The Official Circuit Riders CB Set Up

[70cst]

I have been putting together a period correct CB set up for my truck for some time and as of this week the total package has been put in place.
a) For the antenna I will use an NOS Dual Hustler Mirror antenna mounts. I will mount these off my Below Eye Line mirrors.
b) I found a late 70's CB Gray Amplifier that I will use with my radio.
c) As far the CB radio I am down to two.
I will either use the GM CB or a very cool three meter Kris radio.
The Kris XL 50 is a rare radio not seen very often. Also the GM Power Supply--I have only seen one other in over twenty years.
d) As far as floor mount (not shown) I bought an 60's-70's NOS metal Tri-fold floor mount which will sit nicely on the hump. .

Vintage early 70's Hustler Twin Antennas



Vintage Gray 150 watt amplifier



Kris XL 50 23 CB Radio



GM CB Radio (top)
GM CB Power Supply (Bottom)

[CG]

I really like the looks of the older wood grain one. I dont know much about CBs. How many channels do they have now? It looks like the one of yours that I like only has 23. Will that be any kind of problem for you, or is this basically going to be for looks?

[Kurt L]

radio's now adays have over 300 channels in them cg.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by CG

I really like the looks of the older wood grain one. I dont know much about CBs. How many channels do they have now? It looks like the one of yours that I like only has 23. Will that be any kind of problem for you, or is this basically going to be for looks?

I am focusing on being somewhat period correct and the cool factor.

Although many radios (exports) have FM, USB & LSB, plus 40 AM channels... the main channel to talk on is still AM channel 19. Regular CB's radios (non export) have just 40 channels AM. The CB radios went from 23 to 40 channels in the mid 70's. Some export radios were deemed illegal by the FCC do to power ratings.

The key has been finding period correct Twin Mount mirror antennas. I just bought these of ebay last week.

[jocko]

subscribed - interesting thread. Is there any difference performance-wise in the older 23 ch vs slightly newer 40 ch radios? I see the Kris is a 40 ch unit. Look fwd to seeing how you install this.

Does anyone make a hidden cb antenna that has even remotely decent performance (probbaly not, but just curious)

[70cst]

Originally Posted by jocko

subscribed - interesting thread. Is there any difference performance-wise in the older 23 ch vs slightly newer 40 ch radios? I see the Kris is a 40 ch unit. Look fwd to seeing how you install this.

Does anyone make a hidden cb antenna that has even remotely decent performance (probably not, but just curious)

You can purchase a CB-AM-FM splitter that converts a a car radio antenna into a Tri-Band antenna. You can transmit and receive but the quality and performance will not match a regular CB antenna but ... they do work. Good eye on the Kris as far as a 40 channel radio. This radio along with the Gray Amp was manufactured in the 1976-1978 period. The CB Radios went from 23 channel to 40 channels in the mid 70's I do believe.

If you look at the GM radio...there is no RF Gain. I would compare the GM CB radios to the GM radios. When we were young-ins in the 70's ... the first thing we did was to take out the factory radio and install an aftermarket 8 Track or later on Cassette player. Why...much better quality and features in the after market CB's and radios including the speakers.
Although I will eventually install my GM 8 track.

The after market CB's in my opinion flat out-- out performed the Factory/Dealer CB Radios. JMHO

As far as did the 40 channel out perform the 23 channels radios. I think both were rated at 4 watts per the FCC...that is where the kickers (CB amps) came into being.

[69GWC]

Dont forget to post pix when you get it all installed, I have been thinking of putting my NorthStar 330 in my 69 but need to find a good antenna for it. It has 3 power levels on it plus I have a 200 watt heater for it.

I never put it in my 06 because there just is not a place for it, I used to run it in my 99 super duty with a K40 on the roof.
Posted via Mobile Device

[70cst]

Originally Posted by 69GWC

Dont forget to post pix when you get it all installed, I have been thinking of putting my NorthStar 330 in my 69 but need to find a good antenna for it. It has 3 power levels on it plus I have a 200 watt heater for it.

I never put it in my 06 because there just is not a place for it, I used to run it in my 99 super duty with a K40 on the roof.
Posted via Mobile Device

The two most common antennas were the 102" Bumper mount whip antenna and the mirror mount antennas.

[69GWC]

I was thinking about the long whip I remember guys having them and having a tennis ball on it to keep it from hitting the truck.
When I was little my Dad had one in the 70 c/10 truck we had with a 500 watt heater and we had a base unit at the house with a 1000watt heater and he will call my Mom when he left work at night some 40 miles away and it sounded like he was in the next room..lol
The Police finally got mad and tracked him down and took both of the linears and gave him a good talking to about what would happen if ever got any more,, I guess they were bleeding over on everyone around and I do remember the neighbors coming over and complaining about them riding over their TVs which was funny because we lived way out in the country..
Posted via Mobile Device

[70cst]

Originally Posted by 69GWC

I was thinking about the long whip I remember guys having them and having a tennis ball on it to keep it from hitting the truck.
When I was little my Dad had one in the 70 truck we had with a 500 watt heater and we had a base unit at the house with a 1000watt heater and he will call my Mom when he left work at night some 40 miles away and it sounded like he was in the next room..lol
The Police finally got mad and tracked him down and took both of the linears and gave him a good talking to about what would happen if ever got any more,, I guess they were bleeding over on everyone around and I do remember the neighbors coming over and complaining about them riding over their TVs which was funny because we lived way out in the country..
Posted via Mobile Device

I forgot about the tennis balls.

The heaters that were not AB1 were called splatter boxes. When they were used it interfered with TV transmissions. At least that what I was told

[bruceman1968]

70CST, Great lookin setup. I like the hustler twins, lot's of guys ran those back in the day. They are very period correct. Good job. Do you have a pic of the tri fold floor mount? I still have not decided if I'm going to mount my CB on the floor, dash or roof.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by bruceman1968

70CST, Great lookin setup. I like the hustler twins, lot's of guys ran those back in the day. They are very period correct. Good job. Do you have a pic of the tri fold floor mount? I still have not decided if I'm going to mount my CB on the floor, dash or roof.

I found this NOS Mount on ebay last summer and bought it for $6 plus shipping. This is all metal and both sides are hinged. The pics doesn't show it but the front has a series of holes so a speaker can be installed behind the front plate. I have never seen one before.

[trevrolet65]

Nice. I have, for years a couple of 23 channel radios. The thing I noticed is they, along with steal not fiberglass antennies like to bleed. At least my realistic does, not so much for the royce. That realistic bleeds more than my cobra 29. I still have a one pill box and a couple of wilson truckers. I always wanted a 102'' whip. I like your GM/GM combo. Have they been calibrated and frequency adjusted? I think the magic number for the whip was at least 18' coax and a good ground to get your s.w.r.'s to flatline.

[hjewell2]

Boy this sure does bring back memories..

[70cst]

Originally Posted by trevrolet65

Nice. I have, for years a couple of 23 channel radios. The thing I noticed is they, along with steal not fiberglass antennies like to bleed. At least my realistic does, not so much for the royce. That realistic bleeds more than my cobra 29. I still have a one pill box and a couple of wilson truckers. I always wanted a 102'' whip. I like your GM/GM combo. Have they been calibrated and frequency adjusted? I think the magic number for the whip was at least 18' coax and a good ground to get your s.w.r.'s to flatline.

The box under the GM CB is a GM Power Supply.
I will take the the radio and amp and match them up once I am ready to install them.

[PAWS 72]

Originally Posted by 70cst

I found this NOS Mount on ebay last summer and bought it for $6 plus shipping. This is all metal and both sides are hinged. The pics doesn't show it but the front has a series of holes so a speaker can be installed behind the front plate. I have never seen one before.

Radio Shack used to carry them.

I'm liking the set-up.I've got a Midland 23 ch. that I'm going to get fixed and put in my 71 LWB when it gets up and running.

[70cst]

[quote Radio Shack used to carry them. I'm liking the set-up.I've got a Midland 23 ch. that I'm going to get fixed and put in my 71 LWB when it gets up and running.][/quote]

PAWS 72 ...
Never knew about Radio Shack but they were heavy into CB's and accessories back in the day so it makes a lot of sense. I have never seen this mount before but it is a quality mount. Thanks for the info.

[ole dollor]

i still run a cb in everything i own, except ole dollor, just have not put one in yet and room is a factor...but i can get one that has just the mic that has all the controls on the mic, even my motor cycles have them so the bride and me can talk while we ride....

[70cst]

Originally Posted by ole dollor

i still run a cb in everything i own, except ole dollor, just have not put one in yet and room is a factor...but i can get one that has just the mic that has all the controls on the mic, even my motor cycles have them so the bride and me can talk while we ride....

In my company car I have a Stryker 447 matched to a TS350 using a Siro P5000 antenna. I use the CB to keep track of weather and traffic patterns. There are times that I get tired of the radio so the CB comes on.

[ole dollor]

Originally Posted by 70cst

In my company car I have a Stryker 447 matched to a TS350 using a Siro P5000 antenna. I use the CB to keep track of weather and traffic patterns. There are times that I get tired of the radio so the CB comes on.

i guess i started running cb in the 70's and just never quit. i some times don't turn it on every time i go some places, but i always have one. even every patrol car i ever drove had a cb...it came in handy more than once..i always liked the corbra radios my first was the cobra 29 with twin hustlers...the k-40 was also a great antenna.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by ole dollor

i guess i started running cb in the 70's and just never quit. i some times don't turn it on every time i go some places, but i always have one. even every patrol car i ever drove had a cb...it came in handy more than once..i always liked the corbra radios my first was the cobra 29 with twin hustlers...the k-40 was also a great antenna.

Cobras to this day set the standard when it comes to AM CB's.

[ole dollor]

Originally Posted by 70cst

Cobras to this day set the standard when it comes to AM CB's.

i think so to...

[Transformula]

If you are getting bleed-over (Spurious emissions) on the tv, etc,from 27.185 Mhz (CB channel 19) (CB covers 26.965- 27.405 Mhz) that is due to poor grounding/ SWR and it is radiating common mode currents from the coax cable. A properly set-up antenna and cable will not radiate out the cable due to the equal-but-opposing currents in the center and shield of the coax. I have my Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) FCC license and we can use up to 1500 watts legally and need to know how to prevent interference. We have legal use of those "Export" radios because they go into 10 meter band (28.0-29.7Mhz.) and being only a little bit away from CB, the same principle applies to keep them from interfering as it does CB. Try using a ferrite "donut" and wrapping the coax through it 6-10 times and that will eliminate common mode currents!
73's
K1ZCR

[70cst]

Originally Posted by Transformula

If you are getting bleed-over (Spurious emissions) on the tv, etc,from 27.185 Mhz (CB channel 19) (CB covers 26.965- 27.405 Mhz) that is due to poor grounding/ SWR and it is radiating common mode currents from the coax cable. A properly set-up antenna and cable will not radiate out the cable due to the equal-but-opposing currents in the center and shield of the coax. I have my Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) FCC license and we can use up to 1500 watts legally and need to know how to prevent interference. We have legal use of those "Export" radios because they go into 10 meter band (28.0-29.7Mhz.) and being only a little bit away from CB, the same principle applies to keep them from interfering as it does CB. Try using a ferrite "donut" and wrapping the coax through it 6-10 times and that will eliminate common mode currents!
73's
K1ZCR

Good Points...

[Lemield]

I have this little Midland unit in my K20...it is really nice and takes up very little space. It can also function as a portable hand held unit with the included battery pack. It has weather bands too. The whole unit was less than 100 bucks....