Installation

[Flatfoot73]

I am trying to get my CB radio installed in my 2005 Ford F150, I want a reputable and reliable person to install it. Meaning they need to recommend a good antenna, mount the antenna, match the radio to the antenna and power and ground the radio. I have already mounted the radio. Please do not recommend me to BEST BUY or Circuit City unless you can convince me real good. I am tired of these kids thinking they know and can do everything! I want a good professional installation that will last. I live in Woodbridge, Va. Thanks in advance for your help.

[squirrellsgnwild]

best buy and circuit city may install your radio and atenna, but they do not sell any in the store. They also dont tune antennas

[Reby]

Radio shack should have just about anything you'd need parts wise. For installation get your phone book and look up a local CB/electronics shop. They can install and tune it for ya. The Internet is great for finding out info but when you try to narrow it down to just your city we cant really help you. Let your fingers do the walking (haha sorry phone book humor).

-Reby

[thetez]

Hey, well, i wouldent trust any one at radio shack with anything, they have NO IDEA what they are talking about, They have some parts.... some times yes... i think the best thing to do is do it your self, its really not very hard, im sure i as well as many people on here can talk you through it, i mean a lot of it depends on your vehicle (antenna type) and well what you get for the antennas. its up to you ... what anyone at a radio shop will recommend is a 102" steel whip, or at least they should.... if they dont... i wouldent trust them. Now a steel whip is ugly as sin..... thats why i dont have one, i sacrificed performance for well cosmetics as well as my own personal life style, [parking garages and such] I have done a lot of research on antennas, on coax set up, and even some on mounts. if you havent found anyone yet let me know and i can give you some recommendations, it all comes down to what you want really.... PM me if you want too, if you dont have radios or anything, i have a bunch of old ones i dont use but are too great too be sitting around collecting dust. honestly i have found out with CB you really do get what you pay for, i used to go with the theory get an ok radio, but get a great antenna system, that works, but the better the radio the better the antennas will do.

... a question... do you mind putting holes in the body?

[Flatfoot73]

Thanks for the info. I wouldn't mind putting holes in the body, what do you have in mind? I just want my radio to be used as it should be used which means good modulation, good recieving, etc. I don't have to park in any parking garages so if you could make some recommendations that would be great! Thanks again for responding.

[thetez]

boy you just missed it. i just sold my radio, which was tune up great. nothing too powerful, but sounded great, no over modulation or anything. its a real nice listener and talker.. i might be selling my current radio soon.... but it wont be cheap (galaxy dx949 with SSB) and a lot of work......

but anyway, what i did on my t-15 jimmy was originally bolted plastic mounts through the fender and got some wilson silver loads 4'ers and they worked amaizing, pretty much talk on side band, and have talked over 60 miles. On standard AM i have talked over 15 miles with my co-phase system. But when the cold weather hit my plastic mounts snapped. So i got some of those mirror mounts and bolted them through the fenders (used washers to straighten them out) and they still work great. Antennas are different for each vehicle you put them on.

I have heard never co-phase on anything smaller than 9' and it scared me so i didnt, but the 1 wasnt working out for me, I bit the bullet (after some more research and hearing people say it works great, and talking to a very knowledgeable radio tech) and went with them, they work so much better than anything i had, and i out perform some of the big guys around here. With no extra power. 102" steel whips are the best by far, BUT your in a pickup, you dont have the same Ground plane as an SUV or a car. the co phase also does work side to side, (for me) i think its a great set up if you can set the swrs flat.

So my recommendation is go spend 20 bucks each on 2 4' wilson silver loads (i think they are better than firestick (and the meters show they are) ) Get 2 mirror mounts and 20 washers. Get Ru 59 coax cable, and set it up.
by the way. wilson silver loads do have the tunable tip. If you want info on tuning them im sure plenty of people as well as i can help you out with that.

now if you dont want the co phase, id recommend one of those ugly 102" steel whips. they work great. Just DO NOT get a single antenna and mount it towards the back of the truck. (or even on 1 side) go for the middle of the roof if you can


(oh if you want a radio i can get you some great radios, i can not guarantee they will be cheap... they might... but i can guarantee you that they will work great. and be well worth the money spent. and be a lot cheaper than getting a good radio getting it messed up by a "tech" and then paying to get it fixed the right way) i have learned the hard way, bont believe that ebay shtiff... no one their knows what they are doing.

[squirrellsgnwild]

Remember, when you get an antenna get a fairly tall one for a car or get 2 for a big rig. When im talking tall i mean taller than the tallest part on you car.

I had a guy tell me it doesn't matter how tall your antenna is. That was the same guy that did a half a** job tuning my antenna. He had the bottom half at one and the top half at 2.0! it is suppose to be a one to one ratio. I got it tuned right myself to 1.5 top and bottom.

Just keep in mind tuning is the #1 priority next to a good antenna and coax

[thetez]

Yeah... like he said.... get tall.... dont go shorter than 4' if you do go with the steel whip... its 102" and your not doing anything about that. Tuning the silverloads are easy, the whip is a bit more challenging. and if you set up a co-phase it doesnt NEED to be on a big rig, mine work amaizing.