cable would be rg58, connector plugs for cb end pl259, the antenna end depends on the type of mount you choose. centre core of the cable goes to center pin of the connector and the shield braid to the casing of the connector. you cant really go wrong. you will need an adjustable mount to get the antenna vertical.
Hi Tufty, thanks for that, but that part I know already. It's the actual getting the antenna cable from one end of the car to the other that is bothering me.
Don't mount it low down on the side. For 2 reasons. Firstly, CB operates as line of site communications. The higher the antenna, the more range you get. Secondly, the radiator (the vertical part of the antenna) will be running close to the ground (car body) so you will not be able to tune it in and will get hopeless performance and a SWR that will probably damage the radio or cause it to operate at reduced power to protect it's finals.
When you do install it, you need a SWR meter to correctly tune the antenna to the radio as too long or too short an antenna will cause the power from the radio to be reflected back in to the radio down the coax. From memory, a SWR of 2.1:1 is about 11% loss. 3.1:1 is about 25% loss and starting to risk the radio. You need as close to 1.0:1. You can't just chuck an antenna on a car and expect it to work. It probably will, but not very well.
Thanks for that Nik, but as with Tufty above, that part I know. My problem as said above is how to "lay" the cable from the back to the front, but thanks once again.
You could follow the cable run of the CD changer (if fitted).
It's mounted just below where your yellow box is in the boot, and ends up in the centre console, right next to the radio...
That has crossed my mind. The only problem I might come into is that my CD Changer is on the right hand side of the "boot" and at the moment, I am going to be fixing the antenna on the left.
Back to NikTheGeek. I have thought about sitting the antenna to the roof, between the sunroof and the front window, but due to two things I am leaning to the rear end fitting.
- I have be told by a few mates that roof fitting tend to cause problems in the long run with water seepage.
- As the roof is aluminum I will have an earthing problem.
I would prefer the roof mount as it means the best foot print for the signal and also it would mean less coaxial.
If I do end up going with a roof mount would I be better off with a 34" Springer than the 61" Springer I was intending to fit to the rear?
I have also thought about fitting it further up from what is shown in the attached image above, on the "vinyl" part of the pillar. I know that I will have to add a support plate on the inside as that section isn't that strong/thick, but that isn't a problem.
(PS: Before anybody starts to say I would be better off with something like a Sirio etc, forget it. Those higher end antennas tend to grow legs a lot over here!)
