The CB Radios Channel

We’ve been meaning to create a complete Pickup Truck CB package, and we’ve finally done it!  The new Right Channel Cobra 29 LTD Pickup Truck Package contains everything needed for an easy CB install on your truck.

The package is built around the Cobra 29 series, the most popular radios on the market.  All six popular version of the Cobra 29 are available with this package, including models with Nightwatch, Weather and Bluetooth functionality.

A Firestik FS antenna is included with the kit.  As the most popular fiberglass antenna with pickup trucks today, this was an easy choice.

What we’re really excited about is the diverse mounting options available.  The kit includes more than a dozen mounting options, including proprietary mounts for Ford, Chevy and GMC, Dodge and Toyota trucks!  We provided as many choices as possible to make it more likely you’ll get the perfect fit with your specific truck make and model.

Finally, the kit also includes an easily routeable Firestik Fire-Ring coax connection which lets you route a small coax cable without having to soldered the end on!

Our kit is new, and we’re always open to ideas on how to improve it.  If you’d like to suggest some additional ways to improve it, please let us know.

Based on the popularity of our Jeep and Off-Road packages, we’re introducting a CB package created exclsively for Toyota’s FJ Cruisers!  More than likely you’ve seen these cool vehicles around.  Introduced by Toyota in 2006, these slick little rigs have gained quite the following in a very short time.  So, for the lucky new owners, we’ve assembled a FJ Cruiser CB Radio package complete with everything you’ll need to get up and running quickly.  The kit includes the choice of a Midland 75-822 or Cobra 75 radio, Wilson FLEX antenna and, most importantly the Bandi Mount.  Famous in FJ circles, the Bandi Mount allows FJ owners to easily mount a CB antenna without drilling any holes in their vehicle - a slick idea originally thought of by a FJCruiserforums.com member.

So if you’re in the market for a FJ Cruiser CB package, please make sure to check out our new packages at Right Channel Radios!

Many RV and motorhome owners make use of CB radios for road reports, weather information and to chat with other drivers on the road.  Due to their unique construction and fiberglass siding, most RVs don’t have  sufficient ground planet from the chassis to use a standard grounded antenna.  An alternative must be utilized……

There are a few options to solve this no-ground problem.  The first, and most common, is to make use of a no-ground plane (NGP) CB antenna.  As the name implies, NGP antennas don’t need a standard metallic ground plane in order to function well.  While they aren’t nearly as effective as an equivalent grounded antenna, they are the best option when no solid ground plane is available.   No ground plane antennas and coax are built differently than standard CB equipment and generate the necessary signal counterpoise needed to operate properly.  Due to their unique construction, traditional and NGP equipment aren’t interchangeable.  If using a NGP antenna, you’ll need special NGP coax to go with it.

The other option for RV owners is to use co-phased dual antennas.  Using dual antennas is another way to get around the no-ground problem as the co-phased installation creates the necessary counterpoise required for transmission. Dual antennas also increases signal strength in a direction perpendicular to the alignment of the antennas.  In the case of a vehicle installation, this translates into a stronger signal both up and down the direction of travel.

For best performance it’s important have at least 2/3 of the antenna about the roofline of the vehicle.  RVs are large vehicles and they can significantly block RF signals if the antenna is hidden on one side of the chassis.  Also, NGP antennas need to be tuned just like grounded antennas.  Make sure you use a SWR meter to properly tune the antenna for your specific vehicle.

For more information as well as a number of realated products, please check out the selection of NGP CB Antenna kits as well as  RV CB radio and antenna kits at Right Channel Radios.

Professional truck drivers are the group that likely makes the most consistent use of CB radios.  A necessary piece of equipment for every driver, the CB acts as a source of highway communication as well as provides crucial weather and road updates.

Large trucks tend to use center and top loaded CB antennas almost exclusively.  Top loaded fiberglass antennas are the simpler and cheaper antenna.  However, they aren’t well suited for high-wattage applications.  In these instances, a center loaded antenna would be a better choice.   Performance will vary based on a number of factors, but in most instances a quality center-loaded antenna, such as the Wilson 2000 CB antenna, will outperform similar fiberglass antennas.

Nearly all truck antennas are mounted on the rear-view mirrors in a co-phased (i.e. dual antenna) installation.  It’s best if the antenna coil is above the roof of the cab, but this is not always possible.  Co-phased antennas improve the antennas performance, generally in a direction parallel to the road.  For best performance, it’s important to have the antennas separated by at least 8-9 feet, which shouldn’t be an issue for most large trucks.  The antennas should be mounted as high and as far out on the mirror arms as possible to maximize their distance from each other, as well as their vertical height.

Many trucks come with pre-wired CB cabling already installed in the vehicle.  While extremely convenient, the cable used is often of poor quality and contains little RF shielding.  If you’re experiencing significant interference or electrical noise using factory installed CB coax, you should strongly consider replacing the stock coax cable with high quality shielded CB coax for Belden, Firestik or another reputable brand.

We’ve assembled a number of CB antenna and radio kits to meet the needs of professional drivers.  All kits include quality CB components to ensure years or strong performance and care free maintenance.   If you’re in need of a new CB radio or antenna for your truck, make sure to check out our custom CB Radio Semi Truck Packages.

Pickup trucks are one of the most common vehicles that utilize CB radios and cause the majority of mounting questions.  There are a number of things to understand and consider when mounting a CB antenna for your truck:

Mounting Location

Like most vehicles, the best place to mount the antenna is on the top of the truck’s roof.  This minimizes interference from the vehicle’s chassis and allows the antenna to be a high as possible for peak performance.  If the roof isn’t a viable option, the second best place is, surprisingly, the driver’s side rear stakehole.  This allows for the second best obstruction-free mounting location.  A number of mounts and kits make this an easy and hole-free location to mount an antenna.

The worst possible places to mount the antenna are in the bed of the truck and directly behind the cab.  Both these locations cause significant signal interference and will result in an antenna that is extremely difficult to tune (i.e. achieve acceptable SWR levels).  For a complete chart on the best and worst antenna mounting locations on a pickup truck, please refer to this great Pickup Truck Antenna Guide from Wilson.

Dual Antennas

While many people love the look of dual antennas, they aren’t very effective when used on the narrow bodies of most standard pickup trucks. To be effective in increasing performance, dual antennas need to be spaced at least 8-9 feet apart from each other. If the antennas are within 4-5 feet, they can actually work against each other and decrease system performance.  While dual antennas may look great, you’ll need to have them far enough apart to make any noticeable difference.

Grounding

If you mount your antenna along the back half of the truck, make sure that the bed portion is well grounded. A continuous ground to the battery can be interrupted by rubber washers or other non-conducting materials that are used to connect bed to the cab. If you don’t have a good ground, make sure to run a few ground straps from the bed to the cab in order to achieve a solid ground and a well performing antenna.

Type of Antennas

Base loaded and top loaded antennas are the most common types of antennas used with pickup trucks. Top loaded fiberglass antennas are relatively inexpensive, versatile and perform well with pickup trucks. Base loaded antennas are relatively simple to install on pickup trucks, but are primarily limited to the roof due to their coil location. There are a number of available Firestik CB antennas and Wilson CB antennas that are well suited for pickup trucks.

In our next post, we’ll discuss some things to keep in mind when choosing and mounting CB antennas for  semi-trucks and 18-wheelers.

We often have customer ask us what type of CB antenna they should buy.  While our answer will ultimately be determined by a number of factors, the type of vehicle they own plays a large role in determining which antenna will work best.  This post will be the first one in a series dedicated to discussing popular CB antennas for specific vehicle types.  If you haven’t already, make sure to read the Right Channel Radios guide to Choosing the Best CB Antenna which discusses basic antenna types and mounting considerations.

Antennas on passanger vehicles are usually mounted to the roof or to the trunk or trunk lip.  These mounting options usually require no permant holes.  While hood channel mounts can be used, they are often designed for larger vehicles and may look unnatural or unwieldly on a passenger vehicle.

Base loaded magnet antennas are commonly used with cars as they provide a easy and convenient all-in-one solution.  Many base loaded antennas include the antenna whip, mounting hardware and coax cable in a single antenna package.  Another option, though less popular, is using top loaded fiberglass antennas with hood, trunk or bumper mounts.

One of the most popular antennas for cars is the Wilson Little Wil.  This 36″ steel whip magnet mount model offers users an affordable and well performing antenna that’s easy to install.   The Wilson 1000 line of antennas offers magnet, roof and trunk options and a large 62″ whip in a convenient all-in-one package.  If you’d prefer a K40 antenna, there are a few popular models to choose from.  The 35″ K30 Magnet Mount  and the 58″ K40 Trunk Lip models are both high-quality antennas that are popular with passanger vehicles.

In the next post, we’ll discuss some of the more popular CB antennas and mounting options for pick-up trucks.

CB radios are often written off as antiquated pieces of equipment only used today by professional truck drivers.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  CB radios remain the primary communication method used by a number of groups due to their cost effectiveness, easy of use and license-free operations.  One of the many groups to still consistently utilize CB radios is Jeep and Offroad vehicle owners.

CB radios are widely utilized today in the Jeep and 4×4 communities by drivers needing a way to easily communicate when traveling together over difficult terrain.  We often receive questions from Jeep owners asking what equipment would be best suited for their offroad needs.  Due to the large number of inquiries, we assembled a number of custom CB radio kits built especially for Jeeps and Offroad vehicles.  These kits were assembled specifically for 4×4 needs and include components that are built to perform well in demanding and rough conditions.  We wanted to make installing a CB radio as easy as possible for those new to CBs, so each kit includes everything needed for a complete installation.

If you’re in the market for a CB for your Jeep or 4×4 vehicle, take a look at the Right Channel Radios Jeep CB Radio Packages.  These complete packages are designed with your needs in mind and are priced extremely competitively.  For specific kit pictures and reviews, check out the Uniden Jeep CB Radio kit as well as the Cobra Jeep CB Radio kit reviews performed by Stu Olson of Stu Olson’s Jeep Site.