My CB Installation (in detail)

Wow lots of good stuff here. I cant wait to get my CB (some time after the holiday)

 

Love that location. One question tho, what keeps the coin tray from opening?

 

the wires that i run between the lower dash plastic and the bottom of the coin tray keep it really friggin tight actually. i just closed mine, and it stay there, doesnt even rattle or anything

 

subd

 

What speaker is that in the cubby?

 

probably just an external speaker for his cb

 

I know that is what it was for I was just curious on the specifics.

 

I disliked the idea of mounting a radio sidways to the side on the counsel so I mounted her up high unlike any others I have seen on here. I got a Cobra 29 in the rig, A mild peak and tune, Talk back, Swapped out the meter light, and I run a DM Superstar 452 MIC on my external speaker with a Wilson 1000 Mag Mount. She does real good, almost as good as my base station

 

Can you see out the rear view mirror? Erm, not that you could see much out of it anyway.

 

I like the location. How did you run the coax cable and power? Did you have to remove the ceiling panel during the install and if so, are there any issue with inadvertently setting off the side air curtains?

 

I can see out the rear view mirror great. You can see the cord but that is why i run my mic cord up and over. I thought it was going to be an issue but I dont even notice the radio much anymore. Have had it up there for a year.

 

I simply lifted the edge of the headliner down and stuffed my power, coax, PA wires and external speakers all up along the window edge without issues. Everything runs down the A pillar and then splits behind the dash besides the coax, which I ran along the drivers side edge of the headliner back to where the 3rd break light enters the cab. I never dropped the headliner, only removed the plastic pillars all the way back and pulled the edge down enough to feed the coax. I did expose the airbags along the A pillar but I made sure all my wires would not affect the operation of the bag.

 

Great write up with lots of info! Subd!!

 

ill be doing your install this week. just bought all the equip.

 

I don't know if this thread has been abandoned or what, and I'll be honest I didn't read 7 pages so if it's been talked about just link me and scold me!

How did you ground the antenna mount? I've mounted mine on the driver's sidewall of the bed and I'm getting 3.0:1 SWR on 1, 19, and 40 no matter what I try. I attempted some hacky ground wire setups but not had any luck on it, I was just trying to see if I could get it to work before figuring out something permanent/clean.

Great install by the way! AWESOME documentation of the process!

 

i used an NGP antenna so i didnt have to worry about the ground. but the bed itself is not a valid ground. you will have find a metal location that is connected to frame in some way. also make sure that there is no paint on the location that you are grounding to (scrape it off if you have to). others can chime in as to their experiences.

 

Where'd you put your antenna? I'm using a NGP as well but can't get decent numbers.

 

attached to the bed rail behind the cab. does your antenna have a length adjustment?

 

I didn't realize you were the OP, doesn't show it on the phone, or I would have gone to the 1st post. I have a NGP 3' firestick II, and have it in the same spot just tucked further into the corner. I have tried moving the tip but can't seem to get it to an acceptable range.

Here's 3 sets of readings SWR readings:
Ch1. 3 / 2.3 / 3
Ch19. 1.4 / 1.3 / 1.4
Ch40. 2.7 / 3 / 3

 

External speaker for my cb. The speaker is small in the radio do to the built in amplifier. It's 10, 11 , 12 meter radio.