CB Radio & Antenna

Jan 1997

Background | Installation ( Radio, Antenna, Cable) | Cost | Postscript

Background

I wanted a CB for use on the trail, but I did not care about great range or power. My main concern was to be able to communicate with others on the same trail and not to detract from the look of my rig with huge antennas.

I chose the Uniden PRO XL520 CB Radio and a Wilson 4' Silver Load 5/8 wave antenna.

Installation

Radio

Finding a location for the radio was not as easy as I would have thought. I had planned on putting it under the dash on the passenger side. With all the ducting and wiring already there, there was not a good spot that wouldn't be a shin killer. I also considered putting it on the ceiling, and building a console to hold it and some other goodies, but I decided I was not that ambicious yet. I ended up installing it on the passenger's side of the center console facing up.

This location makes it easy to see and reach, but the speaker is jammed against the carpet and is sometimes hard to hear. I may install an external speaker at some point. To mount the brackets, I had to completely remove the center console which is not as easy as it looks. I ended up cracking it trying to get it over the parking brake and out from under the dash.

I wired the power lead to the one used for the in-dash radio so I could not accidentally leave it on and run down the battery. I connected the ground to a bolt on the fuse box.

Antenna

I chose to put the antenna on the back-right corner of the truck. It is mounted on the support for the spare tire rack. I had to use a bracket that was a least 2.5" out so the antenna would not interfere with the lift gate.

Cable

The coax cable runs under the passenger seat and into the plastic cover that goes around the doors and wheel well. In the back corner, the space behind the plastic cover opens into the external light cavety. The cable then runs out the bottom of the light module and under the bumper to the antenna which is a few inches away. Total length of cable is 12 feet.

Cost

Postscript

Antenna Mount

2/9/97 - Well, the antenna mount lasted all of 15 minutes on the first trail. We went through a path surrounded by overhanging and close evergreens known as a tree carwash. Since the antenna was out to the side of the truck, it caugh on every branch that brushed the passenger side, and somewhere in there one of the bolts came loose or broke. I will soon be reinstalling it on the back of the truck so it is a little more protected...

2/21/97 - The antenna mount is now on the back of the truck. It is attached to the spare tire carrier near the hinge. This keeps it from having a lot of the coax wire exposed and it allows it to swing out of the way to open the lift gate.

2/23/97 - Trail run complete, and it is still intact. I may need to use larger bolts at some point. I'm afraid that these might snap if they get much preasure or from bouncing around all the time.