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CB Radio questions

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 2:20 pm
by SquirrelCrusher
I want to put a CB into my jeep and have a few questions before I go out and buy stuff.

Where is a good antenna mounting location on a cherokee? I found an antenna that mounts to the glass and was thinking it would be easiest, but it is a short antenna, and therefore would have crappy range.

http://www.amazon.com/Midland-18-258-40 ... 744&sr=1-1

I have a cobra nightwatch in my truck and I could swap it into the jeep, but it is kinda large for the small jeep dash area. Any recommendations on a smaller unit?


I've had the cobra in my truck for a few years and never been able to figure out the tuning thing. It would work close range when off-roading, but could never get distance with it. So when I get a radio and antenna, is there anyone that could help me get the setup dialed in?

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 3:12 pm
by Grumpy
Uniden 510 or 520. Go down to Columbia Radio on Voland and have Bill give you the base load antenna he has. Expensive, but it works. The we can get you over to Lee's to tune it...

Swing by here and look at the antenna I have. I'll be around all week.

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 5:41 pm
by mattawajeep
The Unidens are good radios - have one in my truck at work thats been going for a long time. Thought about buying one for my jeep cause they're smaller - but I already had a used nightwatch from another truck so I cheaped out and built an overhead rack.

Image

Of course a cherokee is a bit different, but I'd still look at roof mounts for the radio - I hate having stuff on my dash.

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 7:29 pm
by SquirrelCrusher
In the cherokee the dash has already had a cb or something mounted to it so I was just going to mount it in the center to cover up some of the holes in the dash.


Holy crap my cobra nightwatch is a beast compared to my tiny jeep dash. Might have to get a small unit since space it limited

On a side note, my cb quite working the last time my truck was at this mechanic shop. I didn't worry about it to much cause I knew he was diggin around the dash, figured the power supply got unplugged. Not the case. POWER SUPPLY IS MISSING!!! and the wires all had pig tail connectors twisted on them. Why would a mechanic steal a cb power plug?

Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2011 12:14 pm
by iaccocca
Grumpy wrote:Uniden 510 or 520. Go down to Columbia Radio on Voland and have Bill give you the base load antenna he has. Expensive, but it works. The we can get you over to Lee's to tune it...

Swing by here and look at the antenna I have. I'll be around all week.


I wouldn't look to Lee, from what I hear that boy can't get his own system tuned. :banghead (He might be willing to loan you a SWR meter though, if he gets done messing with his own Jeep.)

Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 4:49 pm
by SquirrelCrusher
Well I have the CB mounted and powered up. The guy at the CB shop in Pasco said that he would help me tune it, so tomorrow I'm going to swing by there again and see if we can't get my CB working like it should!

I put the CB on the passenger side of the center console. It eats up a little bit of the leg room, but I think that the best place for it. I think I might ask for a PRO520XL for my birthday and put the Cobra monster back in the truck just to save space in the jeep

Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2011 7:41 pm
by bobracing
iaccocca wrote:I wouldn't look to Lee, from what I hear that boy can't get his own system tuned. :banghead (He might be willing to loan you a SWR meter though, if he gets done messing with his own Jeep.)


Check your ground plane, if the antenna is on a tire rack, there my not be enough metal flared out.

Where is a good antenna mounting location on a cherokee?


Smack dap center of the roof is the best place. The closer you get to an edge the worse your transmission that way will be, and better the other way.