AggiePhil

Alright, so on this thread, I'm going to detail the setps leading up to and the steps involving rigging up my truck with a nice CB radio setup. I have some questions though that I could really use some help on, so I appreciate that (in advance). First of all, here's a list of the equipment I'm looking to use:

Cobra 31Plus CB Radio (new in box--circa 1987)
Dual 4' FireStik II antennas
FireStik dual antenna 18' coax cable w/FireRing connectors
FireStik stainless steel side mount (might have to change this depending on how it fits)
Wunder CB mount (to come later)

OK, so that's the setup. My first question is how I should wire up the radio. Should I buy some kind of aftermarket fuse block to run directly to a battery and then hook the CB up to that fuse block? Or should I use one of the ignition wires for power?

wagontrain131

Your truck is a little different than mine but when I installed mine, I took the cover off the dash and spliced into the hot wire feeding the power outlet. I have a Connex 10 meter radio, a scanner, and a 3 space power outlet hooked up that way, and have had no problems out of it. It only took a splicing connector to do it. It is already fused in the fuse box for 20 amps, plenty for me.

-Kyle

phox_mulder

Best way to get power to a CB or any other radio is right from the battery.

Yes, you'll have to remember to turn it off when leaving the truck, but you won't have any noise induced that you would hooking it up to an already used circuit.
Of course, we don't have to worry about spark plug noise, but there will almost always be some kind of noise tapping in somewhere.

Going with an aftermarket fuse block wouldn't be a bad thing,
as you would have always hot power for other things as well.
Since most CB power leads have a fuse already there, it isn't necessary.


phox

Rattletrap1

I'd prolly use a keyswitched wire to truigger realy with juice from the battery. This way you get your key-off AND clean power to the radio. The co-phased antenna looks nice, but you really don't get the benefit, due to them not be 1/4 wavelength apart.

AggiePhil

Yeah, I know what you're referring to. And I was worried about that being an issue when I first started looking at radio stuff. So I did some research...and I believe what FireStik lists on the Tech Doc page of their website. Granted, it's a biased source since they would probably love for people to buy six antennas a piece, much less one or two...but I believe what they say about it having at least some benefit. And mine will be spaced about 5'-6' apart since my truck is pretty big.

243

My plan is to install a Firestik on each side, peak and tune the system for one and use the other for my scanner...just a thought.

AggiePhil

Don't forget that FireStik makes a 4' scanner antenna for that very purpose.

Rattlerattle

I have mine wired directly to the battery. I also have a PA speaker up front in the bumper. It is nice to be able to monitor the CB from outside the truck.

I think you would have to leave your cb on for months for it to drain two batteries.

Haulin_in_Dixie

Mine is direct to the battery and I don't use it much. It is rarely shut off, stays on all the time. They don't draw enough power to run the batteries down. Use the kiss method, just go direct to the battery and forget it. A good way for max quiet is to feed it with some cheap coax, center hot and shield ground.

AggiePhil

OK, I now have practically all the parts I'm going to need to do the installation except for the floor mount that will hold the actual radio (no huge deal--and it'll get here tomorrow) and some small items that I'll be able to get at the local hardware store during the installation itself. The coax and mounts arrived from FireStik today and here's what the final product is going to look like before mounted on the truck:



I'm really pleased with the way it looks and with the quality of the FireStik products. Here is the mount being held up to the bed of my truck:



I think I'm going to wind up just using the top three mounting holes (there are four main ones in all) and moving the mount down a bit (as is shown in the above photo) because the four holes are spaced out such that they would BARELY fit on the part of the bed that I'm mounting it on and I hate to have it be that close.

Anyway, maybe I can do the installation tomorrow. Or at least start on it. Oh...what do y'all think about running the coax from the antennas, to the underside of the cab (on the outside, yes), then up through the floorboard and into the cab? Do you think that would be a bad idea to have them on the outside like that?

Crimedog

I ran mine up under the cab, up the fender and up the firewall. Get some wire loom to help protect them and reduce electrical noise. I've had gread results with my setup, paid $50 for a Cobra 29 NW ST, and $50 for whips and cables. Just have to find a better way to mount that huge radio! I wish I could get it up where the overhead console is, but i don't wan to scrap the overhead console...

AggiePhil

Check out the mounting bracket I'm getting tomorrow. It's called the Wunder CB Mounting Bracket and can be seen here:

http://www.protintnw.com/sa_dodge-acc.htm

Also, where can I get wire loom cheap?

Crimedog

I just got some from Wal-Mart for like $3. I think it came 5 feet at a time.

AggiePhil

Which department was it in? Our Wal-Mart is out of town so I'm gonna call them to see if they have it in stock first.

AggiePhil

NM, I got some of it. It comes in 6ft. packs.