Cb Radio already installed. how do i use it?

Hello Tacoma brothers, my truck has a Uniden (

$60 PRO510XL Pro Series 40-Channel CB Radio. Compact Design. Backlit LCD Display. Public Address. ANL Switch and 7 Watts of Audio Output. Unique PLL Circuit. S/RF LED Meter. , Black

PRO510XL) Cb Radio, it was already installed when i bought it! i think it needs an antenna. The CB radio is mounted inside where the ashtray used to be. i will have to buy trim removal tools to get to the CB radio out so i can attach the antenna i think?

 

You don't need the trim tools. It's just a few screws and retention clips. If you don't have an antenna or the coax isn't already ran you will need to run it and tune it yourself. Use these instructions to remove the trim:

 

the radio works but only emits static, i think it just needs an antenna. im not sure how to run the wire or what type of antenna to use.

 

Don't transmit anything without a properly tuned antenna, it will destroy the radio. Once you get an antenna you'll have to tune it to the correct SWR, you'll also need to pick up an SWR meter to tune it. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

Would this antenna work?

$50 Cobra HGA 1500 Hga1500 36" Magnetic Mount CB Antenna Heavy Duty Magnet, for use In Cars, SUVs Recreational Vehicles 300 Watt Power Handling Capability

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005N5X2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

will my am/fm radio antenna interfere with a cb antenna?

 

can you post a picture of the cb radio? the last one doesnt load

 

cb

 

Surprise!

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...oaxial-cable-3rd-gen-4runner-pictures.410324/

 

$6 RadioShack Inline Right-Angle Adap

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Z81MU...t=&hvlocphy=9031285&hvtargid=pla-309074896504

One of these will allow you to set the CB radio a bit farther into the dash - and warming/reshaping the plastic duct behind...

 

im giving up on this CB radio thing for now .too many problems to install it. id have to pull apart the entire plastic trim just to get to the the CB radio to connect the damn antenna. on top of that i have to buy the actual antenna, after that i need to buy the SWR Meter then i have to learn how to use it and tune the antenna. then i would have to reinstall all of the panels and figure out how to run the wire cleanly and find out where and how to mount the antenna. on top of all this i have to upgrade the alarm system ill just wait until i get the new alarm system installed.

 

you don't have to buy an SWR meter, there are a lot of helpful folks here that are passing one around to use, then mailing it to the next person who needs it.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/the-great-swr-meter-pass-around.411071/page-11

You can get just about any antenna you want (plus mounts and stuff) at a truck stop like Pilot or TA Travel Center.

 

And you don't have to tear the dash all apart...

Pull the ashtray
Unscrew the ashtray mount, set then aside in case you want them back later
Route the coax cable and attach it to the back of the CB
Hook up the power and ground wires
Push the CB into where the ashtray came out - This is where the right-angle connector and reshaping the air duct helps to further recess the CB
Adjust the wires/cable
Tweak the antenna - SWR meter
Drink your favorite beer

I'm simply using some velcro to hold the CB into the ashtray slot. Hasn't budged in years... I use the Little Wil and it really didn't even need SWR tweaking.

 

I doubt it's held in place by anything permanent, mine is just held in by friction. The reason it juts out like that so much is because the original owner didn't cut out the ashtray bracket. Once you do that it'll go in way more. Just pull on it and see if it comes out. I tried permanently affixing it but I never found a good way to do it.

 

And removing the radio dash panel is a lot lot simpler than you may think. It's just pulling off the climate controls and a few screws. I can do it in under a minute. Just follow those instructions I attached in an earlier post.

 

you are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!!!! i feel so stupid! All i had to do was pull on the cb radio and it came right out! it isn't even attached to anything its just held in by friction! when i pulled it out there was already a black wire atatched to the coax antenna area on the back f the CB radio. Does this mean i already have an antenna installed somewhere?

 

If you had an antenna already installed it's damn near impossible to miss it. It'll be a big ass giant antenna sticking out like a sore thumb.

I'm guessing it was just removed. Some common mounting locations include the engine bay, rear bumper, and where the bed meets the cab. I'd look in the engine bay first for any spooled up wire.

 

@skeezix - you referring to the tiny Garmin GPS covering the passenger airbag switch? Velcro - surprisingly, it's held up pretty well

 

Damn! you were right again. i followed the cb coax cable and the previous owner ran the cable through the firewall into the engine bay and at the end of the wire it looks like someone snipped it off and took the antenna with them. i ordered a cobra CB Antenna with a magnetic base mount i will upload some pics when i get it in the mail .