CB install 06 access cab...write up update!!!!

So...I've got a lot of help from these forums before....

Recently I decided to do a in dash install of a galaxy 979f, a wilson 5000 NMO mount, and some extra hardware to ensure some extra distance ;-)

More pics to follow...

 

Write will become organized when they are all done....

 

So....previously I had am cobra 19III in the spot under the head unit in my old single din dash kit. It was attached via rg58 to a cheap radio shack magnet mount antenna on top of the cab. It worked ok....probably 5 miles max range in the right conditions.

Because of the field I work in I learned more about radios and wanted to upgrade.

So I found a galaxy 979f, got a wilson 5000 NMO antenna a short run of quality rg58 (the Wilson already had 18 feet of rg8x) and my other hardware....

As you can see I had to remove the head liner. Not as hard as I thought. Remove your plastic trim around both sides (access cab), coat hashes and sun visors...then unclip the stuff in the head liner and it comes out. It's very sturdy actually and bends back with no crease if needed.

Get a STEP bit!....thanks drill a small starter hole and then follow with the step bit.

When installing the antenna, for added strength, I took a piece of steel and jb welded it to the interior roof and drilled through it as well. Then mounted the antenna.
Put wire conduit around the coax for added protection and ran it down the driver side rear pillar, across the back to the passenger side and down the floor.

I ran it under the carpet and passenger seat to the center console which I removed (2 bolts and two screws), dremeled room for the cOaxaca, then installed my hardware. This way it's hidden from prying eyes but controls are still ready accessible for emergency purposes) (I run barefoot, the juice is only on for an emergency) upstream of the other hardware is rg58 as that side has a standard load which goes up the dash to the back of the cb. With the 62.5 inch on the top of the cab I have great vertically and ground plane. Just dropped the whip in and was seeing 1.1 on ch1 and 1.3 on ch40.

The 979f is also SSB capable as well...very clear radio with almost no static.

Forgot to add I added fuses for everything with power under the hood by the battery.

If you have questions or want other pics let me know!

 

Interesting subd for more.

 

Did a 2000 mile road trip....literally the Wilson 5000 antenna with the kl203p and the galaxy 979f are a great combo in or trucks...literally dropped the antenna in all the way and tightened it...checked set and it was 1.1 on ch 1 and 1.3 on ch 40....well within limits so I just left it there.

I drove from Oklahoma to Virginia...norhing but reports of loud clean transmissions and proper modulation the while way. When running barefoot I was being told I was loud and clear at 7 miles out....and ten miles out folks were telling me I was clear and at a med. Level coming in...this was on am running barefoot with my variable power set to the legal 4 watts.

When I put the fire to the wire I turned down my variable power to about a one watt dead key and was getting good reports about being clear and loud at 20 miles out (not as many could talk back to me but I could still hear several barefoot radios...i think my antenna height helped with this and they themselves were reporting that they had high quality antennas)

Single sand band worked well, minor clarifier use required bit o was unable to get a distance reported barefoot or juiced up.

All in all I could not be more pleased...inhave hot several branches with the whip including a metal one over a mcdonalds drive through (whoops) and there seems to be no issue...I am glad I put that steel plate up under the roof to reinforce it. I will upload the final pics in the morning.

 

So....that is it in a nutshell folks...if anyone has questions or needs more info let me know!

 

Recommendations on where to pickup similar "Extra Hardware"?

 

I don't know any storefront that sells them but the net has a plethora of places you can order from. Mine I ordered from Italy direct because I wanted a unit that I know had not been tweaked by somebody doing a hackjob. If you go that route I highly recommend high quality coax on the output aide and ensure the antenna is properly tunned. Also the lower you drive one the longer it will last. The few times I have used mine i turned down mybpower outout from my CB to a 1 to 1.5 watt deadkey. My power output was probably somewhere in 30-40 watt range which was more than enough to be heard very clearly at 10 miles....ita rated to be driven higher and I am confident it could handle it...but it's really unnecessary. 99.9% of the time I run barefoot. The largest deciding factor in range truly is your antenna. I have it only for those rare instances when I'm out of cell coverage and there is am emergency.

 

So as I suspected I can go much farther than I thought.

On 38 LSB I was talking to Canada from VA the other day...clear as a bell as well as Eastern Tenn. and Montanna....just wanted to give a full report in it's capabilities.

 

Love the galaxy radios with side bands.

 

Any pics of the whole whip? Wanting to graduate to this set up with the 5' whip on top, but I'm afraid it'll look too ridiculous.

 

Here are some pics with the whole whip visible.

 

Oh I forgot when I was talking to the folks in Canada on LSB I had a drive going in of what I would think what have been a 4 watt deadly (if there was such a thing on LSB)...even then hardware stayed nice and cool and all reports where of clear audio.

 

But say a guy is stuck way out in the bush somewhere and he gets on his powerful radio and reaches out 50 miles or some such and someone hears him and wants to help out but unless he also has a power house radio he wont be able to return comm. Is that correct? If so what would be the use in having such a powerful radio? Just wondering is all.

 

The good use is that even though you can't hear him, he can hear you and his vehicle is still working which means he can get a hold of rescue services and direct them to your aid or he can come to you.

It's "calling in the blind" it's used often in aircraft radio emergencies..