CB Radio?

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

just thinking about a cb radio with a PA speaker mod for thee vx . Since i dont ever use the stock 6-disc cd changer i could take that out and put the cb radio in place of it. has anyone ever done this? if so, what fits there? i was looking at this
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1153337217438 but i dont know if it will fit. also about mounting an intenna it would be cool to mount an intenna to the tailgate. is there mounting kits to get or what?? how much would this all cost?? thanks in advance!

This is the particular radio I have mounted in the stock cd player location.

http://www.cobra.com/index.cfm?fusea...category_ID=30

I purchased mine at a local truck stop (Pilot) for like $60. It fits perfectly in that location and I used the OEM cd player mounts (aluminum) to mount the CB.

As far as antenna, I personally use the FireStik 4ft (also from Pilot) for like $24.

http://www.firestik.com/CatalogFrame.htm

I mounted mine to the rear door using a side body mount that grounds to the body ($6 from Pilot). If you mount it like PBKid to the cladding the mount will rest flat. If you mount it higher up on the rear door as I did you will have to shim the mount with some sort of triangular piece to take the angle out as the antenna will want to lean forward due to angle in sheet metal around half-moon area of door. (In the above FireStik link, click on "molded side mount" and then in article...click on blue "show me the mount".)

see my gallery for some pics as far as ideas for antenna placement & radio installation.

Others here use mostly magnetic mount roof-top antenna's.

Hope this helps!

[dtruax]

question,the cobra model that jolly roger mentioned, can that be used as a PA system too? thanks

[Jolly Roger VX'er]

question,the cobra model that jolly roger mentioned, can that be used as a PA system too? thanks

Unfortunately, it lacks that feature. On the plus, it has a front speaker ideal for dash mounting. But, here are the size specs so perhaps you can pick out a radio the exact same size with desired PA feature.

Length: 7.0
Width: 6.5
Height: 1.88

***Also, Cobra makes a CB where all the controls are in the hand mike and the "radio" mounts under the seat....Scott aka Moncha and some others have that setup in their VX.

[dtruax]

oh thanks for the size specs. by the way ur antenna set up looks great jolly roger

[dtruax]

too bad this doesnt fit:http://www.walcottcb.com/cobra-29ltd...th=340_377_383
is there any way to make that fit?

[VX KAT]

I'm getting the hand held Cobra 75 ST VX that a couple others have (Triathlete, etlsport, tomdietrying, marlin and some others). It'll be easier for me to handle and operate with my left hand than the other one I have.

Needs input on the antenna part of this set up:

1) I got a 3ft FireStik antenna. Is it OK to mount it to the actual Yakima rack somehow? What specific mount would I use? Marlin your pics show a mount on your roofrack.

2) My Firestik fits and will screw into the magnetic mount from my existing Cobra Road Trip hand held...however it has too much wind resistance and tips over, but couldn't I put the magnetic base & antenna in between the Yakima or OEM bars, up against a cross member for support, and tape the magnetic base to the roof for extra support? Does that screw up reception?

3) What about this mount? Can it go on a vertical edge of rear door? Left or right side?
http://www.wearecb.com/store/firesti...unt-p-322.html

Where to put the little box? I can have my stereo shop guys wire it for me.

1) Tomdietrying...I really like where Jay hooked your jack into the small ashtray behind console. Was it this same little "box" that comes with the Cobra 75? http://www.rightchannelradios.com/bm...ge.700x466.jpg

2) Billy you said you mounted yours under the drivers seat.

And, I don't have a SWR meter (and probably wouldn't know what to do with it even if I did ) so my Firestik still needs tuned. Anybody have a meter I can borrow? A new one is $45! ouch! The stero shop knows how to do it but don't have the meter as it's not part of their normal work.
Jack would BestBuy have one for their installations? If so, I'd buy the CB from them & have them install it and tune my Firestik at same time.

[MSHardeman]

Sue,

Can't help you out with any of the CB stuff, as I have a different make and model, but here is how I mounted my antenna to the rear of my roof basket:



As you can see, I zip tied the wire to the cross bar of the basket to get it over to the latch side of the rear door, then I just ran it inside. The door seal squeezes the wire but doesn't crimp it. After the wire was inside, I ran it down the weather stripping, then drilled a small hole in the interior panel and ran the wire forward behind the interior panels, and under the carpet, to where I have my unit (huh, huh...I said unit) mounted to the side of the transmission tunnel.


With the antenna back there it makes the VX look like a big RC.


My CB came with a meter, or sorts, in it. There was a way to test how strong the signal was which allowed me to adjust the antenna to get the best reception.

Hope some of this helps.