| Author | Message | ||
     Ned Connolly (Roverned) Member Username: Roverned Post Number: 61 Registered: 10-2002 |
I got tired of getting out my truck and asking people "What's going on?" all the time, so I broke down and bought a CB. Now I need to hook the damn thing up and I don't know how (no laughing, please). I bought the Cobra where everything's in the handset (don't know the part #) so the receiver box is very small. I'd like to mount it underneath the driver's seat but am unclear if I wire it to the battery or if it can be wired into the fusebox somehow. If you haven't already figured it out, I'm not "electrically inclined." I'm unclear about grounding the ground wire to the chassis and all that, too. I tried finding a thread covering this in the archives but couldn't. If someone would be so kind as to walk me through the install I would be extremely appreciative. | ||
| Paul D. Morgan (V22guy) Senior Member Username: V22guy Post Number: 1444 Registered: 02-2002 |
Hi Ned, I have the same set up. CLIFF NOTES: #1 Velcro the small box to the big black box under the drivers side seat. #2 Run the power wire under the carpet, out the grommet into the engine bay, down the backside of the engine bay throught the black conduit and connect to the battery. You can attach the ground to any grounding terminal you chose. #3 Go to a SPRINT PCS store and buy the $9 phone kit with the self adhering bracket. Stick this to the coin tray and whammo, you are in business. The hardest part of the CB install is chosing your antenna location which will dictate the size and tuning requirements. Paul '00 Pig | ||
| Ned Connolly (Roverned) Member Username: Roverned Post Number: 62 Registered: 10-2002 |
Paul- Thanks a lot for the walk through and the add on tips. Did you have to "extend" the postive wire to reach the battery? It seems like there's no way that it'll reach, lengthwise, as is out of the box. Where did you ground your ground wire? (Might as well save a little time on trial and error and just follow your lead.) I'm going to go with a 4-foot Firestik mounted to the spare tire mount and then run the cable through the interior under the carpet. I'd be curious if this seems like a bad plan in your opinion. | ||
| Paul D. Morgan (V22guy) Senior Member Username: V22guy Post Number: 1445 Registered: 02-2002 |
Hi Ned, Yes, I had to extend the wire to reach the Battery. I can't remember exactly where I grounded it out; I think it was one of the many terminals along the passenger side wall of the engine bay. Where do you live? This is important for antenna choice. If you live in the city, that 4 foot firestik might give you a hard time at banks, drive thru's and whatever else. Some folks have a 2 footer for town and a 4 footer for trips. I mounted a 4 foot K40 antenna on my spare tire carrier and routed the cable under the carpet was well. Check out http://expeditionexchange.com/cbantenna/ to see the best routing for your antenna. Have fun, Paul '00 Pig | ||
| Ned Connolly (Roverned) Member Username: Roverned Post Number: 63 Registered: 10-2002 |
Paul- How do you extend the wire? Soldering? "Many terminals along the passenger side wall of the engine bay." What counts as a terminal? | ||
| Paul D. Morgan (V22guy) Senior Member Username: V22guy Post Number: 1446 Registered: 02-2002 |
Ned, You can solder and heat shrink or you can splice the two wires together via a 2-way crimp. A grounding terminal are those threaded studs that extend inward towards the engine that have nothing but black wires attached to them. Paul | ||
| Eric Pena (Evalp) Senior Member Username: Evalp Post Number: 459 Registered: 06-2002 |
You can also put into the fuse box under the steering wheel. Ground it to one of the bolts for your seat. Remember to tune your antenna! | ||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 340 Registered: 08-2002 |
So what does it mean if you can hear yourswelf talk (albeit very lightly) over your car radio when using the CB mike?????????? | ||
| Eric Pena (Evalp) Senior Member Username: Evalp Post Number: 461 Registered: 06-2002 |
Brian, got your answer. Some radios can't refuse a strong RF signal and it will bleed into the speakers. Most of the time it is when you have an equalizer but in any case, it is not harming anything!! Oh and that deal with the SWR changing when we move the mic. I guy I talked to said it is probably because it is mounted to plastic. He said that can cause that problem but he also said if we can get the SWR to 2 and it is TXing, it's probably OK and not to mess with it. | ||
| Yaroslav (Andr6761) New Member Username: Andr6761 Post Number: 32 Registered: 07-2002 |
i have the same radio and i just wired it into the fuse box auxillary, why run in to the battery? Not asking to be an ass, but maybe i need to re-wire mine... | ||
| Paul D. Morgan (V22guy) Senior Member Username: V22guy Post Number: 1448 Registered: 02-2002 |
That is just my preference to keep any auxillary power drawing device wired to the battery, external to any LR Fuse Panel. | ||
| Eric Pena (Evalp) Senior Member Username: Evalp Post Number: 462 Registered: 06-2002 |
Yaroslav, There is no problem with running a peice of electronics that draws low voltage, like a CB, through the fuse panel unless you have a desire to manage your electrical wiring like Paul. Both will work and there is no right or wrong way for this type of application. |
