CB Still worth it today? How hard to install?

[pilot_corey]

Is it still worth running a CB today? I was looking at getting a Uniden 510XL and a Lil' Will for my Golf. Just wondering if anyone still uses them enough to make it an effective countermeasure?

Also, how hard is it to wire into the car, and tune the antenna?

[dr_King]

The BEST mobile antenna is one that is BOTH electrically and physically correct. Without going into formulas and gibberish the 96 inch fiberglass or 102 inch steel whip is the BEST....period. No tuning is needed because they are both 1/4 wave for the chicken band. RF travels faster thru the copper center of the fiberglass whip than the steel whip hence the slightly shorter length. Feed it with RG8X coax and your good to go. Now if you don't want those monstrosities on your trunk lip then you will be compromising. How much is up to you. Go for the Wilson 500 ? NOT the lil wil. The coil is a little bigger and so is the whip but its worth it. Pick a radio that has SSB even if you only use CH19. They have better RX / TX. I use a 10M radio tuned to CB. CB in my opinion is a must have on a busy interstate. Laser, I/O, and any other BS ain't gonna to be able to outrun a two-way radio. SP don't finish setting up a trap before everyone knows about it. I trust it more than any RD but using both is cake.

[fire65]

Yes, a lot of us use them. Best buy for the money in my opinion.

[supercowpowers]

It's great on any interstate or similar highway with a decent amount of truck traffic (at least one truck per minute coming the other way).

How difficult it is to install depends entirely on how nice you want it to look. At the bare minimum you can throw a mag mount on the trunk, run the wire into the trunk and under the rear seat, rig up a cigarette plug to the radio for power and throw the radio somewhere convenient. Anything nicer than that is more difficult and it depends on the car what you'd have to do.

[pilot_corey]

It's great on any interstate or similar highway with a decent amount of truck traffic (at least one truck per minute coming the other way).

How difficult it is to install depends entirely on how nice you want it to look. At the bare minimum you can throw a mag mount on the trunk, run the wire into the trunk and under the rear seat, rig up a cigarette plug to the radio for power and throw the radio somewhere convenient. Anything nicer than that is more difficult and it depends on the car what you'd have to do.

If I get a setup, I will get a Lil' Will mag mount. I have a hatchback so running the cable won't be difficult at all. Aside from a lighter adapter, what are other ways to wire it? Can you use an Add-a-fuse like a RD?

[supercowpowers]

Can you use an Add-a-fuse like a RD?

Yes, definitely. That's the way I'd recommend. What I described is the bare minimum setup for someone who's really lazy.

Do you have any places in mind in your car where a radio and microphone holder could be mounted?

[pilot_corey]

Can you use an Add-a-fuse like a RD?

Yes, definitely. That's the way I'd recommend. What I described is the bare minimum setup for someone who's really lazy.

Do you have any places in mind in your car where a radio and microphone holder could be mounted?

I want to mount the CB under the passenger seat so it's out of the way when I'm driving in the city. I can mount the mic holder near my gear shifter.

[supercowpowers]

Can you use an Add-a-fuse like a RD?

Yes, definitely. That's the way I'd recommend. What I described is the bare minimum setup for someone who's really lazy.

Do you have any places in mind in your car where a radio and microphone holder could be mounted?

I want to mount the CB under the passenger seat so it's out of the way when I'm driving in the city. I can mount the mic holder near my gear shifter.

Have you used a CB before? Keep in mind that all radios have a squelch control that determines how strong a signal must be for you to hear it. The idea is that you set it just above the level where you hear static so the audio only comes through when someone talks. However, the amount of static changes as you drive from place to place so you sometimes need to adjust it pretty often, and it's not very convenient to reach under the passenger seat to do it.

[WDG]

I want to mount the CB under the passenger seat so it's out of the way when I'm driving in the city. I can mount the mic holder near my gear shifter.

Take a look at the Cobra 75 WX ST (https://www.cobra.com/detail/75-wx-st-compact-remote-mount-cb-radio-with-soundtracker-and-noaa-weather.cfm). Everything's in the handset, with just a small junction box to mount under the seat. It may not be a 'super radio', but it'll do what you need, especially if you want out-of-sight or have very limited mounting space.

[pilot_corey]

That Cobra looks pretty cool, but it got some bad reviews. Can you hook it up to an external antenna? My only concern with having a "box" CB mounted somewhere that I can reach it is that it will also be visible and I don't want folks smashing my window to get it! I also wouldn't use it much in the city.

[WDG]

It's what I have in the Jeep. I've got a Wilson 4' Flex connected to it . I would recommend connecting an amplified external speaker unless you've got a quiet car.

[Akosikojak]

OP,

Just remember a small sized radio will sound "small" when your TX/RX and a big Radio will sound "big" when you TX/RX, it's all based on how much you want to spend. It sounds like you want it mainly for LEO ID use and not necessarily for a hobby (which is cool either way)
I would not recommend powering a CB through a lighter socket, I had lots and lots of problems when I did that (even w/a newer vehicle). A noise reduction filter w/not be a bad investment either along w/an external filter.


Also remember for CB's Antenna is everything and will make or break your set up.

As a CM I think it's number 1 and cannot recommend it enough for interstate travel.

[pilot_corey]

Is the lil will antenna worth it? I want something magnetic, and I have a hatch, so I don't want it to come flying off at highway speeds.

[Freebird]

Little wilson is a great antenna. Do not know how fast you can go before it would blow off but my guess at least 80-85 safely.

[supercowpowers]

Is the lil will antenna worth it? I want something magnetic, and I have a hatch, so I don't want it to come flying off at highway speeds.
When you're using a magnet mount, you have to either have a backup method of restraining the antenna if it gets knocked off or be prepared to accept the consequences if it does. I had a Wilson 1000 magnet mount get knocked off my (edit:roof)by a bird and it put a nice gash in my trunk lid.

[North Alabama]

Is there not a better way for a CB antenna and a not a magnet mount? I do not want the antenna sticking up so far on top of the cab that it hits everthing, a spring on the little will might work? I had the magnet move one time due to high interstate speed, skint the clear coat some. I know the glass thru models suck but that would be nice, no cable to run thru a window nor door. I had a glass thru for my BCT-8 I think it was, and that was ok in range detection for a scanner but the AL/TN/MS Troopers never used the darn HP mobile freqs to give me the HP alert, but it worked great in KY......

[supercowpowers]

Is there not a better way for a CB antenna and a not a magnet mount? I do not want the antenna sticking up so far on top of the cab that it hits everthing, a spring on the little will might work?

There's always the hood channel mount, like this:
http://www.walcottcb.com/images/products/SS174/SS174.jpg

I used to have one on a Mazda Tribute years ago and had to stop using it because it mangled up the holes in the fender that it screwed into. If I wanted to do it again I'd get access to the other side of the fender and use nuts and bolts instead of screws. The other problem is that many vehicles are so well built now there's not much of a gap for the hood anyway.

[North Alabama]

I noticed that springs are 3/8 24 thread and Little Will has 5/16 24 thread, won't work together.......

[speeddemon]

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[pilot_corey]

Well I was looking at the Midland 75 handheld model. My major issue is the antenna. I would obviously need an external for any sort of range, but a mag mount that flies off at 80mph or messes up my clear coat is just not worth it. I have a 2 door hatch, so I am limited on "trunk" mounts, and I don't want to do any drilling. What are my other options?

[Zarcero]

I am also considering a CB for countermeasures. I drive a Mustang Bullitt and am interested in ideas for mounting it and also for a scanner. These tools would only be in the car when I am making longer trips on the interstates.