I just installed a CB with a self grounding and tuned antenna. It works great unless an ATV or motorcycle drives by and it picks up the noise. You also have to turn the squelch knob quite a bit when I turn the key on or start the engine because the electronics of the engine interfer so much that the CB says busy and the signal meter is maxed out on all channels. Is there an elctronic noise filter you can get for them or is the antenna the wrong kind since i bought one for a fiber glass vehicle that doesn't need to be tuned since it self grounds. Thanks
CB Tech
- Thread starter chans
- Start date
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
Where are you pulling you 12V from? Dead end to the battery or does it tap into an existing fused circuit?? Where is your coax cable ran? Next to any powered items? You can get noise filters, several different varieties. Stop by Communication Products.
I'm running the 12V from an unused dome light connection on a Painless fuse block and it is grounded with the OBDII connection ground. The coax runs by the fuel cell and under the seat but come to think of it the cable does pass right next to the battery. I will move it and then drop by Communication Products if it doesn't work. Thanks
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
Not really. There are some ham radios that can illegally be modded to transmit on the 27mhz bands, so it can/has been done. But modifying the radios is technically illegal and for the cost of the units capable of doing so, you could have bought a 2M & CB and had cash to spare.
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
Pick up a fused wiring harness from CP and run your CB directly to the battery. Your current power is fused, and not only is it fused its linked to a handful of other fused and emf? emitting devices ie wiper motors, etc. That did the trick for my install.. in fact I still need to change over the harness in my Land Cruiser as I do get some slight engine noise.
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
I hear ya. It shouldn't be a casual decision really. Let the features of each be the selling points. Do you need communication capabilities of 10+ miles between vehicles? Do you need repeater based communications of up to 50+ miles? Will others in your group be ham operators? For some the answer to all these is no. If your a buggy guy, you likely never get too far from your trailer/truck or group. The cost is a factor, ~$300 to get setup with a mobile unit and there is a time commitment to study and take the test to become licensed. I think you would be a candidate for it.
Just as an example. I organized a canyon wide service project/pre-run up AFC on saturday. We sent out 7 groups to various trails in the canyon. Using the 2M radio I was able to communicate with Paul R. and Gary T. while they were at Forest Lake, I was at Silver Lake... CB's didn't have a chance bouncing over several ridges at a 4 mile range, and I was using a 5W handheld 2M. Something CB's just can't do.
For trail communications between rigs, CB or FMRS/GMRS is the no brainer, cheap, easy, informal, no licensing, etc.
ya, I could use it occasionally I guess. I guess I need to look at it like my expedition trailer. Sure, it's nice to have when you need it, but how much of it is my desire to have it just to have it, and how much of it is a justifiable cost based on how much I would actually use it. Realistically for both (trailer and HAM), it would only see use maybe 2x's per year as that seems about how often I go on long range extended trips.
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
That's a solid guess. I don't use the HAM much, but it's handy a few times per year and could be downright handy in an emergency type situation.
gijohn40
too poor to wheel... :(
- Location
- Layton, Utah
I have had my tech license since 91 and I hardly use it but them again I hate to talk to people... (quiet type) but it is great for long trips with large group of people to keep you all together... and I can go just about anywhere in utah and still call home or get in touch with someone... my rig has a 50 watt high end and will go down as low as half a watt and when you couple that with a 4 element beam it put your signal everywhere you want it to be....
for trips to moab I find the cb is far more used by me and the family then anything else....
Fwiw...
N7SHZ
Oh Yeah I forgot to ask... why do you have a fiberglass mount antenna for? do you have a fiberglass jeep tub? your not going to do that great with a marine grade antenna in a car....
for trips to moab I find the cb is far more used by me and the family then anything else....
Fwiw...
N7SHZ
Oh Yeah I forgot to ask... why do you have a fiberglass mount antenna for? do you have a fiberglass jeep tub? your not going to do that great with a marine grade antenna in a car....
I bought the antenna at a RV store since it was the only place close to me I could find one and didn't realize until I opened it that it was for fiberglass vehicles. I thought it would be easier to install since it doesn't need to be tuned but you can't alter the coax length so I have a bunch of it under the seat. It has an aluminum mount so I don't know if it will ground with the steel Jeep body and I haven't tried using it since no one had a CB the last few times I was out. What would be a good antenna to get?
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It came with the antenna from a company in TX and it has TIGER on it.
You were spot on. I noticed it wasn't having any problems last night and even when I started the engine I only had to turn the squelch up a little. It only messed up like before when the electric fan kicked on when it warmed up. When I moved the CB inline fuse away from the other wires it got better and when I moved it closer to the fuse block it got worse. I'm going to run the power and ground straight back to the battery but would it be ok to run it along the coax so I can keep it clean or should I seperate the wires away from the coax?
gijohn40
too poor to wheel... :(
- Location
- Layton, Utah
you can pick up antennas from any truck stop (flying j, pilot) or go to the place Kurt recommended... if you go to the truck stops look for a antenna that will either say its a 5/8th wavelength. some times it will say 8/5 Y instead.
And stay away from the dual antenna... they need to be spaced apart about 9 feet to really work great.
The places that Kurt recommended are all experienced radio techs and they will ask you where you putting it on and where and then get you the antenna that will work for your specific location. Hell they might even tune it up for you for free!!!
you can run the power along with the cable but if possible try not to.
And stay away from the dual antenna... they need to be spaced apart about 9 feet to really work great.
The places that Kurt recommended are all experienced radio techs and they will ask you where you putting it on and where and then get you the antenna that will work for your specific location. Hell they might even tune it up for you for free!!!
you can run the power along with the cable but if possible try not to.
Just some info if someone has the same problem with an electric fan. I talked to a guy at work that is big into electronics and he said the electric fans act like AC power because they modulate and that is why it was interfering with the CB. I went to Radio Shack and picked up a snap choke core for 2.99. http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...hoke+core&origkw=choke+core&parentPage=search
There are two in the pack and I put one on the wires to the fan as close as possible to the motor and the other one on the coax next to the antenna. Now I don't need to adjust the squelch when the fan kicks on.
There are two in the pack and I put one on the wires to the fan as close as possible to the motor and the other one on the coax next to the antenna. Now I don't need to adjust the squelch when the fan kicks on.
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