Write Up on how and where I installed my CB and Antenna

Here is how and where I installed my Uniden Pro 510XL CB and 3 foot Fire Stick.

Each picture explains how I did each step.

Thx for the ideas in my other post to all who replied.

http://photobucket.com/albums/v458/NorthernPride24241/CBandAntennaInstall082404/

Clean install, but I am just not digging the antenna mount. I know there are a bunch of guys here who have done the same, but as someone who can break anything, I see myself removing that mount with a lonely tree. It of course wouldnt be when I expected it, I would just kiss a tree, and kiss that mount and some sheet metal good buy. I want to try and mount it behind the truck or possibly angled with the windshield pillar. Just my thoughts.. good job though...

Ludakris said:

Clean install, but I am just not digging the antenna mount. I know there are a bunch of guys here who have done the same, but as someone who can break anything, I see myself removing that mount with a lonely tree. It of course wouldnt be when I expected it, I would just kiss a tree, and kiss that mount and some sheet metal good buy. I want to try and mount it behind the truck or possibly angled with the windshield pillar. Just my thoughts.. good job though...

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Yup, I had a similar setup which got taken out by a rock in a place called "glass alley"
Anyways I'm still thinking were my new mount will go: either of the bumpers probably.

Thats a nice neat clean looking job.(my Jeep was like that once....along time ago.)....HOWEVER ;-).....I agree about having that bracket come to meet with a tree, trees eat that kind of thing...I know this from experience ;-)....next a question, why did you place a cork gasket between the antenna bracket and the body, the contact the bracket makes acts as a ground for the antenna, unless you are specifically are using an antenna designed to have no ground/ground plane (some big truck antennas are setup that way......or if you have a fiberglass body/or mount.....) have you tuned this antenna yet? you may not get the performance you would like with the antenna mount setup that way. Just a thought......

Art Triggs said:

Thats a nice neat clean looking job.(my Jeep was like that once....along time ago.)....HOWEVER ;-).....I agree about having that bracket come to meet with a tree, trees eat that kind of thing...I know this from experience ;-)....next a question, why did you place a cork gasket between the antenna bracket and the body, the contact the bracket makes acts as a ground for the antenna, unless you are specifically are using an antenna designed to have no ground/ground plane (some big truck antennas are setup that way......or if you have a fiberglass body/or mount.....) have you tuned this antenna yet? you may not get the performance you would like with the antenna mount setup that way. Just a thought......

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Thx! Yeah I used a plate on the back side which is against the sheet metal. I'm hoping that is enough of a ground threw the 4 bolts. I have not tuned it yet! I want to see how it sounds and works before I tune it, just incase it's not needed. I thought of the thing being ripped off but this is my daily driver and I wheel very little in places that would result in ripping it off the side. I go through some nasty stuff but in open areas.

I thought of mounting it to the back of the hatch by taking off the plastic and bolting it on but that will be the result if I come close one to many times to destoying it on trees or rocks! Let's hope it doesn't come to that!

Northern Pride said:

I thought of the thing being ripped off but this is my daily driver and I wheel very little in places that would result in ripping it off the side. I go through some nasty stuff but in open areas.

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Just keep in mind that it happens when you least expect it. My mount survived 3 years of wheeling. Then there was this rock that just bent the hell out of that area. Oh and if you have a plate underneath you can end up bending the whole section of sheetmetal in that corner (or even ripping it off) when you have your close encounter.

Kejtar said:

Just keep in mind that it happens when you least expect it. My mount survived 3 years of wheeling. Then there was this rock that just bent the hell out of that area. Oh and if you have a plate underneath you can end up bending the whole section of sheetmetal in that corner (or even ripping it off) when you have your close encounter.

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Cut it out! Your scaring me man!

Northern Pride said:

Thx! Yeah I used a plate on the back side which is against the sheet metal. I'm hoping that is enough of a ground threw the 4 bolts. I have not tuned it yet! I want to see how it sounds and works before I tune it, just incase it's not needed. I thought of the thing being ripped off but this is my daily driver and I wheel very little in places that would result in ripping it off the side. I go through some nasty stuff but in open areas.

I thought of mounting it to the back of the hatch by taking off the plastic and bolting it on but that will be the result if I come close one to many times to destoying it on trees or rocks! Let's hope it doesn't come to that!

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you really should tune it. no antenna comes tuned from the box, your vehicle and mount location varys this to much for a factory tune. check out that web site i posted earlier in the tech section it is explained. and it is possable to ruin a radio by not tuning a an antenna.

Always tune the CB! You will damage it unless you have the proper SWR readings. Also, an antenna should be mounted on the drivers side if installed on the rear. Something about radio wave footprint. I decided to put mine dead center on the roof with a good pivot/spring mount. Works great and I can tie it down if I have to for lots of trees.

Hey guys

I just went and had the CB tuned today. The best SWR they could get was 2.0 they check 3 different channels when they tune the antenna. Anything below 2.1 on all channels is good.

scoobyxj......Thx for the site it was very helpful

dandecicco....I asked them about the antenna being on one side or the other and they said it does not matter. They said place it where ever and tune it from there. They did say placing it in the center mass of the object it's attached to is ideal but realisticly no one does that. They also said permenant mount is better then a magnet mount, they said it will tune much better. I'm glad you posted, because I learned a lot by asking the questions to them. Thx again.

Art Triggs......Art I told them I planned on removing the cork/rubber gasket and they said because I put the backing plate on the back side they said don't bother. I said wont that effect the ground and 3 guys there said it is grounded plenty through the plate and bolts. They said I would be wasting my time but if it makes me happy do it. They said it absolutely will not change the SWR readings.

Keep in mind these guys install and tune CBs all day long on all types of rigs and they carry every type of CB on the market as well as every gadgit related to CB's.

I don't want to cause controversy. I took into consideration everything you guys suggested and asked the pro's. Those are the answers I got.

I hope this helps someone else that is going to be installing a CB soon.

Doug...

Northern Pride said:

I asked them about the antenna being on one side or the other and they said it does not matter.

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SPOBI... it makes a lot of difference due to wave reflection. I'll agree that it is probably something that most people do not pay attention to, but I will disagree that it doesn't matter.....
TO explain it better, look at the radiation patter for the antenna (the packing might have it drawn on the back). It's probably two ovals or similar patterns. Anways when the radiation (wave) hits the car body it reflects back (or at least most of it) and it interferes with the signal transmitted by the antenna. Think of it as waves that are generated by a pebble dropped into watter that hit something in the water and get reflected back onto original waves.... So anyways, the question to ask though is how significant of interference you get is and that is totally application specific.

Kejtar said:

SPOBI... it makes a lot of difference due to wave reflection. I'll agree that it is probably something that most people do not pay attention to, but I will disagree that it doesn't matter.....
blah, blah, blah.

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It's not a matter of which side it is on but how high above the roofline. IIRC 2/3 of the antenna length should be above the roofline.


Wilson Antennas Technical Support page
http://www.wilsonantenna.com/support.htm

karstic]It's not a matter of which side it is on but how high above the roofline. IIRC 2/3 of the antenna length should be above the roofline

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That is also what I read, but non the less I don't want to cause a huge argument about it. I tested it with a buddy of mine yesterday for the first time and it was so loud and so clear! I was surprised at how clear it was. Not even the slightest of static or noise of any kind.

It's working great. Only about a foot of the antenna is above the roof line so I am very pleased.

Thx all!

If the SWR is at 2.0 then not all of your transmitted power is being sent outward.... There is a portion of the transmitted power that is being reflected back into your radio.... This is NOT good for the radio in the long term... This will decrease the life of your transmit Final !!!
You should try to reduce the SWR down to 1.5 or lower... Where the screws or bolts hold the antenna mount to the body try installing a braded ground strap (on the inside of the body) to the chassis.
Another option would be to buy a Wilson Silver Load antenna (which should screw into your existing mount) which will give you more antenna above the roof line. This will increase your transmit and receive range and also lower your SWR.
Antenna positioning, proper SWR tuning and grounding an antenna properly make for a better system.

Charles