CB Questions

[kb5zcr]

I have my 4 foot cb antenna mounted to my homemade trail rails in the front bed corner, during my range test in the middle of the day I got around 5 miles range before fading out. Not the best mounting location but plenty far for me. I also have my ham 2m/440 radio antenna mounted on the front driver cowl, that location works well too.

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[DanW]

I have my 4 foot cb antenna mounted to my homemade trail rails in the front bed corner, during my range test in the middle of the day I got around 5 miles range before fading out. Not the best mounting location but plenty far for me. I also have my ham 2m/440 radio antenna mounted on the front driver cowl, that location works well too.

Do you have a pic? 5 miles is excellent for a CB, so maybe the bed does more as a ground plane than thought?

 

[Jefe1018]

My Ham/CB/GMRS setup. Nice for the antenna to quick disconnect so I can park in the garage.

https://jeepuniq.com/products/uniden-cmx760-cb-mic-and-baofeng-bff8hp-radio-holder-1118
https://cmmoffroad.com/products/jl-jlu-grab-bar-ball-mount
https://www.amazon.com/Mount-Double...379951057cf93949a293413ce906d5ba&gad_source=1
https://www.amazon.com/FS-4BK-Firestik-Tunable-Tip-Antenna/dp/B004HMC6PO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1507669259&sr=8-1&keywords=firestik+4'
https://www.amazon.com/Firestik-Fir...rds=firestik+coax+cable&qid=1636481166&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/FireStik-K-1...ik+push&qid=1636481216&sr=8-1#customerReviews
https://topsyproducts.com/products/fender-mount-antenna-bracket

These photos are both from around the time that I had just purchased a JT, as a matter of fact, I still have the temp tag on the interior shot. I haven’t changed anything because it just worked so well.

 

[dos0711]

Best mount I've found is the wayoflife bed mount...it's sturdy

 

[sarguy1941]

I run the CMX CB and the MTX275 in my JT. I used the Rugged Ridge CB mount that goes in place of the AMFM antenna. Is it perfect. Nope. Does it work. Yup. I dont use it to talk 100 miles I talk to the Jeep in front or back of me. Works fine with a 3' FS. GMRS on my light mount on front left.

I have both in my JK also due to groups on both.

I do run ham in both but rarely use it other than for APRS. No interest to use it on the trail.

 

[sarguy1941]

How bout a pissed off ham? If I were to show up at an off road meet and a bunch of idiots with no amateur license fired up on amateur frequencies with Baoturd radios there would be a big problem. I’m not fond of A Holes that don’t think they need to abide by rules like FCC licenses or paying for a required USFS pass to get into some areas, etc because they think they are special. Try Taking over some amateur frequencies without a license when some of the group are licensed amateurs and you will find out just how special you are.

Radio Guy is a good dude. Not sure what your beef with him is....

Anyway I gave up on guys using ham. Been on multiple rides and guys are using ham on CCRs. In my area the hunters use a 2M frequency. I gave up on complaining and reporting to the FCC as they really dont care. I try to educate when I can but I'm not a cop so not up to me to enforce it. I normally just change the knob position....

 

[Radio Guy]

Best mount I've found is the wayoflife bed mount...it's sturdy

It’s not good to have the base of the antenna above the ground plane like that, you take a big hit in efficiency. You will notice a reduction in range compared to having the same antenna mounted on a large flat sheet of metal. BTW I do a lot of antenna testing under conditions like this.

 

[dos0711]

It’s not good to have the base of the antenna above the ground plane like that, you take a big hit in efficiency. You will notice a reduction in range compared to having the same antenna mounted on a large flat sheet of metal. BTW I do a lot of antenna testing under conditions like this.

It may not be the best place but it works for me. It's out of the way, I get good reports and my SWR is under 2.

 

[sarguy1941]

I believe that is the Rugged Radios 1/2 wave NGP VHF antenna. I ran one on my JK and worked fine on a bracket on the spare tire. I wouldn't try that with a CB antenna.

 

[Sw00per]

Best mount I've found is the wayoflife bed mount...it's sturdy

Did you route your cable across the frame and then to the firewall in the engine bay? I am thinking this would work best for me. I think I read that you should not ziptie but use clips. How did you do it?

 

[Sw00per]

Here is a discussion on this topic from another forum.

https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/7307-antenna-mount-type-and-position/

 

[Radio Guy]

Did you route your cable across the frame and then to the firewall in the engine bay? I am thinking this would work best for me. I think I read that you should not ziptie but use clips. How did you do it?

I have an NMO mount centered on the same upper bed rail and brought the coax up through an existing grommet under the rear seat. Ty-Raps are fine, just don’t make them too tight where they deform the coax.

 

[Sw00per]

I have an NMO mount centered on the same upper bed rail and brought the coax up through an existing grommet under the rear seat. Ty-Raps are fine, just don’t make them too tight where they deform the coax.

I did not know there was a rear seat grommet... thanks.

 

[Radio Guy]

I did not know there was a rear seat grommet... thanks.

Look under the truck on either side at the far outer edges of the chassis just behind the front of the rear seats. There are two rubber/plastic grommets that will get a wire up under the rear seat. Then you can run under the carpet to the front or under the dash, etc. My three radios sit under the rear seats so its good for me.

 

[avere3]

Best mount I've found is the wayoflife bed mount...it's sturdy

Sorry for resurrecting a thread that's over a year old, but I have one of these brackets with a Midland ghost antenna. It seems to pick up weather stations pretty well, but there isn't much GMRS traffic around here, otherwise.

I recently bought an SWR meter, and my SWR was over 3. I know the ghost antenna isn't great, but I didn't expect the SWR to be so high. I ran my cable into the cab using the notch in the tub under the hardtop. The cable doesn't appear to be pinched.

I'm currently using the Aux 4 switch to power my Btech GMRS-20V2, but I may try a different power source to see if that has any effect.

Would an aluminum tonneau cover have any effect on the signal?

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