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What equipment do I need when I get mechanic to install CB Radio?

Discussion in 'CB Radio Forum' started by expedite_it, Apr 6, 2020.

Page 1 of 2
  1. Apr 6, 2020 #1
    expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    I have never had a CB Radio installed in a truck I drive in my entire career. So please assume I know nothing and explain things to me as if I am a 5 year old.

    I have a Cobra 29 LTD Classic CB Radio. I have a 4 ft long 150 watt Francis pre-tuned antenna. I don't have any other equipment for my CB radio whatsoever. My Cobra 29 LTD Classic CB Radio came with a microphone, so I don't need a microphone.

    I'm a company driver, working for a mega carrier. I'm not allowed to install the CB Radio myself. I'm not allowed to hire a mechanic to install my CB Radio. I have to let my company's mechanics at a terminal install my CB Radio, which I am going to have done two days from now on Wednesday, April 08.

    Right now I am at a truckstop. I'm not going to the terminal until tomorrow. As I said earlier, the CB Radio itself (with the microphone included) and the antenna are the only things I have so far for this CB Radio. The truck I drive is a 2020 Freightliner Cascadia. What other equipment related to my CB Radio should I pick up at the truckstop before I go to the terminal to get the CB Radio and antenna installed? For instance, do I need some sort of mounting bracket for the antenna? Anything else?
     
    expedite_it, Apr 6, 2020
    expedite_it, Apr 6, 2020
    #1
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  3. Apr 6, 2020 #2
    Chubby Fly

    Chubby Fly Medium Load Member

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    I use Wilson trucker antenna but it should be tuned and trimmed. I highly doubt those company mechanics will actually hook up a meter and do that though.
     
    Chubby Fly, Apr 6, 2020
    Chubby Fly, Apr 6, 2020
    #2
    expedite_it Thanks this.
  4. Apr 6, 2020 #3
    expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    What type of meter would one use to tune and trim the antenna?
     
    expedite_it, Apr 6, 2020
    expedite_it, Apr 6, 2020
    #3
  5. Apr 6, 2020 #4
    Chubby Fly

    Chubby Fly Medium Load Member

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    I borrowed one of those inline swr meters from a trucker friend. I too have a cobra 29. The meters that come on the cb won’t be sufficient enough to trim the antenna from what I have been told.
     
    Chubby Fly, Apr 6, 2020
    Chubby Fly, Apr 6, 2020
    #4
  7. Apr 7, 2020 #5
    Troy McClure

    Troy McClure Bobtail Member

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    4 ft antenna is ok, if you have room for higher (depending on your mounting point) longer is better. Your standard microphone will work fine but if you want to sound louder to other drivers you might invest in a power microphone with noise canceling such as a D104 Road Devil.

    You can also do an adjustment inside the radio to adjust modulation to make yourself sound louder and increase peak output of the radio

    A nice inline meter is always useful for checking SWR and output wattage.

    For the bare essentials though you should be ready to roll.
     
    Troy McClure, Apr 7, 2020
    Troy McClure, Apr 7, 2020
    #5
    Chubby Fly Thanks this.
  8. Apr 7, 2020 #6
    Dennixx

    Dennixx Road Train Member

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    Dennixx, Apr 7, 2020
    Dennixx, Apr 7, 2020
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    Chubby Fly Thanks this.
  9. Apr 7, 2020 #7
    Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    Do not open the radio up and try to adjust anything unless you know what you are doing.
     
    Ridgeline, Apr 7, 2020
    Ridgeline, Apr 7, 2020
    #7
    expedite_it, Meteorgray and Finfn1372 Thank this.
  10. Apr 7, 2020 #8
    Bakerman

    Bakerman Road Train Member

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    172B3000-2F65-4BF1-9116-FA62FE2A6B4D.png
     
    Bakerman, Apr 7, 2020
    Bakerman, Apr 7, 2020
    #8
    Finfn1372 Thanks this.
  11. Apr 13, 2020 #9
    craig_sez

    craig_sez Road Train Member

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    Get rid of the francis....pos ant...Grab a firestick with tuneable tip...As long as you can find..I think the tuneable tip stops at a 5 or 6 ft..
    Maybe let company mechanic(likely knows nothing about a radio or ant)install it but dont use it...Find a fecident cb shop go over the install and use an antenna analyzer to chk your ant tune.....

    Do nott go inside the radio and leave it alone till your ready after you learn more about radios n such in general....
    There are threads here that address issues with cascadias and radios n such..
     
    craig_sez, Apr 13, 2020
    craig_sez, Apr 13, 2020
    #9
  12. Apr 13, 2020 #10
    expedite_it

    expedite_it Road Train Member

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    Update: The mechanics did not install the antenna for me. The 2020 Freightliner Cascadia has its own antenna that is built into the truck at the factory.

    The mechanics installed my CB Radio, and it works.
     
    expedite_it, Apr 13, 2020
    expedite_it, Apr 13, 2020
    #10
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