Dang Ford..Could use some help on my antenna....

[slowmover]

Ok I have this mount figured out now. Not bad! View attachment 188178

Quite glad to have that image. Thx. Could we also have one from pass side door and one from viewpoint of passenger seated?

What was coax route? Down B-pillar under seat on starboard side?


Recommend you use (1st choice) a GearKeeper for mic; or, (2nd choice) a Magnetic Mic button near dash top in very easy reach.

When things get hot you can be on/off that radio 20-30 times in a 15” period.

It’s best — by far — to be able to release the mic altogether when the truck needs to be driven.

The only mount challenge is in limiting swing to a minimum. Where, as well as How Far. Don’t want it to bang into stuff. (Some use a second fixed length of 20# test).

Mics get destroyed being dropped.
Not if, but when.

Home » Gear Keeper Retractors by Hammerhead Industries

Free shipping USPS on orders over $10.00 through Monday Dec 2nd.

gearkeeper.com

.

 

[niceguy71]

Quite glad to have that image. Thx

What was coax route? Down B-pillar under seat on starboard side?

Recommend you use (1st choice) a GearKeeper for mic; or, (2nd choice) a Magnetic Mic button near dash top in very easy reach.

When things get hot you’ll be on/off that radio 20-30 times in a 15” period.

.

I agree with the Magnetic Mic holder....... I never take my eyes off the road.... I just reach for the mic and slide it off the magnet ( IT"S VERY POWERFUL) and when I go to put the mic down... I just get it close to the magnet and it grabs the mic out of my hand and holds it to the dash! LOVE IT!

 

[niceguy71]

Ok I have this mount figured out now. Not bad! View attachment 188178

will that swing out of the way to allow passengers to use the passenger seat???? if so that is the greatest CB install in HISTORY!!!!!
WX2Watch I hope you're watching... this Lido thing would be very good for your Toyota Tacoma.

 

[billdean]

Quite glad to have that image. Thx. Could we also have one from pass side door and one from viewpoint of passenger seated?

What was coax route? Down B-pillar under seat on starboard side?


Recommend you use (1st choice) a GearKeeper for mic; or, (2nd choice) a Magnetic Mic button near dash top in very easy reach.

When things get hot you can be on/off that radio 20-30 times in a 15” period.

It’s best — by far — to be able to release the mic altogether when the truck needs to be driven.

The only mount challenge is in limiting swing to a minimum. Where, as well as How Far. Don’t want it to bang into stuff. (Some use a second fixed length of 20# test).

Mics get destroyed being dropped.
Not if, but when.

Home » Gear Keeper Retractors by Hammerhead Industries

Free shipping USPS on orders over $10.00 through Monday Dec 2nd.

gearkeeper.com

.

Yes I can send those pictures. I am not quite finished on the passenger side wiring yet. I was going to rap it in wire loom. Still a work in progress. Coax was routed down the B-pillar and along the scuff plate to under the glove box. I went under the glove box as I have had that out multiply times. Mic I haven't got to yet, but will be looking at what you suggested.

 

[billdean]

will that swing out of the way to allow passengers to use the passenger seat???? if so that is the greatest CB install in HISTORY!!!!!
WX2Watch I hope you're watching... this Lido thing would be very good for your Toyota Tacoma.

No need to swing. Passengers can set there fine. But it can swing anyway you want it to by loosing the thumb clamps. Beside that's my copilot seat, she has short legs.

 

[niceguy71]

Airbags in overhead? (If not can epoxy a board under headliner for mount). I dislike airbags. They’re installed for the stupids who won’t wear belts. No good after deployed, and many wrecks are multiple hits. The safety thing is to have one’s body stay attached to seatback. Belt below hipbones is only proper method.

I'm one of the Stupids that refuses to wear a seat belt.... hate the things with a passion!

somedays I'm trying to drive, talk on the CB. text on the phone.... trying to eat my Dunkin Doughnuts and drink my beer and that stupid seat belt is always in the way!

if I go on the highway... and I think I might see a policeman... I might put it on...... if I was to go on a long trip YES I would wear it.... ( if I'm on a long trip I like to average 100MPH and the seat belt does make me feel much safer... 95 to 100MPH is the average speed on I-95 from Maine to Florida)... without the seat belt I don't like to go over 70.

most of my driving is to the bank, grocery store, and post office... I generally can't go over 30 MPH in my winding twisting roads of my town anyway.

but that's just me.... I'm the kind of guy... if I go to a "Drive in movie" and I don't like the movie I slash the seats.

 

[billdean]

Quite glad to have that image. Thx. Could we also have one from pass side door and one from viewpoint of passenger seated?

What was coax route? Down B-pillar under seat on starboard side?


Recommend you use (1st choice) a GearKeeper for mic; or, (2nd choice) a Magnetic Mic button near dash top in very easy reach.

When things get hot you can be on/off that radio 20-30 times in a 15” period.

It’s best — by far — to be able to release the mic altogether when the truck needs to be driven.

The only mount challenge is in limiting swing to a minimum. Where, as well as How Far. Don’t want it to bang into stuff. (Some use a second fixed length of 20# test).

Mics get destroyed being dropped.
Not if, but when.

Home » Gear Keeper Retractors by Hammerhead Industries

Free shipping USPS on orders over $10.00 through Monday Dec 2nd.

gearkeeper.com

.

Hey @slowmover. Here are a couple other images of the mount. I need to clean up the wiring. The Radioddity QT 60 only came with a 6" power cord. I would have like to have run that cord straight to the battery but it is too short. I have a 10ga positive wire ran to the battery now but I don't want all that extra wire and I don't like butt splices. Hopefully my new President Washington comes with a 10' power cord.

 

[niceguy71]

Hey @slowmover. Here are a couple other images of the mount. I need to clean up the wiring. The Radioddity QT 60 only came with a 6" power cord. I would have like to have run that cord straight to the battery but it is too short. I have a 10ga positive wire ran to the battery now but I don't want all that extra wire and I don't like butt splices. Hopefully my new President Washington comes with a 10' power cord.

GREAT PICTURES!!!!!
I was wondering how that would work... looks great!
no more excuses from the new guys that they can't install their radio in a nice looking professional way.

Billdean ..... just a recommendation... I HIGHLY recommend putting a $15 dollar relay in if you haven't wired everything permenantly..... you can tap off anything that comes on with the key.... like the stereo ... some vehicles the cigarette lighter plug works with the ignition switch..... but that relay is very easy to wire and cheap enough.... it will pay for itself Versus the first time you forget to turn off the radio.

I have the relay wired in my Ford F150 connected to the stereo ... when I turn the ignition off with the key.... my CB and my stereo keep playing for 15 minutes or until I open a door... then everything goes off..... sometimes I'm talking with someone when I pull into the bank or grocery store... I turn the ignition off and even put my keys in my pocket... and I can keep using the CB until I open the door... so it really works out great... and just piece of mind ... imagine you're in bed and you start thinking..... did I turn the CB off before I got out of the truck??... you know your going to get up and go check....

so wire in a relay... ... I don't have to tell you how it works with your experience.... but I will say the negative goes to the body.... sometimes I mount the relay on the firewall and sometimes I mount it on the radiator support.. but I ground it where I mount it... so I only have to bring a small wire from the Stereo to the relay... and then a heavy wire from the battery to the relay and then the heavy wire from the relay to the CB

it's a pleasure to see a new guy in here buying great equipment and installing it correctly... won't be long before your telling other new guys how you did yours!... keep up the good work

 

[niceguy71]

Hey @slowmover. Here are a couple other images of the mount. I need to clean up the wiring. The Radioddity QT 60 only came with a 6" power cord. I would have like to have run that cord straight to the battery but it is too short. I have a 10ga positive wire ran to the battery now but I don't want all that extra wire and I don't like butt splices. Hopefully my new President Washington comes with a 10' power cord.

I can see by that picture now that the passenger would not be bothered by the radio.... that Lido mount really has things figured out.... Thank God Slowmover found that... going to help a lot of guys!!!!

oh yeah... the Washington will be even smaller than the Radioddity QT-80... so you'll really have plenty of room

 

[billdean]

I can see by that picture now that the passenger would not be bothered by the radio.... that Lido mount really has things figured out.... Thank God Slowmover found that... going to help a lot of guys!!!!

oh yeah... the Washington will be even smaller than the Radioddity QT-80... so you'll really have plenty of room

yes @slowmover has cost me a lot of money! The relay is on my list of things to do. Pretty easy

 

[mmckenna]

Billdean ..... just a recommendation... I HIGHLY recommend putting a $15 dollar relay in if you haven't wired everything permenantly..... you can tap off anything that comes on with the key.... like the stereo ... some vehicles the cigarette lighter plug works with the ignition switch..... but that relay is very easy to wire and cheap enough.... it will pay for itself Versus the first time you forget to turn off the radio.

It's easier than that, with these trucks.

Behind the passenger well kick panel there is upfitter wiring, including a switched ignition powered circuit "blunt cut". Brown/Blue on connector C213.
Look on page 116 of this manual:
2024 Super Duty Body Builders Layout Book

 

[billdean]

It's easier than that, with these trucks.

Behind the passenger well kick panel there is upfitter wiring, including a switched ignition powered circuit "blunt cut". Brown/Blue on connector C213.
Look on page 116 of this manual:
2024 Super Duty Body Builders Layout Book

That auxiliary relay box is in the engine compartment up against the firewall on the passenger side. I initially had the radio hooked up with the upfitter switches but I changed it and went to the battery. I guess I never thought about using the relay in the box to power the radio directly. I remember the brown/blue wire. I will just re-route my radio wire over to it and it will be done. It's a 20 amp circuit so it should work fine and it's straight off the 200 amp buss. Thanks @mmckenna
Added later... that wire harness C213 I thought could cause some noise as the wires are all bundle together going through the fire wall under the glove box/kick plate. Thats why I went straight to the battery. C213 has all different gauges of wire in it. I have a 10ga wire all ready run to the battery that avoids all that potential noise. I will just kook that up to the relay. And thanks for the layout book!

 

[slowmover]

yes @slowmover has cost me a lot of money! The relay is on my list of things to do. Pretty easy

Maybe.

My far more expensive big truck system re-pays me a minimum of 3-4X annually.

If at the worst you avoided a problem as Interstate traffic is moving at 35-yards/sec . . it’ll feel cheap. I know this as a certainty.

This is a genuine vehicle upgrade. So would be other radio service as you see fit.

Pickup lift kits, Tonka Tires, tuners, etc, degrade actual performance (steering, handling & braking) and are worse than a waste of money. Laughably called upgrades.

You’re also providing a visual model for pickup owners to get it right.

I’m not ever going to be in favor of a 4’ antenna. For me — experience — short is anything below 7’. NMO30 @ 63” (expected) is a worthwhile compromise as it otherwise has the right virtues.

Clean install and ready for use are the main factors past that.

The more pics you attach of the install, the easier it becomes for the novice and experienced alike.

The more well-equipped men, the better our roads.

.

 

[slowmover]

I'm one of the Stupids that refuses to wear a seat belt.... hate the things with a passion!

somedays I'm trying to drive, talk on the CB. text on the phone.... trying to eat my Dunkin Doughnuts and drink my beer and that stupid seat belt is always in the way!

if I go on the highway... and I think I might see a policeman... I might put it on...... if I was to go on a long trip YES I would wear it.... ( if I'm on a long trip I like to average 100MPH and the seat belt does make me feel much safer... 95 to 100MPH is the average speed on I-95 from Maine to Florida)... without the seat belt I don't like to go over 70.

most of my driving is to the bank, grocery store, and post office... I generally can't go over 30 MPH in my winding twisting roads of my town anyway.

but that's just me.... I'm the kind of guy... if I go to a "Drive in movie" and I don't like the movie I slash the seats.

Get an extension, work with the tensioner. Wearing one 9-10/hours at a time it’s a matter of proper posture then the “mechanics” of the belt.

“City” fatalities are at 35-MPH. T-boned, and truck rolls where a car skids sideways. Rollovers are 3% of wrecks, but 30% of fatalities.

I’ve known a couple of truck drivers to get killed. One was an unavoidable head-on. The other didn’t wear a belt and we figured he couldn’t steer from the passenger seat after being hit from Port side.

Please don’t assume you’ll always be on familiar home ground. Or that 1965 normalcy is coming back. Hell, 2019 ain’t coming back.

None of us want an unintended breakdown. Phone is okay, radio could be better in some instances. Mechanical problem or an accident.

Distant Early Warning is a revelation. The better the radio system the better one becomes at confirming what’s heard by what he’s seeing.

Humans are psychic. And start to react before they get info. But it’s not the same for everyone. At 1-2/miles from a serious wreck you’re already entangled. Need to be 3-5/miles out to actually have choices.

There’s a definite change as some are unconsciously slowing as others are now lane-changing to maintain 70+. THIS IS TWO MILES OUT (snd why I don’t ever want short antenna; it’s all happening where one-second has become a long unit of time).

The greater the traffic volume, the sooner it becomes bad. Radio is confirmation. The signs can be subtle, but THEY ARE THERE. Radio helps train me as feedback to what I’m seeing (which follows having paid attention to intuition).

I don’t want to wind up on the passenger floorboard when sub-normal IQ Werner or Amazon comes alongside too close in confusion and bangs me. Instead I’m going to use the Drives to put him into the median.

Have plans. Be able to execute them.

.

 

[mmckenna]

Added later... that wire harness C213 I thought could cause some noise as the wires are all bundle together going through the fire wall under the glove box/kick plate. Thats why I went straight to the battery. C213 has all different gauges of wire in it. I have a 10ga wire all ready run to the battery that avoids all that potential noise. I will just kook that up to the relay. And thanks for the layout book!

My suggestion was to use that as the trigger wire for the relay. The supply side of the relay should still come off the battery.

If you want to get fancy, an option is to use a Lind Timer, or a Charge Guard*. Those can be set up to take the feed from the battery and a feed from ignition sense. It has the benefit of a timer that will keep the radio on for a set amount of time after the ignition is shut off. We use those on public safety installations so the officer can shut off the engine and still have the radio on. Usually set for an hour, then the radio shuts off and protects the battery.



* Some charge guard models will sense the voltage change when the alternator is spinning and does not need an ignition wire.

 

[billdean]

My suggestion was to use that as the trigger wire for the relay. The supply side of the relay should still come off the battery

Understood...

 

[billdean]

Hopefully I am done installing a permanent radio in my F-350 now.

 

[kc2asb]

Looks great, clean and professional installation. You should be done for a while. I'm sure that radio will give you good service for some time to come.

 

[niceguy71]

Hopefully I am done installing a permanent radio in my F-350 now. View attachment 188259View attachment 188260

Very, Very nice

 

[slowmover]

Admirable.

I’m gonna avoid use of the word “enviable” due to its connotations, but it’s closest to describing what should make the image a highly desirable example to follow.

As a CB guy, man, . . that’s one cool-looking rig there!

(Gonna leave out short antenna for next part; but gonna assume a few RF Bonds and vehicle noise tackled).


King of the Road


@jcrmadden has same radio/spkr, but not on this mount. With, IIRC, 7’ Skipshooter, he’s had longest distance ever signal capture over the part of Kentucky he drives real distances for work (logging industry) in a Tacoma pickup. That’s against an earlier QT60. He’s a regular among many regulars.

Those others on-the-road with good to very good radio rigs (mainly big trucks) will find that the clarity of your TX is compelling even if they’re not yet on board with how they think a CB should sound.

About the time they figured I was too far ahead on the Interstate when out west (having overtaken then passed them) they were surprised at not only they could still hear me, but how little my TX changed in intensity or audio quality up until near the end of the range. (Tall antennas, but pulling a reefer with a Cascadia Evolution).

Cattle haulers using a large car Pete or KW are usually KOR (amp in use with advantage of an all-aluminum bodied truck), but this set-up (antenna to 12-plus feet) will be great when Solo (no 5’er hooked). With 5’er it’ll be interesting to find out how far from behind they’ll hear you.

Around your home state running solo you’ll soon be of the most recognizable voices where a quality rig is in use. Won’t need Stupid Beep or audio clip on key-up.

Always remember to use a speaking pause after key-up. The Sound of Silence they’ll hear is its own trumpet-call.

Thanks for involving the rest of us!

.