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You don't need a speaker. It has a small one built in. A speaker is nice to have though. A magnet mount antenna would work great on the Highlander. Just stick it on top of the vehicle somewhere near the center of the roof.
A good mag mount is a Wilson "Little Wil https://www.amazon.com/WILSON-305-38-300-Watt-Little-Antenna/dp/B001AAT94W
I am sure there are other quality magnet mounts.
A cigarette lighter plug is ok but it's always best to straight wire the positive to the battery if possible.
Antennas have to be tuned. Don't let anyone tell you different. For the best performance they must be tuned. it's easy to do yourself but you need a SWR meter or just go to the local CB shop and pay to have it tuned by a tech.
CB is a lot of fun and a great tool on the road. If you have any more questions feel free to ask. I have 40 years of CB experience and am happy to help.
You either need to buy an SWR meter, or you need to have a CB radio with it built in.
They aren't expensive, here's one on amazon for 20 bucks. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HMDQ4RQ/
Or you could find a friend or two that have CB's, one of them is bound to have a meter.
You want something that has an output of 13.8VDC and about 8-10AMPS. Amazon has these cheap Chinese supplies. Just add a grounded 3 prong power plug so you can plug it into the wall socket...your CB radio connects the red (pos) wire to the positive terminal of the supply...and the black (gnd) to the negative terminal of the supply.
One of these will run any cb just fine. Direct wire or use your cig plug.
https://www.amazon.com/Pyramid-PS9KX-Universal-Regulated-Converter/dp/B0002BA570
I never trust the on-radio SWR meters; the Astatic PDC1 does SWR and power. It's on amazon and most other shopping sites.
Here's a good android app to help you study for your first test. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.delasystems.hamradioexamtech
I'd recommend the YouTube channel ham radio crash course. There's other good channels, but this guy is my style. https://www.youtube.com/user/hoshnasi
A few thoughts, if you're wanting to talk to a ham operator, you'll want a radio that's not a CB. If you want to talk hundreds or thousands of miles, without relays, you'll want a HF radio. You'll need a general amateur radio license to do that legally.
If you want to talk that far with a CB... It's either luck or money you'll need. And a good antenna.
Luck, you want to use a SSB CB radio. On occasion, you can get your signal to skip off the atmosphere, and go a very long ways. It is fairly unpredictable, but awesome. I'd recommend a President McKinley radio. If you have funds, look at Lester's custom radios online. Or bellscb.
Money, you'll brute force your way to distance. This isn't legal, but rarely enforced. First, second, and third, you need an awesome antenna, and the best coax cable. Next, either a linear amplifier, or a radio with one built in. Again, check Lester's or bells. There are others. Lester builds amps.
All radio systems use DC, so your inverter won't come into play here, at all.
If you don't already have the 18AWG bare copper consider aluminum electric fence wire. It's about 30% the weight of copper and inexpensive. If you try it use mechanical connectors like crimp on un-insulated butt splices to join the wire. Best to spray paint the connections when you're done. https://www.amazon.com/Field-Guardian-16-Guage-Aluminum-164-Feet/dp/B0043WBY3I
Try putting a couple of ferrite chokes on the cable coming off of your alternator. It helped my radio a good bit. It's almost as quiet as when the engine is off. Just make sure to put a zip tie around it so it doesn't fall off on the road.
https://www.amazon.com/Ancable-Connector-Antenna-Adapter-Heathkit/dp/B077W3X9NC This will allow you to use more modern cb antennas with that radio. Probably will work better as well. 73 see you out there.
Can't believe this hasn't been posted yet, you need this as long as it's just a radio, higher amperage supplies are available for amplifiers.
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fire sticks can be a bitch to tune and if you cut off too much you're done.
what i recommend is the Wilson 5ft silverload and a 4" HD spring.
the wilson silverload has a tunable tip and is designed to be installed with a 4" spring to get it to 5/8's wave. its a little more pricy than a firestick, but its a huge improvement.
Yeah, that's backward. the insulator needs to go on top. You are shorting your signal to ground.
Edit added: It should be assembled like this: Amazon link
On your mount you have the insulator wrong sending your signal to ground. The insulator needs to be on top of the mount like this
yea, that PA horn should work fine, no specs tho.
amazon sells a nice Pyle PA horn that tops out at 25 watts audio output
You could also get one of these and use it for future projects, I have one for my 100 watt rig no problem. These are the ones used for 3D printing and are used to long periods of use. Check the reviews. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EWG6YT8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jxjgFbJP109KD
Put some ferrite rings around your alternator positive wire.
Do you hear the whine with the antenna coax disconnected at the radio?
If you hear the whine with the antenna disconnected there are power line filters you can add to the power leads to reduce it. The Magnum PLF-10 worked but it's discontinued. Maybe this will work? https://www.amazon.ca/Install-Bay-IBNF10-Noise-Filter10/dp/B00691PFO0/147-9056284-0777720?psc=1 Must be installed close to the radio.
If you don't hear the whine with the antenna disconnected try relocating the antenna so it's grounded to a different part of the vehicle.
Easy
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KW6NZ8H/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_7DM9MGN0X16AV9HH5XPA
Then plug into this
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DWXRD5F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_3NH66A2C4RR949YQ5K2R
As long as your radio puts out less then 20W you should be good.
Here is a link to the mount I used. I originally replaced the stud with one compatible with fire ring cables but my fire ring went bad so I ended up using the stud that came with the mount. The plate allows for a good ground and can be canted at any angle or rotated 180 degrees for a slightly lower profile.
FireStik SS-204A Adjustable Stainless Steel Vertical Door jamb Mount https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000X3EQ3G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_N5BTFDGKS0XAD3WW90ST
You don't need to buy multiple meters. That's silly. BUT, you'll need a real SWR meter. The built in ones are usually not great. Here's a link to a good unit that won't break the bank.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VXKINA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_KDVS6BV0TMVXNQBY2ATP
Inexpensive, about $22. Works ok, not great but OK. Some quality issues. https://www.amazon.com/TRAM-703-HC-Center-Load-Antenna/dp/B002IP3WV4?psc=1
I'd buy something to push the total over $25 for the free shipping. Maybe some fuses for the Land Rover... just kidding. It's a rather nice ride.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AAT94W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_7WM84REYJY0VTTGWKHFN
This is what I have. They have been in the business for decades and proven quality. Lower end ones use weaker magnets which cause signal problems and in the right conditions, loss of the antenna
I've got a Pro520 as well in my Jeep. I'd looked at one of these ultra compact remote units but it wasn't in the budget at the time. Uniden CMX760
That's interesting. I'm thinking that there should be some kind of vinyl or clear round pad one could attach to the roof.
I did see something like this on Amazon that sits as a semi-permanent surface on the roof. Though I guess if I'm doing this more often a permanent or drilled hood/trunk/hitch mount might be a better idea.
UHF Dummy Load,DC-1Ghz 15W 15Watt Average (110watt Peak) Dummy Load 50 Ohm Rf Coaxial Terminal (PL259-1GHz-15Watt) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ML3HCP9/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_HpP9Fb91A0KK5
What kind of power meter are you using?
Do you have a wire coat hanger? Straighten one out and use it to see (roughly) how long of a whip you need.
Yes, you can replace the whip and to be safe, get a 54 inch whip (if you can't do the wire coat hanger method). You can cut it down to size, if needed. 54" Replacement Whip
If you were to get a new antenna, go with a TRAM 3500. Much better antenna and half the price of a Wilson 1000.
Check out this:
It uses a diamond NMO mount and I use them on my hood. No drilling. No damage.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AR09JOQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_VZAQFbJXAMPKA?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
On the mount I use a TRAM 1295 3/4” NMO to 3/8” - 24 CB Adaptor Antenna Mount
Then antenna goes on that.
I’m using a Tram 3700 Trucker CB Antenna which can be tuned either 10 or 11 meter. So it’s good for CB? But you could add whatever.
Your signal will be completely based on the antenna you use. I run my 980 with a Solarcon A-99. They can be had for under $100 on Amazon. I get excellent send and receive with great copies from distances up to 15 miles on normal AM. I have reached out over 100+ miles on lower sideband, barefoot (not amped). With a cheap amp and some good conditions, you could talk all over the nation, or even world.
Here's a link to the antenna
Solarcon A-99 CB Base Station Antenna https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017J7NQ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_pMOFAbVGTZPR6
And a link to a cheap but solid amp... (if you're interested)
https://m.newegg.com/products/0TF-0002-00001
I bought used for my first radio, and knowing what I do now, I would have just bought a nice, new radio from the get go. The 980SSB is full featured, so all the spiffy do-dads that you will wish you had are already on it. Spend the money once, and you won't have to worry later. Also, read the reviews online. The Uniden has an excellent reputation.
Hope this info helps!
Recommendations will depend on your budget. The little unidens that have already been recommended are good. For an antenna, this here is sort of the king of base station cb antennas. We're talking 50 miles instead of 5.
Solarcon A-99 CB Base Station Antenna https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017J7NQ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_e-qXCb5Q4M2MB
Just check Amazon for base station cb antennas, to find one in budget and if you're not wanting it on your car. They'll be easier to mess with than adapting a mobile, IMO.
First rule of CB, ANTENNAS!! You can have a 1000$ radio hooked to a bad antenna and never hear anyone, and kill your fancy radio. Hook a 30$ uniden to a good, properly set up antenna and you'll hear for miles.
Learn what SWR is before you ever use your radio to transmit. Listen all you want without transmitting, but you'll need to tune your antenna before transmitting. Keeping asking questions and googling. Good luck!
10$ off amazon bro... you want new coax anyway!
The plug isn't standard And may be damnaged / have water in it, may be 75 oms
The terms are vague and misused. Here, your dad is right and so are the others.
UHF frequencies are not CB. But that plug type, PL-259 is referred to as a "UHF" plug.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/252975140353
Here's one on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QKVRM2N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0sfqFbVWX32M6
Ok. I ordered the Falcon dipole, and 50 feet of coax (because I want to place the antenna in the attic, and run the cable down from there.)
- Falcon Double Bazooka Cb Radio Base Station Antenna 11 Meter
- RG8x Coaxial Cable, CB Coax Cable, 50ft RFAdapter UHF PL259 Male to Male Low Loss CB Antenna Cables, 50 Ohm for HAM Radio
Well, that escalated quickly. I think I’m done for now ordering things off amazon.
If I get my Washington operational I can use the Falcon with it “stealth mode (no huge 20 foot antenna on my roof),” and put the 980ssb in my truck.
Anyway, this has been entertaining, although my wallet feels a lot lighter now.
Get him an RTL Dongle. He will find it very fascinating and cool. Make sure it is one with HF coverage. They cost around $30. Trust me here. It is a radio junkies true toy.
https://www.amazon.com/RTL-SDR-Blog-RTL2832U-Software-Defined/dp/B0129EBDS2
I bought the expensive one from President.
What antenna do you use by the way?
I bought the one below and its garbage
HYS 27Mhz Antenna 9-Inch to... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093C3FVZR?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
You need a good steel panel below the antenna for best set match and transmission. Might I suggest this antenna. Have found goo reports from locals I've gotten to chat with. https://www.amazon.com/Stryker-SR-A10MM-Magnetic-Mount-Antenna/dp/B01MRA7U9Q Put the antenna in the middle of that steel roof, tune the antenna for the best match and call it good. If you want a permanent mount that can be done as well.
These may help you find answers quicker:
I suggest wrapping your house with copper mesh, basically a faraday cage, problem solved. You can get some on Amazon
I know that would be an extreme measure, but definitely would solve the issue
The President Jackson II plus has been out for several years by now :
i have an 04 cvpi, but mine has nmo mounts on the trunk. If you want an antenna that sacrifices a bit of range but you can still fit the car in a garage, this 3 ft one has been decent, but you will want to tune it with an swr meter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JT3Q0C?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details if you look on the amazon page, a guy has a pic with it on his vic with a lip mount on the trunk. Or you could get a mag mount with the 3/8 base the antenna takes or an nmo to 3/8 adapter on a magnetic nmo mount. For the cb, i have been somewhat happy with my midland 75-822 though it is a compromise over a regular cb. it has a cig lighter power plug. i had to modify the belt clip on it to add a mic hanger mount on it. also you will probably want 17-18 ft minimum of coax in total on the mount,if so you can run the coax through the bottom corner of the backseat and down one of the channels under the scuff plates if you are comfortable taking out the bottom back seat (easy) and gently getting the scuff plates and the front kick panel trim off, if so you can run the coax down the scuff plate channel, through the kick panel, and what i did was zip tie the coax to the existing fm radio coax which comes under the glovebox and i ran my cb coax to the center column that way. you wouldnt want a coax ending in pl-259 if you are going to fish it through the car like this, you can get by with a coax ending in BNC, and then get a bnc female to pl-259 adapter or 1 ft jumper cable of the same.
After cleaning all connections I was able to get a set of 3 on channel 1 and 2.4 on channel 40
the cord in the top picture wont plug into the 505. the 505 has a power cord built in, unremoveable. can you get the 505 without that bundled in? then maybe use something like this https://www.amazon.com/1PACK-12Volt-Replacement-Cigarette-Lighter/dp/B08KW6NZ8H/ref=sr_1_15?crid=9BVNV6T4IRB1&keywords=12v+lighter+adapter+plug&qid=1656516150&sprefix=12v+lighter+adapter+plug%2Caps%2C59&sr=8-15 or you could just cut off the socket and twist the wires together and tape or find some random old 12v 2a power adapter and use that. that's also about the worst antenna possible but it's cheap.
President Lincoln II Plus.
AM, FM, SSB, and CW if you want it.
Easily modifiable to enter an 'open' mode where it can cover below, the standard 40 channels, and way above.
https://www.amazon.com/President-Lincoln-II-Plus-Meter/dp/B06XY72BQ3
Review on it :
I haven't used it but I know people that use it with a buggy whip CB antennas and larger Hustler HF antennas and it doesn't fall off.
I think the magnets have to be flat on the roof. If the ridges were grooves I think it would work. If the the ridges are far enough apart The Procom three magnet mount looks like it might be easily modified to place the magnets were they avoid the ridges. https://www.amazon.com/ProComm-Triple-Magnet-Attached-Connector/dp/B0061X24N6
I've had this one for years without an issue
K40 Model K-30 35" Magnet Mount Stainless Steel CB Antenna, 300 Watts , Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H2W270/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_3S89TPAA0YQ9VCCZJMG0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Depends on what you want . I'd definitely get AM/FM . For example
President Electronics THOMAS FCC 40-channel AM/FM Radio, Black; 12/24 V, Up/down Channel Selector, Volume Adjustment, Manual Squelch and ASC, Multi-functions LCD Display, Mode Switch AM / FM https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09RD6JZJ6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_W4NBCD5NF4MZSPS8Q1C3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1.
Or if you want higher power the Predident Lincoln II + ( but you have to do a simple modification to make it work on CB frequencies.
Get a president bill, better radio, less than half the size
I'm not sure what all that means. Something like this Check this out on Amazon BTECH GMRS-V1 GMRS Two-Way Radio, GMRS Repeater Capable, with Dual Band Scanning Receiver (136-174.99mhz (VHF) 400-520.99mhz (UHF)) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWOLZ8L/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_6QTDZ1VVENE9RHJ2NMP4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I honestly dont know what I'm looking at, but is it something like this? Are they different from just plain old walkie talkies and if they are how are they different? Check this out on Amazon Retevis RB27 GMRS Two Way Radio, Long Range Rechargeable Walkie Talkies for Adults, High Power,NOAA Weather,USB-C, Flashlight for Hiking, Off-Road, Road Trips, Survival Preparation(2 Pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08VFV7QCB/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_J5XK27F4HPZC8939FMHM
No problem, I'll add play around with just the pot belly & just the quick disconnect. If the reason you use a quick disconnect is (likely obvious assumption) due to the height look into getting this tie down for these antennas. Of course, only if you find the spring alone works best without the quick disconnect. Antenna Whip Tie Down https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DILKM9M/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_BDJPRYQ6KSB92Y6Z7QXF
The Nippon America DVP512, 120VAC to 13.8V DC 3A continuous 5A surge, costs about $32 if you shop around. $41.50 with "free shipping" https://www.amazon.com/Nippon-America-DVP512-Power-Supply/dp/B00818DJWE Not great, not terrible.
This is a linear regulated power supply, the 5A surge rating is for minutes. It's a thermal limit. That will be enough for one ordinary, by ordinary I mean legal, CB radio AM or SSB.
Upside of a linear regulator is it's RF quiet and shrugs off transient overload. Down side of a linear regulator is the efficiency is poor, in the 40% range, compared to 80% or better for a switching supply. A linear supply is much bigger and heavier but without that the surge rating wouldn't be so good.
Vemote AC to DC Converter AC /110V-220V to DC /12V 10A 120W Car Cigarette Lighter Socket Adapter FCC Approved Switching Power Supply for Portable Air Compressor Car Refrigerator Car Vacuum https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PFLLNG1/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_AJH50FTQN2P8AFVZMXGP
Be forewarned, these have little to no filtering & can often create unwanted RFI in the receive end. But this would work as far as powering your radio.
Pig Tail cable. SO239 to terminals. Hy-Gain APT-2 or ABR Ind 2213A-SO-RT-3 they're stupid expensive, about $40. You can make your own adapter and save about $34.
The easy way, buy a SO239 to BNC pigtail cable. Cut the BNC end off and crimp on ring terminals in it's place. https://www.amazon.com/MWRF-Source-SO-239-Adapter-Pigtail/dp/B07MN3862S
Just grab one of these meters and a 3ft or whatever length patch cable. You connect the meter to your antenna wire and then the patch cable between the CB and meter. They sell this exact same meter at every major truck stop but it's $5-10 more expensive. Detailed instructions also come with it and there's plenty of YouTube videos.
As for physically adjusting the antenna, you just shorten it/lengthen it at the tip. All the Wilson antennas have a little set screw at the base to make it even easier by pulling the metal whip out or pushing it in and then tightening the screw. Sometimes you need to clip some metal off of the tip of the antenna. It's fairly easy and can be done in a few minutes if everything goes right.
If there's already one on the truck, then you are 90% there. The one thing that you might need to do is "tune" the antenna. You'll need to either buy or borrow a SWR meter to do so. This will make sure the antenna is the correct length.
You are likely correct. Although I've had a few vehicles where the accessory plug has power all the time. I'm very tempted to add an additional "always on" plug to my current vehicle as all of the ones in it shut off with the vehicle.
When I first posted, I only saw your first picture. I now see that you have an adapter plug on the back of the unit with three wires. Is there already a place on the truck where this would plug into? It would be something that was added on, not standard with the truck. If not, this adapter setup is likely what you'd need.
You are welcome.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08M3RFKFM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?smid=A2149H8PNAXBP8&psc=1 This was what I was looking at getting to start with. I'm not sure about the connector but would that still need tuning? As with most things teaching, this is all out of my own pocket.
Here is a better and much SAFER power supply
TekPower TP30SWII 30 Amp DC 13.8V Analog Switching Power Supply with Noise Offset https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L2M2Y5O/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_MZ7KAGVWT6FXB7Q292Z4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
DC 12V 30A Power Supply 360W Universal Regulated Switching AC to DC Converter AC110V/220V (SMPS) Transformer Driver Adapter for LED Strip Light, CCTV Camera Security System, Radio, Computer Project https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08LDC41B6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_87WPE2G04FX2TJEKXG9W?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
You could try EMI shielding tape. There are several different kinds.
For example. RFI, EMF, EMI Shielding Protection Cloth Tape - Ni/Cu/Polyester Taffeta Fabric w/Adhesive - Z-3250 Tape - 1" Wide & 60" Long (Nickel/Copper/Polyester Woven Fabric Cloth) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G9NHRNH/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_g_KB4AVYPN2ZNVWR3AV45P
This is what you need.
Universal Compact Bench Power Supply - 30 Amp Regulated Home Lab Benchtop AC-to-DC Converter w/ 13.8 Volt DC 115/230V AC Switchable, Screw Type Terminals, Cooling Fan - Pyle PSV300 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NPT4TK/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_ZZDTTAM7GZB2FAVVWDSP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Your link is dead but I assume you're talking about this?
And if so then yes that's a no-tune unit. The ones that tune literally have a knob where you need to dial in the frequency of use to make it resonate to the wire. Nothing wrong with the no-tune types but as I said they have more RF loss because they are wideband use. They will work almost as good as an ordinary middle fed dipole, and will outperform any smaller whip type antennas not to mention durability because it's just a wire you need to get up in the air.
Here's a power supply that I've used for several years and have had no problems with.
TekPower TP30SWII 30 Amp DC 13.8V Analog Switching Power Supply with Noise Offset https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L2M2Y5O/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_FGJ04M2EKPGY5FV7P5HZ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
I wouldn't recommend either, I am not a fan of any of those constant helical wound antennas. Browning BR-140 CB Land Mobile Antenna,Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0043I6FJA/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_FB0M7TZGCJ89BHH40850
Or
tram-browning BR-140-B CB Antenna, 26.5MHz–30MHz, NMO Mounting, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013PXD0J6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_0PTA4FY3D2V6N843TSGK
You want a power supply, not a wall wart . Something like this.
Pyramid PS9KX Universal Compact Bench Power Supply-5 Amp Linear Regulated Home Lab Benchtop Converter w/ 13.8 Volt DC 115V AC 70 Watt Input, Screw Type Terminal, 12V Car Cigarette Lighter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002BA570/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_D3HBV03F68XG1BX57DBF
Also you could just throw the magnet mount on your house roof or buy a dedicated "CB base antenna" and mount it to the roof.
President Electronics New Virginia (Formerly Called New York UP) Magnetic Mount CB Radio Antenna https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FCJ5KTS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_7Z2TCPAWZFK1ZGR9SB46?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
This is the closest thing readily available to be consider "concealed". Your just not going to find much for anything HF that you can hide. It pretty much starts at "low profile" & just goes up from there.
If you want fast blow get these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096K9K2NV/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B096K9K2NV
The antenna really depends on what type of vehicle you have. Trucks offer more opportunity to vary your mount. One of my favorites is the Hustler RM11S
Reading through the comments I would recommend this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HFHFXYB/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_QAABBHWG5BP9YJHWJGYN?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
As for the antenna: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013PXD0J6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_WJBGT5FM7BKRN98PPQE2
I have both in use in/on my wife's Honda Odyssey with more than acceptable range.
A mile is too little to ask! For something small but feature packed I recommend: President Electronics BILL CB Radio, 40 Channels AM, 12 Volts, USB 5V/2.1A, Up/Down Channel Selector, Volume Adjustment and ON/OFF, Manual Squelch and ASC, Multi-functions LCD Display, S-meter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HFHFXYB/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_QAABBHWG5BP9YJHWJGYN?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
As for the antenna: President Electronics New Virginia (Formerly Called New York UP) Magnetic Mount CB Radio Antenna https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FCJ5KTS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_7Z2TCPAWZFK1ZGR9SB46?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
President is dominating the CB radio market right now, & for good reasons. Although I havent used this antenna, I do currently have the President Bill radio in my wife's Honda Odyssey. Its small, but user friendly & feature packed. Of course depending on terrain your range will vary, however this setup is very much plug & play, no tuning required. This style antenna will blend in somewhat as its made to look similar to a factory AM/FM antenna. Not to mention, buying both radio & antenna from President extends the radios warranty significantly.
So sorry never saw this notification this is what I bought and plugged directly into the back of my uniden bearcat RoadPro RPPS-220 Platinum Series 12V 3-Pin Plug Fused Replacement CB Power Cord https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JT97C8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_WE25KZTSYT7TG3BD5PDQ
It's a Tram WSP1198: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DMXRBI
I know being a through-glass antenna will limit its range, but I was just happy to find something tunable for an affordable price!
Just to have a better visual, your is your mount the Firestik DM4/DM4A?
0.5 ohms from coax to battery terminal is likely fine, depends on your meter but most handheld meters aren't going to read much lower than that anyway. If it's ohming out to the battery terminal it's probably good, but I'd check from the coax shield to the sheet metal around where the mount is installed as well just to be sure.
Before you go to trimming the whip, if you have some alligator clip leads you could stick some at the top of the antenna and see if making it longer helps. Though you can't really extend a whip so not that helpful, but could at least see if you get a different reading. If it gets worse you know that trimming it will likely help.
Also, while that RigExpert AA-600 the one guy recommended is expense as hell, you can get a NanoVNA for like $50 and it'll be good enough 99% of the time. Makes tuning antennas a hell of a lot easier. Here's an old post I made about it a while back.
I've bought from this listing in the past and had good luck, admittedly YMMV since there are a lot of bad quality versions of the NanoVNA out there. Would just need an SMA male to UHF SO-239 female adapter (or whatever your coax is).
That almost looks like a Little Will, though the image is crap. I'm sure there's a billion knock offs, though.
https://president-electronics.us/CB-Radios-Ham-Radios/AM-SSB-transceivers Seeing as how you do not want to mount a 102" steel whip... https://www.amazon.com/Wilson-Magnetic-Mount-Antenna-Removable/dp/B003H3L3U8
It will. However, it will only ever tell you what your swr is. This one will do that and allow you to check your power output up to 100 watts. https://www.amazon.com/Astatic-PDC1-100-Watt-Meter/dp/B004ULN610/ref=bmx_dp_t05hwc5o_3/143-7671292-0102466?pd_rd_w=1SfY5&pf_rd_p=67f6f457-17c9-40ed-bc2a-61a7b5360a34&pf_rd_r=ZA7G6BZDMCYX5MCQEZPA&pd_rd_r=8045039c-73b9-4996-a085-5c9f4ebb...
Workman SWR Meter for CB Radio Antennas SWR2T https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DBTFKD9/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_4HGGAA0ZAXJ9NY3KCXJ4
Is this one okay I saw it in a you tube video? Will this work for any antenna or any radio?
I completely forgot to explain that I replaced the stock mic with two electret elements that I wired in parallel.
uxcell a14032200ux0277 Electret... https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00LUUH9QW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
The sound is much more clear on pc than the stock cb but I guess they are drawing more current?
I’m using this encoder:
Quimat Zero Delay Arcade USB Encoder PC to Joystick for Mame Jamma & Other PC Fighting Games QR05 https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B06XCP8R5F/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_18MEYT7TEDCDTBE49GCP
Try this. Unless you have a rack. Then all you need is to mount the antenna to the rack.
FireStik SS-194A Pickup Truck Bedrail Stakehole Antenna Mount - Stainless Steel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000X3C9AS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_Y7WAHTXCWE9QJ3JB84YR
Try this. Unless you have a rack. Then all you need is to mount the antenna to the rack.
FireStik SS-194A Pickup Truck Bedrail Stakehole Antenna Mount - Stainless Steel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000X3C9AS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_Y7WAHTXCWE9QJ3JB84YR
If your wanting something middle ground in terms of price & performance (you get a bit more for your $ here too) I would recommend the Tram 3500. Its built far better than its Wilson & K40 counterparts. tram-browning 3500 CB Antenna 5-Inch Magnet Kit with RG8X Coax and Rubber Boot, Silver, 58.25in. x 9.50in. x 4.75in. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008S5N09M/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_TPDNHXC0E9MD36D6FFFT
If your wanting a small form factor with simplicity & fair performance I would recommend the President Virginia model antenna. President Electronics New Virginia (Formerly Called New York UP) Magnetic Mount CB Radio Antenna https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FCJ5KTS/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_KZRCZYSWHFK1PA0D99P7
First off, your never going to get a VHF or UHF public service band (Fire, Law, EMS, etc.) antenna to work because CB is an HF band radio. So, laughably no matter what you do your not going to have a working radio system. CB radio, or any radio that transmits & requires some type of install is NEVER plug & play, this isn't a walkie talkie. Use that antenna, damage the radio. Now, as for the ding bat that drilled the hole to big....don't let him touch stuff. As for the hole, how big is the hole now? I assume he was drilling for an NMO mount? Also, be aware that because CB antennas are generally longer (not always physically but electrically) so they tend to weigh more & can cause some warping to the thin roof metal overtime. This causes the stretched metal to dip, collecting water & eventually rusting in that area. Typically, even in public service vehicles if its mounted on the roof, there is almost always an extra brace support added to keep this from happening. Ugh.....to often do people chase the "look cool" before the "actually works". Now, if he is wanting a CB antenna that looks similar to those often found on public service vehicles TRAM makes an antenna that works very well (installed on my wife's minivan). tram-browning BR-140-B CB Antenna, 26.5MHz–30MHz, NMO Mounting, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013PXD0J6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_2PQSS7QXQ0KMEHNXSH88
Ill await the follow up as I have some recommendations.....but it may not be cheap.
Maybe something like this will work? https://www.amazon.com/Install-Bay-IBNF10-Noise-Filter10/dp/B00691PFO0
Whatever you use the filter should be at the radio end of the power leads and it should have a ground wire that's grounded separately from the radio.
The fuse MUST be between the power source and the filter. Not on the radio side. If there's a problem in the filter you don't want it to become a fire hazard.
Power supply = Universal Compact Bench Power Supply - 12 Amp Linear Regulated Home Lab Benchtop AC-to-DC 12V Converter w/ 13.8 Volt DC 115V AC 270 Watt Power Input, Screw Type Terminals,Cooling Fan- Pyramid PS14KX.5 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QV9PJ65/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_Q6MKQ2R6BHZV7XEWV043?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
You can use a 102 whip but your send and receive will be not much better than a mobile, I strongly recommend getting a base antenna ... But in the meantime take a 4 foot piece of rebar point it into the ground and run a wire from your antenna mount to the rebar
Not an N, that's a TNC male. Exceedingly rare in consumer equipment (haven't seen one in that application since the analog car phone days) but still common with military and satcom equipment. RP-TNC is also used for some wifi equipment.
/u/theresnoelinwinner, here's the adapter you need: TLS.eagle PL259 UHF Connector UHF Male to TNC Female RF Coaxial Adapter 2Packs https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08BZJTGX6/
Wrapping the leads of a neon bulb around the antenna tip used to be a thing. Uses essentially no power (microwatts) and it lights up when transmitting. The "green neon," that contain argon gas and a green phosphor, are the brightest. Fun until it strikes something that shatters the bulb.
https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-50Pcs-6x16mm-Bright-Indicator/dp/B07CQ3DX5C
- Get yourself 2 of these: Amazon toroid link
- Wrap your XLR cable through 5 or 6 times
- One toroid for each end of your cable
- Will look something like this https://i.imgur.com/eLk1Dji.png
It went down slow, I made a rookie mistake. It definitely didn't overheat as I've been watching the temperature of it. I just ordered this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T6LXNTV/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_glt_i_RMEXJDMY2SNZHXQ3AY5F so I'll see how fucked I am.
Thank you so much! So would I be all set with this antenna and this cable ?
Also need a power cord... I checked with my bench PSU and it seems to be working but now I need to find a 13.8V power supply that fits. Any idea where to look for one?
There's also this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HRGVFKB
It's a metal perch that mounts in that spot on the left, it's super sturdy. I'm using it to mount a RAM ball to hold a tablet really solid while offroading for displaying GAIA or other maps.
For just the speaker, you could just put screws into the vinyl and it will hold but not for any real weight.
Alright ya the meter I got looks like it'll cover both so I should be able to figure it out.
Is this the radio you recommended before? Retevis RT98 Mobile Radios Long Range Mini Transceiver High Power Lock 199 Ch 51 CTCSS 1024 DCS Car Mobile Radio with Speaker Mic(1 Pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VKLRYQQ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_4H4SNM9P4YYAVABXHBH3
Reviews and I believe you mentioned it's a pain to program. I'm fairly decent at computers so if I do get it is it worth it? It doesn't actually say which frequency ranges it covers so does that mean it covers them all just needs to be programmed in? If that's the case I'm sold on it unless you know of a better one that's around the 100 dollar price range?
I'm starting to think I'm not going to be able to find a radio that covers all bands I'm looking for. Mainly wanted it because my family uses walkie talkies while up in the woods and wanted that as well as the cb covered.
I just picked up the tester and cable thanks for the advice. I didn't know about the antana cable interference possibilities so that's good to know thanks.
I plan on attaching the antana on my canopy assuming it's metal. Would that work ok or should I just put it on the cab? Was wanting to avoid it due to wanting to avoid scratching the paint on the truck but if it's unavoidable then so be it.
AnyTone AT-778UV Dual Band Transceiver Mobile Radio VHF/Uhf Mobile Ham Radio for Car Vehicle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071DQPNCW/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_3QM4KMGTT6MTWWVK33QF
I'm looking at this one at the moment. It does both UHF and VHF but is only 25w. Think it would be good enough or is there a better option? Is the antana as important on these ham radios as for cbs?
Something like or similar to this. assuming you live somewhere that has 110v outlets and the radio won't need more the 5 amps.
Even this one? HF Watt/SWR meter
I yell into the microphone and my wattage only peaks around 5 watts when yelling into the microphone.HF SWR
As in, I yell into the microphone, rip to anyone’s ears who were listening, and got a reading of around 5 watts peaked instead of 12. I’m using this to measure the wattage HF watt meter Yeah, but I can see how high the numbers are going and it seems like it’s only able to reach 1-2 watts with talking into the microphone.
Looks like You got everything pretty good with the lil will. Go down to your nearest highway jump to channel 19 and ask for a radio check. For new cb’ers I like to recommend Farpoint Farms YouTube channel. He taught me everything I know. The hobby only grows from here keep up the good work. First order of business buy a meter on Amazon for 20 bucks learn how to check SWRs. It’s going to really Help you understand your radio
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1baTDOc6yBGNjIOKWUV57TD1qM_sGtmD
Astatic PDC1 100 Watt SWR Meter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ULN610/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_K4MD5VTSCFPRGPM79256