I've been a residential electrician, commercial electrician, and industrial maintenance technician. Still, came here to figure out which way the antenna mount grounds, and which side the plastic washer went on. I found what I needed thanks to your care, and time, creating this video. Thank you kindly sir!
Being an electrician and a radio technician are different fields. I'm a foot surgeon, but since I know the brain is inside the skull, I should be able to figure out brain surgery.
I spent my working life as an electronic engineer working RF systems on military aircraft. You have done an excellent job of explaining RF system installations in a clear precise way that a layman can understand. You hit all the key points that must be done correctly for a successful installation.
Worse than bashing someone for not knowing is bashing someone for learning! Great explanation: it's straightforward and explains why things are done a certain way not just how to take magic steps or whatever. Very instructive!
You made this so simple and concise that a child could understand. I don't think that you missed much of anything except maybe bonding the vehicle's exhaust to the frame in addition to the other body panels. I really enjoyed watching this video. BTW all of this is applicable to amateur radio as well. Many can benefit from your knowledge.
I’m a entry level novice and I appreciate and approve of these videos. Saves me from advertising I’m full blown idiot Thanks for these. God bless brothers.
Whats up Mr Rich! I've been watching all your videos lately and recently got back into the CBs because of you. Thanks for the videos and sharing the know how. Im in CA and hardly anyone here use the CB anymore. I talk more with Base stations now than other mobiles on the road. I wish drivers would soon realize this is the easiest way of communication between us all out here, you need it, plan and simple. Dont let them die out
Just the other day I heard a guy talking to someone in Georgia from Cali, I was up here in North eastern Oregon. Unfortunately I was running mobile and lost the signal after traveling a bit.
THANKS FOR TAKING YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TO SHARE THE PROPER PROCEDURES FOR A SAFE AND CORRECT WAYS TO INSTALL A CB RADIO ANTENNA. PEOPLE LIKE YOU CAN REALLY CHANGE A PERSONS CONFIDENCE AND INTELLIGENCE WITHOUT ERRORS !
Very informative, I am really appreciative of this video, thanks for sharing your experience with us. I've learnt a lot... My magnetic K40 antenna is on the way, and based on your information, plan to install it on the hood, of my truck, I just haven't figured out how to run the wire into the truck cab without the wire, flopping around, or getting in the way. Considering drill a hole somewhere but really don't want to.
Oh great…been trying to figure out why my first cb setup won’t work for crap (why I’m here)….I threw out that plastic washer as I thought it was just a spacer for thin mounts but my back rack mount is thick…now I gotta figure out where to get another plastic washer lol Thank you for the thorough explanation. Learned a lot from just this video.
this man should be a teacher .. covered things i have forgot .was looking for wire routing from bed to cab for 2011 silverado an the ground plan mounting caught my eye . good stuff
Thank god I am from the south and can tolerate southern talk and mannerisms without getting pissed off because "condescending" to Californians is normal speech down here. Also here to learn CB. Got a firestik antenna and am learning how to use it. Thanks J Rich
i did CB from 1978 to 1983 when I became a Ham operator. I really didn't understand what a really good antenna AND install could do for you. The basics are: you need a good "ground plane" the truck or car body is the "counterpoise" to the antenna itself. Most people don't realize that you need BOTH the antenna and the metal body of the vehicle because they work together. That's why a "Mag Mount" will never work as well as a mounted antenna set up. Second, you need to mount it in the clear and in the center of the vehicle as possible. The best is in the middle of the roof, but that's not always possible or aesthetically pleasing. (wife) I had my ham radio antenna mounted in the back right of my pick up bed. Bolted the mount directly to the bed and inside bed wall. (FYI it was a Tarheel antenna, frequency adjustable from the cab.) It worked fantastic! Your advice is spot on.
I'm just getting back into the cb thing, and thought I'd just brush-up on what I thought I already knew, thanks for the refresher,👍, and thanks for sharing.
Thanks for this great video. Well explained. Sadly, I am the guy with the 10 gage wire going from the driver's side bed stake hole mount to the truck frame. I'm not looking to broadcast a great distance, just listen to the truckers around me on the highway and keeping in touch while off-roading. Some day I may look at tearing it apart and adding a braided bonding strap set up.
Thank you for this video. Me and a few friends found out how to mount our antennas from a CB shop. Basically one person paid to have it done. And we copied from that automobile. But yes newbies to installing a CB, this is a good place to go and learn. Basically save your radio, and get out good!
Thank you so much. Been looking for a while and I guess the search came up for your video finally. This is very easy to understand and comprehend. Even for my ADHD brain I was able to follow along and finally utilize my radio properly.
Your doing great by even trying to deal with ppl,I have my own channel as well ..and ppl are always gonna comment ..now as a technician..and been doing this since 1984... A base load is always a load at the very bottom we're the feed point is ... Also a center load is considered any load above the feed point....of the antenna .... But most importantly is mounting the load above the counter poise of the car ...being the ground plane of the carr ...the roof ... You never want the load below this point ..it's critical.... U want to be on top of cab and dead center for optimal ground plane....NEVER PUT a antenna behind the cab below the roof line .... U must not even put a coil with a blocking obstruction... Your right on these theory... You must have it above the roofline of u want true performance ...or else u might as well just throw it in the back of the bed!!!! .... Lol 73s
I've had problems getting high SWR's. 2 swr plus.Well my dump truck has a lot of fiberglass. I ended up installing a NGP (no ground plane antenna) checked my SWR. Came back 0 SWR. Awesome. The antenna was a NGP with an adjustable tip for your SWR.
22:37 Very accurate. I discovered this for myself when I installed an LED motion detector light on the garage ceiling next to the door opener. The signal from the remote to the opener became very erratic. Replaced with an incandescent bulb - fixed.
I have an aluminum truck. I applied 3 layers of paint protection film in patches on my roof because persnickety, then painted and stuck with glue and Gorilla duct tape under the roof skin several truss straps in key areas. Painted to avoid galvanic reaction. I did use a couple of strips of PPF across the front of the magnet mounts, for aerodynamic help. Yeah. Works like a champ so far.
lol I came here trying to figure out why my swr is 5.4. Mounted my Wilson 5000 right to the back bumper where you said not to , I will moved it tomorrow
Thanks for the great explanation. I just ordered 20' of ground strap and connectors and will be "getting carried away and fancy" when they arrive! This is probably the step I've been missing as I'm never able to get out or receive like I should. I've been running an old Magnum S-6, but I've got a new Stryker 497HP on the way. Wish me luck, and thanks again!
Awesome info sir! I been thinking of getting into the cb hobby with my Ram Sport..... researching antenna mount ideas as well as radio mounting. Thank you. Great stuff. My late stepfather was into HAM radio and had one in his truck.
Thanks J, just started looking into getting a CB radio and came across your video. Great information and you made it easy to understand. More than happy to have subscribed to your channel.
Thanks for posting. I have an old dodge van im trying to do the CB thing with and i have the radio, the co-ax and trying to decide on mount. Its going to be on the roof just rear of center. The washer info is key for me learning.
i have the exact same bed setup with a roll up cover like that and the plastic bed rail caps, i want to do a 102” whip antenna in the middle area and thought i could maybe attach the mount to the backside of my bed in between the cab and the bed. do you have any suggestions on a mount i can use or maybe even make to do that? if not where would be the next best place to put it. thank you!
Ok, so I have a question… I want to relocate my antenna from the rear of my SUV to the front. I have an aftermarket front bumper with a hoop, and I don’t want to damage the powder coat on the bumper, so I bought a ring mount meant for whip lights and antennas that is rubberized on the inside so it doesn’t damage what it’s attached to. Instead of grounding from the bracket like you show here, what if I took a 4 gauge lug that fits around the underside of the antenna mount, then ran a short 4 gauge wire to a ground under the hood. Maybe 12-18” at most. It will be the only ground… will I have issues? I’d also like to say that I’m not looking for big distance. I don’t use this on the road. A couple of older guys I wheel with don’t use GMRS, so I connect the CB when I’m out with them which isn’t very often. I’m using a Cobra 75WXST all-in-one because it unplugs and stows away and I don’t have to have a radio taking up space in the SUV.
As a self owned trucker For 42 years hauling from all four corners of the United States I still prefer my dual antennas on my side mirrors . But you do have a lot of good points, before installing always make sure that your antenna is calibrated with your CB!...
I've got a question for you about the plate mount on the cab back up light on the aluminum Ford. Even though it's a metal plate, will that plate need to be grounded in some way to the truck at a certain spot with a ground wire or strap? Or is there ground when the plate is bolted back on the truck? I really appreciate the time you put in the video, I was just hoping to get a bit more insight about this setup.
102” SS whip. Ball mount with 4” pot belly. Steel bumper. I’ve always had excellent results. On the other hand, I’ve also had a Larson mag mount and NMO threaded unity whip antenna on the roof and made mobile contacts from Georgia to France with 25 watts. Because, solar cycle. On the bonding, I heard one only needs to bond the horizontal surfaces for adequate ground plane.
Learned more in this 30 minute video than my 20 years of trucking 🤦♂️. Shows to go you how people in the know make you feel like shit when you ask basic questions in a southwest accent (normal). Same goes for talking over the air. However, when I use a southern accent over the radio I get way more chatter back 🙄 😣 😂
TOP LOAD ALWAYS. BORN AND BRED ON TOP LOADERS. SORRY BUT HAD TO SAY IT. AFTER 2 YEARS. LOVE YOU'RE SHOW HAVE SINCE YOU STARTED IT.ALAN.FROM ENGLAND PS CAN WE PUT TOO AERIALS ON VEHICLE AND USED AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE I SEE MANY TRUCKS WITH TWO AERIALS ON ONE TRUCK.AND I KNOW THAT THEY ARE USING ONE CB BUT TOO AERIALS. THANKS AGAIN ALAN FROM ENGLAND 💯👍
I have a Wilson 10000 magnet mount that I use on occasion, but it’s just a pain in the butt when it hits a little line branches and it knocks off the top of my truck, was thinking about getting two fire stick antennas and cophasing them to go in the back, it actually looks cooler and just wondering if I will lose any range doing so, thanks
Dual antennas need to be about 8.5' apart, and it's bidirectional. 1 antenna is omnidirectional. If you want the look of 2 antennas have 1 working and 1 not working.
I feel like at times there has had to be more. Iv had all kinds of antennas. Some I can hear 15 miles out but only talk a mile or less. Some iv had nothing. When my gpa retired I took his antenna straight how he had it and I could never get anything with it knowing I'd talked to him miles away. The best antenna I ever had was a 3' magnetic on top of my cab...until a tree branch knocked it down and I drug it down the highway. It was similar to that Wilson but very slim design.
End of video solved some of my questions with last truck I had. The truck that made me throw my cb in the shop. Too much plastic in the middle of all my pieces. And most likely my coax bent at a hard angle. Due to where I had to put the mount
Hey brother what's the best way of going about building your own mobile CB antenna I've seen a lot of videos but so far I'm liking the way you explain things w/no bullshit and simple to understand for the newbie but anyway in these times seeing as in how I have every kind of copper wire known to man and the drive to build everything I either want or need with the resources I already have instead of spending the money I usually don't asking you seems like the way to go any info and or opinion you have would be much appreciated best regards, Charles
I honestly don't know. I've seen a few videos on base antennas. But, I'd definitely try to add enough wire for it to be 1/4 wave and not 5/8 wave like most antennas today.
I do have one question on the heat regarding the Coax cable(I think that’s how you spell it😅). I live in Arizona and it gets really hot here, what do you recommend I do to best protect my Coax cable? 20:13
Ive got a uniden 510xl in my truck just installed with a fiberglass antenna, i mounted it center of my tool box. Ground down the paint off the tool box where its mounted. Getting 2.4 resistance with a meter between where the coax connects and the toolbox rail. But the s/rf (1-4) on the radio doesnt move when its on any channel. Is this a bad radio or antenna bad ground?
Hey there J Rich Truckin & CB Tips! These videos are packed with info for me. I would like to thank you for that... I have several questions, most of them are about GROUNDING. Why is whenever i go out there and go about the grounding of a vehicle antenna or a base station installation antenna the I am challeneged ground wise. Why am I challenged when I go about grounding and antenna ( radiator) as I se it. I sometimes get motivated about grounding, however, when i go about it it si like it is all at the same potential - GROUND POTENTIAL - It is all GROUND - I almost think that it is unchallenged or I approach ground systems as they arer not thw same as the antennas radiation and therefore the images must be different?😀
If your tool box is aluminum would I just ground the mount to the bed then to frame or still ground the tool box to the bed then to frame? Thanks in advance!
Ground with 1" flat braid strap, tool box to the bed, then bed to frame. If you want to take it further and get the best out of it, bond all body panels to the frame. Watch thus video and apply it to your vehicle. ruclips.net/video/ohkOX45dJn0/видео.html&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE
My question is after watching this really solid video is my issue. I drive a 550 dump truck. Fender mount is really my only option, is the dump body going to change my signal direction? I’m running a 2ft fire stick with great srw. Maybe change to a 3 ft Wilson? Can’t go over 3 foot really. 2ft is ideal but the tip of the antenna is about level with the top of the dump maybe a little lower. Would love your thoughts
I have a 3rd gen Tacoma and I have a Cobra 25/Sound Tracker that I've just installed. I also have a 4' Wilson Silver load on a 90° bracket. Ideally/aethestically I would want to mount it on the front of the bed in the center but have always been told thats not a good spot. I currently have it bolted on to the inside driver side corner of the bed. Which would be the more ideal location? The antenna sticks up about 3' above the cab in both spots,sooner or later I may switch to a Wilson 1000 on the roof but for now im running the Silver Load, thanks for any and all input.
i run a 102" whip at the location you have your wilson, it does great i have been thinking about getting a wilson 2000 trucker to put back there but i dont know how much rf or tx i will loose if i do that.
I have a aluminum cap on a Ford Ranger. I'm torn between going all out with a 102" whip on the corner of the rear bumper so the back door and tailgate can still function. Or slapping a magnet in the center of the roof. Would I still need to run a ground with the magnet antenna? And with the 102" on the bumper, what side?, driver or passenger? I can run plastic zip ties from the top of the bad cap to keep the whip from slapping everything on the road but if it is still too tall, can they be cut down and still work?
what would you recommend for use offroad on a utv, im assuming the rollcage is gonna cause issues? the bed is only like 3ft long, and i cant put like a big 5ft long rigid antenna on there the trees will just rip it off
Thank you, I'm looking into a Stryker SR-A10 antenna. I have a 2011 crown Victoria police interceptor. I'm mounting it on the center trunk lid. Do you think the Stryker or a top loaded fiberglass will work better....thanks
Great video! What about mounting a 102" steel whip from the bumper? I'm thinking of mounting my 102" steel whip on the bumper of my 2006 Tundra. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks!
Hey rich! I have a 3 foot mag mount on top of my truck. Think I’m gonna put a 102 inch steel whip on my toolbox. Prolly gonna put more towards the side of my tool box. I like the look but I also want functionality. Any thoughts?
Yeah that’s what I’m thinking and I’m not getting enough ground I put on I put my antenna on a van in the back self tapping screws and I did take wire to the frame of the antenna down all the way down to the bottom of the back window and screwed the screw in air so that might be the problem I’ve never had this problem before never hold my whole life because I always use of course majority of my time I always use the magnet antennas I put them on my truck I built a cable and I could just pull a leverage like you do a lawn more and drop the antenna down because I worked around the garage and I didn’t want it in a banging everywhere so I just folds down and it was on my rolling bar on my truck and I don’t have a truck no more I’m driving a stupid van I hate vans you know I’m not young puppy with this stuff but sometimes you forget things and you explain it pretty good keep the good work for other people but that’s what I’m thinking is ground but you’re actually letting me know that for sure it is the ground problem because my SWR will not go down and it stays on 40 to 1 it stays 3.1 and I can’t get it to budge I’m not used to using these kind of antennas I built antennas for my home base like I said the first time I promise in a vehicle
Curious to know what coax cable you recommend for truckers given all the abuse and weather and what not. Just looking for a good quality cable that will give me good durability and use over a good time span
I got a 5ft Wilson fiber glass 1000 on my bumper of a 2019 Chevy Silverado I’m wondering now if I should replace my antenna or re route it to the middle somehow I have nothing but static most of the time I have a spray liner inside back of truck
Probably getting a bit of reflection. Id change to a 108" whip and RF bonding the vehicle will greatly reduce static if all is good with the rest of the system
Ok I want to make sure I’m correct , I have a 4 door cab pick up. I was going to set the Stryker SR A10 towards the back of the cab right in front of the 3 break light, I was thinking I should have it centered as close as I can on the vehicle. I was told I should center it on the cab roof not center of the entire truck , what are your thoughts?
Check swr in both locations. A good field strength meter would help determine if it really makes a difference, and coax length may make a difference if you can reach the middle.
Let’s just say on my 98 Tahoe. If I did a Fiberglass 6’ skip shooter antenna. Mounted on rear bumper similar to where to demonstrated a antenna in this video. Then I did the 1” braided strap from bumper to frame, and Frame to body panels in all four corners do you think that would be sufficient? The Tahoe does NOT have LED taillights. I currently have a 4’ Wilson fiberglass and no extra ground straps in this location. my SWR stays around 3 on channel 1 and 40. Which is a no go
You'd be better off mounting the antenna on the roof. You can get a Tram triple mag mount to screw the 4' or 6' antenna in to from Amazon. You'd still get reflection with the 6' on the bumper. Also grounding (bonding) ALL the body panels to each other and to the frame will greatly improve the system
@@jrichtruckincbtips reason I asked is because this Tahoe is lifted 9” I have a 2’ mounted to the roof rack that thing is like 11’ in the air. My SWR is like 2.3-2.4 on channel 1 and only like 1.3 on 40
Hope you respond. I have a 40' motorhome. Has a fiberglass roof. Don't really want a tall antenna cause it's parked in a car port. What antenna and mount would you recommend? Thanks
Hi, hi, I just talked with a manufacturer of a US company that builds US made antennas called Driver Extreme,the 66" DRX -4661 top loaded coil antenna seems a possible better choice for the trunk mount as you said becouse I think it's higher than the roof line , Thanks
I’m a bit confused as to rf ground via electrical ground since there is continuity between the outer part of the co-ax input and the electrical negative of my radio.
what about Alumaduty F series trucks? looking at cobra 29 classic & want to put a 7' skipshooter dead center between cab& bed(in the gap) but mount would be just below underside of bed (grounded to Frame) and topload would stick up 28" taller than cab roof. will this work? or will between bed and cab and rear of cab just block it all, so being 28" above roof won't matter? don't want to spend $200 on a 3rd brake light mount plate or stick earth magnets in 3rd brakelight holes to make roof magnetic. any other ideas? thanks
I'm running a 18 freightliner factory mounts in the mirrors looking at putting Wilson 2000 10 inch shaft mostly on the road but I do have to get in the woods with tree limbs to deal with what do you think would be the best
I've been a residential electrician, commercial electrician, and industrial maintenance technician. Still, came here to figure out which way the antenna mount grounds, and which side the plastic washer went on. I found what I needed thanks to your care, and time, creating this video. Thank you kindly sir!
Lol I'm a coms tech and I still come here.
Not much of an electrician if you can't figure out the difference between a ground path and an insulator.
@bruceclark5627 its different on a vehicle and figuring out where it goes to the antenna and all that.
Electrician for 37yrs., have built my own antennas ,@15years old.
Being an electrician and a radio technician are different fields. I'm a foot surgeon, but since I know the brain is inside the skull, I should be able to figure out brain surgery.
I spent my working life as an electronic engineer working RF systems on military aircraft. You have done an excellent job of explaining RF system installations in a clear precise way that a layman can understand. You hit all the key points that must be done correctly for a successful installation.
Worse than bashing someone for not knowing is bashing someone for learning! Great explanation: it's straightforward and explains why things are done a certain way not just how to take magic steps or whatever. Very instructive!
You made this so simple and concise that a child could understand. I don't think that you missed much of anything except maybe bonding the vehicle's exhaust to the frame in addition to the other body panels. I really enjoyed watching this video. BTW all of this is applicable to amateur radio as well. Many can benefit from your knowledge.
I have 2 videos on RF bonding. Thanks
I don't usually follow people. But this guy knows what he's talking about. His presentation is awesome! What a great personality!
I’m a entry level novice and I appreciate and approve of these videos. Saves me from advertising I’m full blown idiot Thanks for these. God bless brothers.
Whats up Mr Rich! I've been watching all your videos lately and recently got back into the CBs because of you. Thanks for the videos and sharing the know how. Im in CA and hardly anyone here use the CB anymore. I talk more with Base stations now than other mobiles on the road. I wish drivers would soon realize this is the easiest way of communication between us all out here, you need it, plan and simple. Dont let them die out
Thanks, lots of big, big base stations out your way on the west coast. I hear them regularly here in Atlanta on my mobile.
Just the other day I heard a guy talking to someone in Georgia from Cali, I was up here in North eastern Oregon. Unfortunately I was running mobile and lost the signal after traveling a bit.
I've noticed tuned radios, especially tuned on the receiver side, will pick up some crazy skip. I hear all that too everyday in south cali
@@WW226 RF bonding the vehicle and a whip antenna will help the receiving as well.
30+ year truck driver here you do a great job explaining how and why to hook up. Much appreciated.
Glad to help
Thanks J, You're not talking down at all. You're the only one out there who explains all this in detail. Doing great!
It’s great to see a no-nonsense video on this subject without the mythology and urban legends surrounding antennas.
You’re doing a great job helping us. Thanks 🙏
Thank you for the knowledge! 25 year I.T. Provider, didn’t know the basics of CB antennas. Thanks again!!!
This guys videos are top-notch and should be required for any new CBer and a great refresher for the experienced user as well. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
THANKS FOR TAKING YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TO SHARE THE PROPER PROCEDURES FOR A SAFE AND CORRECT WAYS TO INSTALL A CB RADIO ANTENNA. PEOPLE LIKE YOU CAN REALLY CHANGE A PERSONS CONFIDENCE AND INTELLIGENCE WITHOUT ERRORS !
Very informative, I am really appreciative of this video, thanks for sharing your experience with us. I've learnt a lot...
My magnetic K40 antenna is on the way, and based on your information, plan to install it on the hood, of my truck, I just haven't figured out how to run the wire into the truck cab without the wire, flopping around, or getting in the way. Considering drill a hole somewhere but really don't want to.
Love watching your videos Mr.Rich. very informative. Thank you for taking your time to explain things to us new guys.
Thanks for watching
@Nathan Erickson good deal, and awesome to here.👍
3rd vid I’ve watched from you so far. Still going. Thanks for being descriptive!!!
Oh great…been trying to figure out why my first cb setup won’t work for crap (why I’m here)….I threw out that plastic washer as I thought it was just a spacer for thin mounts but my back rack mount is thick…now I gotta figure out where to get another plastic washer lol
Thank you for the thorough explanation. Learned a lot from just this video.
this man should be a teacher .. covered things i have forgot .was looking for wire routing from bed to cab for 2011 silverado an the ground plan mounting caught my eye . good stuff
Thank god I am from the south and can tolerate southern talk and mannerisms without getting pissed off because "condescending" to Californians is normal speech down here. Also here to learn CB. Got a firestik antenna and am learning how to use it. Thanks J Rich
Thanks for watching
I really appreciate this approach to helping new people, it is thoughtful and VERY thorough!!!
Thanks for watching
i did CB from 1978 to 1983 when I became a Ham operator. I really didn't understand what a really good antenna AND install could do for you. The basics are: you need a good "ground plane" the truck or car body is the "counterpoise" to the antenna itself. Most people don't realize that you need BOTH the antenna and the metal body of the vehicle because they work together. That's why a "Mag Mount" will never work as well as a mounted antenna set up. Second, you need to mount it in the clear and in the center of the vehicle as possible. The best is in the middle of the roof, but that's not always possible or aesthetically pleasing. (wife) I had my ham radio antenna mounted in the back right of my pick up bed. Bolted the mount directly to the bed and inside bed wall. (FYI it was a Tarheel antenna, frequency adjustable from the cab.) It worked fantastic! Your advice is spot on.
I'm just getting back into the cb thing, and thought I'd just brush-up on what I thought I already knew, thanks for the refresher,👍, and thanks for sharing.
Thanks for this great video. Well explained. Sadly, I am the guy with the 10 gage wire going from the driver's side bed stake hole mount to the truck frame. I'm not looking to broadcast a great distance, just listen to the truckers around me on the highway and keeping in touch while off-roading. Some day I may look at tearing it apart and adding a braided bonding strap set up.
Upgrade that, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner. Here's a video of the grounding on my Freightliner. ruclips.net/video/ohkOX45dJn0/видео.html
Thank you for this video. Me and a few friends found out how to mount our antennas from a CB shop. Basically one person paid to have it done. And we copied from that automobile. But yes newbies to installing a CB, this is a good place to go and learn. Basically save your radio, and get out good!
Good good it's a pleasure to see someone who enjoy s teaching the new guys great job
Thank you so much. Been looking for a while and I guess the search came up for your video finally.
This is very easy to understand and comprehend.
Even for my ADHD brain I was able to follow along and finally utilize my radio properly.
Thank you!!! this is the help that I needed. it's surpirisingly hard to find some of this basic information.
Your doing great by even trying to deal with ppl,I have my own channel as well ..and ppl are always gonna comment ..now as a technician..and been doing this since 1984... A base load is always a load at the very bottom we're the feed point is ... Also a center load is considered any load above the feed point....of the antenna .... But most importantly is mounting the load above the counter poise of the car ...being the ground plane of the carr ...the roof ... You never want the load below this point ..it's critical.... U want to be on top of cab and dead center for optimal ground plane....NEVER PUT a antenna behind the cab below the roof line .... U must not even put a coil with a blocking obstruction... Your right on these theory... You must have it above the roofline of u want true performance ...or else u might as well just throw it in the back of the bed!!!! .... Lol 73s
I’m one of the new guys. I appreciate your videos very much. Thank you.
Thanks for watching
I've had problems getting high SWR's. 2 swr plus.Well my dump truck has a lot of fiberglass. I ended up installing a NGP (no ground plane antenna) checked my SWR. Came back 0 SWR. Awesome. The antenna was a NGP with an adjustable tip for your SWR.
22:37 Very accurate. I discovered this for myself when I installed an LED motion detector light on the garage ceiling next to the door opener. The signal from the remote to the opener became very erratic. Replaced with an incandescent bulb - fixed.
I have an aluminum truck. I applied 3 layers of paint protection film in patches on my roof because persnickety, then painted and stuck with glue and Gorilla duct tape under the roof skin several truss straps in key areas. Painted to avoid galvanic reaction. I did use a couple of strips of PPF across the front of the magnet mounts, for aerodynamic help. Yeah. Works like a champ so far.
lol I came here trying to figure out why my swr is 5.4. Mounted my Wilson 5000 right to the back bumper where you said not to , I will moved it tomorrow
Wonderful explanations.
Details matter, the more details taken care of the happier you will be.
Thanks for the great explanation. I just ordered 20' of ground strap and connectors and will be "getting carried away and fancy" when they arrive! This is probably the step I've been missing as I'm never able to get out or receive like I should. I've been running an old Magnum S-6, but I've got a new Stryker 497HP on the way. Wish me luck, and thanks again!
Awesome info sir! I been thinking of getting into the cb hobby with my Ram Sport..... researching antenna mount ideas as well as radio mounting. Thank you. Great stuff. My late stepfather was into HAM radio and had one in his truck.
Thanks for watching
Thanks J, just started looking into getting a CB radio and came across your video. Great information and you made it easy to understand. More than happy to have subscribed to your channel.
Thank you so much for the good info! I am new to cb’s but need one for work. This was extremely helpful and solved my problems!
Thanks for posting. I have an old dodge van im trying to do the CB thing with and i have the radio, the co-ax and trying to decide on mount. Its going to be on the roof just rear of center. The washer info is key for me learning.
You can use a triple mag mount from Tram and be able to run almost any antenna with it.
i have the exact same bed setup with a roll up cover like that and the plastic bed rail caps, i want to do a 102” whip antenna in the middle area and thought i could maybe attach the mount to the backside of my bed in between the cab and the bed. do you have any suggestions on a mount i can use or maybe even make to do that? if not where would be the next best place to put it. thank you!
You'd probably have to remove the bed and make a plate that doesn't hit the rear window. Or mount it to the side of the rear bumper.
Thanks for posting this. Just starting to consider a CB mount to my truck. This helped me to learn some key points.
Ok, so I have a question… I want to relocate my antenna from the rear of my SUV to the front. I have an aftermarket front bumper with a hoop, and I don’t want to damage the powder coat on the bumper, so I bought a ring mount meant for whip lights and antennas that is rubberized on the inside so it doesn’t damage what it’s attached to. Instead of grounding from the bracket like you show here, what if I took a 4 gauge lug that fits around the underside of the antenna mount, then ran a short 4 gauge wire to a ground under the hood. Maybe 12-18” at most.
It will be the only ground… will I have issues? I’d also like to say that I’m not looking for big distance. I don’t use this on the road. A couple of older guys I wheel with don’t use GMRS, so I connect the CB when I’m out with them which isn’t very often. I’m using a Cobra 75WXST all-in-one because it unplugs and stows away and I don’t have to have a radio taking up space in the SUV.
I like this guy. He’s honest and helpful.
Good points. My 2018 Nissan Frontier bed sits on rubber grommets. Ground braid is imperative!
As a self owned trucker For 42 years hauling from all four corners of the United States I still prefer my dual antennas on my side mirrors . But you do have a lot of good points, before installing always make sure that your antenna is calibrated with your CB!...
❤ thanks for sharing this video with us. Looking forward to seeing more great videos about this.
Thanks for the education. Looks like I need to properly ground the antenna mount which is attached to the door mirror mount on Cascadia that I drive.
I've got a question for you about the plate mount on the cab back up light on the aluminum Ford. Even though it's a metal plate, will that plate need to be grounded in some way to the truck at a certain spot with a ground wire or strap? Or is there ground when the plate is bolted back on the truck? I really appreciate the time you put in the video, I was just hoping to get a bit more insight about this setup.
Thanks again for another super helpful video! I really appreciate the supportive attitude for newbies.
102” SS whip. Ball mount with 4”
pot belly. Steel bumper. I’ve always had excellent results.
On the other hand, I’ve also had a Larson mag mount and NMO threaded unity whip antenna on the roof and made mobile contacts from Georgia to France with 25 watts. Because, solar cycle.
On the bonding, I heard one only needs to bond the horizontal surfaces for adequate ground plane.
Learned more in this 30 minute video than my 20 years of trucking 🤦♂️. Shows to go you how people in the know make you feel like shit when you ask basic questions in a southwest accent (normal). Same goes for talking over the air. However, when I use a southern accent over the radio I get way more chatter back 🙄 😣 😂
Thanks for watching
Great video man, been trying to get in cb stuff for a while now and I’m confident in putting one in my truck now
Awesome, welcome to the hobby.
TOP LOAD ALWAYS. BORN AND BRED ON TOP LOADERS. SORRY BUT HAD TO SAY IT. AFTER 2 YEARS. LOVE YOU'RE SHOW HAVE SINCE YOU STARTED IT.ALAN.FROM ENGLAND PS CAN WE PUT TOO AERIALS ON VEHICLE AND USED AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE I SEE MANY TRUCKS WITH TWO AERIALS ON ONE TRUCK.AND I KNOW THAT THEY ARE USING ONE CB BUT TOO AERIALS. THANKS AGAIN ALAN FROM ENGLAND 💯👍
Thanks for watching
I'm new to all this and I learned a ton from your vid. Thanks for all the details!!
I have a Wilson 10000 magnet mount that I use on occasion, but it’s just a pain in the butt when it hits a little line branches and it knocks off the top of my truck, was thinking about getting two fire stick antennas and cophasing them to go in the back, it actually looks cooler and just wondering if I will lose any range doing so, thanks
Dual antennas need to be about 8.5' apart, and it's bidirectional. 1 antenna is omnidirectional. If you want the look of 2 antennas have 1 working and 1 not working.
dude bad ass video! definitly helping me figure out my radio issues. thanks brother!
Glad to help.
How about magnetic bases right on the roof?
This video answered every single question I had. Thank you so much!
This is just what i was looking for. I'm thinking of putting a CB radio in my land rover soon.
I feel like at times there has had to be more. Iv had all kinds of antennas. Some I can hear 15 miles out but only talk a mile or less. Some iv had nothing. When my gpa retired I took his antenna straight how he had it and I could never get anything with it knowing I'd talked to him miles away. The best antenna I ever had was a 3' magnetic on top of my cab...until a tree branch knocked it down and I drug it down the highway. It was similar to that Wilson but very slim design.
End of video solved some of my questions with last truck I had. The truck that made me throw my cb in the shop. Too much plastic in the middle of all my pieces. And most likely my coax bent at a hard angle. Due to where I had to put the mount
Hey brother what's the best way of going about building your own mobile CB antenna I've seen a lot of videos but so far I'm liking the way you explain things w/no bullshit and simple to understand for the newbie but anyway in these times seeing as in how I have every kind of copper wire known to man and the drive to build everything I either want or need with the resources I already have instead of spending the money I usually don't asking you seems like the way to go any info and or opinion you have would be much appreciated best regards, Charles
I honestly don't know. I've seen a few videos on base antennas. But, I'd definitely try to add enough wire for it to be 1/4 wave and not 5/8 wave like most antennas today.
I do have one question on the heat regarding the Coax cable(I think that’s how you spell it😅). I live in Arizona and it gets really hot here, what do you recommend I do to best protect my Coax cable? 20:13
Ive got a uniden 510xl in my truck just installed with a fiberglass antenna, i mounted it center of my tool box. Ground down the paint off the tool box where its mounted. Getting 2.4 resistance with a meter between where the coax connects and the toolbox rail. But the s/rf (1-4) on the radio doesnt move when its on any channel. Is this a bad radio or antenna bad ground?
Need to check with an external SWR meter
Thanks for your input.
Greetings from Reno, Nevada.
Hey there J Rich Truckin & CB Tips! These videos are packed with info for me. I would like to thank you for that... I have several questions, most of them are about GROUNDING. Why is whenever i go out there and go about the grounding of a vehicle antenna or a base station installation antenna the I am challeneged ground wise. Why am I challenged when I go about grounding and antenna ( radiator) as I se it. I sometimes get motivated about grounding, however, when i go about it it si like it is all at the same potential - GROUND POTENTIAL - It is all GROUND - I almost think that it is unchallenged or I approach ground systems as they arer not thw same as the antennas radiation and therefore the images must be different?😀
Thank you sir for your time and effort to make this video. Do you recommend Cobra 29 radios? Thank you.
Yes, I do. They are plentiful and any cb shop can fix them.
thank you very much for this video. any advice for mounting a cb antenna to the rear ladder on an rv?
Ground the ladder to the frame with Ground strap
I am a beginner at this and this video really was informative thank you.
If your tool box is aluminum would I just ground the mount to the bed then to frame or still ground the tool box to the bed then to frame? Thanks in advance!
Ground with 1" flat braid strap, tool box to the bed, then bed to frame. If you want to take it further and get the best out of it, bond all body panels to the frame. Watch thus video and apply it to your vehicle. ruclips.net/video/ohkOX45dJn0/видео.html&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE
Did the mistake 😕 on my mount !! Any other adjustments on the 1st base you showed us. ?
My question is after watching this really solid video is my issue. I drive a 550 dump truck. Fender mount is really my only option, is the dump body going to change my signal direction? I’m running a 2ft fire stick with great srw. Maybe change to a 3 ft Wilson? Can’t go over 3 foot really. 2ft is ideal but the tip of the antenna is about level with the top of the dump maybe a little lower. Would love your thoughts
As tall as possible
I have a 3rd gen Tacoma and I have a Cobra 25/Sound Tracker that I've just installed. I also have a 4' Wilson Silver load on a 90° bracket. Ideally/aethestically I would want to mount it on the front of the bed in the center but have always been told thats not a good spot. I currently have it bolted on to the inside driver side corner of the bed. Which would be the more ideal location? The antenna sticks up about 3' above the cab in both spots,sooner or later I may switch to a Wilson 1000 on the roof but for now im running the Silver Load, thanks for any and all input.
i run a 102" whip at the location you have your wilson, it does great i have been thinking about getting a wilson 2000 trucker to put back there but i dont know how much rf or tx i will loose if i do that.
I have a aluminum cap on a Ford Ranger. I'm torn between going all out with a 102" whip on the corner of the rear bumper so the back door and tailgate can still function. Or slapping a magnet in the center of the roof. Would I still need to run a ground with the magnet antenna? And with the 102" on the bumper, what side?, driver or passenger? I can run plastic zip ties from the top of the bad cap to keep the whip from slapping everything on the road but if it is still too tall, can they be cut down and still work?
102 on the driver's side, they should only be trimmed for tuning, or you're defeating the purpose of the 102 whip.
I am changing mag mount, aTram on the roof to a 102 in wip, can I mount it to the bed at the third light. Is the 102 better than the Team.
what would you recommend for use offroad on a utv, im assuming the rollcage is gonna cause issues? the bed is only like 3ft long, and i cant put like a big 5ft long rigid antenna on there the trees will just rip it off
Maybe find a shorter steel whip, the Hustler SCB may be a good choice as it has a spring above the coil.
Thank you, I'm looking into a Stryker SR-A10 antenna. I have a 2011 crown Victoria police interceptor. I'm mounting it on the center trunk lid. Do you think the Stryker or a top loaded fiberglass will work better....thanks
Great job, I learn something new every time...
Glad to hear it!
What if you are running a 102 Steel antenna on top of a barrel spring and mounting it to the rear steel bumper of a truck
Thanks for the video. I always was curious the order of the antenna mounting system. Gets confusing sometimes and now i know.
This was super helpful! You're doing great!
Great video! What about mounting a 102" steel whip from the bumper? I'm thinking of mounting my 102" steel whip on the bumper of my 2006 Tundra. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks!
Not a bad idea.
@@jrichtruckincbtips Thank you!
How. Do you ground a cb antenna with a company truck and you are not allowed to remove a screw
Thanks for the video. Do those grounding straps help or detract the cb? The ones that drag under the car and touch the actual ground.
Never tried it for cb.
Hey rich! I have a 3 foot mag mount on top of my truck. Think I’m gonna put a 102 inch steel whip on my toolbox. Prolly gonna put more towards the side of my tool box. I like the look but I also want functionality. Any thoughts?
Center of the box, high toward the lid is best. Ground the box to the bed, then the bed to the frame. Use 1" flat braid straps
Great video. The antenna grounding issue just might be my issue on my newly installed cobra 75. Will correct today and let you know 👍
Yeah that’s what I’m thinking and I’m not getting enough ground I put on I put my antenna on a van in the back self tapping screws and I did take wire to the frame of the antenna down all the way down to the bottom of the back window and screwed the screw in air so that might be the problem I’ve never had this problem before never hold my whole life because I always use of course majority of my time I always use the magnet antennas I put them on my truck I built a cable and I could just pull a leverage like you do a lawn more and drop the antenna down because I worked around the garage and I didn’t want it in a banging everywhere so I just folds down and it was on my rolling bar on my truck and I don’t have a truck no more I’m driving a stupid van I hate vans you know I’m not young puppy with this stuff but sometimes you forget things and you explain it pretty good keep the good work for other people but that’s what I’m thinking is ground but you’re actually letting me know that for sure it is the ground problem because my SWR will not go down and it stays on 40 to 1 it stays 3.1 and I can’t get it to budge I’m not used to using these kind of antennas I built antennas for my home base like I said the first time I promise in a vehicle
Curious to know what coax cable you recommend for truckers given all the abuse and weather and what not. Just looking for a good quality cable that will give me good durability and use over a good time span
Liked and subscribed. This was EXCELLENT!!!!
I got a 5ft Wilson fiber glass 1000 on my bumper of a 2019 Chevy Silverado I’m wondering now if I should replace my antenna or re route it to the middle somehow I have nothing but static most of the time I have a spray liner inside back of truck
Probably getting a bit of reflection. Id change to a 108" whip and RF bonding the vehicle will greatly reduce static if all is good with the rest of the system
Ok I want to make sure I’m correct , I have a 4 door cab pick up. I was going to set the Stryker SR A10 towards the back of the cab right in front of the 3 break light, I was thinking I should have it centered as close as I can on the vehicle. I was told I should center it on the cab roof not center of the entire truck , what are your thoughts?
Check swr in both locations. A good field strength meter would help determine if it really makes a difference, and coax length may make a difference if you can reach the middle.
Let’s just say on my 98 Tahoe. If I did a Fiberglass 6’ skip shooter antenna. Mounted on rear bumper similar to where to demonstrated a antenna in this video.
Then I did the 1” braided strap from bumper to frame, and Frame to body panels in all four corners do you think that would be sufficient?
The Tahoe does NOT have LED taillights.
I currently have a 4’ Wilson fiberglass and no extra ground straps in this location. my SWR stays around 3 on channel 1 and 40. Which is a no go
You'd be better off mounting the antenna on the roof. You can get a Tram triple mag mount to screw the 4' or 6' antenna in to from Amazon. You'd still get reflection with the 6' on the bumper.
Also grounding (bonding) ALL the body panels to each other and to the frame will greatly improve the system
@@jrichtruckincbtips reason I asked is because this Tahoe is lifted 9” I have a 2’ mounted to the roof rack that thing is like 11’ in the air. My SWR is like 2.3-2.4 on channel 1 and only like 1.3 on 40
@GreatPlainsAdventures with those readings the 2' antenna need to be made taller. Try the 4' if you can
@@jrichtruckincbtips I put the 4’ Wilson that I have on the roof rack and my SWR is 2.5 on 1 and on 40
You have and do make very informative content. Thank you!
Hope you respond. I have a 40' motorhome. Has a fiberglass roof. Don't really want a tall antenna cause it's parked in a car port. What antenna and mount would you recommend? Thanks
Hey there! Great videos. I have a predator 10k that I can’t keep tight at the mount….any suggestions?
Hi, hi, I just talked with a manufacturer of a US company that builds US made antennas called Driver Extreme,the 66" DRX -4661 top loaded coil antenna seems a possible better choice for the trunk mount as you said becouse I think it's higher than the roof line , Thanks
I’m a bit confused as to rf ground via electrical ground since there is continuity between the outer part of the co-ax input and the electrical negative of my radio.
what about Alumaduty F series trucks? looking at cobra 29 classic & want to put a 7' skipshooter dead center between cab& bed(in the gap) but mount would be just below underside of bed (grounded to Frame) and topload would stick up 28" taller than cab roof. will this work? or will between bed and cab and rear of cab just block it all, so being 28" above roof won't matter? don't want to spend $200 on a 3rd brake light mount plate or stick earth magnets in 3rd brakelight holes to make roof magnetic. any other ideas? thanks
I'm running a 18 freightliner factory mounts in the mirrors looking at putting Wilson 2000 10 inch shaft mostly on the road but I do have to get in the woods with tree limbs to deal with what do you think would be the best
I'd do a Hustler HQ27