CB Coax routing / extension

[That Crazy Squirrel]

Actually, I'm going to go one further and say change the coax completely and swap it for one with a PL-259 on each end. That mount is setup for a PL-259 connection underneath.

The reason I'm suggesting this is because water infiltration is the #1 enemy of coax and you have an open end there. It gets under the outer jacket and wicks up inside, corroding the braid as it goes. On the cheaper coax, with a poly insulated center conductor, you don't have to worry about it getting into the insulation at least, but good quality coax with a foam dielectric absorbs water like a sponge if it gets past the jacket, making for a very expensive, but totally useless, piece of wire.

Those direct wire connections are not meant to be exposed to rain or weather.

After you change it, get yourself some coax-seal or some marine grade 3/4" adhesive heat shrink and weatherproof the connector even further.

 

[M.Cueva]

and I thought I was done

time to whip out the tools and card....think I should try to run it on the left front stake hole with the new PL259 coax and try and tune it from there?

 

[That Crazy Squirrel]

think I should try to run it on the left front stake hole with the new PL259 coax and try and tune it from there?

You can try it, but because of the actual antenna length you'll probably just end up with high SWR again. You'd need a longer antenna in that location, so that at least 2/3 of the antenna is above the cab, for it to work.

That mount you have would never be one of my first choices. I don't like how it sticks out from the side of the truck. As much as I dislike them, I think I'd go with a mag mount before using a permanent mount like that.

If you dodecide to go with a longer antenna and mount it closer to the cab let me know. I know some of the ham shops carry specialty mounts for pickups that mount on the forward corner of the box. They're like a triangle across the corner. Very solid and secure, everything stays inside the box, and it provides a bit of space between the cab and the antenna.


Before you do anything else though, verify what I think I'm seeing in the pictures, that the bottom of that antenna connection on the mount is threaded for a coax connector. Just take the jumper off your meter and try screwing it in there. If it works then change the coax for a 25' length with connectors on both ends and just screw it on. Should be long enough to reach anywhere on the truck and you can just coil any excess out of sight.

 

[M.Cueva]

think I should try to run it on the left front stake hole with the new PL259 coax and try and tune it from there?

You can try it, but because of the actual antenna length you'll probably just end up with high SWR again. You'd need a longer antenna in that location, so that at least 2/3 of the antenna is above the cab, for it to work.

That mount you have would never be one of my first choices. I don't like how it sticks out from the side of the truck. As much as I dislike them, I think I'd go with a mag mount before using a permanent mount like that.

If you dodecide to go with a longer antenna and mount it closer to the cab let me know. I know some of the ham shops carry specialty mounts for pickups that mount on the forward corner of the box. They're like a triangle across the corner. Very solid and secure, everything stays inside the box, and it provides a bit of space between the cab and the antenna.


Before you do anything else though, verify what I think I'm seeing in the pictures, that the bottom of that antenna connection on the mount is threaded for a coax connector. Just take the jumper off your meter and try screwing it in there. If it works then change the coax for a 25' length with connectors on both ends and just screw it on. Should be long enough to reach anywhere on the truck and you can just coil any excess out of sight.

I dunno . I am not the expert, you are. I needed a mount that works with my tonneau and my tonneau can be removed in under a minute (flat) from the truck. Would this specialty mount work with my current tonneau setup and speed of removal and installation?

I am all for whatever you suggest since you know exactly what you are talking about. I just want the end result to be like mine, a very low SWR and out of the way of the tonneau.

To sum up, you would change the following:

- place the antenna on the left rear side
- run the coax thru the stake hole and under the rail
- run a 25 foot coax and coil the excess
- seal the exposed coax from water/moisture.

OR


- install the specialty mount on the corner
- install a longer antenna (say 7 feet tall?)
- run the 18 coax and coil the excess
- seal the exposed coax from water/moisture


Did i miss anything? (I smell a install thread coming)

 

[That Crazy Squirrel]

think I should try to run it on the left front stake hole with the new PL259 coax and try and tune it from there?

You can try it, but because of the actual antenna length you'll probably just end up with high SWR again. You'd need a longer antenna in that location, so that at least 2/3 of the antenna is above the cab, for it to work.

That mount you have would never be one of my first choices. I don't like how it sticks out from the side of the truck. As much as I dislike them, I think I'd go with a mag mount before using a permanent mount like that.

If you dodecide to go with a longer antenna and mount it closer to the cab let me know. I know some of the ham shops carry specialty mounts for pickups that mount on the forward corner of the box. They're like a triangle across the corner. Very solid and secure, everything stays inside the box, and it provides a bit of space between the cab and the antenna.


Before you do anything else though, verify what I think I'm seeing in the pictures, that the bottom of that antenna connection on the mount is threaded for a coax connector. Just take the jumper off your meter and try screwing it in there. If it works then change the coax for a 25' length with connectors on both ends and just screw it on. Should be long enough to reach anywhere on the truck and you can just coil any excess out of sight.

I dunno . I am not the expert, you are. I needed a mount that works with my tonneau and my tonneau can be removed in under a minute (flat) from the truck. Would this specialty mount work with my current tonneau setup and speed of removal and installation?

I am all for whatever you suggest since you know exactly what you are talking about. I just want the end result to be like mine, a very low SWR and out of the way of the tonneau.

To sum up, you would change the following:

- place the antenna on the left rear side
- run the coax thru the stake hole and under the rail
- run a 25 foot coax and coil the excess
- seal the exposed coax from water/moisture.

OR


- install the specialty mount on the corner
- install a longer antenna (say 7 feet tall?)
- run the 18 coax and coil the excess
- seal the exposed coax from water/moisture


Did i miss anything? (I smell a install thread coming)

The length of antenna you'd need closer to the cab would probably be a 48 or 60" fiberglass whip, just to clear the top of the cab by the required amount. The problem is going to be the mount/cover relationship. Those corner mounts don't lend themselves well to such things as bed covers, since they are inside the bed. It wouldn't be impossible to make it work, but you'd have to make some modifications to the cover, and that would require the services of a skilled shop.

In any case, just making use of what you currently have, I'd move the mount to the driver's side to get it away from pedestrians on the curb (my wife has a nice scar ever since she was a kid, from a CB antenna on a car that turned the corner and whacked her with the antenna - and yes, she was on the sidewalk) and change the coax to a longer piece with connectors on both ends, then waterproofing the end on the antenna. How you run the coax won't be critical with a longer piece, so feel free to run it however works best.

Of course, drilling a hole and mounting it square in the middle of the cab roof would be the best option, at least from a signal point of view, but it loks pretty dorky that way.

 

[M.Cueva]

think I should try to run it on the left front stake hole with the new PL259 coax and try and tune it from there?

You can try it, but because of the actual antenna length you'll probably just end up with high SWR again. You'd need a longer antenna in that location, so that at least 2/3 of the antenna is above the cab, for it to work.

That mount you have would never be one of my first choices. I don't like how it sticks out from the side of the truck. As much as I dislike them, I think I'd go with a mag mount before using a permanent mount like that.

If you dodecide to go with a longer antenna and mount it closer to the cab let me know. I know some of the ham shops carry specialty mounts for pickups that mount on the forward corner of the box. They're like a triangle across the corner. Very solid and secure, everything stays inside the box, and it provides a bit of space between the cab and the antenna.


Before you do anything else though, verify what I think I'm seeing in the pictures, that the bottom of that antenna connection on the mount is threaded for a coax connector. Just take the jumper off your meter and try screwing it in there. If it works then change the coax for a 25' length with connectors on both ends and just screw it on. Should be long enough to reach anywhere on the truck and you can just coil any excess out of sight.

I dunno . I am not the expert, you are. I needed a mount that works with my tonneau and my tonneau can be removed in under a minute (flat) from the truck. Would this specialty mount work with my current tonneau setup and speed of removal and installation?

I am all for whatever you suggest since you know exactly what you are talking about. I just want the end result to be like mine, a very low SWR and out of the way of the tonneau.

To sum up, you would change the following:

- place the antenna on the left rear side
- run the coax thru the stake hole and under the rail
- run a 25 foot coax and coil the excess
- seal the exposed coax from water/moisture.

OR


- install the specialty mount on the corner
- install a longer antenna (say 7 feet tall?)
- run the 18 coax and coil the excess
- seal the exposed coax from water/moisture


Did i miss anything? (I smell a install thread coming)

The length of antenna you'd need closer to the cab would probably be a 48 or 60" fiberglass whip, just to clear the top of the cab by the required amount. The problem is going to be the mount/cover relationship. Those corner mounts don't lend themselves well to such things as bed covers, since they are inside the bed. It wouldn't be impossible to make it work, but you'd have to make some modifications to the cover, and that would require the services of a skilled shop.

In any case, just making use of what you currently have, I'd move the mount to the driver's side to get it away from pedestrians on the curb (my wife has a nice scar ever since she was a kid, from a CB antenna on a car that turned the corner and whacked her with the antenna - and yes, she was on the sidewalk) and change the coax to a longer piece with connectors on both ends, then waterproofing the end on the antenna. How you run the coax won't be critical with a longer piece, so feel free to run it however works best.

Of course, drilling a hole and mounting it square in the middle of the cab roof would be the best option, at least from a signal point of view, but it loks pretty dorky that way.

I would love to but I got two sunroofs up there. that antenna would suck on the ground plane because of them and it would definitely interfere with my GPSHPMIMO antenna ......


time to get to work.......tomorrow

Thanks again

 

[That Crazy Squirrel]

Of course, there's always the traditional 108" stainless steel whip and ball mount.

 

[PenguinLTZ]

kkkkkch...over