Anyone running CB's in their truck these days?

[MrBeast]

Originally Posted by jocko

So I’m dying to ask what kind of antenna THAT thing needs? Got a pic? I’ll show my ham stupidity here, but i didn’t even know there even was such a thing as a mobile ham. That’s cool.

IMHO the best route is a "screwdriver" antenna.

It is a tunable antenna that uses contacts on a motor driven coil to change the impedance of the antenna.

With that setup you can hit stations that are as far away from the west coast as Japan, Hawaii, Russia, it will really get out!

[70cst]

Originally Posted by bbrriiaann1973

Ok good for you

Its time to simmer down ... wrong attitudes are a no no.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by MrBeast

IMHO the best route is a "screwdriver" antenna.

It is a tunable antenna that uses contacts on a motor driven coil to change the impedance of the antenna.

With that setup you can hit stations that are as far away from the west coast as Japan, Hawaii, Russia, it will really get out!

Excellent info, thanks very much Mr. B.

[bbrriiaann1973]

Originally Posted by 70cst

Its time to simmer down ... wrong attitudes are a no no.

So you think I am the only one that needs to simmer down?

[slomotion]

And here I am, late to the party again!

I did some serious soul-searching before I drilled the holes for the mount, but figured worse-case scenario I may have to repair them at some time, or, just leave the radio there. Not the end of the world either way. Ran the antenna wire back to the headache board, installed a bracket there for the whip. Only downside was I had to run a ground wire back to the cab just to insure a good ground.
In the first photo the white speckles on the headliner are reflections from the radio knobs. In the last image the antenna has been removed (quarter-twist) so it didn't get bent up going in the garage.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by bbrriiaann1973

So you think I am the only one that needs to simmer down?

In my comments Yes!

[70cst]

Originally Posted by slomotion

And here I am, late to the party again!

I did some serious soul-searching before I drilled the holes for the mount, but figured worse-case scenario I may have to repair them at some time, or, just leave the radio there. Not the end of the world either way. Ran the antenna wire back to the headache board, installed a bracket there for the whip. Only downside was I had to run a ground wire back to the cab just to insure a good ground.
In the first photo the white speckles on the headliner are reflections from the radio knobs. In the last image the antenna has been removed (quarter-twist) so it didn't get bent up going in the garage.

Very nice

[Rods]

Slomotion I think I know the answer but will ask anyway. Why did you mount the cb were you did ? I’m thinking because of the shifter and it (CB) being in the way ?
Im building the same truck as yours and have looked at pictures and have studied your truck to get ideas for mine. Very nice by the way.

[slomotion]

Originally Posted by Rods

Slomotion I think I know the answer but will ask anyway. Why did you mount the cb were you did ? I’m thinking because of the shifter and it (CB) being in the way ?
Im building the same truck as yours and have looked at pictures and have studied your truck to get ideas for mine. Very nice by the way.

Thank you 70cst!

Thank you Rods!
You're right, under the instrument panel was not very convenient, and the mic cord and shift lever would have been wrestling each other all the time . A couple of other considerations were the radio speaker is on the bottom of the transmitter so I didn't need an external speaker this way and I didn't want it on the dash because it was too visible from outside. I guess another reason was habit. I drove commercially for a lot of years and just got used to the radio being overhead and easily visible to me.

[Noah96]

Any recommendations on a decent antenna for a 40 channel radio shack cb. Going on a 1969 GMC C2500.

[MrBeast]

Originally Posted by Noah96

Any recommendations on a decent antenna for a 40 channel radio shack cb. Going on a 1969 GMC C2500.

I have always loved the Firestix 2's, tune em up with an SWR meter in an open field, and you will get out well with them.

[Ironhorse]

Noah, I used a pair of twin "Hustlers" when I was doing the CB bit. Got out well with them. Not sure if still have them in the garage or not. Could look and see if still have them. Think they were 40'' long if I remember. Ran them with a splitter for the two antennas.

[jocko]

I like the dual antenna look on the mirrors like semis had, but always though that you needed to be as wide as “semi truck” distance mounting separation for them to actually be more advantageous than a single antenna(??)

[MrBeast]

Originally Posted by jocko

I like the dual antenna look on the mirrors like semis had, but always though that you needed to be as wide as “semi truck” distance mounting separation for them to actually be more advantageous than a single antenna(??)

if you have the west coast style mirrors you can mount them where the mirror ties into the main mount tree, that will work just fine, will be about the same width as on a semi.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by MrBeast

if you have the west coast style mirrors you can mount them where the mirror ties into the main mount tree, that will work just fine, will be about the same width as on a semi.

Agreed!

I will be mounting Twin Antenna ...

[70cst]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Noah, I used a pair of twin "Hustlers" when I was doing the CB bit. Got out well with them. Not sure if still have them in the garage or not. Could look and see if still have them. Think they were 40'' long if I remember. Ran them with a splitter for the two antennas.

Twin "Hustlers" can still be purchased...

[jocko]

Originally Posted by MrBeast

if you have the west coast style mirrors you can mount them where the mirror ties into the main mount tree, that will work just fine, will be about the same width as on a semi.

Solid copy Good Buddy! Ha. Ok. It’s been awhile.. thanks Mr. B.

[MrBeast]

I am playing around with an idea for hiding the screwdriver element inside of the bed and using a long whip like on the Fall Guy truck.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Mr Beast, I seem to recall a device [black box] that was cut-in to the coax of one side of a twin mirror mount -- which by tuning a variable capacitor -- could sweep the focus of the bi-polar pattern into a directional array. The nominal radiation of ''rabbit ears'' was a figure eight, but changing the signal could make it cardioid, and also onmidirectional.
For on-highway use, the fore-and-aft signal of the bidirectional set up is probably best, but a variable sweep function is interesting.
Is there more to it than just a variable capacitor? I remember proprietary black box devices being available, some decades ago.

[MrBeast]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Mr Beast, I seem to recall a device [black box] that was cut-in to the coax of one side of a twin mirror mount -- which by tuning a variable capacitor -- could sweep the focus of the bi-polar pattern into a directional array. The nominal radiation of ''rabbit ears'' was a figure eight, but changing the signal could make it cardioid, and also onmidirectional.
For on-highway use, the fore-and-aft signal of the bidirectional set up is probably best, but a variable sweep function is interesting.
Is there more to it than just a variable capacitor? I remember proprietary black box devices being available, some decades ago.

I am sure you are right about that, although I have not ever seen one.

On my sailboat I have an Isolated backstay with a tuner on it that really works well, I have talked to Japan and Alabama with it from Puget Sound.

[70cst]

Any others have a CB in their Truck?

[jeffahart]

I always liked a whip. I've tried to find the military style 'S' clips to hold an antenna whip down. You would clip upper clip in the bush so if antenna gets caught on a branch it pulls off and breaks away. In city(MOUT) you clip under so antenna cannot accidentally come loose and catch a power line. I always thought that was clever. You would get a serious reprimand in the bush with using an under clip(Potential to break the whip) or over clip mount on highway(potential for catching a power line). If you broke a whip in the bush you had some splainning to do!! Always looked for a civilian equivalent but never found one. Here's a pic below.

I stayed clear of this thread because I knew it would make me want a vintage CB, yet here I am... I want!




j

[70cst]

Originally Posted by jeffahart

I always liked a whip. I've tried to find the military style 'S' clips to hold an antenna whip down. You would clip upper clip in the bush so if antenna gets caught on a branch it pulls off and breaks away. In city(MOUT) you clip under so antenna cannot accidentally come loose and catch a power line. I always thought that was clever. You would get a serious reprimand in the bush with using an under clip(Potential to break the whip) or under mount on highway(potential for catching a power line). If you broke a whip in the bush you had some splainning to do!! Always looked for a civilian equivalent but never found one. Here's a pic below.

I stayed clear of this thread because I knew it would make me want a vintage CB, yet here I am... I want!

Attachment 1756009


j

23 Channel CB's which are period correct for our trucks .. are cheap to purchase unless you go after the high end radios ...

[jeffahart]

Originally Posted by 70cst

23 Channel CB's which are period correct for our trucks .. are cheap to purchase unless you go after the high end radios ...

Hey thanks! Are you talking something like this(link below) what do you think of this radio?

https://www.cobra.com/products/professional/29-ltd



j

[70cst]

Originally Posted by jeffahart

Hey thanks! Are you talking something like this(link below) what do you think of this radio?

https://www.cobra.com/products/professional/29-ltd



j

If you want a period correct CB for our trucks ... it needs to be 23 channel. It was about 74-75 is when the FCC opened up the radios to 40 channels. You can pick up a very nice radio for about $40. Cobra, Uniden, Midland, Radio Shack (Realistic), Tram, Johnson, Royce, Browning... the list goes on.