CB Radio - Where have you fitted yours

[Iceworx]

I'm setting about fitting the CB radio in the van this weekend, but after a quick head scratch today I cant decide where is the best place to fit it.

Any pics of where you've fitted yours would be superb!

Thanks as always guys.

Chris

[ghost123uk]

I haven't got a pic, but mine is just in front of my right knee, bolted with the standard bracket to the metal underside of the lower part of the dash.

Note = one of the best "upgrades" you can do to a cb set is not a fancy aerial or microphone but IS an extension speaker mounted high up by you right ear. The often dicky sound coming from the other guy, added to the noise in your van often makes it hard to hear what the other guy is saying. A decent quality extension speaker near your ear helps hugely Oh, and aerials, simple, the bigger the better. ( source = I had the CB shop in Chester for 18 years )

[Iceworx]

Thats great!

Thanks John, my father in law is a trucker, and has given me a midland unit, im not sure of the model no. off tip of my head, but i've got an external speaker with it too, and a gutter mount, and what looks like 10m of cable too.

Is it worth trimming this cable down to suit? or better off leaving it as is.

Only thing left to source is a new antenna. I've had a look at thunderpole, and the orbiter vs orbiter HD, is it worth getting the HD version, and what benefits if any will it give me?

Thanks for your help.

Regards

Chris

[Mocki]

I wrote this some years ago, answers all the questions i think, ignore the bits you dont need!

"The fitting of the CB itself is purely personal choice.
Many of the modern radios are of the correct size to fit in the dash where the ash tray should live, which is the tidiest in my opinion.
As for the connections, straight to the fuse box, or onto the leisure battery, your choice. Do not connect to the Broadcast radio power cables.
Remember tidy cables rarely cause problems RED to +12vdc black to -12vdc. Remember that VW -12vdc is brown, NOT black.

Siting the Antenna

Ideally the antenna should be sited in the electrical center of the vehicle, but unless you have a panel van, this isn’t going to be possible.
HiTops and pop tops have fiberglass roofs, and radio doesn’t “see” fiberglass, it is nonexistent so drilling the roof, or bolting to the fiberglass is not an option, it simply won’t work. The antenna mounting must be electrically connected to the metal body.
Most T25 owners opt for a gutter mounting, which ensures a solid and well grounded connection to the bodywork. If you have “syncro2 or LT” style mirrors you can opt for a mirror mounting bracket, but you will have to remove or bypass the rubber mounting from the mirror arm to get your electrical connection to ground.
Either gutter or mirror mounting should be on the RHS or off side of the vehicle, keeping the antenna in the center of the road, and thus away from low tree branches and other obstacles on the nearside of the road.
Gutter mounting.

If you can buy a stainless steel gutter bracket, rather than a cast alloy one, the stainless brackets are much stronger and more robust.
The gutter bracket should be sited on the gutter just behind the front door, inline with the “B” pillar on later model vans (85 onwards) as the door gives less clearance at the gutter on the later vans and the mount will foul the door top. Early vans should be ok at the front corner of the front door, at the “A” pillar.
Ensure the grub screws penetrate the paint and sealer as they bite into the gutter ( you can paint of seal this over after installation) as you need this ground connection to be good. Once the mounting has been securely connected to the body the coax needs routing into the cab, and the easiest most effective way to do this is via the front lower edge of the door, at the end of the gutter strip that runs down the window screen, and into the cab just above the top hinge of the door, up and under the dash, making sure the coax cannot be snagged by the feet of the driver of passenger. Safe tidy cabling is the way to go.

Tuning and SWR

Most antenna systems these days are “pre-tuned” and require little of no tuning.
However if you have access to a SWR meter, it is best to check. Should you need to make any adjustments, the procedure is

1. Connect the SWR meter to the CB, via a “patch lead” and then the antenna to the SWR meter.
2. Set the “FWD-REV” switch on the meter to “FWD” select ch40 and transmit by pressing the microphone PTT switch.
3. Simutaniusly turn the |SET\ control to the infinity mark at the right hand side of the meter scale,
4. Release the PTT stop transmitting
5. Move the |FWD-REV” switch to the “REV” position, and transmit again, the needle on the scale should now read ideally below “2” but anything below “3” is ok.

Select channel 01 and repeat steps 2-5 and compare readings, should you need to adjust the length of the antenna, these are the simple rules.
If the SWR is high on a high channel (40) and lower on a low channel (1) shorten the antenna
If the SWR is higher on the low channel, and lower on the high channel lengthen the antenna.
Only move the tunable section 3mm at a time checking with steps 2-5 each time.

SWR is Standing wave ratio, in layman’s terms, the amount of “feedback| of transmitted power trying to return down the coax to the radio reflected by an ill tuned antenna.
All but professional mobile antennas will be electrically 9ft long, but physically much shorter ( the difference being made up with a loading coil or spring at the base or center of the antenna – the longer the antenna is physically the better. Coils are inefficient, so the less of that 9ft that is coiled up the better.
antenna"

[Iceworx]

Thanks m0cki - Some great info there

now just to decide where to fit this rascal now.

Chris

[LeeME3]

I'm setting about fitting the CB radio in the van this weekend, but after a quick head scratch today I cant decide where is the best place to fit it.

THe 80s?

[Mocki]

I'm setting about fitting the CB radio in the van this weekend, but after a quick head scratch today I cant decide where is the best place to fit it.

THe 80s?

CB is a Very usefull piece of equipment when two or more vans are travelling together......

[kevtherev]

I'm setting about fitting the CB radio in the van this weekend, but after a quick head scratch today I cant decide where is the best place to fit it.

THe 80s?

CB is a Very usefull piece of equipment when two or more vans are travelling together......

Even more so in and around Europe

[ronsrecord]

Don't mobile phones do the same thing but better?

[kevtherev]

Don't mobile phones do the same thing but better?

nope..

[ronsrecord]

.....go on........... I've always toyed with the idea, but felt I'll just be left with another useless piece of junk in the van!! Will lorry drivers tell me there's a big road block up head on the motorway??

[Iceworx]

I'm setting about fitting the CB radio in the van this weekend, but after a quick head scratch today I cant decide where is the best place to fit it.

THe 80s?

And my van was built in the 80's

[Ian Hulley]

Any pics of where you've fitted yours would be superb!

[kevtherev]

Will lorry drivers tell me there's a big road block up head on the motorway??

Sally or Lynn from Radio 2 will do that.
Phones are one to one... CB is open mike to all who can hear you

[Ian Hulley]

CB is open mike to all who can hear you

Handy for learning what the knuckle-dragging limestone powder tanker drivers are blathering on about when they are driving round holding hands. also extra handy when convoying in Cornwall round the narrow lanes, mass pulling out at junctions and to mercilessly pursecute those without CBs

Ian