Clean VHF/CB radio installs

By bolting to the bed, you grounded the mount. Unless it's electrically isolated, such as bolting to the plastic inside the bed. While SWR is certainly not a method to measure performance of an antenna, you will probably have relatively low SWR with a ground plane antenna and it will probably accomplish your goals with CB. If the mount is not bolted to something metal, just add a ground strap to a good DC ground. This will make your truck the counterpoise.

You'll probably never have a super low SWR because the antenna will couple to the cab pillar. In spite of this, the antenna will still work fine.

 

A wire is sufficient, braid is better. There is no harm, but possibly a world of good will result.

 

Not a great shot of the mount, but I fabbed a hood hinge mount to accept an NMO mount for my quad-band radio (they make NMO CB antennas and adapters as well.) I like it because it looks like it's just an FM antenna. It's .250 aluminum, so it uses thick NMO mounts like this one: https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/laird-technologies-mabvto-4488

I can make it an actual product if people are interested

 

Best place for CB.

 

^ what CB is that? US spec?

 

Nice and clean. Harder on a gen 3 as it covers the Qi pad.

 

Which it deserves to be. Haha.

 

Motorola xpr?

 

I’m a rare fan.

 

And much like everything with the third gen, as long as you like it, that's all that matters! Haha

 

I went with the Uniden CMX660. You will need to basically take the center console out, which works out because my coax comes from tailgate up frame through grommet, under driver seat, and up through center. I had to punch a small round hole through the plastic in order to run the wires through.

 

Same, I use my QI charger every drive to/from work. Wires are so last year

 

Does anyone know if a suction cup mount like this (and radio faceplate) would fit in the QI area, for those of us that don't have the charger? Planning out my ham purchase/install and this dawned me after some recent posts here as a less obtrusive mounting location than some others.

 

You could probably just 3m red tape this set up in there

 

I have a similar suction cap mount for a go pro (or phone), if no one else chimes in, I'll try to check it out tonight

 

Finished my VHF APRS install using @FreshMexicanTaco Dashtop Multi Mount. I was able to solder/splice the wires for the Kenwood Head Unit and GPS Nuvi USB cables through the existing holes of the Dashtop Multi Mount. This lead to a super clean install that is not obtrusive. The TM-V71 is sitting under the driver seat along with an Argentdata Tracker2 APRS tracker.

 

That thing needs more buttons on it.

 

Tell me more about the "Next Generation" stuff on your display?

 

Hey guys looking for some advice.. which of these would you go with? The guys I wheel with use rugged radio but im not the biggest fan of it.. https://www.ruggedradios.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=296_1127&products_id=1632

I did like how small and portable it was. So I found this one which i like

$90 Midland 75-822 Handheld CB Radio & Mobile CB Radio – Walkie Talkie with 40 Channels, NOAA Weather Alerts, Long Range, Compatible with CB Antennas

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00000K2YR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_s3t8Bb7HH679P

Which of the two is the better radio? Or do they both suck, and if so, should I just go for the larger permanently mounted options?

 

You are comparing two completely different types of communication. The first operates in the VHF/UHF band. You generally need a license for the frequencies it covers (although there are arguably a few exceptions). The other is a CB which uses unlicensed frequencies in the HF spectrum. Regardless of performance of either radio, the most important thing to ask is what will you be doing with it, and what forms of communication do your companions use?

Edit; sorry I reread you post...get a radio that operates on the same frequency that your buddies use. The next step is to ask what frequencies they use and determine if you need a licence.

Also, depending on the frequency, there are definitely much higher quality radios available than the one you linked. This is a Chinese- made disposable radio.