# 10-45; CB radios, antennas, and the mk4.



## 54-46 (Jul 12, 2005)

I'd been threatening the wife to do this for awhile, and after a weekend marathon of Smokey and the Bandit on PAX, I've cracked.
I'm puttin' the CB in. My reasoning is that when the apocolypse hits, I'll be more ready for the Mad Max action with a CB radio.








So, anyways.. I'm curious to know if anyone else has added a CB to their Mk4 (or 5) car, and what they best used. 
I don't want to drill to mount the antenna, but I also shy away from magnet mounts as unreliable and potentially causing paint problems.
The cellular look-a-like appears to have been dismissed as crap, as has the JC Whitney "Secret Antenna" (which no longer appears to be sold, anyhoo) and I've only found a few mentions of the "Secret Sam" antenna, which is also probably crap, as well.
So, anyone here done anything similar? Honestly, I have no issue losing the use of the radio antenna for radio, and would have no problem replacing the antenna for it with a different unit if it was a matter of unscrew and swap.
Am I stuck using a magnet mount?
10-10.


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## afinley (Dec 29, 2004)

*Re: 10-45; CB radios, antennas, and the mk4. (54-46)*

red rider-
the antenna on a mk4 is amplified, and base is the amplifier, so dont even know if you could use that. im not sure you could either use the whole thing for the CB, or just put a CB antenna in the mount. you might be stuck with the magnetic mount.
-lil' buddy
(ive always wanted a cb)


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## 54-46 (Jul 12, 2005)

*Re: 10-45; CB radios, antennas, and the mk4. (afinley)*

10-4.
Damn, I didn't even think about that part.
I'm really surprised that there's not more of a push to retrofit car antennas for CB with the way that sattelite radio has pushed the need for FM/AM out of the spot light.
A little part of me thinks it seems so simple, the right screw in to the existing mount, and pulling iit out of the radio and converting the wire type. It kinda makes me sad that no one is doing this (and I'm certainly not smart enough to pull it off). The CB/AM/FM mounts are reknowned to be garbage coz the build of the AM/FM isn't right, but there's even solutions to do AM/FM over a CB antenna.
Damnit. Why am I denied something so simple and elegant?
Oh well, I guess I'll find me a truck stop tonight and see what kind of other mounts they have, maybe I can jury rig something up.
As for the CB.. You should do it. I don't think it carries nearly as much interest as it did when I was really young, but its still kind of interesting, and sometimes you can learn some interesting things, or just have a good conversation with another driver.
And besides, cool handles.. Where else do you get cool handles? Web forums.. See, now you want a CB. Radio Shack'll get you started for like $60 or so, all inclusive.


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## afinley (Dec 29, 2004)

*Re: 10-45; CB radios, antennas, and the mk4. (54-46)*

you can try rigging a mount through your current antenna. if you dont mind losing am/fm, there is already a hole through your roof there. there is a write up in the mk4 forum about how to replace the antenna, you could just remove it and replace it with cb.


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## sucking chest wound (Mar 22, 2000)

*Re: 10-45; CB radios, antennas, and the mk4. (afinley)*

You need to be careful with CB antennas. You need to use a proper mount, because in most cases your car is the ground plane for the antenna and the mount couples it. Without it, you'll have all kinds of noise problems and also probably burn up your CB's final amplifier with a high SWR. 
I personally would just go with a mag mount. They work, they can be easily removed (for parking garages, etc) and with a little care they won't mess up your paint.


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## Non_Affiliated (Feb 12, 2002)

*Re: 10-45; CB radios, antennas, and the mk4. (sucking chest wound)*

Yeah just do a mag mount. Look to get a Wilson 1000, or a 500. They have a low drag due to it being a base loaded antenna. Best perfomance for the dollar hard to beat Firestick II's.


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## Myzery (May 27, 2004)

*Re: 10-45; CB radios, antennas, and the mk4. (Non_Affiliated)*

http://cgi.ebay.com/CB-Antenna...wItem 
Try that.


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## 54-46 (Jul 12, 2005)

That'll let you receive FM/AM from a CB antenna, not broadcast across your existing one.
The ones that work like that do exist, they're the aforementioned JC Whitney Secret Antenna, and apparantly they're even worse than the glass mounts.


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## irsa76 (Mar 28, 2003)

*Re: (54-46)*

Lip mount.


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## 77kafer (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: 10-45; CB radios, antennas, and the mk4. (54-46)*

The best cb antenna I ever found was called a DV27, and I got it at the equivalent of Radio Shack over in Germany. It mounted right through the roof in an existing hole, or you could put a hole in the same size as a regular radio antenna. On one car that I was reluctant to drill a hole in the roof on, I used a k-40 magna-mount for the DV27. I just removed the magnet and wrapped it with t-shirt material, and then reassembled it. Never had a problem with the paint.


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## Non_Affiliated (Feb 12, 2002)

*Re: 10-45; CB radios, antennas, and the mk4. (77kafer)*

I take it you mean this....
http://www.nevadaradio.co.uk/acatalog/dv27.html
Eh, It might work alright...I guess it just breaks down to what the OP really wants. A stelth install, Magnet mount you can remove it. The only thing hear isyou really need to remove the magnet mount every once in a while, to clean and wax your paint and clean any magnetic debris from the magent side. You may laugh and say clean the magnet and magnetic debris uo on the roof? You'd be surprized, I found a couple staples stuck to my magnet mount.
Most magnet mounts have a protective cover on the under side of the magnets. Quality mag mounts will have a kind of rubber pad that covers the magnet.
That DV27 might be the equivlent of this.
http://www.firestik.com/Catalog/e36.htm
This may also be another option.
http://www.firestik.com/Catalog/DS11-DS14.htm


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## 77kafer (Jul 29, 2004)

*Re: 10-45; CB radios, antennas, and the mk4. (Non_Affiliated)*

That is the one, the first one that you have hyperlinked. The second one is a "base load", and the third one is also a "base load". The dv27 is wound from top to bottom, and the swr adjustment is made at the top 6 inches. The main problem with getting that from England, is the length. It probably cannot be shipped regular mail. Best way, would probably be if you knew someone going to europe on a ski trip, they could bring it back in the bag with the skis. lol


_Modified by 77kafer at 2:13 PM 1-22-2007_


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## Drewdownkali (May 8, 2011)

*Comet cp-5*

I see this thread is pretty old but if anyone sees this what about a COMET CP-5 Universal Mobile Lip Mount? It looks very possible. Cannot speak for the grounding though.http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4053/4326503127_8d09ce6ec6.jpg this person used it


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## Drewdownkali (May 8, 2011)

*mo*

http://forums.radioreference.com/cb...ntenna-modern-hatchback-without-drilling.html


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## Drewdownkali (May 8, 2011)

*mo*

I am very interested in doing this myself please let me know any thoughts. I don't think gmrs will get enough range for the Euro drives here in Washington.


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## DavidPaul (Nov 28, 2009)

Drewdownkali said:


> I am very interested in doing this myself please let me know any thoughts. I don't think gmrs will get enough range for the Euro drives here in Washington.


Go for your Amateur Radio license (2 meter FM). It is easy to study and pass and you will have plenty of legal power.

Also, there is a plethora of antennas to choose from. I have always used "Through the Glass" antennas. Plenty of gain and no holes.

Do some Google searching for Ham Radio 2 meter Technician class licensing.

I have carried an Extra class license for many years.

I ran CB for many years when I was a kid but this is nothing compared to Amateur radio. CB is for uneducated truck drivers now. There is a lot of swearing and other disgusting things going on over the airways on the CB stations. It is not fit for children or anyone else, for that matter.

More and more truckers are going with Amateur radio licenses. Once you start investigating, you will see why.

David AB7VE


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## Non_Affiliated (Feb 12, 2002)

While the Ham radio license is a route and 2 Meter offeres alot of better suited antenna setups, because the Wavelength is a 2 Meter, and a Quaterwave whip antenna may be 18 - 20" long as opposes to a 96 - 102" quaterwave 11 Meter CB band.

The thing is that for some 2 meter takes more time and money, than a CB. I ran CB for some time, and have had very good performance from my 3, 4, and 5' Firesticks antennas.

I ran a Stainless steel Lip mount on my '77 Bonneville, it had allen set screws that bit into the metal on the underside of the trunk, that made the Ground connection and it worked well.

Those comet mounts look pretty nice.


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## DavidPaul (Nov 28, 2009)

I believe that for most people who want a really great communication system that will back up Cell problems, the 2 Meter, amateur band is the way to go.

I also believe that for most people, the extra couple of weeks it will take to get licensed and the extra couple hundred bucks it will take for a great 2 meter radio, as opposed to a CB radio, will also be well worth it. Of course, the antennas are far superior on 2 meter and cost about the same as a quality CB antenna.

Again, I say to anyone thinking about CB, do your web research before spending any money. I made my decision years ago by changing from CB to Ham radio.

By the way, with all of the links that have popped up all over the nation, it is virtually possible to talk almost anywhere in the U.S. on 2 meter FM and on rare occasions, skip can be utilized.

The typical 2 meter mobile mounted radio will run 25 to 50 watts of output power while the CB can only legally run up to 4 watts output power.

With literally no FCC regulation on CB any longer, the 11 meter, CB band has become a total fiasco and in my opinion, is not worth one thin dime of investment.

And, finally, as I stated in an earlier post, the 2 meter ham system can be installed in a vehicle more covertly due to the antenna being much shorter and the ability to have a through the glass mount which eliminates any damage to the vehicle and has almost no loss in output power.

David AB7VE


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## Drewdownkali (May 8, 2011)

*Cb*

I went cb. Just want an extra advantage in addition to laser jammer and radar detector (bear alerts) in addition to talk to a buddy on drives. I am at a loss though. I bought one of the comet mounts and a Laird cb27s antenna. The mount is making good metal contact but my swr is way up. Only thing I can think is that the hatch does not make a very good ground with the rest of the car. I do not know what to do. I do not want a mag mount and paid good money for this setup. Ideas???? I know I have heard my hatch do its little actuating thing like its unlocking but doesn't, for a long time now. Think it has something to do with microswitchs as my door has similar issues. Maybe this could be a ground issue?


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## Drewdownkali (May 8, 2011)

I could care less about the language they use. I want there input about the road conditions and cops. I don't want to go through licensing and much more expensive radios where you have to dial in new settings every 20 mins to get repeaters or some crap. I also want to be able to talk to my buddy during drives. So we don't have to play cell phone tag when we lose each other. This thing isn't working though. Ordering mag mount to punt this nmo antenna on. If that doesn't work then this antenna can't be good, I would think.


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