Hookin up a CB?
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
Hookin up a CB?
Alright I bought a 12ft whip from a buddy and got a CB for free.
How do you hook it up? Mine works but is the ground needed? Im wondering if It isnt hooked up as well as it could be because I dont pick up a loot at a time. How far should this 12ft work? I have a ground wire(speaker wire) running from the antennae (b/t the casing and the mount in full contact with the CB base) to a good ground in the cab(for my stereo amp). I have 20ft RG-58 coax cable run to the fittin at the base back to my CB radio. Would different cable get better reception? Is this ground good enough.
I can git pics if needed.
How do you hook it up? Mine works but is the ground needed? Im wondering if It isnt hooked up as well as it could be because I dont pick up a loot at a time. How far should this 12ft work? I have a ground wire(speaker wire) running from the antennae (b/t the casing and the mount in full contact with the CB base) to a good ground in the cab(for my stereo amp). I have 20ft RG-58 coax cable run to the fittin at the base back to my CB radio. Would different cable get better reception? Is this ground good enough.
I can git pics if needed.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,814
Likes: 147
From: Billings, Montana
Alright I bought a 12ft whip from a buddy and got a CB for free.
How do you hook it up? Mine works but is the ground needed? Im wondering if It isnt hooked up as well as it could be because I dont pick up a loot at a time. How far should this 12ft work? I have a ground wire(speaker wire) running from the antennae (b/t the casing and the mount in full contact with the CB base) to a good ground in the cab(for my stereo amp). I have 20ft RG-58 coax cable run to the fittin at the base back to my CB radio. Would different cable get better reception? Is this ground good enough.
I can git pics if needed.
How do you hook it up? Mine works but is the ground needed? Im wondering if It isnt hooked up as well as it could be because I dont pick up a loot at a time. How far should this 12ft work? I have a ground wire(speaker wire) running from the antennae (b/t the casing and the mount in full contact with the CB base) to a good ground in the cab(for my stereo amp). I have 20ft RG-58 coax cable run to the fittin at the base back to my CB radio. Would different cable get better reception? Is this ground good enough.
I can git pics if needed.
Advice Pages , How To Use An SWR Meter
Setting the SWR of Your Antenna© - Firestik® Antenna Company
With a properly tuned antenna your radio range should be about 5 miles depending on the type of country your in (hilly or mountainous would reduce your range). RG-58 cable is the proper cable to use for CB radios however 20 ft. might be a little long. You should only have as much cable as you need for the run. Excess cable can cause radio noise. I'm not sure about the ground you're discribing on your antenna, if you want to post a photo of it I might be able to understand what your saying about it better, or if you have a Radio Shack at your location, they can help you get your radio set up properly.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,814
Likes: 147
From: Billings, Montana
At Radio Shack or a similar electronics store.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 6,221
Likes: 6
From: Cow Town, CA
the aintena should be grounded also, and the proper amount of cable as i ahve been told is 18 feet, so your 20 isnt bad. how high on your truck is your wip mounted? if it is low your truck can block some of the signal also. your CB can also determen your range, some have more power then others. also if you find a radio shop they will mostlikley do the test and tune it for you for around 15 or 20 bucks. atlest thats what it costs around here in Orange County, CA...
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,402
Likes: 3
I know this is a little off topic but does anyone know a good cb shop in or around the Philadelphia area? My Cobra 29 wx is not receiving any signals or transmitting any signals. Besides, I would like a little more oomph.
Trending Topics
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,814
Likes: 147
From: Billings, Montana
Can't help you there, I'm in Montana. You might see if someone a Radio Shack can help you, or at least tell you someone who could.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 1
From: Here and there
Hey man look up skirk55 on here. He is local to you and seems to know a few bits about cbs. Might even know a good shop to help you
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 1
From: Here and there
A professional radio shop should be able to tune the antenna for you. Radio shack just sells the stuff. You might be able to do tune it yourself if you feel confident. Get a meter and you can tune the antenna. The cb is plugged through the meter and into the antenna. That is how I tuned mine. The CB does not get "tuned" its, the antenna that gets the "tune". If its not done right the factory settings in the cb will cause certain things to not work and most time that means there will be a "pop" and no more CB. Pm me if you have anymore questions.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 763
Likes: 3
From: Rio Linda, Ca
I was thinking the same thing. I wouldn't trust the ones around here to pick out the right size battery for my alarm remote, Let alone have some 17 year old kid know anything about CB's
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
qwertmonkey
1999 - 2016 Super Duty
24
Sep 9, 2009 11:48 AM
