CB and antenna setup on a budget

Macland

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Let's discuss CB's and antenna setups for someone on a budget or that wheels a very limited amount.

This is my situation but I'm sure I'm not alone. I hope this helps someone else as well.


Should you go cheaper on the CB and a little more expensive on the antenna?

dhyde79 mentioned that the window mount antennas don't do well with aftermarket window tint. Is there a way around this?

X nerds unite!




Ok, here's a great write up on doing a taillight mount for a second gen. Thanks to tommyboy

www.xterranation.org/showthread.php?31-CB-Antenna-Install
 
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Airmapper

First Fill-Up (of many)
I've been reading deep into this and am in the middle of my own setup. Far as I can tell it's all in the antenna. All legal CB Radios shove 4 watts at it, but if the antenna isn't effective you might as well have a walkie talkie. The antenna makes the CB, not the other way round.

I've read in several places all window mount antennas suck, period. Think about it, why wouldn't they, your sticking an insulator in the currents path.

I've also discovered the X is a terrible platform for an antenna less you want to drill holes in the roof. I'm going to make do with a mount on the roof rail.

I'm going with a relatively cheap CB, at this point probably a Midland 75-822, but it's still more expensive than the antenna. I figure $50-$80 for all the coax and connectors. I'm getting a cheap pass on the mount though, I'm designing my own with some scrap stainless.

Good luck, if I get in gear I may have something to report in a few weeks as I piece together my setup. I want to spread it out over a few payday's, it's running a bit more than I was hoping it would.
 

AaronsX

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
The cobra ultra 19 you can get at Walmart is what I and alot of others run it's like $32. Then I got a 18'ft coaxial cable for around $15 a 4'ft firesrik for $29 and a door jamb mount for the rear hatch for under $10 I think. All in all it's a set up for a little under $100.

To avoid shipping cost you can get alot of this at big rig gas stations like flying j and such. It's where I got some of my stuff.
 

Macland

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member

gunna15

Triple A<br><img src="http://i164.photobucket.com/
Location
Swainsboro, GA
My CB set up was fairly inexpensive, I'll post the details when I get home. I run a Midland CB and got most of the rest of my setup from Xoskel.
 

Timrich

Super Duper Moderator
Founding Member
Location
Central FL
The mount will depend on where you want to mount it. I have the firestik door jamb mount for mine and I know alot of others use this mount as well. I have mine mounted just above the drivers side tail light.
 

jconway23

Bought an X
Location
Blakely, PA
Glad this thread is happening. It's pushing me to get my butt in gear and spend some money. I think I pretty much added all that last night on that list. Wasn't sure about the mount. Looking at the rear hatch area as well.
 

Macland

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Thanks for contributing guys, keep it up. I am wanting to see what I can do about mounting mine like sionnach and NMTerras on a swivel mount on my rack but that might be cost prohibitive.

I'm hoping to put together a more comprehensive list of options for people based on their wants. I'm off to tommyboy's thread to link here and see if he listed any product links.

X nerds unite!
 
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jconway23

Bought an X
Location
Blakely, PA
I wouldn't think the spring is to critical. Unless you are in heavy brush or something. I personally wouldn't want it. If I was into something that heavy a broken antenna would be the least of my worries. But I guess I just like to keep the paint on my X. LoL
 

TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
IMHO with modern CB equipment, antenna positioning problems and extra in-line connection issues your best bet is to get a good MAG MOUNT for your roof. It comes with a premeasured length cable that you just screw into your CB. The better ones have screws at the base of the whip for tunung (adjusting the whip up or down). AND the mount can be removed when not in use. They're great for short to medium distance talking. Wilson, K40 make some great ones...I've used them both over the years. Only thing else you may want to get is the SWR meter. And that can be left in line for tuning issues w/o causing a problem.

A spring is useful only if you have a large or heavy antenna. For 3 and 4 footers they cause more problems than the're worth.
 
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Timrich

Super Duper Moderator
Founding Member
Location
Central FL
If you are running on a lot of trails I'd recco.end the HD spring to save you from cracking the fiberglass antennas. Yes they do have some flex but repated bending will eventually crack them. Not sure in the firestik coax. I've heard that some people have had issues with their cables.

Sent from my Galaxy S III
 

metzican

Suspension Lift
Location
Lafaytte, la
If I was going to do my setup all over again I would go the NGP route. I have spent more time trying to get my cb to work then I have spent talking or listening to it.
 

metzican

Suspension Lift
Location
Lafaytte, la
NGP?

X nerds unite!

Non Ground Plane. It means the only thing needed is a special cable and antenna. With a Ground Plane setup the antenna is only half of the "antenna" the other half is the metal in the vehicle. So when you read all these issues of people having grounding there CB correct and high swr it means that the "other half of the antenna" is not working right. With a NGP its all a self contained unit. And in the end the self contained unit is a little weaker, but if you need it for rescue get a HAM radio.
 

Airmapper

First Fill-Up (of many)
Got a 3' Firestick II, stud, cable, and spring from Xoskel today, $65. His prices were good, but shipping was high, but no more than the tank of gas I would have spent otherwise.

Now to finish my mount, get my stuff in, and oh yeah, I need a CB. I have a few junk ones around. I know one of them works, knocks out TV's all around and you can hear me on any channel, I think someone fiddled with the insides before I got it.:0mg: Maybe I better leave that one alone........
 

TKDx00

Lockers Installed
Founding Member
... I know one of them works, knocks out TV's all around and you can hear me on any channel, I think someone fiddled with the insides before I got it.:0mg: Maybe I better leave that one alone........

A tweeked radio...if they can hear you on any channel (CB i hope) it's prolly runnin 10-12 watts.... niiiice. Your gonna need a pretty stout antenna for that one.
 

Macland

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member

Airmapper

First Fill-Up (of many)
I think the ring comes with it: http://www.firestik.com/Catalog/K-4.htm

But the K4A has the threaded part, the ring on the K4 must need to be crimped/soldiered on perhaps.

I asked fangars what he recommended for my tab setup, and he told me the K-8A 18' Coax and K-4A Stud Mount. Looking at the web page this appears to be simple screw on connections.
 

Macland

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
I really don't want to do any crimping or soldering. I'd like everything to be plug and play...


would this cable be effective?

http://www.amazon.com/FireStik-K-8R...UTF8&qid=1360644986&sr=1-12&keywords=FireStik


By the way, I'd like to remind people that I'm completely new to everything CB related and would like this thread to be able to help out people like me in the future. Any knowledge is good knowledge so share if you've got it.
 

Macland

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Interesting, I'd like to buy one already soldered. I don't doubt I could do it, I am just trying to put together a kit anyone could do themselves. A soldering iron would probably come in handy on more projects and I may buy one, but I want to see what's out there and for what price would it cost to get the one pre soldered.

X nerds unite!
 

civicjoe

lone wolf mod
Founding Member
Location
Nevada
Just a heads up I thought I was buying one pre soldered but it wasn't wound up doing it my self 2x works fine


Sent from the Nighthog mobile command unit.
 

gamecock257

Skid Plates
Location
Clinton, SC
I'm in the same boat as Mac here. I'm not going to use a CB often and I'd like everything to be plug and play. I'm probably going to put a firestik in one of the mounts above the taillight, (like tommyboys write up) and I already have a Cobra 19 from Walmart.

So I have the radio...

I need:
Antenna
Mount for antenna
Coax cable (antenna to radio)

Is this all I need?

Also can anyone recommend good radio mounting points inside a second gen? I'm thinking the tray under the radio in front of the shifter. I rarely use it and I feel like it would be easy to get to but not in my way.

Just looking for something fairly simple and low profile (want to keep a clean look to my X). Think opposite of half ton pick up with 12 foot whip antenna lol
 

gamecock257

Skid Plates
Location
Clinton, SC
I think you could just take the antenna off the bottom mount and then replace it as needed. But since he put the bracket behind the taillight it's still going to be hanging there. Again I don't have experience with CBs so I could be wrong.

If I do mount mine like this ill probably leave it, I don't think it will look too bad, but who knows. Looks is the main reason I haven't pushed myself to install a CB already.
 

TN4x4Xterra

Suspension Lift
Location
Knoxville, TN
Mac, you have a Dephep, right? Why not attach it to the edge of Dephep closest to the rear near the big grommet then get yourself a foldable connector so when you pull into garages, you can just twist and the antenna will fold down flat.

I have one of those and I can try to get you a pic to give you an better idea tomorrow night? Let me know
 

Macland

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Mac, you have a Dephep, right? Why not attach it to the edge of Dephep closest to the rear near the big grommet then get yourself a foldable connector so when you pull into garages, you can just twist and the antenna will fold down flat.

I have one of those and I can try to get you a pic to give you an better idea tomorrow night? Let me know

That's actually what I want but I can't find any examples. I thought NMTerras and sionnach had done it but I couldn't find anything on it. I'd appreciate that though.

X nerds unite!
 
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