A new toy...

[diggerdave]

I took delivery of a very exciting parcel today...

Can you tell what it is?

That's a big 10-4 breakers! Er, yes, it's a CB. Specifically (top left to bottom right) a quick release bayonet fitting to allow me to remove the aerial from the roof with ease when not in use or when doing tight lanes, b) various cables, c) an SWR meter (for tuning my aerial once its on the car - I don't pretend to understand this stuff yet), d) a gutter mount (all wrapped up), e) a 'Thunderpole Orbiter' aerial, and f) the CB unit itself:

I put a lot of time, research and thought into my choice of the T-1000 model. It wasn't just because it is the designation of the liquid-alloy terminator in Terminator 2 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-1000). Definitely not just for that reason, no sir.

It looks good! I'll be putting it all together in the car this weekend:

 

[LC80tim]

Nice, I went for a ' very small ' CRT model and mag mount so can take off when needed, the unit is not much bigger than a packet of fags and get clear voice reception, well chuffed with it.

Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131850370614

 

[Bert]

Very nice Dave. I put a Midland Alan + is mine. Routed the aerial out through the top of the driver side back door pillar.

 

[diggerdave]

LC80tim, I'm actually a little disappointed with the size of this one - it's massive! It's easy to decide where to put it, simply because there's only one space it will fit without mounting it on top of the dash (too tempting for tea-leaves) or putting it in the stereo slot (which might be a later option)

Bert, Did you drill the metalwork? or via the window? I'm thinking of doing the latter: I'll see how well it works at the weekend

 

[Bert]

Hi DiggerDave. I drilled the metalwork.....

One of the reasons I went for the Midland was that it is 'smallish': http://pin.it/UI1jonC

I'll see if I can get a photo of the aerial mount. I did gulp a little before drilling, but I'm ok with it now.

 

[diggerdave]

Hi DiggerDave. I drilled the metalwork.....

One of the reasons I went for the Midland was that it is 'smallish': http://pin.it/UI1jonC

I'll see if I can get a photo of the aerial mount. I did gulp a little before drilling, but I'm ok with it now.

Thanks. That does look like a neat unit. I think mine will fit in the radio slot but I worried that I wouldn't be able to hear the speaker. Did you also fit an external speaker - is that what I can see peeping out behind your gearshift?

 

[LC80tim]

That's where I put mine as was really small

 

[clivehorridge]

Mine is thereabouts too, just in front of the hi/Lo shifter. There's room for the mic to stow alongside it, too.

When in use, the mic can hang anywhere handy, but for most of the year it sits unused on its clip.

 

[StarCruiser]

I've managed to fit an amateur radio in the dash below the radio until I went double din. Had an extension speaker underneath for it (in my 80).Now I have a cunning plan as to what to do with my radio kit. It's just taking a while!

 

[clivehorridge]

I've managed to fit an amateur radio in the dash below the radio until I went double din. Had an extension speaker underneath for it (in my 80).Now I have a cunning plan as to what to do with my radio kit. It's just taking a while!

I like cunning plans..

 

[StarCruiser]

I like cunning plans..

So do I. I just wish they'd hurry up that's all. !!

 

[clivehorridge]

So do I. I just wish they'd hurry up that's all. !!

 

[LC80tim]

Was going to go full din size with front speaker ( I have one in the disco ) but decided that having a double din slot and not using it would be a waste

 

[clivehorridge]

Was going to go full din size with front speaker ( I have one in the disco ) but decided that having a double din slot and not using it would be a waste

That's what I thought, so I filled it with a screen jobbie, which lets me have a handy reversing camera.

It's great for parking.

 

[StarCruiser]

Lynn approved the safety aspect of the double din with hands free, reversing cam and installed sat nav.

 

[LC80tim]

Lynn approved the safety aspect of the double din with hands free, reversing cam and installed sat nav.

Got to be the way to go

 

[Bert]

Thanks. That does look like a neat unit. I think mine will fit in the radio slot but I worried that I wouldn't be able to hear the speaker. Did you also fit an external speaker - is that what I can see peeping out behind your gearshift?

The external speaker was just an old Nokia speaker of some description. I'd had it mooching in the shed for years and it works quite well really. I wonder what a 'dedicated' CB speaker performs like.
The unit itself sticks proud because there's not a lot of room behind it with the cross bar in the way.
The new Midland PMR446 looks interesting too.

 

[StarCruiser]

It's hardly worth doing something bespoke unless you need to. You can get really good speakers for under £20 delivered that just do the job. I have a couple that are probably going spare but TBH it would probably cost almost as much as a new one to send them.

 

[Towpack]

If you have a very small unit or a separate head and base unit then a good place is above the windscreen.

If you drill the bodywork I recommend you use a decent IP rated grommet, not a cheap rubber bung type.

 

[diggerdave]

I'm preparing for this weekend's install and I think I'm going to keep it simple in the first instance.

I like the idea of an overhead installation (Towpack) and I had seriously considered it, but my unit is a touch too large for comfort.

I'm going to go simple in the first instance - I can always refine it all later - by putting the CB radio in front of the gear levers. I'm hoping that one of the compensations of having a larger CB radio unit is that the internal speaker is good enough that I don't need an additional external speaker.

I'll be running the co-axial cable out through the driver's side rear window (the window seal is very squashy and doesn't pinch the cable) to a gutter mounted aerial. It'll be interesting to see a) whether I get any leaks through the window seal via the cable, b) whether the whole aerial gets ripped off on the first scratchy lane that I do!