DIY CB Ground Wiring

[baba_booey]

DIY = Do It Yourself (for those who don't know)
why pay $50 - a coil of ground wire is $5 at any truckstop.

(1) unroll wire and measure before cutting.
(2) 1 pc back of cb radio (coax out) to frame ground (right door).
(3) 1 pc antenna plug (under mount) to frame ground (left door).
(4) strip about 4 inches of plastic off both ends of each wire.
(5) wrap wire around lip between coax twisty and radio, then to frame.
(6) wrap wire around coax plug under antenna mount, then to frame.

do not remove any screws in the process. simply loosen screw and wrap bare
end of wire snug, and tighten screw. look inside both doors first for small screws that may be used for ground purposes. [ex: radio ground to right door, antenna ground to left door]

your cb radio "transmits" from the vehicle frame ground.
your antenna "receives" signals but requires a ground.

you only need 1 antenna, on the driver side, to avoid tree limbs

this setup should help you get out aprx 4 miles+ with a std 4 watt radio.

grounding your radio and antenna properly, at 2 different points, will make your cb function better, without added expense. avoid using the wiring that came with the truck. leave it there, but buy your own antenna mount, coax, and antenna.

Volvo antenna mount ($10) looks like a stud, seen at pilot. remove the star hex screw from top mirror mount on the driver door. screw in the antenna stud tight with a crescent wrench and affix your 4 bolt antenna mount to it.

[kor b]

[quote=baba_booey;408422]DIY = Do It Yourself (for those who don't know)
why pay $50 - a coil of ground wire is $5 at any truckstop.


Hi baba-booey tell Howard and robin i said hi.

I like to use flat braided ground strap 1/2 in or bigger for grounding ant. to the counter poise aka ground plain. But yes it is needed to make your stuff work good.

I drive a frieght liner day cab with the mecades benz influence and that ant. perch you were talking about works on that merror fitting #8x1.25 bolt.

Keep up the good work (edj. threats). Truck drivers need to hear the truth from somebody thats not selling them something.

[ABYSS]

Originally Posted by baba_booey

DIY = Do It Yourself (for those who don't know)
why pay $50 - a coil of ground wire is $5 at any truckstop.

(1) unroll wire and measure before cutting.
(2) 1 pc back of cb radio (coax out) to frame ground (right door).
(3) 1 pc antenna plug (under mount) to frame ground (left door).
(4) strip about 4 inches of plastic off both ends of each wire.
(5) wrap wire around lip between coax twisty and radio, then to frame.
(6) wrap wire around coax plug under antenna mount, then to frame.

do not remove any screws in the process. simply loosen screw and wrap bare
end of wire snug, and tighten screw. look inside both doors first for small screws that may be used for ground purposes. [ex: radio ground to right door, antenna ground to left door]

your cb radio "transmits" from the vehicle frame ground.
your antenna "receives" signals but requires a ground.

you only need 1 antenna, on the driver side, to avoid tree limbs

this setup should help you get out aprx 4 miles+ with a std 4 watt radio.

grounding your radio and antenna properly, at 2 different points, will make your cb function better, without added expense. avoid using the wiring that came with the truck. leave it there, but buy your own antenna mount, coax, and antenna.

Volvo antenna mount ($10) looks like a stud, seen at pilot. remove the star hex screw from top mirror mount on the driver door. screw in the antenna stud tight with a crescent wrench and affix your 4 bolt antenna mount to it.

Can you post some pixs of what you did .

[playsinmud]

I ran a ground from my ant mirror mount bolt straight to batt. neg. Thats just as good as frame ground if not better correct?

[kor b]

Originally Posted by playsinmud

I ran a ground from my ant mirror mount bolt straight to batt. neg. Thats just as good as frame ground if not better correct?

No!!!!! It is not good to ground ant. to D.C.

DC ground should always be seperate from RF ground, plus a ground strap from the ant. mount should be as short as possible, two feet or so is about as long as it should be.

Ground ant. to door ( mirror bolt or hinge bolt)

make sure door has continuity to truck frame.

Ground strap is better than wire, (braided,flat,flexible,1/2in.or bigger)

[ABYSS]

Can't you just ground the antenna where it is attached to the back of the radio?