CB Antenna Mount
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 253
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From: Northwest OH
I prefer a magnet mount antenna. I use a K-40 mounted in the center of the roof and about 1' from the rear of the roof. My K-40 has 120lb pull magnet, so it doesn't move or come off.
I did not want to use the rear window for wiring, so I ran the wire along the bottom door panel and up the rear pillar (all behind the plastic trim), then across the headliner (Above it of course) and out the top of the 3rd brake light (Cut a groove in the plastic for the wire - then seal the wire and the entire top of the light with clear sealant). I have done this to 3 different trucks and really like the way it looks/works. This method has never leaked. I do recommend, though, that you change all of the bulbs before you seal the light, so you don't have to remove & reseal it anytime soon.
I did not want to use the rear window for wiring, so I ran the wire along the bottom door panel and up the rear pillar (all behind the plastic trim), then across the headliner (Above it of course) and out the top of the 3rd brake light (Cut a groove in the plastic for the wire - then seal the wire and the entire top of the light with clear sealant). I have done this to 3 different trucks and really like the way it looks/works. This method has never leaked. I do recommend, though, that you change all of the bulbs before you seal the light, so you don't have to remove & reseal it anytime soon.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 253
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From: Northwest OH
I wonder if you could adapt a trunk lid mount to use there. Judging by the look of it, you could clamp it to the hood on the edge as you described. See this: http://www.walcottcb.com/k40-trunk-m...nna-p-396.html
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,307
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From: MARYLAND
nothing will work on the tow mirrors. they are plastic. You need a metal surface to mount antennas to for a ground. No ground will cause a high SWR (standing wave ratio) (power that is reflected back into the radio) and will cause the radio to sizzle after a few uses. Magnetic antennas work fine when placed on the center of the roof. If that isnt your choice then do like i did. I used a mirror mount and mounted that to the inside corner of my bed on the drivers side. i cut just enough of the bed liner away from the corner to get the mount to mount flush against the bed..drilled the top two holes of the mirror mount thru the bed..cut the other part of the mount in half so i could use that on the back side of the bed between the cab and the bed for strenght..put the bolts thru and tightend them down. there is enough room to get your hand between the bed and cab to get the nuts on and get a wrench back there to hold the nuts while tightening from the antenna mount side in the bed. I then use a 4ft wilson silver load whip with 9ft of coax run inside the truck. SWR's checked and they are perfect. Of course if you have a cap or one of them flat covers on your truck this wont work too good.
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Thanks for the info. I was curious about the plastic mirrors and if it would work. I suppose I could attach a ground wire but that may not look very good on the truck. I have not had good luck with magnetic mounts, but maybe mine is not strong enough. I wouldn't mind the bed mount that was mentioned. I guess I'll look into a stronger magnetic mount and the bed mount type a decide from there. Thanks for the good information!
Cargo Master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 2
From: Pasadena, Maryland
Originally Posted by Help I M Stuck
nothing will work on the tow mirrors. they are plastic. You need a metal surface to mount antennas to for a ground. No ground will cause a high SWR (standing wave ratio) (power that is reflected back into the radio) and will cause the radio to sizzle after a few uses. Magnetic antennas work fine when placed on the center of the roof. If that isnt your choice then do like i did. I used a mirror mount and mounted that to the inside corner of my bed on the drivers side. i cut just enough of the bed liner away from the corner to get the mount to mount flush against the bed..drilled the top two holes of the mirror mount thru the bed..cut the other part of the mount in half so i could use that on the back side of the bed between the cab and the bed for strenght..put the bolts thru and tightend them down. there is enough room to get your hand between the bed and cab to get the nuts on and get a wrench back there to hold the nuts while tightening from the antenna mount side in the bed. I then use a 4ft wilson silver load whip with 9ft of coax run inside the truck. SWR's checked and they are perfect. Of course if you have a cap or one of them flat covers on your truck this wont work too good.
Duncan
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Joined: Mar 2004
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From: MARYLAND
No seperate ground wire..but the 4ft wilson silver load antenna does have a seperate ground wire that runs off it. so once you screw the antenna in..just take the ground wire and run it to one of the antenna mount screws. I've always had bad luck with SWR's on the 4ft whips so i decided to try this antenna and it works perfect. I'll get a pic posted later tonight/early tomorrow morning so you can see what it looks like.
Also...
good magnetic antennas are the Wison 1000, 2000 and 5000. You can get these relatively cheap thru www.hyelectroics.com
Also...
good magnetic antennas are the Wison 1000, 2000 and 5000. You can get these relatively cheap thru www.hyelectroics.com
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 234
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From: Moriches USA
I've got a Wilson magnetic on the cab roof. Antenna wire is coming down between the cab and bed. I used a rubber grommetted hole already there to pass the wire into the cab behind the seat (Reg cab) then under the floor mat to near the dash.Mines a bench seat 6 speed so I made a mount out of 1 inch strap to mount the CB on the tranny hump. I tried the Wilson loaded 4ft mounted on my toolbox in the bed with that extra ground wire your talking about and it didn't work nearly as well. trimman
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 22
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From: LAKE NORMAN
If you have the k40 120 LB pull magnet and you knock it off then you have probably got bigger problems, like you knocked the top off your truck. I am hitting mine on stuff all the time and have never had a single problem with it.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 332
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There are antennas made for non-metal mounting ..... plastic mirrors, fiberglass campers, etc.... No Ground Plane. Firestik has lots of info ...
http://firestik.com/CatalogFrame.htm
http://firestik.com/CatalogFrame.htm
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 534
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From: Enterprise, Al
if you want you antenna on you tow mirrors, check out the way i have mine done
this is not the best pic but i will take a better in the sunshine tommorrow, but i am running dual antennas with the safety springs on the them
it gives the truck sort of a big rig look
this is not the best pic but i will take a better in the sunshine tommorrow, but i am running dual antennas with the safety springs on the them
it gives the truck sort of a big rig look
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 234
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Originally Posted by oldkountryboy
if you want you antenna on you tow mirrors, check out the way i have mine done
this is not the best pic but i will take a better in the sunshine tommorrow, but i am running dual antennas with the safety springs on the them
it gives the truck sort of a big rig look
this is not the best pic but i will take a better in the sunshine tommorrow, but i am running dual antennas with the safety springs on the them
it gives the truck sort of a big rig look
WARNING OFF TOPIC: That is one friggin awesome looking F250
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,737
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From: Republic of Texas
It is a freakin tank! Doesn't look like he lives in the country either but that what were are fighten for, the freedom to do as you chose, w/in reason and this is close to over the edge . . .