CB Radio

Rubicon310

Rubicon310

New member
Looking for a little guidance one a CB install.

I've read a few threads where guys have grounded their Coax cable from the antenna to the cb radio.

Is this really necessary?

I will be installing a 4ft Firestick 2 with a Cobra 75.

I will be mounting the antenna onto the LoD tire carrier by drilling out one of the two holes along the top that are originally designed for the 3rd light bracket.

Once the hole is drilled out, I will install one of these..
IMG_9069.JPG
IMG_9068.JPG

I purchased 20 feet of coax from Radio Shack. Other than needing the spring, anything else I may need? Is spicing the coax and grounding it necessary?


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Mine is not spliced at all. 20ft from the back of the radio and the antenna mount is located on the spare tire delete plate. I will be moving it to my tire carrier soon though. I have a 4ft firestick and Uniden 505. Zero issues with performance. Be interestimg though if someone else chimes in with a different opinion on grounding

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Don't modify you Coax. The grounding is achieved through the mount it's self. I good setup will have solid ground at the coax collar, and completely isolated at the inner socket of the antenna stud. The ground plane at the antenna mount is critical so the mount needs a good contact with a the body.


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QuicksilverJK said:
Don't modify you Coax. The grounding is achieved through the mount it's self. I good setup will have solid ground at the coax collar, and completely isolated at the inner socket of the antenna stud. The ground plane at the antenna mount is critical so the mount needs a good contact with a the body.


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I will be using the stud pictured above. This will be threaded into a 1/2 inch hole that I'll be making on my powder coated tire carrier. Would this be a problem?


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cavfighter said:
Mine is not spliced at all. 20ft from the back of the radio and the antenna mount is located on the spare tire delete plate. I will be moving it to my tire carrier soon though. I have a 4ft firestick and Uniden 505. Zero issues with performance. Be interestimg though if someone else chimes in with a different opinion on grounding

sent from my Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator
Click to expand...

I tried using my bumper mounted tire carrier to mount mine originally. I had a very hard time keeping my SWR down to a usable level. It wasn't getting a solid ground through the carrier hinge I think because of the grease on the spindle. I got much better results after moving to the tailgate.


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QuicksilverJK said:
I tried using my bumper mounted tire carrier to mount mine originally. I had a very hard time keeping my SWR down to a usable level. It wasn't getting a solid ground through the carrier hinge I think because of the grease on the spindle. I got much better results after moving to the tailgate.


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Click to expand...
Good to know. I was actiually concerned about that as well. Ill have to play with it. Worst case, maybe justnrun a small ground strap right at the pivot point.
Rubicon310 said:
I will be using the stud pictured above. This will be threaded into a 1/2 inch hole that I'll be making on my powder coated tire carrier. Would this be a problem?


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Click to expand...
My antenna mount is powder coated also. No issues. If I did have issues, I would have just sanded a small area.

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Actually, I will be mounting the stud on the tailgate plate. Not the actual tire carrier portion of the bumper. This plate is attached to the tailgate with 8 screws I believe. IMG_9072.JPG

The red circle is where I plan to screw the antenna stud into.


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Run it the way your planning on, and then check your SWR's. If they are to high , run a separate ground wire from your antenna mount to something close by that would have a good ground. DO NOT cut into your coax. Also sometimes the spring you attach your antenna to, will give you problems.


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Rubicon310 said:
Actually, I will be mounting the stud on the tailgate plate. Not the actual tire carrier portion of the bumper. This plate is attached to the tailgate with 8 screws I believe. View attachment 251165

The red circle is where I plan to screw the antenna stud into.


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Click to expand...

I had to run a small ground strap from the tub to the tailgate to get a good ground for my antenna Image1491147995.108059.jpg


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20 feet is a lot of cable. Make sure you spread out the extra cable, do not coil it up and tuck it somewhere. If its coiled up you will never be able to tune it.

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You may want to sand the inside of one of the mounting holes so that the plate has a good ground to the tailgate. 16' is all you need so you will have 4' extra, make sure you space it out and don't coil it or you will cause yourself a major headache.
 
Goldeneagle1LC said:
You may want to sand the inside of one of the mounting holes so that the plate has a good ground to the tailgate. 16' is all you need so you will have 4' extra, make sure you space it out and don't coil it or you will cause yourself a major headache.
Click to expand...

As stated make sure bottom of the hole is sanded down. Powder coating must be removed. To make sure i have wire going from the antenna mount through the gate to the body of the jeep. There is a bolt in the trunk attaching plastic part of the sub-woofer enclosure to the body of the jeep i grounded it to that bolt.
 
Rubicon310 said:
Actually, I will be mounting the stud on the tailgate plate. Not the actual tire carrier portion of the bumper. This plate is attached to the tailgate with 8 screws I believe. View attachment 251165

The red circle is where I plan to screw the antenna stud into.


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Click to expand...

Please let us know how this works. This is my exact thought for an antenna location. And I have wondered if it would work.

Thanks for being the test mule!
 
Thanks for all the input. I installed the cobra 75 on my jeep. Works great.

I ended up using the hole closest to the gold color latch as this was more centered. Required a 1/2 inch drill bit to allow the antenna stud to slide in all the way.


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Rubicon310 said:
Thanks for all the input. I installed the cobra 75 on my jeep. Works great.

I ended up using the hole closest to the gold color latch as this was more centered. Required a 1/2 inch drill bit to allow the antenna stud to slide in all the way.


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Click to expand...

Nice!
What length and brand antenna? Did you use a SWR meter, and if so, what was your reading?

I'm new to the CB thang! Any insight would be great, as I have the same LOD Destroyer bumper and carrier...
 
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