CB location?

05x4x4

First Fill-Up (of many)
I currently have a Cobra 18 mounted above my rear view mirror, the problem is its now blow and I have to get a new one. I'm looking at getting a full size radio but not sure where it will fit and not be in the way. So here it is, I need picture of where people have mounted their full size radios, and i also would like to know what Radio your running and if you like it. I'm not interested in a mini CB that fits in the center console.


Sent from my iPhone4 using Tapatalk
 

Pro-2X

Suspension Lift
Location
Rockmart, GA
Mine has a speaker on the front of it and I have it mounted under the seat. This does create a problem if you want to change the channels going down the road, but I usually either set it to scan or when I am wheeling I just set to the group channel and let it be.
 

maillet282

If you bleeding, Imma fix you
Moderator
Location
Ontario Canada
I am unsure what generation Xterra you have but I ended up placing my Cobra 18 WX ST II with SoundTracker® and NOAA Weather
under the 4X4 selector switch in front of my gear shifter but unfortunately I don't have a pic of it right now ( will try to get one this evening for you)

but my buddy cory installed the same radio under his single din set up in his dash of his 12 Pro 4X

IMG_20130615_200550_zps92686888.jpg
 

05x4x4

First Fill-Up (of many)
I have a 2nd gen. I like the in dash idea, but I have a double-din DVD player all ready installed. I am thinking about just getting the same radio for simplicity and leaving it where it is. But I am still open to options


Sent from my iPhone4 using Tapatalk
 

05x4x4

First Fill-Up (of many)
I've thought about a cobra 75, I've heard they arnt as powerful as a full size CB and it's hard to mod them since they are smaller they tend to over heat quicker.


Sent from my iPhone4 using Tapatalk
 

Diadaga

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Virginia
Just remember when you look at the handheld radios, you may have issues hearing and being heard on the trails.
 

Slasa

Lockers Installed
Location
Denver
FWIW, I have the Cobra 75 handheld and could not be happier. If you're a hard core CB guy everytime you drive then get the appropriate radio. If you want a decent, handheld, out of the way, hideable, unit for the trails and to occassionally tune in to the highway chatter then consider one. I got the package from Right Channel that includes a small speaker. Never once had an issue hearing or being heard. Get the right antenna and tune it - no issue.
 

Diadaga

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Virginia
FWIW, I have the Cobra 75 handheld and could not be happier. If you're a hard core CB guy everytime you drive then get the appropriate radio. If you want a decent, handheld, out of the way, hideable, unit for the trails and to occassionally tune in to the highway chatter then consider one. I got the package from Right Channel that includes a small speaker. Never once had an issue hearing or being heard. Get the right antenna and tune it - no issue.

Very true I should have put that in my comment. External antennas come into play, some people at nXm were running handhelds without them. So between the vehicle and the terrain they were losing signal.
 

Slasa

Lockers Installed
Location
Denver
Very true I should have put that in my comment. External antennas come into play, some people at nXm were running handhelds without them. So between the vehicle and the terrain they were losing signal.

Holy crap! Am I reading this right? If you run a radio without an antenna (or the wrong one) you will fry the radio.
Handheld walkie-talkie style handhelds are one thing and I believe these are what Diadaga is referring to. Their range is limited because they only use the small antenna on the unit.
The Cobra 75 has all the functions in the hand unit but it is not mobile/removable. It requires an external antenna. It is just nice because all the functions are in the mic/hand piece - not on a big box you have to squeeze in somewhere.
 

mudchet

Got Mud?<br><img src="http://i164.photobucket.com/
Founding Member
Location
Brentwood, TN
FWIW, I have the Cobra 75 handheld and could not be happier. If you're a hard core CB guy everytime you drive then get the appropriate radio. If you want a decent, handheld, out of the way, hideable, unit for the trails and to occassionally tune in to the highway chatter then consider one. I got the package from Right Channel that includes a small speaker. Never once had an issue hearing or being heard. Get the right antenna and tune it - no issue.

I too run a Cobra 75. I used it at nXm without any trouble. I have a 4 foot Firestik antenna, which is tuned and works well. I dont do any CB mods, and I am not a hardcore CB user, so it works for me. The only drawback for me is that I cant take it outside of my car. I have also picked up a portable (handheld) CB which i use when I am outside of my vehicle and need to communicate, albeit w the less range.
 

Diadaga

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Virginia
Holy crap! Am I reading this right? If you run a radio without an antenna (or the wrong one) you will fry the radio.
Handheld walkie-talkie style handhelds are one thing and I believe these are what Diadaga is referring to. Their range is limited because they only use the small antenna on the unit.
The Cobra 75 has all the functions in the hand unit but it is not mobile/removable. It requires an external antenna. It is just nice because all the functions are in the mic/hand piece - not on a big box you have to squeeze in somewhere.

Yeah I was talking about guys/gals running handhelds inside vehicles with only the normal handheld antennas. They were having signal degradation issues because they weren't using larger vehicle mounted antennas.

Sent from my mansion in Grouchland.
 

Slasa

Lockers Installed
Location
Denver
Midland makes a really cool unit that is both handheld and can attach to an external antenna. It also just plugs into a cig lighter so you can grab it and take it outside the truck. It comes in handy for spotting and such but still gives you good range from the external antenna.
 

05x4x4

First Fill-Up (of many)
Midland makes a really cool unit that is both handheld and can attach to an external antenna. It also just plugs into a cig lighter so you can grab it and take it outside the truck. It comes in handy for spotting and such but still gives you good range from the external antenna.

I've seen the midland, and that is one feature I like is the ability to take it out and use it as a stand alone unit. Anyone on here have any experience with the midlands?


Sent from my iPhone4 using Tapatalk
 

Slasa

Lockers Installed
Location
Denver
I've seen the midland, and that is one feature I like is the ability to take it out and use it as a stand alone unit. Anyone on here have any experience with the midlands?


Sent from my iPhone4 using Tapatalk

Mrtinkle has one I have seen first hand many times. He uses a magnetic rooftop antenna and just pops it on and off for wheeling. You might PM him if you are considering that model. I think it is pretty slick - especially when he pops it out and carries it with him.
 

05x4x4

First Fill-Up (of many)
Mrtinkle has one I have seen first hand many times. He uses a magnetic rooftop antenna and just pops it on and off for wheeling. You might PM him if you are considering that model. I think it is pretty slick - especially when he pops it out and carries it with him.

Thanks, I'll shoot him a message.


Sent from my iPhone4 using Tapatalk
 

Airmapper

First Fill-Up (of many)
I run one of the Midlands. I can usually talk to the local base stations and have measured the distance from where I talk to one of them who I know where they live, and I can talk out to around 25 miles with it, using a roof mounted 3' Firestik II, conditions permitting. They claim I'm not all that loud, but I come in clear. Tree cover has knocked it back some, and solar events can drown me out, but for such a versatile unit it's pretty impressive.

I have the antenna on a mount rigged to fold down onto the roof rack, and the unit hides in the center console. I keep the 2 battery packs and rubber duck antenna in the glove box in case I want to take it out.

Xgvu5o9adDvP7rIUh5CB790VgerzrbXdJi2jMkwx3ho=w800-h600-no
 

drbandkgb

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
I've seen the midland, and that is one feature I like is the ability to take it out and use it as a stand alone unit. Anyone on here have any experience with the midlands?


Sent from my iPhone4 using Tapatalk

I own it.. I love it.. Get with it..

If I had my choice is switch both Xterras to the midland
 

Diadaga

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Virginia
For the record I was in no way knocking handheld units just attempting to point out external antennas are advised.

Sent from my mansion in Grouchland.
 

Intender

Wheeling
Location
Lewisville NC
Somewhat of a thread jack, but at nxm I was picking up bucksnort and prime talking all the way down in oliver springs when they were up at the campground. Not sure what kind of radio bucksnort has, but it was coming through clear, which is kind of weird because he was breaking up when we were on the trail and he was 100 yards behind me.

I got my cobra 18wxstii for a really good deal, but I originally went out looking to get the same handheld dave has.

And to the OP, if you are burning out your radio you probably need to get it tuned. odds are you can pick up everybody clearly but they cant hear you very well. And not tuning your cb for the plane its on will burn out a cb fast. SWR meters arent that expensive. I got one for $15 bucks and paid about $6 for a 2ft cable to hook between it and the radio. With it setup out of the box I was pegging the meter over 10 on the high channels, but running good swr on the low channels. anything over 2.5 is too high
 

05x4x4

First Fill-Up (of many)
If I stay with the standard radio I'll get another Cobra 18, but if I go with a handheld unit I'll get the Midland 75


Sent from my iPhone4 using Tapatalk
 

Prime

Shut up Baby, I know it!
Admin
Location
Denver Adjacent
Somewhat of a thread jack, but at nxm I was picking up bucksnort and prime talking all the way down in oliver springs when they were up at the campground. Not sure what kind of radio bucksnort has, but it was coming through clear, which is kind of weird because he was breaking up when we were on the trail and he was 100 yards behind me.

I got my cobra 18wxstii for a really good deal, but I originally went out looking to get the same handheld dave has.

And to the OP, if you are burning out your radio you probably need to get it tuned. odds are you can pick up everybody clearly but they cant hear you very well. And not tuning your cb for the plane its on will burn out a cb fast. SWR meters arent that expensive. I got one for $15 bucks and paid about $6 for a 2ft cable to hook between it and the radio. With it setup out of the box I was pegging the meter over 10 on the high channels, but running good swr on the low channels. anything over 2.5 is too high

I was kind of curious where you were when I called off that last night run Saturday. I was at the check in cabin w/ Nesty.

I've got a Cobra 29LXLE. No mods and a tuned 4' FireStik
 

Intender

Wheeling
Location
Lewisville NC
I was about 1/4 mile before the bridge where you could see the old downtown part of oliver springs. There was a gas station just up the road from there and I had just pulled out of the station from filling up when you came across. I could hear chatter from the people on the trails all the way up in oak ridge when I had it set on scan.
 

RATTFINK

XN OG Admin.
Founding Member
Location
Conroe, TX
I was kind of curious where you were when I called off that last night run Saturday. I was at the check in cabin w/ Nesty.

I've got a Cobra 29LXLE. No mods and a tuned 4' FireStik

Bill and I were the furthest I've ever been on G2, almost to the other side of the map and we could hear the Xers that went on to the campground talk about led lights.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2
 

Acasper708

Bought an X
I doesn't matter what CB radio you have cause they are all rated at the same power. The key to a good CB set up is to make sure you have a good cable that isn't looped and touching itself and that your mount is properly grounded. Then it matters on the antenna. As high and center of roof is optimal not not always a option for 4x4s.

I've been reading into CB setups lately. A lot of info on the net and even the pros say its better to go cheap on the radio purchase and get a high end antenna.
 

Acasper708

Bought an X
As for my setup, I got a really old cobra mounted in my arm rest with a external speaker.
I just set the radio and shut the arm rest with the mic hangin out.
My antenna setup isn't optimal but it's what I had laying around in the garage. I have some high end ugly antennas on it now but will get some short ones for around town and trails.

uba3u2u7.jpg

I got tired of having my antenna on the roof.
 

CHUG

Lockers Installed
Supporting Member
I bought a 4 foot Firestick from CbWorld ( only 30 minute drive for me). Mounted to the top of the Roof Rack, had it tuned. After a rough start installing CB to the X, It dang near ended up in the trash. BUT, had some Experts Fix the issues ( ferrite beads, lots ).

with the added Height & length of Antenna, with just a cheap $24 dollar midland Radio straped to the top of my arm Rest.. Works like a champ.. Do wish I had the NOAA weather on it...

great tool to have.
 

Diadaga

Suspension Lift
Founding Member
Location
Virginia
I'm looking at upgrading mine once I have money coming in to one that has NOAA. I've got the little uniden 510 and it's a pretty good little radio.
 

Acasper708

Bought an X
The only thing you got to be very careful with a roof top magnet is if it gets knocked over and looses ground plain. If you key up it can cause serious damage to the radio.
 

Tay-Lo

I'm the king of junk food!
Location
Upstate SC
I have the Midland 75-822 because of switching to my civic and rental cars. On the X I put a 4ft firestik firefly in place of the factory antenna (pic in the OP of my build thread) sadly I haven't had a chance to tune or test it because I got it one day and left to work on the road the next and didnt have a SWR meter at the time. I did get a cheap magnet mount and can talk about 2 miles or so, and the antenna cant be tuned but gets a SWR of 2.5 on channel 1 and about 5 on 19.....so not good at all.

With the batteries and rubber duckie in a car I can still talk a mile or so.
 

metzican

Suspension Lift
Location
Lafaytte, la
I was with bill and rat durning that run and i could here all the guys talk about LEDs to. It almost was an issue at one point since we did not know who was following/playing catch up to us or not.
 

TJTJ

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
NJ
Just pointing out some solutions for issues that were mentioned:

You can use an external antenna with a HH CB, by simply running the coax to the same spot where the rubber antenna mounts to the HH CB....that way, you can run it as a rig mounted CB with an exterior antenna for better range and reception/transmission, and unclip the rig antenna and clip the rubber one back on to wak about with it outside, etc.

I do find that the small CB and and larger CB all have the exact same power...and that the tuning of the antenna for it makes an ENORMOUS difference, but, not which CB (Exceptions are the "Souped Up" CB's that are illegally pumping out more power, etc...as far as power goes...but they are even MORE dependent on good tuning of the antenna)

The "All In One" CB, where the mike IS the entire CB, are GREAT for an X or other rig with less space, as they have the same power, etc, as the other CBs...are easily swapped from rig to rig because they use a simple jack to plug/unplug...so the same CB can be used in all your trucks by simply installing the jacks and antenna in all of them, and plugging the CB itself into the one you're IN that day, etc.

People who have fried their CB are almost always the victim of bad tuning. Receiving does not fry things...its when you key the mike and transmit that causes too much of the off frequency transmission to be lost as heat in the radio, which fries things.

"Frying" can be cumulative, as in high heat cycling, over time, degrades components...so you might overheat stuff regularly, over time, and, eventually, suffer a failure...even though it "works" up until that failure...which might takes weeks, months or years of use, etc....depending on how out of tune you were.

The mag mounts are great/convenient for people who want to boost a HH CB, a simple out the window antenna to a mag mounted whip on the roof works really well performance wise....BUT, if you wheel where there's stuff overhead (Branches, etc), they do tend to get knocked askew or off, etc. If your antenna is knocked over, its out of tune, and when you key the mike, you can fry it.

On the X, the roof bars can be used to brace the antenna against, to minimize the odds of knocking it over, etc....but, that does change the tune...and you need to always put it in EXACTLY the same spot once you get a "tune" you can count on. (That goes for any mag mount that is slapped on as needed rather than left in place permanently.)

The longer and higher your antenna, generally, the better your signal will be...but, the easier it will be to whack the antenna on stuff....so out in open areas, beach/dunes, etc...a full length whip is best....but at RC, the Pine Barrens, etc, where even a 4' whip gets whacked repeatedly....shorter is more practical.....and even a 4' whip can easily get 2-10 miles of range if well tuned.

Generally, FRS radios work better, but, never seem to catch on for off roaders...the CB has had staying power, and, if you have FRS, and everyone else has a CB, your FRS is a paperweight. I do tend to bring them along, as I can give one half of a set to someone with NO radio, and at least keep them informed as to the chatter/what the CB people are saying...like We are breaking for lunch in 30 min, we're stopping to fix Joe's CV, or whatever....so they are a little better in the loop.
 

Xterraforce

<img src="http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u7/ra
Founding Member
Location
Signal Mtn., TN
I'd also point out when tuning the antenna to the radio and vehicle, never rely on the built in SWR meters some CBs have. Unless you have a VERY high end unit they're little more than a vague approximation in most cases. They'll let you know if something is terribly wrong but they're just not that accurate.
 

Kyle

Wheeling
Location
Chesapeake, VA
I just bought a Uniden Bear Cat and I was just about to ask this exact same thing. Good thing this months old thread is here :)

I think I'm going to go with the center console though. The radio isn't that big but it's big enough where it wont fit in that change collector space in front of the shifter lol
 

Kyle

Wheeling
Location
Chesapeake, VA
^Ok. That plan failed. Epicly.

Anyone have any antenna mounts where they did not drill into the xterra? I really don't want to drill but with a second antenna off the window...it just looks stupid lol. I was looking at trunk lip mounts that attach to the trunk hatch but I'm not sure what will fit and what wont between the xterra body.

Might go with this but it's pricy and I just don't know http://www.diamondantenna.net/k412c.html
 
Top