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CB radio questions that need answering

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by 03TacomaLimited, Dec 5, 2014.

  1. Dec 5, 2014 at 7:42 PM
    #1
    03TacomaLimited

    03TacomaLimited [OP] Active Member

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    Ok so I'm about to rig up a cb in my 03 taco 4 door. My questions are what antennas are recommended, what's the best rout for my coax, and if need be how can i ground the antenna from its mount in the center of my toolbox
     
  2. Dec 5, 2014 at 7:46 PM
    #2
    1993t100

    1993t100 I’m good looking and I drive a Jeep.

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    Firestik
    Firestik
    Firestik

    That's all you pretty much need to know :)

    Just kidding. I have a 4foot firestik on my truck, and I have it grounded into the tail light ground (it's a long story). The mount I have has a spot on it specifically to wire a ground onto. It's a BAMF mount. The radio itself isn't as important as what antenna you buy. So don't scrimp on the antenna, but if budgets don't allow for a high end radio a nice Cobra 19 will do.
     
  3. Dec 5, 2014 at 7:51 PM
    #3
    smmarine

    smmarine Well-Known Member

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    Don't listen to Sam lol. Are you in woods a lot? Parking garages or park in a garage? Do you want the farthest range possible?
     
  4. Dec 5, 2014 at 7:53 PM
    #4
    1993t100

    1993t100 I’m good looking and I drive a Jeep.

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    :facepalm:

    Don't get a whip lol. Fiberglass antennas 4 dayz
     
  5. Dec 5, 2014 at 7:54 PM
    #5
    smmarine

    smmarine Well-Known Member

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    Go away Sam. Whips are for real men :p
     
  6. Dec 5, 2014 at 7:57 PM
    #6
    1993t100

    1993t100 I’m good looking and I drive a Jeep.

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    Oh, so it's that kinda party...with whips and shit ;)
     
  7. Dec 5, 2014 at 8:01 PM
    #7
    03TacomaLimited

    03TacomaLimited [OP] Active Member

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    Well right now i have a wilson 5 1/2 ft antenna but am planning on getting a whip later. Typically my truck stays in the woods. My main concern is a poor antenna ground where i want to put it on my toolbox.
     
  8. Dec 5, 2014 at 8:05 PM
    #8
    1993t100

    1993t100 I’m good looking and I drive a Jeep.

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    Ground it directly to the frame? :notsure:
     
  9. Dec 5, 2014 at 8:06 PM
    #9
    smmarine

    smmarine Well-Known Member

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    Mine is in the middle of my toolbox. My toolbox is bolted to my bed, and the mount is bolted to my toolbox. My ground is fine, only issue I have is the bed is steel, the toolbox is aluminum, and the whip mount is stainless. So I get galvanic corrosion buildup due to the dissimilar metals and have to clean all the bolts once a year cause I loose ground when it builds up and my SWRs go high
     
  10. Dec 5, 2014 at 8:07 PM
    #10
    smmarine

    smmarine Well-Known Member

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    RF grounding is different. You can't just run a wire to the frame. It helps, but no enough
     
  11. Dec 5, 2014 at 8:09 PM
    #11
    03TacomaLimited

    03TacomaLimited [OP] Active Member

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    If i do ground it to the frame can i just use some wire or should i use an actual grounding strap?
     
  12. Dec 5, 2014 at 8:12 PM
    #12
    1993t100

    1993t100 I’m good looking and I drive a Jeep.

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    Wire
     
  13. Dec 5, 2014 at 8:42 PM
    #13
    smmarine

    smmarine Well-Known Member

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    It's not going to work. Grounding strap would work the best, but a full ground is what is needed. I had a wire to my frame and it does nothing. RF ground doesn't work like DC electricity ground.
     
  14. Dec 5, 2014 at 8:53 PM
    #14
    llibrm

    llibrm OH NOOOOOO!

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    I recommend a 4' Wilson antenna. They outperform firesticks of the same length and are flexible.

    Grounding with regular wire is fine when additional grounding is needed. However, if your ground wire is too long, it will negate your best intensions. Keep it short. When I installed my unit, I tested with a ohm meter. Got such a low reading, I decided not to install any additional ground straps. I have both a cb and ham antennas on my light bar behind my cab. Both work really well.
     
  15. Dec 5, 2014 at 9:07 PM
    #15
    03TacomaLimited

    03TacomaLimited [OP] Active Member

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    So basically i should get a good ground from my tool box being metal on metal with the bed? Another question, how was tuning your whip?
     
  16. Dec 5, 2014 at 9:09 PM
    #16
    smmarine

    smmarine Well-Known Member

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    Mine had plenty low SWR so I never did a thing to my whip
     
  17. Dec 5, 2014 at 10:18 PM
    #17
    AustinDeh

    AustinDeh Well-Known Member

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    Definitely the 4' Wilson Flex

    I didnt need a ground for my setup and its mounted right behind my cab. Didn't have any issue with it slapping the cab either.
     
  18. Dec 6, 2014 at 1:18 AM
    #18
    jmaack

    jmaack Well-Known Member

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    I have had 2 Wilson 2000 truckers. Will never get anything else.
     
  19. Dec 6, 2014 at 3:44 AM
    #19
    TejasYOTA

    TejasYOTA Countinuous improvement

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    Check the TTORA Garage Section....
  20. Dec 6, 2014 at 10:47 AM
    #20
    knuckleduster271

    knuckleduster271 Well-Known Member

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    I have a cheap knock off of a 4' red firestik mounted it to the ladder rack on my cap using a spring mount. I bought 15 or 20'of coax on ebay for i think $10-
    It works really good, i talk to a guy that lives 20 miles away on his home base unit while im in my driveway pretty often. He says it sounds good on his end.
    Biggest thing is to get your antenna up as high as possible and set everthing up right.
     
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    #20

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