Pics of my CB radio and antenna install.

[Spooled-up]

I finally got around to installing my radio again. I had taken it out after not being satisfied with the antenna and where I had it mounted on the stake pocket with the Firestik mount that fits under the tonneau cover. After talking with Dave at 12 Volt I decided to stop compromising on the antenna and get something that would work well. I settled on a Wilson 5000 Magnetic mount. Dave wired up his special coax that has extra shielding and lasts longer than regular coax. I can take the antenna off when I get a garage that the truck will fit in (Thanks KORE!) and there is a rain cap that can be installed on the mount if I don't want to run the antenna for some reason. I haven't tuned the SWR yet.



Here's a pic of the antenna installed on the roof. I used a piece of Wiremold that I bought at Lowe's and painted with Krylon plastic paint. It has adhesive on the flat side and a slot down the entire length to fit the cable into. It will keep the cable from moving around and scratching the paint.



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This is the mount I made out of steel stock. It took hours of bending and re-bending. I didn't use one of Bob's mounts because I didn't want to lose the use of the cupholders.



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This is the mount installed in the truck. It requires no drilling and uses a seat bolt and an existing hole under the center dash support. I'll take it out to paint it later. I wanted to get it in the truck and use it for a while to make sure no adjustments need to be made.



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This is the radio installed on the mount.



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The radio doesn't interfere with passenger legroom.



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Here's a driver's side view of the completed setup.



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The wife can't stand to listen to the CB, so I bought an earpiece from Radio Shack and an extension cable and now she doesn't have to listen.



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There are a few more pics in my reader's rigs.

 

[testraub]

Big Bob's would have been am better bet Add the ext spkr and the wife is happy. I know since the Wife can be a B***h about the CB. Heck I added DVD for her on the long trips... . Works well!

 

[gsbrockman]

Does the magnetic mount c. b. antenna adversely affect the overhead console (compass) function ? I, too, have my Sirius antenna on the roof, with no ill effects.



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Greg

 

[bmoeller]

Spooled-



Could I make a suggestion? You may want to stick a piece of plastic (like a sandwich baggie) under the mag. mount so it won't scratch the paint. Works great. Failed to do that once, on my gasser Ford. Scratched the snot out of the roof. Used a baggie on the Dodge, no scratches.



It can trap moisture, so you'll want to move it around on ocassion.



Greg, never had a problem with mine affecting the compass. Had mine in about the center of the cab.

 

[BigEasy]

Looks good SpooledUp... I'll bet you add a third leg to that bracket before you paint it, maybe from the bolt in the middle of the bracket over to one of the driver's seat brackets...

 

[ROCKJEEP]

Also remember the better the magnet the more rust it will pull through the paint. Red might not be a problem, but lighter colors are.

Any problems over loading the xm while transmitting. My ham does on my truck, but it is usually turned down while i'm talking.

Kory

 

[Spooled-up]

Testraub,

I didn't go with the Big Bob mount because I didn't want to lose the cupholders. I use them all the time.



Greg,

I haven't seen any difference in the compass function.



bmoeller,

The mount actually has a piece of plastic on the bottom side. I may try the sandwich baggie anyway. Have you noticed yours move around at all?



BigEasy,

The mount is very sturdy. It doesn't move at all.



ROCKJEEP,

I haven't done much transmitting yet as I haven't had a chance to tune the SWR. I'll keep an eye on it.

 

[BigEasy]

Also remember the better the magnet the more rust it will pull through the paint. Red might not be a problem, but lighter colors are.

This is an interesting theory... there shouldn't be any rust under the paint to begin with, though.







Spool, that mount definitely looks stout, but my question is about the angle at which the weight of the radio will be putting force in the bolts. I'm thinking they're gonna want to loosen up. I think the 'third leg' will take out the twisting torque on the mounting bolts. I've been wrong before, though... alot!

 

[Spooled-up]

BigEasy,



I wish you could get a better look at the mount. I can pull on it in any direction and it won't budge. It's 3/16ths steel and the seat bolt is about 8 or 9 mm. I used a 3/16ths bolt with a nylock nut where it mounts to the center support. You can pull it at any angle and it doesn't move at all. I wish it wasn't so difficult to make, or I could be competition for Big Bob ---for the guys that want to keep the cupholders with manual transmissions anyway! I would have definately used one of Big Bob's mounts if I had an auto or didn't use the cupholders.

 

[Spooled-up]

I just went out and tested my SWR using the meter in the radio. Not the most accurate, I know, but the needle just barely moved off the peg on ch 40 (1. 1) and I got about 1. 2 on channel 1. Ch 19 is about 1. 1. These are the best SWR readings I've ever seen on my radio.

 

[BigEasy]

That's cool then... I think you'll find that your SWR meter isn't all that far off, too. Just swing into a shop sometime and they'll check it.



Very nice install!



You ever go to the dirt track in L-burg?

 

[Schrowang]

Spooled Up,



Loved your mount. Nice job. But I loved your gearshift knob even more. Where did you get it



Mike



04. 5 2500, CTD, Black, 6spd, 4wd towing a 27. 5' 5er'.

 

[gsbrockman]

Dave... .

Are you working on yet another TDR Basement Enterprise ? :-laf

Let me know when they're available..... except you can simply mail mine to me (you won't have to install it like you did the fuel tank vent kit for me in Lexington, KY). :-laf

Greg

 

[bmoeller]

bmoeller,

The mount actually has a piece of plastic on the bottom side. I may try the sandwich baggie anyway. Have you noticed yours move around at all?

Not that I ever noticed. It is planted pretty good. It was only a temp install. Have the antenna on the headache rack now (pics in RR).



My mag mount had a thin piece of plastic on it originally, but it will wear through in time. Mine was given to me, and is pretty old, but still works like new.

 

[Lips]

can you give some details of how you ran your antenna coax through the 3rd brake light and through the rest of the cab? Thanks.

 

[Spooled-up]

Spooled Up,



Loved your mount. Nice job. But I loved your gearshift knob even more. Where did you get it

I made the mount for the CB if that's what you're talking about. It took way too much time to bend and fit to make another one.

As for the shift knob, I made that too after HeberRam moved away. I was going to sell them, but I couldn't make any that had no bubbles in the clear resin. It looks better from afar, but up close it's not so hot. I'm guessing that HeberRam used some kind of industrial resin because I tried everything to get the bubbles out. I used Alumilite resins for the project. Better than the stock knob though. As a matter of fact, I'm selling the vacuum pump and vacuum chamber in the misc section of the classifieds and on e-bay right now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7558530483&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MESE:IT&rd=1



Gsbrockman,



I am actually working on another basement enterprise item. I'm hoping in a few weeks to have it available. I think it's a cool idea. I'll post it in the 3rd gen forum when it's available.



Lips,



I ran my coax through the top edge of the 3rd brake light. I took a round file to the top edge of the lens and made a little room for the coax so I didn't squeeze it too tight. From the inside, I went to the passenger side up under the headliner, down the rear pillar, and under the sill plates in the wiring groove across the front of the passenger seat and along the tunnel to the front edge of the carpet and to the CB. All the sill plates just pop out. The rear pillar can be removed with a torx head to get the seat belt mount out, and to get the wire above the headliner you just push it up in there. It's a really clean install. No drilling of the truck at all. The only permanent mod I did to the truck was filing the 3rd brake light.

 

[BIG BOB]

Just for clarification on my 6-speed mount. You only loose the cupholder closest to the driver. The passenger cupholder is still available for use.



I also have different mounts for the Auto's 2x4 or 4x4 with electronic transfer case shifters. A 13" wide mount and a 7 1/2" narrow mount. These mounts do not interfer with the fold down cupholders at all.

 

[radar doctor]

thanks for the info. . doc

 

[hasselbach]

My folding antenna mount for my 05. Pull a pin, and it pivots to the bed. SWR's are in the 1. 2 range, lots of metal to ground to. . Time to powder coat it now.

 

[DMaddox]

Take a look at these mounts

Nice work Spooled. FYI, there's a great company here in NV that makes all sorts of mounts for CB's, Radio's, cell phone's, etc. Check it out www.panavise.com