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CB Help...

Discussion in 'Audio & Video' started by LonghornTaco, Feb 25, 2009.

Page 3 of 4
  1. Mar 5, 2009 at 10:16 AM
    #41
    Ridgerunner

    #41
    Ridgerunner Well-Known Member

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    Ridgerunner, Mar 5, 2009
    #41
  2. Mar 5, 2009 at 2:58 PM
    #42
    4x4Runner

    #42
    4x4Runner Sam’s gone, man. Moderator

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    nuttin fancy
    THe Firestiks have a tunable tip. Basically a screw and nut to secure it at the top you can use to electrically lengthen or shorten the antenna.
     
    4x4Runner, Mar 5, 2009
    #42
  3. Mar 5, 2009 at 4:17 PM
    #43
    HerNameIsLucy

    #43
    HerNameIsLucy I miss Lucy. :-(

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    Measure the VSWR on channels one and forty. If it's lowest on one, shorten the antenna. Lowest on 40, lengthen it. daniel981 is right, go for the best reading on channel 20.

    When you adjust the antenna length, a little does a lot. Change the length in 1/16 inch increments. It's a patience thing.
     
    HerNameIsLucy, Mar 5, 2009
    #43
  4. Mar 5, 2009 at 4:24 PM
    #44
    LonghornTaco

    #44
    LonghornTaco [OP] Can you pass the bailout please?

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    Thanks guys. I'm probably going to be ordering something in the next few days. And I was planning on getting one of the firestiks with a tunable tip.
     
    LonghornTaco, Mar 5, 2009
    #44
  5. Mar 7, 2009 at 6:46 PM
    #45
    BBQ BOY

    #45
    BBQ BOY Well-Known Member

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    Get a Galaxy.
     
    BBQ BOY, Mar 7, 2009
    #45
  6. Mar 7, 2009 at 8:22 PM
    #46
    LonghornTaco

    #46
    LonghornTaco [OP] Can you pass the bailout please?

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    Actually got and installed a Cobra last night...

    IMG_0603_351b99b227f067fe8746db1ece91975bc00b7f7f.jpg

    IMG_0604_f0224457d3d72b8937013e21dfdf783050aeb6d8.jpg
     
    LonghornTaco, Mar 7, 2009
    #46
  7. Mar 11, 2009 at 7:22 PM
    #47
    HerNameIsLucy

    #47
    HerNameIsLucy I miss Lucy. :-(

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    Finally got pics of my setup

    [​IMG]

    I could scoot the cb further into the dash but then I couldn't get to the antenna connector when I go to do SWR tuning. Once I get it close to perfect as I can I'll move it. The little light hanging is from the old ashtray...haven't figured what I wanna do with that yet.

    [​IMG]



    Antenna is a FireStick. Put a notch in the 3rd brake light housing (not the lens), ran the cable through there, sealed it up with black RTV. Pulled the headliner, right rear interior panel, right sill plate and kick panel, ran the cable behind all those. Had to build a four foot cable extension, used RG-6 and
    $43 PL259 USA Made PL-259 Improved Double Shielded RG-58u for FireStik Antenna K-8A 18-Foot Single CB/Ham Coax Cable
    PL259 connectors. A serious PITA but very worth it.

    Combo works pretty well, I can get most of the way across town (about 12 miles) with it and people tell me I'm "loud and clear".
     
    HerNameIsLucy, Mar 11, 2009
    #47
  8. Mar 11, 2009 at 10:49 PM
    #48
    pittim

    #48
    pittim mittip backwards

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    Lucy, thats pretty much the same setup that I want to change mine to. How tall is your whip, and how long is your cable? You said you had to add 4 feet, so did you have a 9 foot cable and now it's about 13 feet long?
     
    pittim, Mar 11, 2009
    #48
  9. Mar 12, 2009 at 3:31 PM
    #49
    HerNameIsLucy

    #49
    HerNameIsLucy I miss Lucy. :-(

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    Sorry pittim somehow I missed your reply. The cable that came with the antenna was about 9 foot, so yes adding four feet brought it to 13. The whip is about 3 feet tall, enough to make me nervous driving under trees but it hasn't hit anything yet.

    Now that this thread has jarred me out of my no-mod-slumber, I went out and painted the antenna black. Looks much better, according to the FireStik website the paint won't affect it much, but I'll check the SWR again this weekend.

    Something happened today that hadn't before. I was doing about 60 and the antenna suddenly fell into the truck bed! I'm used to the humming noise the wind going over the whip makes, but not the big CLUCK it made when it did that. When I got home, turns out in the base the same magnet that holds it to the truck holds all the guts in the base together. The truck side of the magnet stayed stuck to the truck but the guts came apart and fell. Put it back together with some JBWeld, will see how that holds up tomorrow. In any case I'm still getting a good strong signal.

    EDIT: oh yeah and that little light that was for the ashtray burnt out today. Now I know what I'm gonna do with it...hide it.
     
    HerNameIsLucy, Mar 12, 2009
    #49
  10. Mar 12, 2009 at 3:49 PM
    #50
    Monkeysuncle

    #50
    Monkeysuncle My Cat's breath Smells like Cat Food

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    [​IMG]


    I did the same mount on my 99. I didn't get it to talk to Russia or the moon for that matter, I just wanted a cb, I couldn't afford the night watch or the one with the NOAH weather band, although I wanted that one, this I bought new in box for 25 bucks, what the hell cant pass it up. The only problem is the guys around here all have the "powerful" ones and tell me to go back to Raidio shack and get my money back...well I didn't buy it to key over someone, just to hear what is up on the road, have a conversation or listen in on local information. Unfortunatly it is a pissing contest to see who can out key the other. I'm still glad I have it but no one here wants to wheel and have fun, it's all about bigger and better, I don't have the cash or mentality for that. I got one, so I hope it saves me one day.
     
    Monkeysuncle, Mar 12, 2009
    #50
  11. Mar 12, 2009 at 3:53 PM
    #51
    HerNameIsLucy

    #51
    HerNameIsLucy I miss Lucy. :-(

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    Equador. Don't know why.
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    RIP Lucy.
    She's gone but not forgotten.
    Whereabouts are you in FLA? I'll wheel with ya, and I agree with you, I didn't put the radio in my truck to big and badass, just to talk with some buddies and some new folks.
     
    HerNameIsLucy, Mar 12, 2009
    #51
  12. Mar 12, 2009 at 4:18 PM
    #52
    Monkeysuncle

    #52
    Monkeysuncle My Cat's breath Smells like Cat Food

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    Lucy, I'm in Palm Bay, just south of Melbourne as the crow flies. The guys around here all have serious MUD trucks. My stock 99 4x4 gets me to some nice places locally but I am not going to go into a 4 ft deep mud bog just to see how far I can make it. I like my truck too much. I used to live in G-ville and have been to slowcala many times on a hike,hunting or camping.(Back then I had a Subaru) Never got stuck!! HA! In May, it "may" be wet in Florida I have 10 days off. I drive right by you on the way up and by you on the way down.(I'm going to GA to see the folks)I'll keep that in mind. You do the same . By then I should have a better set of tires, no radial long trails. Kevin in Palm Bay
     
    Monkeysuncle, Mar 12, 2009
    #52
  13. Mar 13, 2009 at 5:05 AM
    #53
    jolayiv

    #53
    jolayiv Carolina Alliance

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    What guage wire are you guys using to ground your antenna? I was told (by a respectable audio guy cb and car audio) to use a 4 guage wire! That is flippin huge.
     
    jolayiv, Mar 13, 2009
    #53
  14. Mar 13, 2009 at 6:55 AM
    #54
    LonghornTaco

    #54
    LonghornTaco [OP] Can you pass the bailout please?

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    My antenna doesn't have a separate ground wire.
     
    LonghornTaco, Mar 13, 2009
    #54
  15. Mar 13, 2009 at 7:06 AM
    #55
    jolayiv

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    jolayiv Carolina Alliance

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    Neither does mine. He said that it is for the ground plane. He advised me just run a "4 guage" wire from my mount to ground. Also he said that it would help ensure the life of my radio. What it is for is so that the SWR isn't so high. I'm going to go with a 8 guage wire. 4 just seems a little extreme.
     
    jolayiv, Mar 13, 2009
    #55
  16. Mar 13, 2009 at 7:11 AM
    #56
    mkeeagle

    #56
    mkeeagle Well-Known Member

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    the ground plane should be the roof of your truck (I believe that is where you have your antenna located). You shouldn't need any other wire back there unless radios have changed that much since I was a CBer.
     
    mkeeagle, Mar 13, 2009
    #56
  17. Mar 14, 2009 at 4:45 AM
    #57
    HerNameIsLucy

    #57
    HerNameIsLucy I miss Lucy. :-(

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    Not sure about all antennas but the base of mine is hooked to the shield of the coax, which is hooked to the back of the radio, which is hooked to ground. I'm thinking adding another ground at the other (antenna) end might make for a ground loop and cause hum. But I've never tried it so I'm guessing.
     
    HerNameIsLucy, Mar 14, 2009
    #57
  18. Mar 14, 2009 at 12:21 PM
    #58
    Evil Monkey

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    Evil Monkey There's an evil monkey in my truck

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    I received one of these Midland units for Christmas:
    $90 Midland 75-822 Handheld CB Radio & Mobile CB Radio – Walkie Talkie with 40 Channels, NOAA Weather Alerts, Long Range, Compatible with CB Antennas
    http://www.amazon.com/MIDLAND-75-82...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1237058392&sr=8-2

    It comes with a cigarette lighter power adapter and an external antenna hookup for in-vehicle use and a battery pack so you can use it as a handheld portable unit. I haven't had the opportunity to try it out yet though.
     
    Evil Monkey, Mar 14, 2009
    #58
  19. Mar 15, 2009 at 11:14 PM
    #59
    DDD

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    DDD Shine bright like a hymen

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    I have this radio and use it when off-roading. The antenna it comes with does not work well inside the cab of a truck (too much metal around I guess).
    I use an external antenna (3 ft firestick). I used to mount the antenna on the top of the cab with a magnetic mount but trees and branches would hit it, so now I have mounted it to the back of the cab near the rear window. I still get good reception/transmission (about 1 mile). With the roof top magnetic mount I could get a little further reception, but it was not worth being knocked off by a tree.
     
    DDD, Mar 15, 2009
    #59
  20. Aug 23, 2009 at 6:46 PM
    #60
    TacomaZappa

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    TacomaZappa Member

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    Please stop going into the ham bands unless you are licensed.

    Thanks, Brian

    K6IAC
     
    TacomaZappa, Aug 23, 2009
    #60
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