guys running 102" whips are aware, some of the large organized runs will require you to tie those down so they can't whip the crud out of anyone along the trail.
And remember the best mounting point for an antenna is the middle of the roof. But its not always the best choice for mounting it.
And remember the best mounting point for an antenna is the middle of the roof. But its not always the best choice for mounting it.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 3,004
Likes: 1
From: Wilmington,NC
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Just so you guys running 102" whips are aware, some of the large organized runs will require you to tie those down so they can't whip the crud out of anyone along the trail.
And remember the best mounting point for an antenna is the middle of the roof. But its not always the best choice for mounting it.
And remember the best mounting point for an antenna is the middle of the roof. But its not always the best choice for mounting it.
CF Veteran
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 3
From: Northern Illinois
Year: 90
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Not really.... You want an antenna that is as long as the wave length of the frequency you are trying to transmit on.
But for US CB frequencies that is around 36 feet. Obviously, 36 feet isn't possible. So we want to either A. load the antenna to imitate that distance or pick a length that will resonate well for those frequencies. A good comprise is to make the antenna length even quarters of the 36 foot wavelength.
When we do the math and we find out that 102" is very close to one quarter wavelength for US channel 1.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 3,004
Likes: 1
From: Wilmington,NC
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Not really.... You want an antenna that is as long as the wave length of the frequency you are trying to transmit on.
But for US CB frequencies that is around 36 feet. Obviously, 36 feet isn't possible. So we want to either A. load the antenna to imitate that distance or pick a length that will resonate well for those frequencies. A good comprise is to make the antenna length even quarters of the 36 foot wavelength.
When we do the math and we find out that 102" is very close to one quarter wavelength for US channel 1.
CF Veteran
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,700
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From: S.Jersey
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
this is gonna be wordy.lol... If I miss anything feel free to make the corrections...
Perfect swr is 1.1 ratio... almost impossible to achieve. So as long as the swr is between 1.1 and 2.5..imo.
Swr tunning. even more wordy, but here is a link. just make sure that ur rig is in a huge open area like a parking lot away from other cars. and make sure all ur doors are closed. Note: if you key up a cb that has not been swr adjusted, you can do damage to the unit. Most more expensive models nowadays will have a self adjusting swr built in. so its just install and go. but even then, the first time you key up a newly insatlled cb with a self adj swr; you want to be in a huge open area.
http://www.rightchannelradios.com/cb...-swr-explained
Here is how and ant works. roughly. Hard to explain though.
The tip of the ant pics up the freq. It then shoots it down the wip to the reflection are, wich is ur roof. and then shoots back up the ant and out in a radius circle, if you will. upr and lwr recieves in the same way but when it shoots it back out it does so by goin further out. upr and lwr is also considered a HAM radio freq.
well if your running mostly upr and lwr bands you def dont need a 10ft wip. I don't why i didn't notice when you said it earlier in the post..lol
Lwr and upr actually put out like 12 watts STOCK compaired to am wich is 4. So 102 is the most efficient. but just as important as that is the ground plane.
from the bottom of your "coil" or where the wire that is wrapped to imitate a coli; needs to be 18". in other words. from the top, middle of your roof to the bottom of the coil is supposed to be 18". this is to get the most distance possible. mounting it on the roof has the best refection field area, to be the most efficient.
Now mounting the ant. back above the tailights like i got mine and you have urs Slim, is NOT the most efficient. Because it puts the reflection field mor behind you then all around you. I hope i'm making sence, but if you can get the coil area 18" up above the B pillar it will still not be in the middle of the roof for the best reflection, but she will still talk. esp on the upr and lwr bands.
But on the trail?? it really doesn't matter bc ur not gonna be 10 miles from eachother,more like 1 mile tops, if that. Recieving and transmitting range also depends on the weather. even a cloudy day will interfear. Buildings, bridges etc.
So in conclusion; 102" whip is the best. Middle of the roof is the most efficient. But alot of us including myself have to make a compromise when it comes to ant mounting. so there you have it.
Perfect swr is 1.1 ratio... almost impossible to achieve. So as long as the swr is between 1.1 and 2.5..imo.
Swr tunning. even more wordy, but here is a link. just make sure that ur rig is in a huge open area like a parking lot away from other cars. and make sure all ur doors are closed. Note: if you key up a cb that has not been swr adjusted, you can do damage to the unit. Most more expensive models nowadays will have a self adjusting swr built in. so its just install and go. but even then, the first time you key up a newly insatlled cb with a self adj swr; you want to be in a huge open area.
http://www.rightchannelradios.com/cb...-swr-explained
Here is how and ant works. roughly. Hard to explain though.
The tip of the ant pics up the freq. It then shoots it down the wip to the reflection are, wich is ur roof. and then shoots back up the ant and out in a radius circle, if you will. upr and lwr recieves in the same way but when it shoots it back out it does so by goin further out. upr and lwr is also considered a HAM radio freq.
well if your running mostly upr and lwr bands you def dont need a 10ft wip. I don't why i didn't notice when you said it earlier in the post..lol
Lwr and upr actually put out like 12 watts STOCK compaired to am wich is 4. So 102 is the most efficient. but just as important as that is the ground plane.
from the bottom of your "coil" or where the wire that is wrapped to imitate a coli; needs to be 18". in other words. from the top, middle of your roof to the bottom of the coil is supposed to be 18". this is to get the most distance possible. mounting it on the roof has the best refection field area, to be the most efficient.
Now mounting the ant. back above the tailights like i got mine and you have urs Slim, is NOT the most efficient. Because it puts the reflection field mor behind you then all around you. I hope i'm making sence, but if you can get the coil area 18" up above the B pillar it will still not be in the middle of the roof for the best reflection, but she will still talk. esp on the upr and lwr bands.
But on the trail?? it really doesn't matter bc ur not gonna be 10 miles from eachother,more like 1 mile tops, if that. Recieving and transmitting range also depends on the weather. even a cloudy day will interfear. Buildings, bridges etc.
So in conclusion; 102" whip is the best. Middle of the roof is the most efficient. But alot of us including myself have to make a compromise when it comes to ant mounting. so there you have it.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 3,004
Likes: 1
From: Wilmington,NC
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 3,004
Likes: 1
From: Wilmington,NC
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
this is gonna be wordy.lol... If I miss anything feel free to make the corrections...
Perfect swr is 1.1 ratio... almost impossible to achieve. So as long as the swr is between 1.1 and 2.5..imo.
Swr tunning. even more wordy, but here is a link. just make sure that ur rig is in a huge open area like a parking lot away from other cars. and make sure all ur doors are closed. Note: if you key up a cb that has not been swr adjusted, you can do damage to the unit. Most more expensive models nowadays will have a self adjusting swr built in. so its just install and go. but even then, the first time you key up a newly insatlled cb with a self adj swr; you want to be in a huge open area.
http://www.rightchannelradios.com/cb...-swr-explained
Here is how and ant works. roughly. Hard to explain though.
The tip of the ant pics up the freq. It then shoots it down the wip to the reflection are, wich is ur roof. and then shoots back up the ant and out in a radius circle, if you will. upr and lwr recieves in the same way but when it shoots it back out it does so by goin further out. upr and lwr is also considered a HAM radio freq.
well if your running mostly upr and lwr bands you def dont need a 10ft wip. I don't why i didn't notice when you said it earlier in the post..lol
Lwr and upr actually put out like 12 watts STOCK compaired to am wich is 4. So 102 is the most efficient. but just as important as that is the ground plane.
from the bottom of your "coil" or where the wire that is wrapped to imitate a coli; needs to be 18". in other words. from the top, middle of your roof to the bottom of the coil is supposed to be 18". this is to get the most distance possible. mounting it on the roof has the best refection field area, to be the most efficient.
Now mounting the ant. back above the tailights like i got mine and you have urs Slim, is NOT the most efficient. Because it puts the reflection field mor behind you then all around you. I hope i'm making sence, but if you can get the coil area 18" up above the B pillar it will still not be in the middle of the roof for the best reflection, but she will still talk. esp on the upr and lwr bands.
But on the trail?? it really doesn't matter bc ur not gonna be 10 miles from eachother,more like 1 mile tops, if that. Recieving and transmitting range also depends on the weather. even a cloudy day will interfear. Buildings, bridges etc.
So in conclusion; 102" whip is the best. Middle of the roof is the most efficient. But alot of us including myself have to make a compromise when it comes to ant mounting. so there you have it.
Perfect swr is 1.1 ratio... almost impossible to achieve. So as long as the swr is between 1.1 and 2.5..imo.
Swr tunning. even more wordy, but here is a link. just make sure that ur rig is in a huge open area like a parking lot away from other cars. and make sure all ur doors are closed. Note: if you key up a cb that has not been swr adjusted, you can do damage to the unit. Most more expensive models nowadays will have a self adjusting swr built in. so its just install and go. but even then, the first time you key up a newly insatlled cb with a self adj swr; you want to be in a huge open area.
http://www.rightchannelradios.com/cb...-swr-explained
Here is how and ant works. roughly. Hard to explain though.
The tip of the ant pics up the freq. It then shoots it down the wip to the reflection are, wich is ur roof. and then shoots back up the ant and out in a radius circle, if you will. upr and lwr recieves in the same way but when it shoots it back out it does so by goin further out. upr and lwr is also considered a HAM radio freq.
well if your running mostly upr and lwr bands you def dont need a 10ft wip. I don't why i didn't notice when you said it earlier in the post..lol
Lwr and upr actually put out like 12 watts STOCK compaired to am wich is 4. So 102 is the most efficient. but just as important as that is the ground plane.
from the bottom of your "coil" or where the wire that is wrapped to imitate a coli; needs to be 18". in other words. from the top, middle of your roof to the bottom of the coil is supposed to be 18". this is to get the most distance possible. mounting it on the roof has the best refection field area, to be the most efficient.
Now mounting the ant. back above the tailights like i got mine and you have urs Slim, is NOT the most efficient. Because it puts the reflection field mor behind you then all around you. I hope i'm making sence, but if you can get the coil area 18" up above the B pillar it will still not be in the middle of the roof for the best reflection, but she will still talk. esp on the upr and lwr bands.
But on the trail?? it really doesn't matter bc ur not gonna be 10 miles from eachother,more like 1 mile tops, if that. Recieving and transmitting range also depends on the weather. even a cloudy day will interfear. Buildings, bridges etc.
So in conclusion; 102" whip is the best. Middle of the roof is the most efficient. But alot of us including myself have to make a compromise when it comes to ant mounting. so there you have it.
lol
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 860
Likes: 0
From: middleburg fl
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Did ya freak out a little when I asked? Like how the hell did he know that ? I had 30yrs in the field when I decided to start driving a truck over the road I have several fieldpiece meters and I love all the attachments I loved it too especially the sidework if ya like forums try diychatroom.com there's an hvac section there you ca help others out or get help if ya ever get stuck. Also all the trades are on there so can get answers about any field if yer doin some work around the house that you might not be familiar with.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 3,004
Likes: 1
From: Wilmington,NC
Year: 1989
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Awesome and figured you had some experience to be able to call out that field piece . I would love to learn how to drive a rig one of these days but I think Id get stir crazy after a bit lol. Thats why I love doing installs and retrofits they keep me moving for the most part.
. I would love to learn how to drive a rig one of these days but I think Id get stir crazy after a bit lol. Thats why I love doing installs and retrofits they keep me moving for the most part.