CB Installation and Design

You're right on course here. I'm technically oriented and understand theory so your responses allow me to gain the knowledge I seek. Sometimes you just have to accept a fact and move on, other times you have to know more.

I could just sit in the vehicle and motor down the road, pressing the mic button when I want to talk and listen to the response. But in the end I would wonder how all of this works and spend countless hours on the internet researching the topic.

And now you know how I landed here!

Thank you for your detailed responses. Let me know when I hit PITA velocity. (Did I mention Adrian Monk is my hero?)

 

OK, we're almost there.

Is there a drop-off in performance for 90 degree connectors or quick release connectors?

Rather than bending coax to connect to a hidden connector under the roof panel, I was considering a 90 degree connector. As for the antenna connection, would it mess with the SWR tuning if you use a quick release mount? Once it is set, would a disconnect and reconnect cause the SWR to vary each time it is attached?

I'm using computer network logic when I ask about the 90 degree connector. CAT 5 cable should have a 2" radius when navigating corners and entry to cabinets. I'm sure there is a rule for Coax as well. If this can be manipulated by hardware without affecting performance then that appears to be the answer.

Side mounting the 102" whip, the higher the better for relief of shielding the bottom portion of the whip? Also, since it is a panel van wouldn't there be an advantage to installing on the right rear to gain the approaching traffic in the elliptical pattern? ( 4 o'clock to 10 o'clock )

 

Thanks for that you two.

I was going to ask about dielectric grease as a weather barrier for the external connection.

I believe I have enough information now to make an educated SWAG, (scientific wild ##*ed guess).

• Side mounted 102" whip, 1 foot below the roof line, near to a pillar for strength utilizing a spring for flexibility. Quick connect.
• Mount radio above windshield, ground radio to bulkhead with copper braid, and run cable through upper body channel down the side of the van in flexible conduit to avoid chaffing. 10 gauge cable for scalability in possible future applications.
• Run a dedicated circuit for the radio incorporating a noise filter and fuse.
• Use 90 degree connector to attach cable to antenna mount
• Purchase a quality SWR meter (recommendation?) and adjust antenna

Of course, I will avoid attaching the cable to the muffler or catalytic converter as one poster mentioned, as well as the rotating driveshaft no matter how tempting.

This has been a lengthy thread for what most would consider an easy task, but I wanted to do this based on sound technical theory, professional experience and most of all ... do it right the first time (good engineering).

I'll photo document the process for troubleshooting purposes, but with the advice and recommendations obtained from you guys what could possibly go wrong?? Ooooops!

Thanks

 

Thanks Handlebar.

After installation I have another feature I want to incorporate. My Delco radio has an automatic volume control that adjusts the volume of the radio according to vehicle speed (so you don't get blown out while stopped at a red light or the like).

I'd like to tap into that feature to reduce the volume of my stereo when a CB transmission is being received. But that's for another day.

Well I woke up this morning and I got my-self a bee-eer ~ Jim Morrison

 

~ Handlebar

Details, details! But a good one at that ... Thank you. Good Stuff.

That's why I asked about the quick connect for the antenna.

 

Found a place 4 miles from here, handlebar. Citizens 2 Way radio. They've been there since 1959. She checked out the radio and said there was a swing kit in it. She thought the radio was set up very well and nothing else was done to it, nothing clipped. Also said it was her favorite radio of that type. I don't know what that meant but took it as a good thing and left it at that. The question: What is a swing kit and why does my radio have it? On another note I was able to talk with a guy 7 miles away on channel 20, in the city. This sounds (to me) like it's a pretty good setup that I have already with the K40 mag mount centered on the van.