MOD: CB Radio and Antenna/Taillight Guard Installation

[Philberto]

Hey! So I got a Midland 5001z CB radio and Firestik 2 antenna for Christmas, as well as some Westin taillight guards and I finally got around to installing them!




After deliberating on how to install my 4' antenna, I decided to mount it to the taillight guard after I strengthened it using the insulator clamps a la Roadie and many others. I ended up using a mirror mount from Fry's for around $6 and picked up 18' of cable as well. Using my newly-bought SWR meter, I tuned the antenna (gotta love tunable tips) to 1.2 on ch 1 and 40. Wire runs under the panels on the driver's side, the mount itself is grounded with a strap to the car, and the whole thing is very solid.




Here is the mounting location for the radio itself. It doesn't interfere with my legs too much, and is nice and easy to access.


Finished product:

[Zero]

i like the taillight gaurds

[Gordinho80]

Nice setup. I had thought about doing a taillight guard mount as well.

[Trail X]

Looks good.

But will it just rotate around the tail light guard when it hits the first tree limb? I know mine hits stuff pretty hard sometimes.

I'd recommend bending the tip back about 2-3 feet and see what happens.

[Philberto]

It's solid as a rock... you can't see it in the pics I don't think, but the mounting surfaces have little teeth in them, and the mount is tightened solidly. Moving the antenna tip just causes me to worry about breaking the antenna itself. That, and the antenna is protected mostly by virtue of its mounting location.

[MrSmithsTB]

Nice lil setup you have there

[CHIEF BIG RIDGE]

Great idea. I'm going to get a CB radio sometime down the line and I'll throw this idea in the mix.

[bgwolfpack]

Looks good.

But will it just rotate around the tail light guard when it hits the first tree limb? I know mine hits stuff pretty hard sometimes.

I'd recommend bending the tip back about 2-3 feet and see what happens.

It's solid as a rock... you can't see it in the pics I don't think, but the mounting surfaces have little teeth in them, and the mount is tightened solidly. Moving the antenna tip just causes me to worry about breaking the antenna itself. That, and the antenna is protected mostly by virtue of its mounting location.

Phil, I think you know that won't hold up. Your going to end up tearing it and the guard off your truck if you wheel anywhere except the desert.
If you had a break-away mount on it that would be better. Don't get me wrong, it looks cool. James placed his in a stronger spot than that for sure but his still can be bent or torn off if he's not careful. Both of your mounts are better than other members mounts for sure, at least James bracket will bend and yours will rotate rearward instead of bending sheet metal.
There is something to say however about the old magnet mounts...

[Philberto]

I don't know... I am extremely confident in the mount's strength, and the rotation (if it occurs) is limited due to the clearance between the light and the mounting nuts (the mount will only rotate about 1/4" if it does). The main point of weakness is the antenna where it mounts to the mount. If the antenna breaks, then I'll be looking for a metal whip, but honestly, it's quite a bit sturdier than it looks, aided in part by the clamps on the taillight guard. If you ever make it down here, or I make it up there, I'll be happy to show you.

-edit: And a magnet mount has been considered, but I hear the stories about magnet-shaped scratches on the roof where the mount was... and I like the rear mount myself... kinda makes my TB look like an oversize RC car

[Trail X]

I saw an FJ do something similar to this once. He actually ended up wrapping a wire-tie around the antenna and the top of the headlight guard in order to minimize the moment that would be induced on the mounting bracket when it hits limbs. Wasn't all that noticeable either.

[Philberto]

Wouldn't that affect SWR though? I think the FJ guys use a mount that hooks to their door hinge... called the Bandi mount or something IIRC. I considered doing something like that using a rubber stopper attached to the headlight guard at top, but my current solution is strong enough that I'm not that concerned. If the mount breaks, I'm only looking at $6 to replace it.

[bgwolfpack]

I glad it's as strong as you need.

I did find what I meant by 'breakaway' here is a pic.

MFJ-345T.jpg

(108.91 KiB) Downloaded 23 times

This one is made for a trunk lid.
Sorry I'm off track, this is your mod thread.

[Philberto]

Ah, okay, I get what you mean... I think they make an accessory for the antenna mount that I can screw in that adds that function... or I could just get a spring... I have one, but it's too bendy for me... need a stiffer spring.

[bgwolfpack]

Ah, okay... need a stiffer spring.

Also found this site http://www.dxzone.com. Good resource.

[lil_freak_66]

has anyone ever considered this type of mount for ham or cb?



could do it from the front(custom bumper or grille guard perhaps) up to a roof rack.

might look funny,but imagine how well you'd be able to hear on all channels! and i wouldnt imagine
it getting damaged very easily mounted that way.



currently i just use a mag mount for temp. use.

and no im not considering that type of mount,just throwing it out there for consideration.

im most likely to run dual firestiks on the back,either in the op's mount style,or JD's

[bgwolfpack]

Limb risers!!! Great idea, dual propose!!!

[Philberto]

Typically, that kind of mount is simply that way so that the antennae can be out of the way during normal use. It wouldn't work on our vehicles as well because we don't have that low, slanted rear hatch that the Hummers do.

You could take a look at what they do on the military CUCV Blazers though... mounts are on the side and then tied like that when not in use.

(Can't currently find a picture...)

[KE7WOX]

A similar mounting style is this



These are HF antennas made by Codan (often called Codan antennas), they're big with HF users in remote areas (mostly military, UN and Red Cross), there might be a couple of pictures of armored Suburbans with those somewhere in Afghanistan or Iraq.

I looked around the internet for one of those for when I upgrade to General Class, but the antennas sell for around $1000 (I guess it's not that expensive after you spend at least another $1000 for the radio).

I'm guessing one of those is buildable for either CB or 2M band (a full 1 wavelength whip for 2m is precisely 2m, or 6.56ft), but I have no idea about it's performance in terms of propagation due to the radiation pattern.

[lil_freak_66]

That could have good possibilities for something like a HAM radio.

Also gives a good spot to attach a flag to for when your at a place that requires the vehicle to be flagged.

[KE7WOX]

Plenty of Aussie Hams have those, remember, in the Outback you can get stuck / broken down / injured in a place far more remote than any place in the US, and you need good comms, and that's there HF and a huge antenna comes in useful. And the Outback isn't plagued with repeaters, unlike here, where I seem to always being in range to a repeater (or driving right by it).