CB Radio?

[npurdy1112]

That seems like an awful lot of money for a bent piece of aluminum with a couple holes in it.

Agree, but I dont have the machines and tools to make myself, which would be even more expensive. There are many products that could be lumped into that category.

 

[foneguy]

i made a wooden triangular mount that sits on the floor.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Uniden have a unit not much bigger than a deck of cards with all the controls on the mic. He box is easily attached under the passenger side dash. It comes with an extension cable for the mic, so the control box can be mounted almost anywhere, under the seats, etc. I used it in my 2014, and moved it to my new 2019.

Any issues with that radio? They get really terrible reviews.

I think I will just move my Cobra 75 WX ST and amp to the new truck.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Here's several (similar) options if anyone is looking for an antenna mount. Mounts to third brake light. Pricey, but clean and keeps a clamp off your hood and way cheaper than another brand I looked at that had only one or two models.

Larson Electronics - Vehicle Mounting Plates

Vehicle Mounting Plates

www.larsonelectronics.com

 

[Camr]

Any issues with that radio? They get really terrible reviews.

I think I will just move my Cobra 75 WX ST and amp to the new truck.

I would recommend this radio only if you are requiring a small radio that takes up no dash space. It will never tale the place of a full sized radio. The audio output from the mic/speaker is tinny and low in volume. An external speaker is highly recommended.

 

[jsalbre]

Here's several (similar) options if anyone is looking for an antenna mount. Mounts to third brake light. Pricey, but clean and keeps a clamp off your hood and way cheaper than another brand I looked at that had only one or two models.

Larson Electronics - Vehicle Mounting Plates

Vehicle Mounting Plates

www.larsonelectronics.com

I really like the idea of those brackets, but put one of those on and you’re never pulling into a parking garage again. If clearance is not a concern then you’ll certainly get a better signal up there though.

 

[Brutal_HO]

I would recommend this radio only if you are requiring a small radio that takes up no dash space. It will never tale the place of a full sized radio. The audio output from the mic/speaker is tinny and low in volume. An external speaker is highly recommended.

Thanks.

The 75 WX ST is a remote mount radio with all the controls and speaker in the Mic.

Recent reviews also ding it pretty hard but mine has been good for 10+ years now. I lost two 29 LTD's within a few years each and this thing just keeps on going.

We really just use them to talk to each other on the road when we often travel with friends.

 

[Brutal_HO]

I really like the idea of those brackets, but put one of those on and you’re never pulling into a parking garage again. If clearance is not a concern then you’ll certainly get a better signal up there though.

The only parking garage my new truck will ever go into is Denver Airport. Plenty of clearance (I see a lot of lifted trucks in there) and a reason I'm probably going to use a magnetic mount antenna for the CB and the GMRS radio.

 

[jsalbre]

The only parking garage my new truck will ever go into is Denver Airport. Plenty of clearance (I see a lot of lifted trucks in there) and a reason I'm probably going to use a magnetic mount antenna for the CB and the GMRS radio.

Yeah, the garage at DIA is thankfully pretty tall. My old lifted Jeep even fit in there. I don’t plan to be in garages often, but sometimes it’s the only convenient place to park, and I’d hate to limit myself because of an antenna.

I’ve never been a fan of magnet mount antennas due to the damage they tend to do to paint. I’ll likely end up with the hood edge mount myself, or maybe build something custom near the taillight.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Yeah, the garage at DIA is thankfully pretty tall. My old lifted Jeep even fit in there. I don’t plan to be in garages often, but sometimes it’s the only convenient place to park, and I’d hate to limit myself because of an antenna.

I’ve never been a fan of magnet mount antennas due to the damage they tend to do to paint. I’ll likely end up with the hood edge mount myself, or maybe build something custom near the taillight.

I was looking at hood edge mounts too. I want to add a small Ham (GMRS legal) radio as well so the magnetic mount bracket gave me another option. However, it's quite a bit more expensive for the magnetic version, Why adding a flat steel plate to an aluminum bracket costs an extra $70 is odd. Pulling a fiver, I have to keep things cab forward and not a fan, nor can I mount one in the front stake pocket with the toolbox* coming.

* I may not see my new Taylor Wing coming out of CA for who knows how long...

 

[Distillusion]

Yeah, the garage at DIA is thankfully pretty tall. My old lifted Jeep even fit in there. I don’t plan to be in garages often, but sometimes it’s the only convenient place to park, and I’d hate to limit myself because of an antenna.

I’ve never been a fan of magnet mount antennas due to the damage they tend to do to paint. I’ll likely end up with the hood edge mount myself, or maybe build something custom near the taillight.

I used to place a piece of saran wrap across the bottom of the magnet. It's thin enough not to impact the magnet's field strength, sticky enough that it doesn't slide around, and protects the paint. And it's easy to replace every time you take the antenna off. These days, I would also consider a stake hole mount. They're non-invasive.

 

[Brutal_HO]

I used to place a piece of saran wrap across the bottom of the magnet. It's thin enough not to impact the magnet's field strength, sticky enough that it doesn't slide around, and protects the paint. And it's easy to replace every time you take the antenna off. These days, I would also consider a stake hole mount. They're non-invasive.

That's what clearbra is for.

That said, I think I'm just going to use the lip mount brackets on the hood and will spot cover those areas with clearbra. I'm having the front end and window tint done soon anyway, I just need to figure out which mounts (light/med/HD) to use. Probably going to use the Comet medium duty (RS730) lip mounts. I'm leaving the old antenna setup on the 04.5 so I'll probably get one of the new lightweight Firestik's and the other is a featherweight quad band PL259 mount.

Looks like there's plenty of room still under the driver side knee bolster to mount these tiny boxes and I can wire the power to one of the aux switches and mount the amp where I can reach the button if needed. I like to turn it off when we're very near each other so I don't blow my buddy out of the cab.

 

[jsalbre]

I used to place a piece of saran wrap across the bottom of the magnet. It's thin enough not to impact the magnet's field strength, sticky enough that it doesn't slide around, and protects the paint. And it's easy to replace every time you take the antenna off. These days, I would also consider a stake hole mount. They're non-invasive.

Hadn’t thought of that, not a bad idea.

That's what clearbra is for.

That said, I think I'm just going to use the lip mount brackets on the hood and will spot cover those areas with clearbra. I'm having the front end and window tint done soon anyway, I just need to figure out which mounts (light/med/HD) to use. Probably going to use the Comet medium duty (RS730) lip mounts. I'm leaving the old antenna setup on the 04.5 so I'll probably get one of the new lightweight Firestik's and the other is a featherweight quad band PL259 mount.

Looks like there's plenty of room still under the driver side knee bolster to mount these tiny boxes and I can wire the power to one of the aux switches and mount the amp where I can reach the button if needed. I like to turn it off when we're very near each other so I don't blow my buddy out of the cab.

Clear bra sounds like a great idea. I guess that really wasn’t as much of a thing last time I considered and ruled out magnet mounts.

I’d skip the lip mount. There are some mounts that attach to a fender bolt and stick out the gap between fender and hood. I don’t have a link handy, but I found them pretty easy on Google before.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Hadn’t thought of that, not a bad idea.



Clear bra sounds like a great idea. I guess that really wasn’t as much of a thing last time I considered and ruled out magnet mounts.

I’d skip the lip mount. There are some mounts that attach to a fender bolt and stick out the gap between fender and hood. I don’t have a link handy, but I found them pretty easy on Google before.

I have a (single) fender mount on my 04.5 now.

I haven't found one that fits 19-20 trucks, they also only make driver side.

 

[Lary0071]

If you have a truck bed tool box, you can easily fashion a bracket for free out of a chunk of angle from the hardware store. Put a Firestick or similar on it when you want it, unscrew the antenna and toss it under the back seat backrest when your not needing it. You can always make it a temp install and run the cable out the back door to the toolbox, when done unscrew the cable and roll it up and tuck it under the back seat backrest as well.

This would be my most favorite CB for myself or to reccomend. You can take it to a local CB shop and get "peaked and tuned" and it becomes a VERY respectable radio, and it has the coveted RF gain adjustment. So far as I know, this is the only compact radio that is capable of being peaked and tuned. And very few will have the RF gain knob.... and you want that! My personal opinion is that there is no better compact CB on the market, especially once you spend a few nickles and get the thing tuned along with a decent quality coax cable, connectors of decent quality and a decent antenna. You will fall in love with it and be shocked at how great a compact can be.
Uniden Pro520XL

 

[Brutal_HO]

If you have a truck bed tool box, you can easily fashion a bracket for free out of a chunk of angle from the hardware store. Put a Firestick or similar on it when you want it, unscrew the antenna and toss it under the back seat backrest when your not needing it. You can always make it a temp install and run the cable out the back door to the toolbox, when done unscrew the cable and roll it up and tuck it under the back seat backrest as well.

This would be my most favorite CB for myself or to reccomend. You can take it to a local CB shop and get "peaked and tuned" and it becomes a VERY respectable radio, and it has the coveted RF gain adjustment. So far as I know, this is the only compact radio that is capable of being peaked and tuned. And very few will have the RF gain knob.... and you want that! My personal opinion is that there is no better compact CB on the market, especially once you spend a few nickles and get the thing tuned along with a decent quality coax cable, connectors of decent quality and a decent antenna. You will fall in love with it and be shocked at how great a compact can be.
Uniden Pro520XL

Thanks, I may consider the truck box mount option. I can run a cable out the cab easy enough.

 

[chickenbaloo]

I just bought my 2019 Ram 2500 Megacab and am looking to install a CB. I have been researching the "how-to's" and "where's" on installing my CB and discovered your thread. I am hoping for some guidance on my install. I have the Cobra 75WXST and have identified a spot to install the box just under the steering wheel attached to the bracket that secures the dash. I plan to drill a small hole through the rubber gasket in the firewall to pass the antenna and power line through into the engine compartment. I have a FrontRunner bed rack installed and will attach the antenna to that running the antenna cable under the cab and up between the cab and bed. The one question I have that I am hoping someone can give me insight; I am thinking of keeping the radio in the center console and want to drill a small home under the CD player and cell phone ledge. Is there anything behind the wall of the console in that area that I should be concerned with hitting? Is there a straight shot from the console at that location to the cavity under the dash to attach to the box? Any help is greatly appreciated. I will see if I can take some decent pictures to post to help illustrate. Thank you all!

- Carlos

 

[zblink1888]

Not CB but here is my GMRS antenna setup, i have HAM going out the rear window. GMRS radio is a remote mounted type (mic controls but still has normal radio form factor) and its all tucked away and hidden and wouldnt have a clue there is a radio in the truck outside of the little ghost antenna

 

[Brutal_HO]

Not CB but here is my GMRS antenna setup, i have HAM going out the rear window. GMRS radio is a remote mounted type (mic controls but still has normal radio form factor) and its all tucked away and hidden and wouldnt have a clue there is a radio in the truck outside of the little ghost antenna

Did you purchase or fabricate that mount?

 

[zblink1888]

purchase ...

Valley Enterprises