Replacing CB antenna wiring April 07, 2022, 10:03:51 pm I'm wanting to get a CB back in my rig. When we bought it, it had one stuck under the driver's seat. The rig has the antenna and power wires hanging near the rear view mirror. I tried to hook it up the other week, but the power wires up there don't have 12V on them. I was able to rig up something from the cig lighter to see the radio did turn on. I got no real reception with it, and when we where resealing the roof I vaguely remember the cable up there was looking a bit worse for wear. I'd love to run a new better cable as I'm toying w/ the idea of getting my ham license, so I could swap out the CB radio w/ a better radio at some point.Has anyone ever re-run that cable? I'm assuming the factory stapled it down somewhere so I doubt I can just pull it back after attaching a tie string to use to pull a new one. I really don't fancy ripping the ceiling down over the bunk, but if it comes to that I might.Thanks in advance.
Re: Replacing CB antenna wiring Reply #1 – April 08, 2022, 02:19:08 am Our '04 never had a CB, and I wanted one for Caravan Club meets. I glued a painted steel plate to the roof where I wanted the antenna, and used a magnetic-mount one. I used a cable clam with a ceiling hole drilled up just forward of the roll-bar gusset to the left rear of the bunk, then pulled up the bunk flooring enough to run the cable over and down the A-pillar of the cab to under the dash.Steve
Re: Replacing CB antenna wiring Reply #2 – April 08, 2022, 03:10:54 am The exposed CB antenna cable is probably rotted down to the roofline, inside the walls, it is stapled to the framing in many places, it cannot be used to pull in a new cable. It's time to get creative and find a new pathway to the roof.LD installs everything for good, using more than adequate amounts of fasteners and adhesive sealants.Today, CB isn't widely used by travelers and isn't monitored widely as it once was. The only time we ever use ours is for morning announcements at LD Caravan Club GTGs. Several years ago, 2-meter (144MHz ) ham radio was a popular alternative for longer-range communications and is still actively used, especially for emergency/disaster communications. The license isn't difficult to get, books are available with all the possible questions and answers. It's an interesting hobby that has a learning curve to conquer, learning how to legally operate.Hams also operate in many other frequencies, it can become an all-consuming hobby for technical types.For many, handheld FRS (Family Radio Service) radios are a popular and inexpensive choice for local communicationsFor better range, upgrading to a GMRS radio has become more popular in recent years. An inexpensive license is required and in return higher power output and external antennas are allowed. GMRS radios operate on the same frequencies as FRS radios and the two work well together.Larry 2 Likes
Re: Replacing CB antenna wiring Reply #3 – April 08, 2022, 11:54:17 am Silly question but is the mic connected? On our 2003 I can’t monitor the airwaves unless the mic is connected. Not sure if this is by design or not.
Re: Replacing CB antenna wiring Reply #4 – April 08, 2022, 12:18:16 pm Quote from: 73gitane - April 08, 2022, 11:54:17 amSilly question but is the mic connected? On our 2003 I can’t monitor the airwaves unless the mic is connected. Not sure if this is by design or not.Is your CB the type that has all the controls and the speaker located in the microphone? LD used this type in early-mid 2000 LDs.Larry
Re: Replacing CB antenna wiring Reply #5 – April 08, 2022, 02:42:24 pm We had pulled our CB out of our 98~MB back in 2016 when we found that we did not use it but left the antenna and power connections in place and stored the CB unit under our dinette seat. We had a portable CB in our itaska for ten or more years and rarely used it. Recently we removed the stored CB from under our dinette seat in our 98~MB and put it in a box on a shelf in storage with other outdated LD stuff we do not carry in our LD anymore including the microwave which we had removed a few years ago. If we find we may need a CB we would use a battery powered unit. Karen~Liam 98 ~ MB NinA
Re: Replacing CB antenna wiring Reply #6 – April 09, 2022, 09:45:59 am Larry, our CB radio is mounted towards the top of the windshield. It has a separate mic that I usually leave disconnected. Thats’s when I discovered I wasn’t getting any reception till I plugged the mic back in. It didn’t make sense to me that would happen but I didn’t pursue since I rarely use the CB. OK like never but I’m a HAM.SteveKC7ZVM
Re: Replacing CB antenna wiring Reply #7 – April 09, 2022, 10:56:24 am Quote from: 73gitane - April 09, 2022, 09:45:59 amLarry, our CB radio is mounted towards the top of the windshield. It has a separate mic that I usually leave disconnected.SteveKC7ZVMThis would have been an aftermarket install for that year. LD used the All-in-Mic model where the only visible item was the mic hanging on the dash. The most use I have found for the CB in the past is when you are stuck in backed-up traffic for unknown reason. Monitoring the truckers will give insight - and can be pretty amusing.Steve
Re: Replacing CB antenna wiring Reply #8 – April 09, 2022, 11:16:02 am "This would have been an aftermarket install for that year."---My 2003 TK had the same top of the windshield installation with the mic attached; it was installed by LD. (The current owner removed the CB.)
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Topic: Replacing CB antenna wiring (Read 221 times)
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