1st Gen CB Install

how my first one was :



new one temporary spot until i build a box to hold it :

 

What do you mean you can adjust it? you can adjust the cb? or you have to cut into your dash? and also, what about clarity? between the uniden and the cobra, can you hear fairly clearly without an additional speaker with it in the ashtray spot?

 

When you're cutting out the ashtray and fitting the CB, you have to use a heat gun to soften the back of the mounting area so that the CB will fit all the way in. As you're heating it up, you take the butt (round) end of a screwdriver and push in the area that you're heating up. This will allow the CB to sit as flush as possible. You'll need to eyeball where the coax fitting on the CB will be in relation to where you're heating. Don't push too hard with the screwdriver or you'll break the plastic which is actually a vent tube.

Both CB's will have the same clarity. The antenna set up is most important.

 

im so confused by that. haha

 

Here's mine:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/te...ra-75-wx-st-install-cb-interference-hids.html

Nice!

 

Just buy your CB, remove the ashtray and you'll see what I'm talking about. The CB won't fit without doing some cutting.

These may help.
http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6857

 

get a hand held!!!!

 

For those of you who have it mounted where the ashtray used to be, and Cmack - for yours too.... I'm assuming the speaker is under the unit, right? Can you even hear the CB transmission(s) if, say, you're going at highway speeds?

For 02TRD and Zero - can you hear that Cobra all-in-one handheld well? That's the one I was leaning towards if/when I get around to rigging my truck with a CB

 

iv owned both of those CBs so i can shed some light on the pros and cons.

the cobra is a bit thicker and as such will require some trimming to the plastic piece behind the ash try. i just used a hand saw to cut it a bit. lost its strength but it doesnt need it anymore.

my friend and i both originally bought the unidens but both have had part of the display numbers stop lighting up (less than a year old)

the cobra gives you the ability to run a PA (which i did) but it lacks the unidens ability to start up on the channel it was left on. the cobra defaults to ch1 every time it starts.

 

the cobra all-in-one is the best cb i have owned, by far. as far as reception, transmission, sound quality, convenience, etc. I have owned a Uniden which I had nothing but bad experiences, and glad i didn't pay for (was given to me). Replaced it with a cobra 29, liked it a lot better. I bought the handheld when I bought my Jeep TJ. I have seen some people mount full size CB units on their dash, or side mount on the transmission hump, or other various strange locations and wanted to avoid this. The handheld was everything I hoped for. Plus, I bough an additional brain for the handheld and was able to take the mic from my jeep (daily driver) to my old chevy (wheeler) back and forth very easily and for far less than buying an additional CB. It is nice to be able to unplug the unit from the brain and put in the glove box out if sight or move from one vehicle to another. My brother has the same set up in his duramax/CJ-8 rockcrawler. Talk to your convoy while towing to location, then switch into the crawler for the trails, and back into the truck for the ride home. I would definitely recommend this CB to anyone.

 

If ya don't want to limit yourself to only the small units or tear up your dash-my mount location requires only two strong sheetmetal screws and you're done. I am 6'1" and this leaves plenty of legroom for me but if you are taller it may be an issue. My scanner is a pretty good size and I mounted it under the steering wheel where that thick plastic panel is so strong. Had it there for three years now



..and as you can see I have my external speaker mounted at the forward spot on the console and facing up to me for optimum copy.

 

^ too bad you probably cant see your unit. if it works for you thats good, but i would beat the shit out of it getting in and out, and would not want it hidden behind/under the wheel where you can't see it.

 

You are right to a point-I have to tilt up the wheel and then I can see the face thru the bottom of the wheel. But my scanner is a different situation in that once I turn it on I don't need to do anything but listen and drive. You CB guys are always needing to switch channels and such so your handheld unit is a perfect and safer choice. I just offered another mount location which can give the OP more rig choices. My location ya wouldn't "beat the shit out of it"-I am a big guy and I don't have to be all careful around it when I get in/out.

 

i want one with a PA output in the back tho. but okay. imma buy my cb and ill let u know how it goes.

 

In my experience, handhelds don't get the reception, or transmission that most cb people would like.

If it's just a trail rig, or not a very often setup, it works fine. Not for me though.

I had a Uniden 520, and I loved it. It did most of everything I wanted, and that thing was pretty damn sturdy. Now, I run a Galaxy DX949, peaked and tuned. I ran a 102" whip though, I don't like any other of those 'tunable' antennas, wether they be fiberglass, or whatever.

You still need an antenna, and a good coax. Browning makes a decent coax for a beginner. People like fiberglass antennas, but you won't get the same reception and transmission as a classic whip, or a metal coiled antenna, such as a Browning, MonkeyMade, or Mr. Coily.

You also need an antenna mount.

You also need to get your antenna tuned, once you power your radio. Don't play with it with an untuned antenna though, it can backlash, and ruin your radio.

 

who tunes those antennas?

 

It's all about how you install it. Down to how and where you run the excess cable. Plus, I have my cbs tuned by an old man down the road who owns a cb store for big rigs and marine equipment. My handheld works amazingly. pretty certain they can he hooked up to a pa too! I could really care less to have one though

 

I have the same thing. Cobra 19 ultra 3.
Yes you can push it back about another inch. It still wont fit flush because the coax from the antenna hits the dc power converter in there. I will be finishing my install tommorow by removing the converter and reinstalling it 2 inches forward.(towards the engine)
That way the unit will fit flush. Just bought a 4ft firestick and 12 ft of monster clear coax as well.
It's important to run dedicated power and ground all the way to the battery. That way there is zero interferance from any other power sources or accesories.
I want my install to look "clean" and factory like.

 

you need to get 18ft of coax or most shops will not tune your radio/antenna. also, make sure you run the coax back and forth in straight, 4ft lengths either in the engine bay or somewhere in the cab. do not coil the excess cable, it will mess with reception/transmission of signal and you will not be able to talk to or hear others.

 

As long as you don't damage or crimp the cable, you can "coil the excess cable"-radio signals don't know they're going thru a loop. Looping the coax won't change its impedance one bit Ideally you should cut the excess and then install a connector-but most guys here don't care enough to know how to do that, and at the short lengths used in mobile installs, signal losses thru the coax don't matter. I like this link because this guy puts it in easy terms with regards to tuning the antenna.
http://www.rightchannelradios.com/pages/cb-antenna-tuning-and-swr-explained-pv-c0-58.html