CB Radio Hints and Tips, Installing guidance.

[ghosthunter]

Well the CB Handle thread got me going. After 40 years I am getting back into CB in my truck. I spend a lot of time on the road and in wild places.

So I have on order a Cobra 75 All Road. This is the new offering replacing the old Cobra WX.

The 75 features modern day up grades like,

Bluetooth from Mic to hidden black box.
You can put the black box anywhere in the truck.
The mic powers through usb.
Am / Fm broadcast channels
Built in SWR meter.
The mic can be used up to 100 ft from the truck with portable power source.

I am installing into a 2012 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab.

I need to run a hot wire to the black box and be able to route antenna coaxial to it.
The mic is plug and play. I have multiple usb and cigarette ports in my dash area.

I opted for a 4 ft magnetic antenna for now. The Mount can except any standard antenna.
The mount magnet is the strongest I could find in the shop. 5 inch stainless. The antenna is stainless too.

So I know the basics. Have not determined a location for the black box yet. Possible locations.

Under the hood.
In the canopy up front by the window.
Under the back seat.

Planing on having the antenna center above the rear window.



So any suggestions or advice. About a week out before radio arrives. Plan to put antenna on and route wire and hot lead to my chosen location.

Breaker ,Breaker

[Alchase]

Knowing Frontiers (I have a 2016, SV, quad cab, 4x4) I would be tempted to install the box in one of the under rear seat storage spaces or on the back wall behind the rear seat. There are access holes on the back wall where you can run the wires through for the antenna. And you can run the hot wire under the kick panel, out a firewall access hole to the fusible link connection box on the Positive post of the battery.
On The Nissan Frontier forum, there is an extensive stereo head unit replacement,  that could help running the wires. One guy used the upper glove box for all his after market accessories.
Another option is to pop the glovebox out and install the box behind it?
Lots of options, but I would probably do the under back seat option myself, mostly because I am old and don’t contort anymore to all the weird positions it would take to do an under dash install.
 

The Frontier forum is here:
https://www.clubfrontier.org/


PS: I forgot the under driver seat option. The here is space there as well, I have my handgun safe under mine.

[ghosthunter]

Yeah thanks for the tips on the access ports behind the seat. Had not had a chance to look.
One o y under seat storage is full to the max with ammo. So I might explore the other side.

Thanks for the ideas.

[Rat44]

That looks like a good option for a small cab truck.
Cobra makes some good radios.
That FM mode will be nice to have .
Reminds me I need to get a CB installed in my Jeep.
Already have a 2meter Ham I use but still split on whether to go with a CB or GMRS.
 Or both .
 

[Boss .300 winmag]

🤔

[ghosthunter]

That looks like a good option for a small cab truck.
Cobra makes some good radios.
That FM mode will be nice to have .
Reminds me I need to get a CB installed in my Jeep.
Already have a 2meter Ham I use but still split on whether to go with a CB or GMRS.

I all ready FRS installed In My truck to talk to my hunting group rhinos. The 75 was marketed towards Jeep owners.

[Rob]

I was inspired by that thread as well.  I am probably going to go with the Cobra 75 as well.  I like the concept.

I posted it there, but this site has a ton of articles on setup and other technical considerations.
http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs.htm

If it were me, I would not mount the black box in the engine compartment.  I would worry about heat.  I am thinking somewhere in the cab for me.  Mounting in the bed is an interesting idea though. Other than routing power that would be a pretty simple solution.

I have ordered the hood mount, the antenna and the cable.  Just need to commit to the CB.

Do you have faith in the Cobra SWR meter?  I was considering buying a dedicated unit for that.

[Rob]

Another set of resources
https://www.rightchannelradios.com/blogs/learning-center

[Rob]

I found this entertaining (on the firestik page)

LISTEN UP!
Compliments of Firestik® Antenna Company Technical Support Team

Copyright © 1996 Firestik® Antenna Company
If there was ever a time to read BEFORE taking action, than it is BEFORE doing a CB installation. The "modern" world of "plug-n-play" and/or "point-and-click" has literally sucked the common sense out of society. Come back to the real world please. Installing a CB isn't the same as putting together a swing set. You do something wrong and you might just burn out your radio in a matter of seconds. GO FORWARD WITH KNOWLEDGE!

Mobile CB never has been, nor can we ever foresee it as being plug-n-play equipment. I don't care what you have ever been told, you cannot just put a CB system on a vehicle and expect it to be ready to go. It doesn't matter if you put the exact same radio and antenna set up on the exact same type of vehicle I if you don't put an SWR meter on your set up, you are flirting with an expensive lesson. Remember this!

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A UNIVERSALLY PRE-TUNED CB ANTENNA . PERIOD!

If you read on a package that the antenna was pre-tuned … that only means that it was checked on a manufacturers test bench to verify that it was within the frequency tolerances set by the manufacturer. Ground plane dependent antennas MUST have counterpoise (ground plane) and unless you are driving a car that is shaped like, and has the exact same metal mass as the manufactures test bench,YOUR ANTENNA NEEDS TO BE SWR CHECKED AFTER INSTALLATION. And finally, if the packaging of one antenna hanging on the wall says that it has a tunable tip, that DOES NOT mean that the one next to it that doesn't have a tunable tip doesn't need to be tuned. The one with a tunable tip is just easier to tune.

This is a sensitive matter and you MUST get it right. How sensitive is this SWR thingy? So much so that if you move your antenna from one location to another location on the same vehicle, there is a very high likelihood that the SWR is going to change. Do not second-guess this process.

The reason you adjust the antenna is because you don't have a way to adjust the rest of the things that the SWR meter is seeing. I suppose you could take a sledge hammer and beat the vehicle up so much that the SWR would change but that is not something I would recommend or even try. The antenna is adjusted to compensate for all of the flaws that feed it and surround it. You wouldn't believe all of the silly things we have seen over the years. We get to hear all of that stuff because the antenna always gets the blame for bad SWR.

And something else, SWR meters are every bit as dumb as rocks. Too many people give them way too much credit. That is, some people actually think that an SWR meter can ignore everything except the antenna. Wrong! When your SWR meter is being used it is "seeing" everything in the area. This includes connectors, coaxial cables, antenna mounts, antenna stud mounts, the vehicle itself, and of course the antenna. And if your mother-in-law is standing close to the antenna, or your door is open, the SWR meter WILL see that and take it into consideration. There are two great forces in the universe. One is gravity and the other is magnetism. CB antennas can radiate a magnetic field that can be absorbed and deciphered by another receiver that is thousands of miles away. So if your goat is sleeping on the roof of your car, or if your neighbors are throwing a block party in the bed of your pick-up, you're gonna have to throw 'em out until you have get your SWR adjusted.

Common sense rules! If we had the choice of packaging a cubic foot of common sense or a cubic yard of intelligence with our products, we would chose the common sense. Don't let its size fool you, common sense has more mass than intelligence!

[Naches Sportsman]

My CB is directly wired to the battery and I have it mounted on the passenger side of my center console. I chose to put it directly there instead of using the cigarette plug. On my truck, my antenna is about a foot from the windshield on the drivers side.

Sounds like you’re going with a magnetic antenna, but if you were to go with a permanent antenna, I’d mount it to the hood. Folks still put antenna’s on the top of their cabs, but I’ve run into the problem too much of water leaking into the cab on work trucks doing that and got tired of fixing the problem every winter.

I’ve not encountered many truckers on interstates using CB’s whatsoever even in crappy conditions. Use mine daily talking to lowboy drivers, log truck drivers, other foresters, and loggers mainly.

[ghosthunter]

Well I got a chance today to work on this project a little. Set the magnetic mount antenna on cab right above the cargo light. Routing the coaxial was a lot harder than it should have been.

I folded my seat backs down took one end of sound barrier to access a factory  hole. I removed the grommet. The hole was the exact size of the p whatever connection. And the hole was right behind a brace. I could just get my flat hand up there with coaxial between my fingers.
I struggled with it awhile before  I gets my wife involved with her long slender hand. Got it through.

My next step will be to run a hot wire from battery to same spot. Than a ground. I am torn about the ground . Can I just go to the frame? Or do I need to go to the battery with it too?

Once the wires are run, they will go to storage area under back seat.

The radio will not arrive till next week but I should be already by then to just make final connections.


The question was Do I trust the SWR meter on the radio to use its reading?  Well I guess.

Cobra is aware of the importance of SWR, so I trust they would have a meter that works.


I bought a Workman five inch extra strong magnet base and a Workman Half Breed bottom loaded stainless antenna to pair with it. You tune the antenna by losing a Allen screw and moving it up or down in coil.

The mic will mount above my four way flasher button and plug into my existing array of usb ports.

I put a two inch piece of reflective tape up under the end cap on the antenna, this is kinda a safety idea. Should you go off the road into water,snow or even down an embankment it might be easier for rescuers to find you especially in water. Since my roof is 6 ft off the ground and the antenna is four feet long. Should be visible up to ten feet.

[ghosthunter]

This answers a lot of questions on SWR.

Just happens to be the radio I bought.

t=210s

[Rat44]

Always good to get the hot from the battery directly just remember to fuse it .
A ground to frame is usually the best way just make sure you have a good metal to metal connection.
The built in meter is better than nothing but is not very accurate .

[spin05]

My only Tip is taking it to a CB radio shop and tell em you want it modified.  They will tune it to double your power((Watts)  .CB shops are hard to find these days. Last time i did one i took it to a place in Spanaway which i think is gone now. They charged me i think $40 or $50.  Well worth it to double your power.

[ghosthunter]

My only Tip is taking it to a CB radio shop and tell em you want it modified.  They will tune it to double your power((Watts)  .CB shops are hard to find these days. Last time i did one i took it to a place in Spanaway which i think is gone now. They charged me i think $40 or $50.  Well worth it to double your power.

Yeah the CB shops are few. ThinkI saw one at  Loves over near Ellensburg.  I have a good electronics store near me. But their main interest is music electronics. They have CB equipment but don’t appear to have a lot of specific knowledge on CB. But I can get most what I need there.

I knew more about the Cobra 75 All Road than they did.

The unit comes with fused hot wire. And I may do another along the string nearer the battery. Will see once I get into it.

Studied a lot on SWR last night so am reasonably confident I can tune the antenna. Grounding to the frame is certainly easier because of shorter run. Online is evenly split on whether to ground to battery or frame.

Most important good ground. I can remember grounding to frame in my younger years with no issues.

Once I get project going I often have trouble sleeping , because I can’t shut it off. Thus the time of this post. LOL

[Rob]

I think I am going to put a power distribution block inside the cab
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DP79B987?smid=A1LAPRHCR7XHF0&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp&th=1

I can then run one set of wires thru the firewall, and in the future I can attach any items in the cab directly to the block.  I may put one in the bed too while I am at it.

I did something similar with my tractor when I installed some light bars.

[ghosthunter]

I think I am going to put a power distribution block inside the cab
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DP79B987?smid=A1LAPRHCR7XHF0&ref_=chk_typ_imgToDp&th=1

I can then run one set of wires thru the firewall, and in the future I can attach any items in the cab directly to the block.  I may put one in the bed too while I am at it.

I did something similar with my tractor when I installed some light bars.

Nice. 

[ghosthunter]

Got the call today my Radio was in and I picked up a SWR meter too.

[Rat44]

Good move on picking up a meter.
Sometimes little things can cause a big change in the SWR .
Just adding a spring can make it worse or better.
Good luck with your install.
Curious to see how that radio performs as my Cobra 29 finally bit the dust and and needs replacement.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Got the call today my Radio was in and I picked up a SWR meter too.

What store did you get these from?

[ghosthunter]

Got the call today my Radio was in and I picked up a SWR meter too.

What store did you get these from?

http://electronic-supply.com/


Just go to Mount  Vernon, down town
Cross the old bridge to west side.
It’s on your left.

Real nice guys. It’s not a chain. It’s a nerd electronics store.
Open. Monday , Wednesday, Friday,
They ordered the radio, everything else the had.

[ghosthunter]

Can’t get over how small they make this stuff.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Got the call today my Radio was in and I picked up a SWR meter too.

What store did you get these from?

http://electronic-supply.com/


Just go to Mount  Vernon, down town
Cross the old bridge to west side.
It’s on your left.

Real nice guys. It’s not a chain. It’s a nerd electronics store.
Open. Monday , Wednesday, Friday,
They ordered the radio, everything else the had.

Oh I’ve bought stuff there before when my tractor wiring went poof.🤣

How much was the CB there?

[ghosthunter]

Same as on Amazon, 199.95.

I like to buy local if I can and I was not in a hurry. Took two days to come.

Plus SWR
Antenna, base
6 inch coaxial for SWR.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Same as on Amazon, 199.95.

I like to buy local if I can and I was not in a hurry. Took two days to come.

Plus SWR
Antenna, base
6 inch coaxial for SWR.

👍

Post some pics after you get it all installed.

[ghosthunter]

Same as on Amazon, 199.95.

I like to buy local if I can and I was not in a hurry. Took two days to come.

Plus SWR
Antenna, base
6 inch coaxial for SWR.

👍

Post some pics after you get it all installed.

Sure, might be awhile with this rain.

[ghosthunter]

Well it cleared up today and I got after it.

Got the CB installed today.

SWR started out 3.0 on ch. 1 and 1.2 on Ch. 40.
Raised antenna about 1/2 inch total and got it down too.


1.2 and 1.3

So it’s a wrap.

[Rat44]

Looks like you are good to go.
Those are good SWR numbers.

[Rob]

Glad you got it installed!

I ordered mine from ebay and it is coming from Florida so will be a week or so I would imagine.

Where did you end up mounting the black box?

[ghosthunter]

Glad you got it installed!

I ordered mine from ebay and it is coming from Florida so will be a week or so I would imagine.

Where did you end up mounting the black box?

I put the black box u der the driver side rear seat,storage. In the frontier the back seat is two part. So you could fold up part and still have room for one.

That one storage is small . Also in the corner is access hole going between box and cab. The storage was just big enough for the box and SWR meter plus extra wire to fit. The hole was same size as coaxial connector. Took wife and I both to line it up and get it through. Ran my hot and cold out it too.

Grounded to the frame about 2 ft under cab. Ran the hot to passenger side and up to battery.
Connecting behind the fuse.

Tuning took four attempts. Antenna was short so loosened Allen each time and adjusted up 1/ 4 each time. Once got the high reading to 1.3 I called it good. Had read that there was no benefit trying to go lower.

There is a lot of traffic on ch 19 during the day. But Sunday night at 8 pm all channels were quiet which surprised me.

I got a radio check after install from a guy 5 miles away. He said I was loud and clear.

I left the SWR conected so I could re check over time my readings. Read that was ok to do.

The radio is easy to use and I picked up the buttons in no time.

I mounted the mic with a black plastic holder I had bought and some strong double face tape . Right above my four way flasher button. Cord hangs over it but not an issue for me.

The mic is plugged in to my usb bank which I installed years ago to power my FRS, Navigator, Dash cam and phone charger.

I have another electrical bank behind center consul to charge other electronics while driving.

[Rob]

That sounds ideal!

I am still thinking about where I install mine.  I would like to have it in hand before I make a decision.

[Rob]

OK, I got some time to do my install over the weekend.

Here is what I ended up with (Truck is an F350 Super Duty crew cab):
• CB: Cobra 75 All Roads
• Primary Antenna:  Firestik FS3-B ( 3`Foot ) FS Series Tunable Tip CB Antenna With Extra Black Tip  650 watts max
• Backup Antenna: FireStik FS-4BK 4' (r) Ii Fs Series Tunable Tip Cb Antenna - 900 Watts Black
• Ford hood mount - supports a 4 foot max antenna length.
• FireStick FIRESTIK K4-8R18 FIRE-Ring 18`Foot Coax with Stud and SS-3H Spring
• SWR meter: Astatic PDC2 100 watt power and SWR meter

I connected the power directly to the battery and ran the power and the antenna cable thru the firewall into the cab. 
The CB black box I mounted behind the rear seat, drivers side.

After tuning the 3 foot antenna, I was only able to get a 1.9 reading on the SWR meter (on 1 and 40 - it was about 1.6 on 20). 
I removed and tuned the 4 foot antenna as well so I can use it in situations where I want a bit more reach.  I was able to get that SWR reading down to 1.6 for both 1 and 40.

While that is probably good enough as it is sub 2.0, I think my issue is likely an sub-optimal ground.  I did not sand away any of the paint under the hood mount as I really do not want to do that if it can be avoided.  I may try a grounding strap directly to the frame before I sand away paint. 

[Rob]

Also, while I was rooting around under the dash, I decided to replace the broken cup holder...  I am not sure what sadist decided that replacing the cup holder should require the removal of not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5, but SIX dash panels/cutouts, but they did...  That took longer than the entire CB install.

I also replaced the cigarette lighter with a four plug USB/USB C port cluster that I think I will like!

[Rat44]

Scraping paint to get a good ground is not pretty but a good ground is Required to operate the radio to its fullest potential.
Saves you from burning out the radio in extreme cases of a mis match.
Well worth the effort in the long run.