[y22man]

Hello All,

Searching for CB mount or antenna returned a lot of false positive hits. Do you guys have any pictures of your mounts? I am more curious of your antenna mounts. I think I have seen them on the rear bumper. I am sure I can find hood mounts. Just want to see how it looks.

 

[Matt0987]

Do you have a particular CB in mind?

I am a ham radio operator and I have a nice set up. Some of which I could photo for you.

I am not familiar with CB, however. Does the radio you have in mind have a removable front? Do CBs come with those?

My mobile ham radio has the main body of the radio under the steering column. In front of my knees behind the removable panel. The relocatable front is on a unit I fabricated along with the mic.

http://www.thedieselstop.com/forums...matt0987/f-350-433-picture1413-f350-radio.jpg

The bracket is simply sheet metal bent to slide under the upper and lower dash trim pieces. It is easily removable. There is several feet of wire behind the bracket in the cubby hole so I can use the radio outside of the truck if I feel so inclined.

I have lumber racks on my truck and an antenna mount, a Diamond K-9000, fastened to them that lays the antenna down for storage when I am not using it. It is designed so the antenna can be stored in a horizontal position when not in use.

 

[deliberate]

I am a ham radio operator and I have a nice set up. Some of which I could photo for you.

I don't have an EX (have a 2010 F350). I am an inactive ham who has had his ticket for a long time, and keep thinking I'd like to add a tri-band type radio (perhaps with repeater functionality) like a Yeasu to my truck. I currently carry a Yeasu VX-8 and a small mag mount whip around in the left rear door pocket but never use it.

I also carry a small handheld consumer-level CB for emergencies which has optionally-used 12V and antenna connectors so that I think I could have a chance with a small mag mount CB antenna (still looking) on my truck if stranded.

I'd be *very* interested in seeing pix of your install, as would I suspect many others here. While I'm concerned about the ergonomics of the radio/mike/speaker bits, I do worry about getting a proper antenna install (with good ground plane) that can be easily removed or laid down.

TIA,
- Don

 

[Matt0987]

Y22man may be interested in that there is plenty of room behind the door on the rear door hinge post to run an antenna cable. When I use my mag mount in my Ex I use a Yaesu FT-51 laying in the Ex cup holder. The antenna wire runs between the driver's seat and the floor consol, behind the driver's seat to the rear door hinge post, up the post, out to the roof, and on to the mag mount. This is, obviously, a temporary use setup. If Y22man wanted a more permanant set up he could install the radio on the bottom of the dash or on the floor over the tranny in front of the center floor consol. Run the antenna wire under the carpet to the door location I mentioned and on to the mag mount. Or, to the Diamond K-9000 antenna mount. He could mount the K-9000 to the luggage rack on the top. Either on the side or the center of a rack bow.

I have found that it is easier to run the antenna wire, on a permanent install, under the carpet by first removing the driver's seat. Making sure the wire is located so as not to be under the seat tracks when the seat is reinstalled.

I use grey cloth tape to secure the antenna wire to the door post.

I suppose one could run the antenna wire behind the dash, up the A pillar, under the ceiling liner to a hole drilled in the roof. But I am not wild about drilling holes in the roof of my vehicles.

This is why I ran the antenna wire behind the dash, down the kick panel to the left of the E brake, drilled a hole in the floor (I may have run the wire under the door threshold to the rear of the cab before going through the flor under the cab. It has been awhile since I did the install and I am not quite sure.), ran the antenna wire under the cab, to the back of the cab, between the cab and the bed, up to the lumber racks and the K-9000.

It seems as though the K-9000 must be grounded through it's own body to the truck through the lumber rack because I get good TX and RX.

Here is how I mounted the radio behind the knee panel under the steering wheel.

If you look at the image in the first of my posts (Assuming you missed that) you would see the bracket I fabricated from sheet metal.

The radio is mounted to the angle aluminum with two screws into the radio body using the radio body's mounting holes. It has been there for about 7 years now.

Of course I used lock washers between the angle mounting bolts and nuts.

 

[y22man]

I am not so worried about the CB location as the Antenna. I have had the magnitic lil wilson and I am not going to go that route again. Where the magnet was it was collecting the iron/metalic elements in the air and creating rust spots. Had to use the clay bar after every trip. So I am only looking for perminate mounts.

I can figure it out, but I was seeing what others was doing. Researching on google I found a nice setup that a fella did installing the antennas on the cowl behind the hood.

 

[Matt0987]

Yes, for me, magmounts are always temporary. I always put a towel, old T shirt material, something between the paint and the magnet to protect the vehicle's finish.

 

[drinkypoo]

Yes, for me, magmounts are always temporary. I always put a towel, old T shirt material, something between the paint and the magnet to protect the vehicle's finish.

fabric traps dirt... you're better off just cleaning the antenna base and surface each time you mount it.

 

[Matt0987]

fabric traps dirt... you're better off just cleaning the antenna base and surface each time you mount it.

Not when you are taking the mag mount off at the end of the day. Long term, perhaps. But my experience has been that the mag mount can scratch the finish and a piece of soft cloth remedies that.

And, if one is not careful, when one removes the magmount it may slide and scratch the finish. Especially if you are stretching to retrieve it from the top of a tall vehiche. A cloth remedies that, too.

 

[deliberate]

Researching on google I found a nice setup that a fella did installing the antennas on the cowl behind the hood.

Sorry I don't have the specifics on this, but I seem to recall finding a Ford warning someplace (for the 2010 SuperDuty) about NOT mounting a radiating antenna on the driver's side hood and aft area because of potential interference with computer stuff just below. Might just be CYA on their part, you never know. What looks like an already existing mounting location there on my truck, symetrically across from the AM/FM antenna, otherwise might be quite attractive, at least "looking" forward.

Of course, your best ground plane is likely your roof.

- Don