Mike and Terry Ann
Hooversville,Pa
Full Member
Joined: 12/12/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Offline
|
Would like to install a CB in GMC 2011 3500 Truck. where do I tap into the power and where is a good place to put the antenna. I have a truck camper. thanks
|
Helmsey
Knoxville, TN
Senior Member
Joined: 09/07/2009
View Profile
|
I purchased this mount for my 2004 and have had good luck with it: Clicky
I got power from my fuse panel on the drivers side end of the dash. I used a fuse tap like this and it is working well.
KK4PFX
2011 Ford F-450 4x4 Lariat
2013 Sandpiper 365SAQ
Days camped in 2012: 34
Days camped in 2013: 30
Days camped in 2014: 13
|
mike4947
N. Syracuse, NY
Senior Member
Joined: 08/26/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
WHew brings back memories. The fuse tap is the best and easiest place to get power. One thing to remember with any antenna placement can make a LOT of difference. The one in the clicky is a good one but remember the camper will block a lot of signal strength to the rear.
As a note, we had a real fanatic back in the early 70's when CB was "king" that actually drilled a hole in the center of his sedan's roof and mounted a full length 108 inch whip antenna on there. Hell of a ground plane.
I also actually miss tube CB radios. We had lots of combination to goose the output. Some as high as 12 watts output.
IIRC we're in the high solar cycle output time. So be prepared to keep the squelch up high and have your range shortened.
blog.rv.net Your daily guide to the Open Road
Subscribe to the daily digest
They say you learn by your mistakes, in that case I must be a genius.
|
rk911
Wheaton IL
Senior Member
Joined: 05/30/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Mike and Terry Ann wrote:Would like to install a CB in GMC 2011 3500 Truck. where do I tap into the power and where is a good place to put the antenna. I have a truck camper. thanks
recommend you wire and fuse both the pos and neg leads directly to the automotive battery. as for the antenna it depends on whether you want to drill a hole or not. center of the cab roof would give you the best groundplane but a stake mount on the bed rail would work. my buddy has a glass mount ham antenna on the rear window. lots of options but center of the cab roof is best.
good luck.
'73,
rich, n9dko
Every retired man needs three things....a good truck, a good dog and a working wife
_________________________________
_________________________________
2000 Itasca Suncruiser 35U
'46 Willys CJ2A
'03 Jeep Wrangler TJ
'10 Jeep Liberty KK
|
SCVJeff
Santa Clarita, CA.
Senior Member
Joined: 07/28/2006
View Profile
 Online
|
mike4947 wrote:
I also actually miss tube CB radios. We had lots of combination to goose the output. Some as high as 12 watts output. 12W?
Slacker.... 
We goosed the radios up to 12-15W just to drive the phased linears (PAL-290's) split between TWO 102" whips. Tubes were fun at home, but I was running converted ham gear that would idle at 60W and hit modulation peaks of 120W. Kinda miss those days before the truckers took over the band.
Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
|
|
|
Jay Pat
Round Rock, TX
Senior Member
Joined: 06/03/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Mike 4947,
Are you talking white face or black face Johnson?
Golden Eagle?
Lafeytte, Comstat 25B?
Turner plus 3?
Moonraker?
Hygain Afterburner?
Pat
2010 Ford F-350 SRW
2011 Keystone, Sprinter 310
|
Tsalla Apopka
Crystal River, FL
Senior Member
Joined: 06/04/2002
View Profile
Offline
|
I actually appreciated the guys that used converted Ham Gear for CB. The "others" with the cheap "LEEENNN "E" ORRRRS" put out a signal that was 600 watts alright but unfortunately 500 of those watts was on other frequncies up and down the band...
Denny & Karen
Florida's Beautiful "Nature Coast"
Brit,TDI,BH & Claire,TDI (Belgian Sheepdogs)
Merlot - Sheltie rescue
Glady(Morgan Mare - retired),Toes & Beemer(Barn Cats-retired)
WA4OMG (Old Mangy Goat)
|
wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
Senior Member
Joined: 07/04/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
Hry Tsalla... That is called Splatter. And I can even tell folks all about it graphically.
Imagine on the wall you have a chart of radio frequencies.
Now take a big bowl of mashed potatoes and.......
When it hits the wall.... That's splatter.
(And if you think that would make what Dr. Spooner would call "a mel of a hess"... You are absolutly right, it does)
Home is where I park it.
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
|
wa8yxm
Wherever I happen to park
Senior Member
Joined: 07/04/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
On GM vehicles there is a stud, often at the bottom of the fuse panel, but may be elsewhere, that is HOT all the time (12 volt positive) If it is on the bottom of the fuse panel (And there may be 2 of 'em) it should be fused, it's about a quarter or 3/8" in diamater. Fine thread if I recall correctly, may be brass.
This is as close to the battery as you can get without actually hooking to the battery. Do not forget the proper size fuse for the radio (post stud)
Same is true of Chrysler products though I'm not sure where they stuff the stud.
On my chevy lumina the stud was under the hood, no fuse, Workhorse they are under the fuse box that is under the hood, fused 30 amp.
But there will be a stud.. Somewhere.
Another option is to use the "Add a circuit" adapter.. I'd pull the existing radio main power fuse (not the memory power fuse which is smaller) and insert it in the fuse block there. YOU do have to pay attention to which way you install it.
Here is the Bussmann version.
Google "Add a circuit" for a version with photo.
|
SCVJeff
Santa Clarita, CA.
Senior Member
Joined: 07/28/2006
View Profile
Online
|
Jay Pat wrote:Mike 4947,
Are you talking white face or black face Johnson?
Golden Eagle?
Lafeytte, Comstat 25B?
Turner plus 3?
Moonraker?
Hygain Afterburner?
Pat Here's a few more:
D-104 (shame for forgetting that one)
TRAM
Buddy Base
|
|
|
