CB Antenna Mount Bracket

what whip do you have? magnetic? my cobra one gets knocked off if there is low hanging brush

 

I have the 2' and the 3' firestik. Significantly better reception on the 3'. Unfortunately, I can't get in my garage without removing the 3' so it's a PITA

 

Can you the down the tip when you're in urban areas/not in use?

 

I could. But nah. I'll swap as needed.

 

This is what I'd like to do, how did you run the cable to the cab?

 

Installed my Relentless Fabrication Brackets today without needing any help; just do one side of the hood at a time and hold hood at rear of hood with one hand to center holes while screwing screws partially in to hold, then tighten screws.
Some photos to show exactly what you will have to cut away on the passenger side.
Only a small amount of the top of the plastic has to go, and then the mount fits perfectly.
Any small saw can cut this away; I cut down, and then across from the left.
Both sides; drivers and passengers, about ten minutes total to finish.
Should explain; have two antennas to mount; CB on this passenger side, 2 meter amateur antenna on drivers side of hood.

Update: January 2, 2018
Hi, I will be running both CB Radio and Amateur radio sets in my 2016 Toyota Tacoma (See my other posts with photos).

You DON'T have to cut into the rubber power line boot, (on the right hand side of the engine compartment as you look the engine compartment), as some of the other posters in this thread have done.

Instead look down and left inside the engine compartment at the firewall. See that rubber hose sticking out? That is for the air-conditioner overflow line.

Inside the vehicle (Left front passenger side) pull the matting at the top, and pull it out.
It's flexable enough, and large enough to allow more things to be run through it, and still allow the hose to be pushed back into the hole again after you finish.
Run antenna cables and power wires through it, then push the hose back into it; it works. All you need is long enough power wires and antenna wires.

I researched the effects on your electronics with radios. There are several sites that say its all right, and Toyota says its all right all the way up to 100 watts; but go to the authority on radios www.e-ham.net and read the report on EMC (Electromagnetic Compatability)
In the Navy where I used to do Electronics (the EWC in my name for this site; Electronic Warfare Chief). and we had to worry about EMI (Electromagnetic Interference)
Same thing different names for interference effects on other electronics, I.E. Your truck.

All emergency vehicles are allowed up to 110 watts of actual transmitted power, and Toyota has conformed to this standard (Otherwise every time an emergency vehicle went past transnitting, every new vehicle on the road would shut down.), but you are limited to a safe 100 watts of output power with Toyotas; (See the www.e-ham.net site and look for EMC and EMI) remember your electronics are NOT specially prepared for 110 watts output power as emergency vehicles are.
Your throttle, and other important electronics, can be effected by too much transmitted power. Really want your truck to run away, or suddenly brake, when you key down on a linear amp with your wires run too close to the electronics wires, or behind the dash?

I ran my antenna wires, and power wires, high and in back of the engine compartment: I will include photos when I finish. Please notify others about this.

Make sure your hood is fully grounded to the body; it isn't neccessarily grounded to the vehicle body, Toyota coats everything with coating. You May have to sand off or otherwise get a bare metal, ground to ground, hood to body. For grounding cabels go to Ham Radio Outlet, they sell everything www.hamradio.com and see www.e-ham.net for EMC and EMI.

I will have photos of my full installation in few weeks.
Will try to put some up early now that this has come up, showing the actual runs through the air-conditioner hose hole, and the actual grounding.
Well, out out the truck to take photos. Am also posting this a seperate post.

 

Other side of hood mount (Drivers Side), and photos across hood.

 

Be very cautious about how much weight you put onto the mounts, I have a 3 foot firestik with quick-disconnect and heavy spring and I noticed its starting to crack at the point where the curve meets the flat piece. I'd say it's more designed for a ditch light or much lighter set up which is why I'm currently looking for a tailgate mount on mine.

 

Hi, I will be running both CB Radio and Amateur radio sets in my 2016 Toyota Tacoma (See my other posts with photos).

You DON'T have to cut into the rubber power line boot, (on the right hand side of the engine compartment as you look the engine compartment), as some of the other posters in this thread have done.

Instead look down and left inside the engine compartment at the firewall. See that rubber hose sticking out? That is for the air-conditioner overflow line.

Inside the vehicle (Front passenger side) pull the matting out at the top, and pull the hose out.
It's flexible enough, and large enough to allow more things to be run through it, and still allow the hose to be pushed back into the hole again after you finish.
Run antenna cables and power wires through it, then push the hose back into it; it works. All you need is long enough power wires and antenna wires.

I researched the effects on your electronics with radios. There are several sites that say its all right, and Toyota says its all right all the way up to 100 watts; but go to the authority on radios www.e-ham.net and read the report on EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility)
In the Navy where I used to do Electronics (the EWC in my name for this site; Electronic Warfare Chief). and we had to worry about EMI (Electromagnetic Interference)
Same thing, different names, for interference effects on other electronics, I.E. Your truck.

All emergency vehicles are allowed up to 110 watts of actual transmitted power, and Toyota has conformed to this standard (Otherwise every time an emergency vehicle went past transnitting, every new vehicle on the road would shut down or lose control.), but you are limited to a safe 100 watts of output power with Toyotas; (See the www.e-ham.net site and look for EMC and EMI) remember your electronics are NOT specially prepared for 110 watts output power as emergency vehicles are.
Your throttle, the brakes and other important electronics, can be effected by too much transmitted power. Really want your truck to run away, or suddenly brake, when you key down on a linear amp with your wires run too close to the electronics wires, or behind the dash; or if you have not properly grounded everything and have lots of stray RF (Radio Frequency Energy) floating around, because you have not properly grounded BOTH the radio, and the antenna?
Personally I would never use a linear amp in any new vehicle; you might get away with it, you might not. Your airbags also have capacitors inside them, to fire the air bags even if other power to them is lost (In case you are parked, or broken down on the road, and someone runs into you). Capacitors can also be adversely affected by strong RF Fields. You don't want high powered stray RF running around inside your vehicle.

I ran my antenna wires, and power wires, high and in back of the engine compartment: I will include photos when I finish. Please notify others about this; many people, not into electronics, don't know about EMI or EMC.

Make sure your hood is fully grounded to the body; it isn't necessarily normally grounded to the vehicle body, Toyota coats everything with protective coating, and the hinges can be shaky as a good ground especially if they are lubricated. You may have to sand off or otherwise get bare metal for a good ground, hood to body. For grounding cables go to Ham Radio Outlet, they sell everything www.hamradio.com and see www.e-ham.net for EMC and EMI. You only have to ground one side of the hood; if the ground is good it covers the entire hood for grounding.

I will have photos of my full installation in few weeks.
Will try to put some up early now that this has come up, showing the actual runs through the air-conditioner hose hole, and the actual grounding.
Well, out out the truck to take photos. Am also posting this a seperate post.
Update Hood Grounding photos and wire run photos going up.

 

Photos of grounding, Hood to Body, and that smaller antenna wire runs through the air-conditioner overflow hole; remember you may have to scrape off some coating to make a good grounds. Note that I ran the antenna wire where the hood will not close on it, and eventually break it. Made use of the already installed windshield washer hose to hold it up and out of the way.

 

Another, this is the CB antenna cable run. Note it is high and clear of other wires, except the ones in that cable run. With all my grounds good, I shouldn't have a problem with stray RF in there

 

The run through the air-conditioner overflow hose opening; small wire is the amateur radio antenna, large is the CB antenna. CB antenna cable is running across the high top inside of the engine compartment from its antenna mounting, then downward to here.

 

Inside, passenger side. The power wires are not in yet, but can go through the same opening when installed. Small wire is the amateur radio antenna wire, large is the CB antenna wire. Note the air-conditioner overflow hose is not affected by doing this, and I still have room beside the overflow hose for running the power wiring through the same opening, and the hose will still go back into it afterward. Remove hose, run wire, push hose back in, push matting back up in place.

 

The installation outside; amateur radio on the left and CB on the right.
Why a wire CB antenna and not a Firestick, which is a slightly better antenna?
This way I can have a three foot antenna, and still be able to run into outdoor things without the Firestick breaking; and public garage clearance in California is 85 inches height (7' feet 1" clearance), except in handicapped areas where it is over 8 feet. The problem is that some public garages in California have Waivers to this; and I have seen one public garage in downtown Los Angeles with a 6' 3" ceiling height.
Google your State rules for Public Garage Clearances, all states publish them.

 

Hi Reaper217; I think they have changed the construction of the mounts at Relentless Fabrication. Mine are very strongly built; you would need a sledgehammer to break these. Also see my post about why I am not using a firestick. My antenna is not as good as the Firestick, but is still three foot long and almost as good. I actualy have a new 3ft Firestick, see my post about Public Garage Clearances. This antenna hits anything; it simply bends, then goes back to full upright with no damage to it.

 

Where are you guys mountin your cb’s? Im considering a cobra 19 tucked out of sight in the middle console...

 

Putting mine in the center console, above the totally useless wireless phone charger (It doesn't charge phones), the radio will be on an elaborate mount, upward from the two front cup-holders and back to the radio. The truck has 17 cup-holders for a five seat truck...Nice design Toyota! I can spare the two front cup-holders; the amateur radio will be mounted on the side of the console, passenger side (And grounded to the floor seat bolt on that side. The front panel of the radio can be detached and be remotely mounted. Mine will mount top of the dash in front of me; it isn't large enough to block my view. Kenwood TM-V71A www.hamradio.com if you want to see it. My CB is a Uniden Bearcat 980 SSB; small enough to go where I want to put it, but still a good radio.
Update 1/5/2018: Shoehorned the Bearcat 980 in today, and everything fits perfectly. Its a safe installation also; in any wreck it's not coming out of there, had mount the CB last to fit it all in, and its well grounded to a good ground point. Will post pictures as soon as I can; too late today, and have to work tomorrow.
See my "Installing Amateur and CB Radios in 2016 Tacoma" thread for the full installation instructions and photos

 

I thought about that location but hate to give up my cup holders and cubby hole..... thanks for the info.

 

Buddy please, can push a ton of wires through that thing

 

Great writeup guys