CB Questions

Lucky_lefty

Lucky_lefty

Bought an X
Founding Member
Location
IL
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W

Weerez935

Bought an X
Location
Al
CB question

what is the easiest/ best way to lengthen the wires that came with my uniden?

Where I want to mount it they won't reach my fuse box
 
granitex

granitex

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
Columbus OH
Splice with a solder in length, with some shrink wrap over them, every butt connection,(except for the real expensive ones, with shrink wrap already on them come loose over time). I even shrink the ones with the shrink already on them.

For protecting the end of the antenna after you trim to tune it, a vacume cap from GM works great. Get a variety pack from the parts store and use the one that you have to twist on, After it is on use a piece of marine shrink tube to hold everything together for the long haul. Mine has the shrink tube doubled up just to make sure that nothing is going anywhere.
 
M

midget

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
what cheer,Iowa
Cobra is a pretty reliable brand,being a trucker im partial to the 29 bc its cheap & is a great starting point. The downside is there big but i have a nightwatch 29 in my x and black chrome 29 in my wifes jeep.
 
SnickerDoodle

SnickerDoodle

Life's Better Seeing Pink
Founding Member
Location
Winlsow Twsp, NJ
I myself have the Cobra 75 i believe it is.. Not bad on the price and its super compact. I have mine sitting in my dash cubby hole. As far as the tunable tip.. it comes with a rubber cover that you put over it. Mine takes a beating.. it hits all sorts of trees just coming and going from my house down my driveway.
 
civicjoe

civicjoe

lone wolf mod
Founding Member
Location
Nevada
I too have the cobra 75 with a Firestik firefly 4 foot tunable. After it got tuned works great got me thru Moab no problem and it's got weather so that's nice I have as well


Sent from the Nighthog mobile command unit.
 
NMTerras

NMTerras

Suspension Lift
Location
New Mexico
civicjoe said:
I too have the cobra 75 with a Firestik firefly 4 foot tunable. After it got tuned works great got me thru Moab no problem and it's got weather so that's nice I have as well


Sent from the Nighthog mobile command unit.
Click to expand...

my cb has weather too! it says it's hot as hell out...
 
RacerXXL

RacerXXL

First Fill-Up (of many)
Founding Member
Location
North Alabama
Roadwarrior said:
Check out this item I found on eBay:

End time: Jul 9, 2012 8:14:39 PM

Item: Firestik Fire-Flex Single Antenna Coax K48R18

URL: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=280879015216

Alt URL: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Firestik-Fire-Flex-Single-Antenna-Coax-K48R18-/280879015216



Sent from somewhere by something (this time I was sending this from eBay)
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I had to install 3 of those to get one that worked. After cutting them up I found that they break the ground at the ring very easily. When the one I have on now breaks I will go to a traditional connection the Firering is far to fragile.
 
NMTerras

NMTerras

Suspension Lift
Location
New Mexico
I believe 18 ft is what you need to reach, as well as the proper length for the right tune...at least that's what the crusty old trucker dude at the crusty old CB shop at the crusty old truck stop told me...
 
Roadwarrior

Roadwarrior

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Location
Probably in class..
RacerXXL said:
I had to install 3 of those to get one that worked. After cutting them up I found that they break the ground at the ring very easily. When the one I have on now breaks I will go to a traditional connection the Firering is far to fragile.
Click to expand...


254991506_interesting_xlarge.jpeg


Well, I bought one and I have liked it so far. It hasn't failed me yet..
 
S

slowta367

Bought an X
Location
Texas
NMTerras said:
I believe 18 ft is what you need to reach, as well as the proper length for the right tune...at least that's what the crusty old trucker dude at the crusty old CB shop at the crusty old truck stop told me...
Click to expand...

Well I bought a 20' cable, as that's all I could find locally. Hopefully it works out
 
TKDx00

TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
S.Subs of Chicago, IL.
20ft. is too long, it'll never tune correctly. If you can or know someone who can, cut it down to 18 and crimp a new end on. If you don't you will constantly have tuning problem.
 
NMTerras

NMTerras

Suspension Lift
Location
New Mexico
TKDx00 said:
20ft. is too long, it'll never tune correctly. If you can or know someone who can, cut it down to 18 and crimp a new end on. If you don't you will constantly have tuning problem.
Click to expand...

Yeah too much and you can't tune it. I'd run it first and then cut it...
 
TKDx00

TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
S.Subs of Chicago, IL.
Making CB cables are really REALLY easy. I've been making my own for 30 yrs. You need 2 tools, maybe 3 depending on what type of cable you want to make. Wire cutters, Crimper and possibly a soldering iron. You can get rolls of cable from anywhere basically. The ends(connector) you can get from Radio Shack...if they still sell them.
 
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slowta367

Bought an X
Location
Texas
TKDx00 said:
Making CB cables are really REALLY easy. I've been making my own for 30 yrs. You need 2 tools, maybe 3 depending on what type of cable you want to make. Wire cutters, Crimper and possibly a soldering iron. You can get rolls of cable from anywhere basically. The ends(connector) you can get from Radio Shack...if they still sell them.
Click to expand...

Well I suppose I'll run to radio shack as soon as I get this thing put back together from doing the body lift.
 
S

slowta367

Bought an X
Location
Texas
TKDx00 said:
Making CB cables are really REALLY easy. I've been making my own for 30 yrs. You need 2 tools, maybe 3 depending on what type of cable you want to make. Wire cutters, Crimper and possibly a soldering iron. You can get rolls of cable from anywhere basically. The ends(connector) you can get from Radio Shack...if they still sell them.
Click to expand...

So this is probably a dumb question but I'm gonna ask anyway before I do anything. Can I just cut 2 feet off of the 20' cable and attach a new end piece to it? I picked up a screw-on connector at radio shack yesterday to do this.
 
TKDx00

TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
S.Subs of Chicago, IL.
slowta367 said:
So this is probably a dumb question but I'm gonna ask anyway before I do anything. Can I just cut 2 feet off of the 20' cable and attach a new end piece to it? I picked up a screw-on connector at radio shack yesterday to do this.
Click to expand...

Yes technically you can...HOWEVER, it depends on what type of connector it is. there are 2 ways to attach the connector:
1 - if the connector has a little hole in the tip then the cable (should/has) to be soldered. The wire in the center of the cable has to stick through that center hole just enough to make contact then solder it in. After you slide the housing over the cable. Then crimp it all together.
2 - if it doesn't then crimping is all is needed. basically peel back the copper colored wire and slide the housing over it to expose the white tube with the single wire in the center. The single wire fits inside the tip. crimp it all together.

Note: screw-on sounds fishy to me, I've never seen a connector that simply screws on. Maybe cause I've only used the 2 I mentioned.

Oh I forgot...yes you can just cut 2 feet off. TRY very hard not to cut off too much. As in under 18'.
 
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M

midget

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
what cheer,Iowa
You cant just say a 20' coax wont tune as thats like saying a 12 wont & its just bs. I run a 20ft on my whip and it tuned in just fine on the meter. Granted the 18ft i had was better but it got cut & I had to make do.
 
S

slowta367

Bought an X
Location
Texas
Well i went ahead and ran the cable without cutting it. I have some extra length but not 2 feet extra. I'm just gonna see how it tunes before doing any cutting.
 
NMTerras

NMTerras

Suspension Lift
Location
New Mexico
midget said:
You cant just say a 20' coax wont tune as thats like saying a 12 wont & its just bs. I run a 20ft on my whip and it tuned in just fine on the meter. Granted the 18ft i had was better but it got cut & I had to make do.
Click to expand...

As I understand it 18' is ideal...but I'm no radio expert. I couldn't get mine tuned when it was too long. Did you do anything special to make it work?

My cb was a PIA and i only did it because it was mandatory for Moab
 
S

slowta367

Bought an X
Location
Texas
TKDx00 said:
The only true teacher is experience... go for it.
Click to expand...

You make it sound like I just said "F what everyone else says, I'm doing it my way." That's not the case at all. I appreciate the input from everyone who knows more about this stuff than I do, I just wanted to get the cable run first to be sure I don't screw myself over and cut too much. Once I get my radiator issue resolved I will tune and cut accordingly.
 
NMTerras

NMTerras

Suspension Lift
Location
New Mexico
slowta367 said:
You make it sound like I just said "F what everyone else says, I'm doing it my way." That's not the case at all. I appreciate the input from everyone who knows more about this stuff than I do, I just wanted to get the cable run first to be sure I don't screw myself over and cut too much. Once I get my radiator issue resolved I will tune and cut accordingly.
Click to expand...

I would say that was lost in translation... That's not how TKD rolls!
 
TKDx00

TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
Location
S.Subs of Chicago, IL.
slowta367 said:
You make it sound like I just said "F what everyone else says, I'm doing it my way." That's not the case at all. I appreciate the input from everyone who knows more about this stuff than I do, I just wanted to get the cable run first to be sure I don't screw myself over and cut too much. Once I get my radiator issue resolved I will tune and cut accordingly.
Click to expand...

NO! NO! NO!...you got that wrong... I hate not being able to convey a message in type rather than in person...it just doesn't come out right.
I meant experience is the only way to truely learn how to do something. NO ONE can learn by words, that's why you get homework in school...you MUST practice in order to teach the mind. GO FOR IT was meant to give you encouragement to try something new. If I wanted to say "F" it, trust me I would have...lol
 
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S

slowta367

Bought an X
Location
Texas
TKDx00 said:
NO! NO! NO!...you got that wrong... I hate not being able to convey a message in type or in person...it just doesn't come out right.
I meant experience is the only way to truely learn how to do something. NO ONE can learn by words, that's why you get homework in school...you MUST practice in order to teach the mind. GO FOR IT was meant to give you encouragement to try something new. If I wanted to say "F" it, trust me I would have...lol
Click to expand...

Yeah NMTerras cleared that up for me, I just misunderstood you. Thanks again for your input :Big Grin:
 
M

midget

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
what cheer,Iowa
NMTerras said:
As I understand it 18' is ideal...but I'm no radio expert. I couldn't get mine tuned when it was too long. Did you do anything special to make it work?

My cb was a PIA and i only did it because it was mandatory for Moab
Click to expand...
Not really 18ft is ideal like you said but i was still getting a 1.5 on the meter which isnt to bad but im using a stainless antenna that has alot of adjustability in it. Another thing is the excess coax you loop in a big circle instead of a tight bundle.

Im no expert but my old mans a trucker,so is my stepdad & several family friends as well as myself. When your around something all the time you pick up things. I still want to learn how to peak/tune radios myself so i dont have to pay to get another one done.
 
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