Installing CB/antenna/cable

[damon]

I just got around to getting the CB for my truck and now that I'm ready to install it I have a few questions for those who may have done so. I bought the Cobra HH75 which has all of the controls in the handset and just a small box that I will mount under the dash or seat for power, antenna, and handset plug in.



If I don't have power seats, is there still power run under the seat ? I'm thinking that DC may run the wire there on all trucks, or it may be necessary for the seatbelt sensor.



And I am planning on installing a 4' whip on the top of the bed behind the driver side. Are there grommets/holes to pass this wire from the cab to the bed, or am I going to be drilling and finding my own grommets ?



Any other suggestions ?



Thanks for any experience you can share before I dig into it.



Damon

 

[CRSmith]

The bed will have drain holes at the front, but you may have a hard time pulling the big end of the connector through. Some whip antennas/bases have a screw connector and ground that takes a piece of coax w/out the big round connector. This may be the way to go.



I don't know about the cab, but there are usually drain plugs or something under the truck. Otherwise, you can run it up to the firewall. Woo Hoo, fun stuff

 

[Woodenhead]

I had a post recently about tuning m antenna and got some pretty helpful tips. I also did a search and found this post really helpful. Bob Wagner posted this link which pretty much answers any questions about the rights and wrongs of installation.



BTW I ran my antenna through the firewall where the main harness comes through. I plan to move my antenna from the fender to the box and will just run the cable under the truck. Also, I've learned that the best place to get power from is straight from the battery, other sources may have draws on them that cause annoying interferance on your CB.



Have fun

Mike

 

[damon]

wow, I had no idea that this was such an involved art. I guess I have some reading to do - glad I asked first



thanks for the pointers !

 

[Fireman]

Also, check out Firestick's stainless steel stake pocket mount. It makes a very clean looking instalation



Fireman

 

[Ben Rumson]

How much did you pay for the Cobra?

I'm in the market for a CB (I have a hand held - ackward as heck).



Clarion used to make an under the dash model with all of the controls on the handset. I'm like you. I'd rather have the power unit conceiled and everything on the mic.



Even if your rig doesn't have existing power under the driver's seat, it would be hard to remove the step plate and peel the carpet back far enough to run your own power supply.



I concur with running directly off the battery to isolate interference.



Thanks

- Ben

 

[Woodenhead]

I yanked the useless cupholder out of the dash, did some trimming and stuck my CB in the hole. Looks pretty good and it's right handy in front of you in the dash .



Mike

 

[RichMorris]

CB antenna

Installed dual K 40 sticks in SS stake pocket mounts today. Routed the cable into the sill via a taped over hole on the inside of the sill. Hadto drill a 3/4" hole in the top of the sill adjacent to the drivers seat and routed the cable under the carpet, exited via the DC hole for the seat controll and then around the medial front seat bracket to the transmission tunnel. Fastioned my own bracked and mounted the radio vertically parallel to the drivers right leg. A person can still sit in the middle seat and the cup holder is accessable. This is on a new 3500 HO DRW 48RE. Sealed the holes with ATV. Hope this helps. Rich

 

[2ndgen2500]

im probably going to get the hh75 as well what is the best antena im looking for medium range, i dont really like the 7ft whip antena but i was thinking maybe solid stick antenas. give me some advice here!

 

[Rattler]

Damon, if you are going to mount on the bed,look at the front stake pocket holes,there is a hole on the side that leads down between the bed sides,it is big enough to pass the big end of your co-ax through. Look under your cab in the middle toward the back and you will see an oval plug wiyh two bent ears. Bend one tab open and pass your co-ax through here, you can go under your carpet and come up under your front seats. After you get your co-ax all set, bend that tab on the floor tab back down and add some black RTV around it and you are done. No new holes in your body and every thing hides real nice. Sorry for the long response.

 

[yogibear]

You guys getting the FG ant. , make sure you get the SWR adjustable ant. , they have a plastic cap on the top. When you adjust them, make sure you slip the cover back on when you check SWR, it does change the SWR reading. Check SWR on ch. 1 and then 40, if the SWR is higher on 40 than 1, the ant. is too long, shorten by pushing adjustment rod in, vise versa if higher on 1 than 40, when you get 1 and 40 the same, it should be just right on ch. 20. If you get a really high SWR reading, you probably have a short in the coax cable, or the top load is too close to the cab. Hope this helps.



Larry

 

[damon]

did the install

I used a lot of your ideas, thanks guys.



Ran a 10g from the left battery to the inside of the firewall and will put a wiring block there later on. The HH75 power/plug unit went under the drivers seat and the radio raches well to the holder on the bottom of the dash and for easy use in hand. I used the access hole that RAttler mentioned and followed an existing loom to the left front stake hole where I used a Firestik SS pocket stake mount and a 5' whip.



The whole thing is really clean and hardly noticaeble. The only thing I need to change is the angle of the antenna mount. Since it sits on top of the bed and the bed rail angles out a bit, the antenna also angles out and looks kinda funny. It will do for this trip and the 5er behind it will hide it anyway, but for the long run I will either fabricate an aluminum wedge to correct the angle, or use an antenna mount in the center behind the cab.



Damon