How to wire up a CB Radio? - Now done & With Pics.

Does anyone know how to wire up a Midway CB Radio in my Truck?


TJ

To begin with you need a fused electrical supply independently of the ignition, connect this to the power supply leads of the set.

Using co-axial cable of the correct type ypu need to attach a PL 259 plug to one end and solder it, do not just tuck the centre core in as the connection will be poor and blow the output transistors. Mount the aerial in a suitable location, follow the instructions for mounting and ensure you remove adequate paint for the mounting to earth to the vehicle body correctly, and bolt up tightly. Run the coax to the aerial and fit the other PL 259 plug and connect to the base of your aerial.

You will need an SWR meter if the unit does not have an inbuilt one, and disconnect the aerial from the CB and plug into the correct port on the SWR meter and use the patch lead from the SWR meter to the CB, key the microphone on a channel and note the reading. Ideally it should be 1:1 as this is perfect.

If not you will have to adjust the aerial, most have a locked sliding section, or adjusting mechanism to trim it, often it is trial and error to SWR the aerial to the CB, but get it as low as possible, and certainly within the limits specified by the manufacturer.

Thanks for the info. I will have ago next weekend or so.

TJ

When you say, "connect this to the power supply leads of the set", do you mean the battery? Or is it best to wire it in to the vehicle fuse box?

TJ

Wire it up to a non ignition operated fuse, or a fuse operated with the ignition in the accessory position.

Ta, Ill have a look again tomorrow.

My CB radio came with a Large Magnet, Rubber mount that sticks pretty well anywhere.

Where would be the best place to mount it? Boot, Rook, Bonnet?

TJ

This is what I got just incase anyone want one.

http://www.thunderpole.co.uk/cb_radio_pack-continental.htm

Any aeriel radiates from the ground plane, basically the ground plane is the earth or vehicle body, if you want all round reception mount it in the centre of the roof.

If you want better transmission and reception forwards of you then mount it on the rear of the roof, it will have more ground plane in front of the aerial so will transmit and receive better to anything in front of your vehicle.

So I have found the time to wire up the CB.

I went for a Intek M-799 Plus CB Radio over the Midway mainly due to price.

Here are the finished pics:

















The Intek came with all the necessary wiring and cable. The power cable for the CB Radio unit came with a fuse built in to both black and red wire.
After assembly I positioned the Radio and Mic and then fed the cable through the glove box and then the front right wing in to the engine bay and then bolted straight on to the battery.
Everything works fine, the auto squelch feature is quite handy, automatically fine tuning the radio for communication clarity.
The only thing I have to remember is to shut of the CB, just taking the key out wont turn it off. Fingers crossed all will remain well....

TJ

As you can see, my magnetic aerial is mounted on the bonnet. It sits there quite happily at 70+ on the motorway (on the silver RR it was more like a ton ... but I wasn't driving of course, honest m'lud) so is perfectly safe. Even it it did come off, the lead is such it could never hit the screen or fall into the road.

Only time it ever came off was greenlaning once. A branch caught it, so of course it dislodged itself. It's for this very reason I like it where I can see it, you can't say the same when it's up on the roof with a longer cable. If it fell off from that position it could whack the screen or side glass, potentially cracking/breaking it. Very happy where it is.

They don't stick to plastic roofs very well Tom.

As it happens I tried that recently on a Peugeot MPV. All the front was plastic, so were two sections of the roof and it wasn't until I tried the very rear of the roof did it become steel.

Talking of which, I had a butcher's at the new Range Rover Evoque in a Spanish dealer's showroom recently and was amazed at the amount of composite plastics used - the one-piece tailgate for instance. Apparentley the vehicle comprises of 16kg recycled plastic, which sees the Evoque weigh in at only 1600 kg, that's some 100kg lighter than the equivalent Freelander model. Wow, times have changed!

Talking of which, I had a butcher's at the new Range Rover Evoque in a Spanish dealer's showroom recently and was amazed at the amount of composite plastics used - the one-piece tailgate for instance. Apparentley the vehicle comprises of 16kg recycled plastic, which sees the Evoque weigh in at only 1600 kg, that's some 100kg lighter than the equivalent Freelander model. Wow, times have changed!

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The wife and I went to the Evoque launch at the NEC earlier this year although it looks very nice there is more plastic than in it than Mrs Beckhams chest.

And at over 30k for the base model with a diesel motor I for one won't be trading the ML in for one anytime soon for half of that you could get a decent Disco which I think would be a much better bet.

Anyway back on topic, I just swopped the mag mounted CB ariel for a springer orbital with a proper bolted on mount as the mag mount kept falling off the the ML without the aid of gaffa tape

You're ovbiously buying crap gaffa tape!

BTW, managed to take the 'off-roading Peugeot MPV' back to the hirers in Calais without any hassle - amazing what a bit of dirt slapped around the sills covers up.

"there is more plastic than in it than Mrs Beckhams chest."

Tom Mc wrote:

"there is more plastic than in it than Mrs Beckhams chest."