CB antenna location

[John Pasinski]

I'm getting ready to install a CB in my '72. If anyone else has a CB installed; 1) Where do you have the antenna located?
2) How do you have the cable routed?
3) If you're using an external speaker, what size?
The P/O had his located on the cowl (driver's side). But everything I'm reading says that the antenna should be "centered" on the vehicle for best trans/recep. Thanks.....................
PS..If this question should moved, please do.

[Hottrucks]

Well that is going to depend??

alot is what are you using it for?? in a perfect world it would be in the center of your roof ..it uses it as a reflector..but in the real world anywhere will work..if your going to run as big amp ( which we all know is illegal..lol) then you want the SWR's to be very low which is most important!!...I would think that if your just looking for normal use you could put it on the bed rail......

If your not to concerned about your paint you can use the K-40 magnet mount on the roof ther a good anntenna..they're good up to about 500 watts....the best anttena I found is the Wilson 1000 and they're good up to 1000 watts...stay away from those fiberglass ones at all costs

I personaly run a Killer Bee 1000 behind a Cobra 29 with a high low switch ( don't hit an amp with a peaked radio) and upper channels it gets out very well and on a quiet night I have talked to guys in your neighborhood...thats all I'm going to say

[70cst]

Originally Posted by John Pasinski

I'm getting ready to install a CB in my '72. If anyone else has a CB installed; 1) Where do you have the antenna located?
2) How do you have the cable routed?
3) If you're using an external speaker, what size?
The P/O had his located on the cowl (driver's side). But everything I'm reading says that the antenna should be "centered" on the vehicle for best trans/recep. Thanks.....................
PS..If this question should moved, please do.

I am signed on as well. I have a GM CB plus a Tram CB that I want to use. I also have an NOS Hustler antenna from the 70's that I want to use. I am guessing for most of us we want a hook up for normal TX/RX. I was thinking about using my mirror (I have the three legged mirror )Discussing kickers bring up a lot of good memories from the past.

[CUSHE63]

What ever you do, do not mount it on the roof! Our truck had the mount still on it when we got it and it was very challenging to remove the old hole. So if you ever plan on removing it someday or plan on selling the truck, save somebody the trouble of fixing the warpage caused by trying to weld the hole shut again.

Thanks,
Jon

[Trent_McAllister]

well, I would get a cb antenna that mounts in the original antenna location. They make one that can double as an AM/FM and then it doesn't stick out that you have a CB for someone to steal.

If you want a really good antenna, get a quarter wave and mount on the hitch. it will be pretty tall though, garage clearance will be an issue.

Otherwise, a low to mid coil magnetic mount on the roof will serve well. I wouldn't use anything shorter than 4 feet though, the coil can't compensate for that short of length and it will compromise signal

[John Pasinski]

Thanks Trent.....I appreciate all the advice. I'm looking at a website called CB World. I'll browse the recommended antennas from you guys.

[bignbad]

buy 2 fire stick II and mount them on you mirrors and tune them.You'll be fine.I have them on my big truck and i am running an Galaxy 95T and it get out pretty fare loud and clear.You cloud run a wilson 5000,or a Monkey Made..There all good antenna's.I have a magnet mount wilson 5000 that i throw on the car when we go away.My buddy has a Monkey Made on his big truck.But I wouldn't put it on a pick up. It's all personal prefence's..

[ace of shades]

I haven't used anything but fire sticks. Currently I am running 1 real 5 foot on one side of my off road truck, and second 5 foot unhooked on the opposite side of the box. I don't care what anyone says about running duals, I personally have never gotten the SWR down low enough to feel comfortable using. And as was said linears are not legal, and I would not recommend using one (especially if its going to be anywhere near a neighbor hood, TV's, radios and other electronics don't like them that well). On the other side of it, is it worth putting one in the truck. I haven't turned on my CB in years unless I'm in a caravan with others. It seems now, with cellphones, that the only people using them are truckers coming and going to the mills and on the logging decks

[70cst]

One thing to consider...if you fix mount an antenna make sure it clears the top of your garage door opening.

[Jwill41]

.

[John Pasinski]

Jwill.........How do you run the cable to the radio? Do you pass it throgh the slider? I'm going magnetic on my headache rail (flatbed). I'll run the cable behind then under the cab & come up through the shifter boot.

[Jwill41]

I planned on a hole behind the bracket and then under the cab and up through the firewall but never got it done. I take a trip to east Texas about once a year and run it through the slider. Thats really the only time I use it and have often thought about removing it.

[darush01]

I havent mounted mine on my 72 yet but I have a tool box on my 85 and i just took a mirror mount took the curve piece and threw it away and used the 90 degree bracket I had left and mounted it to the tool box so I didnt have to drill holes in my body, I have a built up 29 with a small external speaker muonted under the center of the dash the cable is 18 ft running under the dash under the door sill plate and out under the back of the door and up between the cab and bed to antenna, which is 3ft antenna, sorry for all of the rambling but thats what I have

[darush01]

Originally Posted by bignbad

buy 2 fire stick II and mount them on you mirrors and tune them.You'll be fine.I have them on my big truck and i am running an Galaxy 95T and it get out pretty fare loud and clear.You cloud run a wilson 5000,or a Monkey Made..There all good antenna's.I have a magnet mount wilson 5000 that i throw on the car when we go away.My buddy has a Monkey Made on his big truck.But I wouldn't put it on a pick up. It's all personal prefence's..

I had those they were a pita to keep tuned so I gave them up for a single

[John Pasinski]

Before I install my "good" Cobra 29LTD, I connected an old Robyn 5 watt. When I powered up, I heard engine noise(?) coming through the CB speaker. This noise changed w/ engine RPM. I have the power lead plugged to fuse panel on a spade labeled "ignition". I tried a different ground position, no change. Any suggestions?

[storm9c1]

Originally Posted by John Pasinski

Before I install my "good" Cobra 29LTD, I connected an old Robyn 5 watt. When I powered up, I heard engine noise(?) coming through the CB speaker. This noise changed w/ engine RPM. I have the power lead plugged to fuse panel on a spade labeled "ignition". I tried a different ground position, no change. Any suggestions?

Common problem. Try an inline noise suppressor on the power leads. It could also be your radio that is not handling the ground loop between your antenna ground and your power ground. This is common on older radios. Newer (good) ones have built-in noise filters. If you unhook the antenna from the back, does the noise change?

[John Pasinski]

I took a chance & installed a noise supressor inline between the fuse box connection & radio. Interference is eliminated. Kinda strange though, this supressor is out of a 24VDC electric palletjack. It's used at the horn. Worked perfect. Now to find an SWR meter............

[norman martin jr.]

Originally Posted by John Pasinski

I took a chance & installed a noise supressor inline between the fuse box connection & radio. Interference is eliminated. Kinda strange though, this supressor is out of a 24VDC electric palletjack. It's used at the horn. Worked perfect. Now to find an SWR meter............

If you take the power wire off the fuse bow and run it to your battier the noise will go away. There are tons of ways to do this clean and neat. You can use inline fuses or circuit breakers. I like the circuit breakers the best. When you use the fuse box for CB's and stereo's is bad news,you pick up distributor noise.
My take on the annts is, There's tons of good annts on the market. Like any thing else, you get what you pay for. I have drove truck for years and have found if you run two annts you will find you will talk and here good in front and behind you. One annt will give you 360 degree coverage. Alots of truckers use two because there on the freeways so much. Front to rear coverage. I like one annt with 18 feet of coax. This make setting SWR's easier. Like the sot in front of the bed like Jwill41. You can do almost anything as long as you get your SWR's below 1 1/2.
Good luck and have fun with it or it will become a job and thats no way to play....

[lakeroadster]

Thought I would post this up just as an FYI in case someone searches this topic:

In tune with my "late '60's - early 70's" theme I wanted to install a CB radio in the truck. I came up with the idea of installing the antenna in the stock gas filler neck opening. This kills two birds with one stone since I needed to fill the hole anyway.

I used an Astatic 605 Ball style mount. The stock filler neck grommet was used as an isolation bushing by sanding off the upper portion and installing it upside down. A backing plate was made out of a header collector flange I had and it was drilled and tapped to accept the (3) 10-32 stainless screws.

Antenna is a 3 foot double quarter wave fiberglass unit, and also used a chrome heavy duty spring.

Worked out pretty well.











[/INDENT]