Breaker Breaker 19. Newbie installs a CB.

[alan6271]

So I thought, being new to the club and to help other new members, I'd do a write up of my experience mounting a CB in the Jeep as this is a requirement of being a member I want to make sure that there are no "snags" when it comes time to vote me in.  Or at least not because of lack of equipment.

I thought it would be "mount the cb, run the antennae cable, mount antennae and your done".  Not that simple, not for me anyway.  Probably everyone here with seniority will already know what I'm saying but for newbies to CB's this may help.

First. I went to my usual 4WD supply place in Fenton and purchased the Cobra CB that has everything built into the microphone and just connects to a remote box mounted under the seat or dash, the fire stick 3FT antennae, mounting bracket, and 9 FT of firestick fire ring cable.  It took me about a week to get to it but I figured it would be about a two hour job.  UH HUH.

I am one that reads, thoroughly researches, then reads again and one more time I read again on how to do something as I hate doing something twice.

The first step was mounting the antennae mount.  I chose the mounting bracket that goes behind the drivers side tail light.  In taking the tail light off, I snapped a rusty screw off which of course was a ground for the light.  That explains the tail light problem....bad ground.  Of course I didn't have any of the right size screws on hand to put a new one.  Hardware store here I come.  After all that and re assembling the light with the bracket in place I ran the coax.  Come to find out afterwards, these brackets usually have powder coating on them and don't get a good ground all the time.  You may need to scrape the powder coating off under the bolt head or run a ground wire from the bracket (not the antennae stud but bracket) to a body ground.  I learned this one the hard way.

Coax: the Fire ring coax is cool but unique.  The end that connects to the CB unscrews so you can drill a smaller hole than the 3/4" CB antennae jack takes when screwing the antennae on. Make sure you have rubber grommets on hand.  HARDWARE STORE HERE I COME AGAIN.  I ran the cable but then realized that yes, in a straight line the 9FT will work.  Going over the wheel well, down through the roll bar, tucking under the trim by the door, it eats up 9FT pretty quick.  I wanted to mount the remote box under the dash but no way is 9FT going to cut it.  Of course I mentioned this to the guys at the place I bought it from and they said "well you asked for 9FT so that's what we gave you".  Funny.  I don't recall that.  What I do recall is them saying go with 9FT otherwise you'll have way too much.  Anyway, as previously mentioned I hate doing something twice so I mounted the box for the CB under the drivers seat.  Okay.

Next, wiring the CB.  There are a lot of opinions on this.  Some people say to wire it to a switched fuse in the fuse panel.  Some say wire directly to the battery.  Some say the best way is install a separate fuse block for accessories and wire to that.  The one thing that I did find consistent from the manufacturers of several CB brands was to wire directly to the battery.  The battery acts as some kind of noise suppressor for the electrical system.  So that's what I did.  Use the same or large gauge wire as what the CB has as I promise you the supplied wire from the CB manufacturer won't be long enough.  Also use an inline fuse on the hot wire you are connecting to the battery as close to the battery as possible.  The one on the CB wire that comes with the CB is too far down line to use.  They say you can ground anywhere but I figured if I'm running one wire I might as well run two.  Run the wire through the firewall in an existing factory grommet.  There's one under the steering wheel on the TJ that I used.

So now the antennae.  As I mentioned the fire ring antennae cable has a different connector.  To attach the antennae to the antennae mount and the fire ring cable, you have to have the firestick stud mount.  Which is an option for some reason.  I called the 4x4 place, they never heard of it.  So I ordered it online.  project stalled for five days waiting on this.  At the same time I ordered an SWR meter.  More on that in a second.

I install the antennae with the stud mount and everything looks done.  The guys at the 4x4 place said they never tune an antennae when they install them.  I found this strange since Firestick is pretty adamant about tuning the antennae.  Also, when you look around the web everyone else is very adamant.  The SWR meter is what you need to tune it.  This is mucho important.  If it's too far out of tune you'll fry your new CB. 

NOTE, ANYONE THAT NEEDS AN SWR METER I'LL LOAN YOU MINE.

SWR stands for Standing Wave Ratio.  It's used to measure the mismatch of the load and the antennae.  Google it and you'll learn more than you want.

Anyway, my "pre-tuned" fire stick was so far mismatched that when I went to channel 20 the SWR was pegged as far to the right as it would go.  Way, way in the red.  Basically it meant that the antennae was "electrically long" and needed to be shortened.  It was only a 3FT but that doesn't mean anything in terms of electrically long or short.  I took the cap off the tip and low and behold there was no adjustment.  I looked further into it and apparently firestick makes a "trim to tune" and a "tuneable".  I of course had the trim to tune which meant I had to cut the antennae but be careful because if you cut too much it's now going to be electrically short.  Forever.  I didn't do anything to this one.

With that I took it to Nords satellite and antennae in Flint.  He's a great guy and helped a lot.  He took one look at it and said the antennae was physically too short for the Jeep and that the trim to tune antennaes are very obsolete.  He sold the 4FT tunable, hooked it up to a spring on my mount, got out his swr meter and tuned it right there. 

Bottom line:
1) buy a tunable antennae
2) buy or borrow my SWR meter
3) do your own research and read as much as you can.

If I would have listened to the guys at the 4x4 shop and not tuned that antennae it would have fried the radio.

Like I said, some of you guys know all this or might have a different way of doing it or whatever and that's fine.  I'm simply saying that from one newbie to another this was my experience.  I've installed CB's years ago and never tuned anything but those were with the all steel whips on a magnetic mount. 

[LPM606]

Your first experience with a phenomenon known as "Jeep time" or the actual time required for work on any jeep which is easily 2-3 times your estimate based on such issues as broken bolts, rusted together old parts, incorrect new parts, and incorrect advice.  Yes most of the CB install issues you mention have been experienced by one or another of us over the years, for sure... and we have a few SWR meters floating around the club... could have saved yourself a few bucks there, but its always good to have your own too... 

I foolishly labeled a recent locker install a "2 hour job" at the onset, and we had to give up after about 6 hours when we were down to one incorrect inner axle seal keeping us from finishing.  Jim had to track down the correct part the next day and finish that night!

[J's Jeep]

Good write up and typical project.
I think even being a newbie, you have one the prize for the longest WLB forum post.   

[alan6271]

Good write up and typical project.
I think even being a newbie, you have one the prize for the longest WLB forum post.   

Thanks.  You could choke on the irony.  Such a long post for a two letter item....CB.

[alan6271]

Your first experience with a phenomenon known as "Jeep time" or the actual time required for work on any jeep which is easily 2-3 times your estimate based on such issues as broken bolts, rusted together old parts, incorrect new parts, and incorrect advice.  Yes most of the CB install issues you mention have been experienced by one or another of us over the years, for sure... and we have a few SWR meters floating around the club... could have saved yourself a few bucks there, but its always good to have your own too... 

I foolishly labeled a recent locker install a "2 hour job" at the onset, and we had to give up after about 6 hours when we were down to one incorrect inner axle seal keeping us from finishing.  Jim had to track down the correct part the next day and finish that night!

Yep.  That was my exhaust from the CAT back this weekend.  Should be done in an hour, two at the most.......SIX HOURS LATER and a muffler that I put on backwards I am finally done.

[bullhed78]

So when are we gonna let the noob in on the fact that we are quickly phasing out use of CB in the club and moving to Ham radio.

[alan6271]

So when are we gonna let the noob in on the fact that we are quickly phasing out use of CB in the club and moving to Ham radio.

[bullhed78]

Just messing with ya. BWAHAAHAA:)

[LPM606]

Mmmm.... Ham.

[gogolen]

I passed my test tonight

[alan6271]

I passed my test tonight

What test?

[LPM606]

Congrats Ryan!  In all seriousness, he passed the HAM radio license test... While not required in the club, the HAM radios are gaining popularity amongst the off-pavement driving crowd due to their power and range.  With CB's even with 10-12 vehicles spread out on a wooded trail it can sometimes be difficult to reach from the first to the last rig in the line...

[alan6271]

Congratulations.  So you guys weren't kidding?  You're getting away from CB's and going to HAM?

[gogolen]

Congratulations.  So you guys weren't kidding?  You're getting away from CB's and going to HAM?

I don't believe that we'll ever get away from CB radios. No special licensing required and all that stuff.  If you're worried about cost of equipment and licensing, don't be, it's really inexpensive.
Hamtestonline training for technician class license = 24.95
HAM test = 15.00
Inexpensive handheld radio can be had for as little as $30 on Amazon
So for about a $70 investment you can get licensed and equipped. I'm pretty sure we all have more than that wrapped up in our cb radio setups.

[gogolen]

Oh and there's test sites all over the place
Mason tomorrow 12-4
Mt clemens 12-6
Howell 12-9
Dearborn 12-11
Grand rapids 12-12
Charlotte 12-13
Corunna 12-18
Flint 12-20