CB Set & Antenna
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Since I travel alot I thought about making a Ant. mount using the Trailer hitch location (even though for ground plane reasons this is not a prefered location)
Cb locations I had thought about: under dash passenger side, inside or back of console, or hidden under seat.
I would be interested in hearing what you come up with.
Cb locations I had thought about: under dash passenger side, inside or back of console, or hidden under seat.
I would be interested in hearing what you come up with.
I will have to wait until my Nitro arrives to figure this out.
I may have to buy one of those remote mount radios that has the controls in the Mic.
The Antenna is the biggest problem. A bumper mount is out without a steel bumper, I don't want to drill a hole in the roof. I wonder if a trunk lip mount would work on the rear hatch if I bent the antenna mast upward.
I have an adapter on my Suburban that loads up the FM antenna for the CB and splits the signal for the FM. It really doesn't work very well, the SWR is OK but it doesn't put out much field strength.
The trailer hitch idea is interesting but I tow a trailer sometimes and would have to put a conector in the back to disconnect it.
Ken
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22,142 Posts
Wow flash backs
Man I saw this and thought I was back in the 70s, all kidding aside, I guess if you go in areas that don't have cell phone coverage you would need a CB, They use to have lip mounts with adjustable knuckles or there was magnetic antennas but some had swr problems. It does bring back memories , had a lot of fun with side band back in the day. anybody want a QSL card? :bud:
Man I saw this and thought I was back in the 70s, all kidding aside, I guess if you go in areas that don't have cell phone coverage you would need a CB, They use to have lip mounts with adjustable knuckles or there was magnetic antennas but some had swr problems. It does bring back memories , had a lot of fun with side band back in the day. anybody want a QSL card? :bud:
The old days of QSO's and QSL cards have gone 10-7, but there is no better way to stay in touch with road conditions, find cops or talk to the vehicle next to you.
It is also typical of off-roaders-- at least in NC to talk while slinging mud. The CB is still the terrestrial equivalent of the VHF marine radio.
BTW you can still buy linears if you know where to look.
10-4?
I've got it!
2 choices
1. Clamp on antenna on the roof rack mount.
2. Through the glass (Cell style) antenna on rear window. I have seen thes in JC Whitney in the past. Not sure how well 27Mhz couples through the glass though.
Now I can go to bed.
2 choices
1. Clamp on antenna on the roof rack mount.
2. Through the glass (Cell style) antenna on rear window. I have seen thes in JC Whitney in the past. Not sure how well 27Mhz couples through the glass though.
Now I can go to bed.
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281 Posts
order of ant performance worst to best
(1) thru glass (radiated)
(2) fm ant used as CB (transformer coupled)
(3) magnetic mount (direct coupled - not very good ground plane)
(4) direct frame mount (direct coupled - good ground plane varing depending on type)
(1) thru glass (radiated)
(2) fm ant used as CB (transformer coupled)
(3) magnetic mount (direct coupled - not very good ground plane)
(4) direct frame mount (direct coupled - good ground plane varing depending on type)
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12,771 Posts
Anyone know of any websites that sell a low profile magnetic mount cb antenna?
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http://www.radioshack.com/family/in...32078&fbc=1&f=PAD/Product+Type/CB&fbn=Type/CB
If all else fails.............Radio Shack............
If all else fails.............Radio Shack............
Try this one on for size: http://www.amazon.com/Little-Wil-Wilson-Magnet-Antenna/dp/B0006VKG7K
"lil Wilson" Wilson makes good stuff, at 36" this is a bit shorter than most high perf antennas. This will take 300W so you can use a linear.
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12,771 Posts
Thanks for the help, but thats not what I am looking for. Guest I such have been more specific. I am looking for something that has no shaft, kinda like what a XM or GPS antenna looks like. My wife doesn't want a big steal or fiberglass antenna stuck ot the top of her SUV.
JC Whitney has some small ones like that. They also sell some of those with cheap CB kits available at the truckstops--- little rubber antenna-- not much range, but at least you can hear what is going on
I use a Cobra 75-WXST in my Jeep because of the small size. Most of the logic is in the mic, and all you have to find permanent space for is a tiny box which just holds power/antenna/mic connections. It's probably not as full-featured or powerful as the traditional CB setup, but it's worked great for me on trail rides with a 4' fiberglass antenna. Just something to consider on the radio front, but I'm not sure at which point you'd be better off with just a handheld CB radio if you're looking for the stealth antenna install..
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12,771 Posts
I hope I'm just misunderstanding something here, but that CB does not come with an antenna, "stealth" or otherwise. Looking closer at the Amazon page, it's not clear if it even comes with the box needed to plug the radio into the antenna/power/etc. I haven't researched antenna options in a long time now, so I'm not even sure what's available nowadays.
The point that I was trying to make, is that this radio, which presumably does not perform as well as the typical "big separate box with a normal mic" radio will likely perform even worse when coupled with anything other than the traditional fiberglass or steel whip antenna. (Such as using a splitter on the existing AM/FM antenna.) If that's the case, using an all-on-one hand held CB radio may give the same or better performance at a lower price than this option.
Again, I'm hoping I didn't lead you to believe that this radio is a solution to the ugly antenna problem.
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12,771 Posts
I knew what you whre talking about, and i knew it does come with any antenna what so ever. My truck already was a dual antenea setup with twin K40 fiberglass antennnas. The sleath antenna setup though the fm antenna will work fine, I'm not going for range or anything. It would mainly be used when both vechiles are taken somewhere, this way we can communcate easily. I'm not a big fan of handhelds, the Cobra 75WXST is perfect for what I need, in both vechiles. I am looking for something like this http://www.lopro.net/. Would be nice if I copuld find something similar.
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256 Posts
I have placed a 2 M / 70 cm dual band Ham antenna and ham radio in my nitro. If you go to my pics and look closesly at the placement you'll see that it's behind the hood yet in front of the windshield on the driver's side. There's a plastic piece you can remove there and install it into the sheet metal without ruining the appearance.
I can post more detailed pics if anybody would like. I hunted high and low trying to find antenna placement. This was the best location that I could come up with.
I can post more detailed pics if anybody would like. I hunted high and low trying to find antenna placement. This was the best location that I could come up with.
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12,771 Posts
Streetdancer, it looks good, but since my wife is the primary driver of our Nitro, she'll never go for it. Thanks, man. My sreach continues.
Just so you know, I put in one of the stealth antennas in my Suburban and the the actual radiated power, as mearsured with a field strength meter, was less than my 5W Walkie Talkie with it's internal antenna.Streetdancer, it looks good, but since my wife is the primary driver of our Nitro, she'll never go for it. Thanks, man. My sreach continues.
Perhaps mine was worse because I have one of those helical wound FM antennas on my Chevy.
Ken
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256 Posts
Ken,
Goot to note about the stealth antennas. I had considered one for my wife's car as well as this nitro when I first got it. Talked to several FBI and border agents using the stealths and they haven't had the best of luck with 'em either.
Wedge,
I posted somewhere on here about a few different antenna options. I'll find the link for ya as the sti-co was my best other option (it actually replaces the AM-FM antenna). I am sure you can get it for the frequency range of CB's and STILL keep your AM-FM.
Heck if you could do the work when the wife's not home, she'll never even know it's there!
Goot to note about the stealth antennas. I had considered one for my wife's car as well as this nitro when I first got it. Talked to several FBI and border agents using the stealths and they haven't had the best of luck with 'em either.
Wedge,
I posted somewhere on here about a few different antenna options. I'll find the link for ya as the sti-co was my best other option (it actually replaces the AM-FM antenna). I am sure you can get it for the frequency range of CB's and STILL keep your AM-FM.
Heck if you could do the work when the wife's not home, she'll never even know it's there!
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