Need some help on my 2012 Columbia!

Discussion in 'CB Radio Forum' started by Dark_Majesty_06, Aug 24, 2017.

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  1. Aug 24, 2017 #1
    Dark_Majesty_06

    Dark_Majesty_06 Road Train Member

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    Here's my problem. My truck is a 2012 mid-roof Freightliner Columbia Glider(if that makes a difference).
    I have put my General Lee in and taken the stock fiberglass antenna off the drivers side and bout a nice mirror mount and mounted my coil antenna.
    Here's the problem.. I believe my am/fm runs off that antenna or at least used it for some power.. because I've lost a few local stations since I've removed the stock antenna.

    My question is.. can I put the stock fiberglass antenna back on while keeping my mounted coil.. about 4" from it?
    I have no idea how to fix it.. because I'm under the impression that my am/fm uses both driver and passenger fiberglass stock antennas to pull in am/fm.
    So am I darned if I do and darned if I don't or is there a solution other than satellite radio?

    Edit: My friend said It may help to run a ground wire from the coil antenna to somewhere on the truck that's grounded well... But I don't believe that will solve the situation because I'm assuming my radio antenna is my cb antennas??
    Also, I still get some stations just not the ones I want.
     
    Dark_Majesty_06, Aug 24, 2017
    Dark_Majesty_06, Aug 24, 2017
    #1
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  3. Aug 25, 2017 #2
    Neverready

    Neverready Medium Load Member

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    You can buy a am/fm antenna coax and mount for your mirror arms just like a cb antenna. Then pull your am/fm out of the dash. The unlock tool should be in the bag with the radio manual in the truck. Un plug coax from the back of the radio and plug your new coax in. Drove a 2006 Columbia with poor am/fm reception and this helped. I don't remember if it had a seperate am/fm antenna from the factory. Next driver totalled the truck so it's no longer around for me to check. If you are worried about proximity of your cb antenna go with single antennas on each side. Personally I chose passenger side for the am/fm antenna brcause it was shorter so less likely to tangle with tree branches.
     
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2017
    Neverready, Aug 25, 2017
    Neverready, Aug 25, 2017
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    rabbiporkchop Thanks this.
  4. Aug 25, 2017 #3
    craig_sez

    craig_sez Road Train Member

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    Wire from antenna to truck chassie for grounding is an old school rehashed re told by someone who is just speeeeling out wrong info....
    All that does is mostly help with static but antenna sees it as if you made antenna longer..Dont want that..
     
    craig_sez, Aug 25, 2017
    craig_sez, Aug 25, 2017
    #3
  5. Aug 25, 2017 #4
    25(2)+2

    25(2)+2 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Columbia could be either with the splitter off a co-phased setup, or 1 for CB and the other, usually passenger side for AMFM. I have driven both.

    I'd get the dedicated AMFM antenna and run it with separate coax.

    You can do that with Cascadias, too.
     
    25(2)+2, Aug 25, 2017
    25(2)+2, Aug 25, 2017
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  7. Aug 25, 2017 #5
    craig_sez

    craig_sez Road Train Member

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    Or just get sirus xm and not worry about am n fm
     
    craig_sez, Aug 25, 2017
    craig_sez, Aug 25, 2017
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    rabbiporkchop Thanks this.
  8. Aug 25, 2017 #6
    craig_sez

    craig_sez Road Train Member

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    On my cascadia the ant were on back of the cab..I pulled off the ant and pulled out the factory radio and installed a siriusxm deck...Unless you stay local the am/fm is almost useless cause you need to keep finding stations..
    With sirusxm i can leave home on one station go stateside and home without changeing anything other than volume and tobe ctrls
     
    craig_sez, Aug 25, 2017
    craig_sez, Aug 25, 2017
    #6
  9. Aug 26, 2017 #7
    Dark_Majesty_06

    Dark_Majesty_06 Road Train Member

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    Yeah, I'm local. I really don't want SiriusXM cause I have favorite local stations that play the music I like.
    I figured it out, I put my finger on the stock stud on the driver's side and my fm station came back in full force. So I'm going to run a 3 ft firestick or something.
    I spoke with a Cb shop I trust and he said it shouldn't mess with my swrs since the Cb antenna mount and the stock antenna will only be about 6" apart.
     
    Dark_Majesty_06, Aug 26, 2017
    Dark_Majesty_06, Aug 26, 2017
    #7
  10. Aug 26, 2017 #8
    slim6596

    slim6596 Medium Load Member

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    I didn't know that in my 2015 Freightliner Cascadia, the factory SiriusXM antenna wire was loose inside the dashboard because it had a plastic adapter on the loose end (I didn't recognize it because it didn't look like what I was looking for) . Our mechanic fished it out, pulled the plastic piece off and I plugged it in to the aftermarket SiriusXM dock. Zero signal loss now, except for the occasional overpass or tunnel.
     
    slim6596, Aug 26, 2017
    slim6596, Aug 26, 2017
    #8
  11. Sep 1, 2017 #9
    Dark_Majesty_06

    Dark_Majesty_06 Road Train Member

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    Well, the Cb shop was wrong! It is insanely noticeable when I run the stock 4' antenna next to my k40 coil. My swrs jump up close to 2 on 40 and 1. When I key up, I can hear myself in the radio. Monday you, the stock coax is completely bypassed and I have my own coax for my k40. I think it's because it's this stupid 2 way system that uses am/fm and cb.
    So does anyone know how this firestik an/fm/Cb antenna works? I'm hoping with a foot shorter.. it may not hurt my swrs as bad.. I'm just not sure.. other than moving my antenna to the passenger side.
     
    Dark_Majesty_06, Sep 1, 2017
    Dark_Majesty_06, Sep 1, 2017
    #9
  12. Sep 1, 2017 #10
    craig_sez

    craig_sez Road Train Member

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    Gonna have to move 1 of them..
     
    craig_sez, Sep 1, 2017
    craig_sez, Sep 1, 2017
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    Dark_Majesty_06 Thanks this.
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