CB and GMRS Install

[Gobi Wan K]

I posted this in the what did you do thread but thought I would add it here to help people that might search for this topic.

Finished installing my radios today. Used a @JcrOffroad overhead molle panel. The radios are a President Bill cb and a Midland MTX115 GMRS. I used a 3 foot Firestick 2 cb antenna. I really struggled with where to put it. I ended up just drilling a hole in the front lip of the bed. I had limited options with the hard tonneau cover and I didn't want it up front. I used a Wilson stainless mount and Wilson spring. The GMRS antenna is a Nagoya UT-72. It is actually a magnet mount antenna but I removed it from the magnet and used a stainless corner brace from Home Depot. I'm glad they come as a 4 pack because it took 3 trys to get all the bends right to get it to fit nice under the cowl.

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[MadCat0911]

What's that wiring harness setup you've got going there? I was debating using the same JCR Overhead Molle Panel, but I'm not sure the wires with the MTX115 will reach down to the aux switch wires, so I haven't gone that route yet.

 

[donmontalvo]

(Jeep JL owner my apologies in advance if I shouldn't be here <g>)

I've thought of replacing my CBBAR with a JCR Overhed Molle Panel, the reason being I'm heading out on a month long trip through Moab/Rubicon/etc., and I've hit my head on the CBBAR a few times when I lift my seat up on the really steep climbs.

The only thing keeping me from buying it, I can't tell from the advertising/marketing, or from your photos (which are awesome by the way!) if I can mount my Midland XMT115 (GMRS) and President Bill FCC (CB) at an angle so I can see the display.

BTW, I have my CB antenna (Wilson flex 48") and GMRS antenna (Midland MXTA26) both mounted on a Teraflex bracket on my tailgate.

Here's what I have now:

 

[MrZappo]

Nice clean installs gentlemen ...

 

[Gobi Wan K]

(Jeep JL owner my apologies in advance if I shouldn't be here <g>)

I've thought of replacing my CBBAR with a JCR Overhed Molle Panel, the reason being I'm heading out on a month long trip through Moab/Rubicon/etc., and I've hit my head on the CBBAR a few times when I lift my seat up on the really steep climbs.

The only thing keeping me from buying it, I can't tell from the advertising/marketing, or from your photos (which are awesome by the way!) if I can mount my Midland XMT115 (GMRS) and President Bill FCC (CB) at an angle so I can see the display.

BTW, I have my CB antenna (Wilson flex 48") and GMRS antenna (Midland MXTA26) both mounted on a Teraflex bracket on my tailgate.

Here's what I have now:

So, I looked at a few different ways to mount mine on the molle panel. I had originally thought about placing them so the driver and passenger could see them. After looking at that I decided I wouldn't be happy and the radios would be more difficult to use. So I pointed them both at the drivers side. I am not sure what kind of angle you are looking for. I am average height and I can see them just fine.

Let me know if you want any pictures from a different angle. So far I am still happy with the setup. All but the CB antenna, still wish I had a better spot for that.

 

[Josh00333]

Bout as simple as you can get.

 

[kahuna357]

Bout as simple as you can get.

What antenna mount is this?

 

[Josh00333]

I bought the kit, painted the mount rattle can semi-gloss black. I taped off the ant bolt and truck bolt so it was metal to metal contact there.

https://www.cooltechllc.com/2018-je...rs_bundle_options-front_mount_antenna_bracket

What antenna mount is this?

 

[kahuna357]

I bought the kit, painted the mount rattle can semi-gloss black. I taped off the ant bolt and truck bolt so it was metal to metal contact there.

https://www.cooltechllc.com/2018-je...rs_bundle_options-front_mount_antenna_bracket

Thanks !

 

[Radio Guy]

A better way to mount the antenna is an NMO trunk lip mount on the hood near the hinges. The mount shown above puts the antenna about 6" below hood level with a very poor ground plane around it. The top of hood mount will have a better omni directional pattern and will be easier to achieve a good match for some difficult antennas. Plus these mounts are very strong and make an excellent ground connection via two allen set screws that go into the bottom side of the hood.

I went a few steps further and removed the downward curved cowl pieces and coated the undersides with conductive tape that makes contact with the Torx bolts that holds the pieces on. This extends the ground plane back towards the window slightly. Probably extreme for some but I do a lot of radio testing in my JT and need good reliable antenna mounts. This mount location should also work better for CB than most I have seen and there are lots of good CB antennas available with NMO mounts.

Here is a picture of a 6" whip for GMRS on the mount and the separate mount with no antenna. I do a lot of radio stuff and put one on each side of my hood. You can find good deals on these mounts on eBay, my Laird brand mounts only cost $20 each with coax attached.

 

[Josh00333]

Agreed it's a better mount, but blocks the cowl lights.

If no cowl lights I would have gone that way.

 

[sharpsicle]

I grabbed this guy. So simple it's stupid and works quite well. I'm just using it for a ghost antenna, anything over 3 feet (like my CB antenna) and I'd use something different mounted behind the cab.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W5XHRY2/

 

[Glad Jeeper]

Here are a couple pictures of my project yesterday installing my GMSR radio and antenna. I am trying to decide and where to connect power, direct to battery would be my preference.

 

[sarguy1941]

I like the radio mount. the antenna mount on the other hand is junk for any performance you need. I guess talking to a jeep in front or behind you but other than that wont work well. For power if you have AUX switches I used the 12V cable in the harness under the glove box. If your an auto you can run a wire thru the clutch gromet to the battery. Use 12Guage on the end of the factory harness and you should be good.

 

[Radio Guy]

Glad Jeeper - Not a good way to mount that antenna, its designed to sit directly on flat sheet metal so there is a ground plane right under it. Raise the antenna above the ground plane and performance goes down and it can be hard to achieve a good match.

Running power wires direct to the battery has some advantages but for a single GMRS radio like that it wont benefit much of anything. For CB or HF where you can get radio interference from shared power sources yes but not really at UHF were that radio operates.

What I would recommend is running some moderately large wire like 8ga direct to the battery then make a universal power distribution box for the entire overhead area to feed future devices. Put a large fuse at the battery like 50-100 amp then you can have individual smaller fuses or better yet, circuit breakers for each overhead device.

I like to use Eaton brand aircraft circuit breakers and mount them to a panel, a length of aluminum angle stock or a metal box with a barrier strip or individual Anderson Power Pole connectors for each device.

Here is a power distribution box I made for my last truck that brought in some really fat wire, 4ga I think right to the battery with a 200A fuse at the battery then four 20A aircraft circuit breakers in the box, one to the main radio and three feeding binding posts for future stuff. There was also a 175A Anderson Power Pole that fed my 500W HF amp. The radio and power distribution box mounts to some 7ply marine plywood painted black (called a "wood" in the radio installer world) under the back seat of the truck.

I repurposed this box for my JT and switched the binding posts out for 45 amp Anderson Power Poles. All internal wiring to the circuit breakers is 10ga. I also bonded the ground at the box to a large bolt under the back seat with about 6" of flat braid cable to establish a better common radio RF ground point which is better when running high power HF.

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