New to CB and New to the Forum...

[slowmover]

I forgot to mention that I pulled the trigger on a qt60 with tune and alignment from Scott's Radio. Should be here later this week. Also, that topper has an angled recess at the front of it where it meets the cab. I think it would be a safe place to mount a 3" ball and spring where the mount itself wont get snagged. And unlike the truck roof, I can drill the hole in that topper without the fleet manager losing his $#!7. Leaning toward a pair of 5' whips for better range up and down the highway.

Single. Not pair. Co-phase is strictly a big truck thing to try and deal with 13’ tall trailer.


Will this work?

Straight Bar Front Bed Rail Bracket # 313

The bar is threaded so nuts and washers are not needed. Just two 5/16th holes to install. The bar is 24 inches long, 1/2 inch thick and 2 inches wide with the bolts 6 inches apart. Model # 313Has a 5/8 hole for a mount. All my stud mounts, fold overs and ball mounts will fit and SO 239 # 800

breedlovemounts.com

I didn’t realize bed was composite. (102-whip has a lot of flex given a spring at base with inside-the-bed mount).

That’s one helluva topper compared to my fiberglass LEER contractor model. I’d imagine it can be bonded, but am not read-in on how well it’d work as an antenna base (27-MHz). I’d want to work thru a list of details requested in re the how-to.

1). The rail bracket mount with what antenna?
(Needs flex).

2). Or, NMO spring-base on forward portion of topper?

— Take your time to go thru all the BREEDLOVE offerings. Then study the Photo Gallery.

TacomaWorld, and online 4WD forums. Someone may have a model that’ll fit. Drag it over here.

.

 

[jcrmadden]

Will this work?

https://breedlovemounts.com/store/ols/products/straight-bar-front-bed-rail-bracket

Not sure... I don't know how much clearance there will be between the back glass of the cab and the front of the topper. It looks pretty snug though. I'll check the measurements once it's on. That will tell the tale with regard to mounting options.

 

[radionx]

We all wish there was. We'd all love a 50 watt radio with all modes the size of a deck of cards, but no such mythical beast exists

President Washington. It will do everything, look it up!

*World Exclusive* Ladies & Gentlemen President Washington Features & Manual & Power

A new and defining radio is about to hit the market and boy oh boy it’s stacked up! 50 Watts FM, 80 Watts PeP AM & 80 Watts PeP USB & LSB. If that’s not enough for you it’s got optional fan…

simonthewizard.com

A well stacked CB you would want to wake up with!

 

[slowmover]

President Washington. It will do everything, look it up!

*World Exclusive* Ladies & Gentlemen President Washington Features & Manual & Power

A new and defining radio is about to hit the market and boy oh boy it’s stacked up! 50 Watts FM, 80 Watts PeP AM & 80 Watts PeP USB & LSB. If that’s not enough for you it’s got optional fan…

simonthewizard.com

A well stacked CB you would want to wake up with!

PRESIDENT Washington

I figure this is ultimate given specs released: Whatever George 2 does, this ups the game. Maybe look at it as the Lincoln 2+ replacement (2012 introduction)? The G2 has SSB performance the L2+ doesn’t achieve . . even though, in turn, it’s MUCH better than the older mobile radios. The L2+...

forums.radioreference.com

 

[jcrmadden]

Anybody wanna sell me one? I did a quick search on the google machine and I'm not seeing these for sale anywhere... Lots of other president models, but not this particular one

 

[slowmover]

Anybody wanna sell me one? I did a quick search on the google machine and I'm not seeing these for sale anywhere... Lots of other president models, but not this particular one

Model announced that day. Not yet available.
A month? Three months? No word yet.

Q5 is well over 90% of the way to same end in performance.

IOW, the radio won’t change the performance nearly as much as the antenna system is, as a given, still true.

.

 

[jcrmadden]

So this is what GAS feels like...

 

[jcrmadden]

Got the new camper shell on today and couldn't be happier with how it looks. Probably didn't help my antenna situation though. It doesn't exactly afford a lot of mounting options. Definitely no clearance between it and the cab and completely covers the bed rails. At present it's completely insolated from the rest of the truck, so bonding is a must.

 

[K6GBW]

Lots of options, hood mount, NMO on the roof, 3" ball mount on the side. Antennas are like parachuting...you do it or you don't. Pull the rip cord!

 

[jcrmadden]

In that regard, yes... I have more surface to mount an antenna, not less. I was hoping it would have somewhere that could shield my mount though. It being wider and taller than the cab does away with that notion though. As for the rip cord, you're right there too. It's time to pull the cord and drill the hole. I've got it in my mind that I can fabricate a shark fin looking piece of poly and place it ahead of a lay-over mount. That would mitigate clearance issues in the woods.

 

[slowmover]

True, that if to pull over and remove the antenna via quick disconnect, then options (viability) just went way up.

#106 Breedlove is an example. With “tall”. (Quarter panel mount with 108” tied down except for worst?)

On one tractor where we loaded from overhead with a tanker I’d open both windows and pop off the antennas till out from under the rack.

A 7’ I can stow in pickup cab. The 9’ whip has to go in my 8’ bed.

.

 

[K6GBW]

I'm actually thinking about a Breedlove 3" ball mount for my Subaru Crosstrek. That rear pillar is looking a little too empty!

 

[slowmover]

For size and actual utility, it’s very attractive.

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[slowmover]

Delete

 

[niceguy71]

Got the new camper shell on today and couldn't be happier with how it looks. Probably didn't help my antenna situation though. It doesn't exactly afford a lot of mounting options. Definitely no clearance between it and the cab and completely covers the bed rails. At present it's completely insolated from the rest of the truck, so bonding is a must.

nice looking rig. lot of metal on that roof... I'd really get a cheap 5 foot tall magnet mount antenna....... put it on the roof and have some fun... when you get into the woods set it on the right side of the hood so you can keep an eye on it... and when you get back on the road slap it back on the roof.. easy to drill a hole in the back cab..... hate to see you spend a lot of time and money and find out that the people you want to talk to may not have a CB that can get out more than a couple miles... and you may find not many people out there you really want to talk to.... I would try the cheap easy way first.
I saw you bought the Quad 5 clone... GREAT radio you'll love it!

 

[jcrmadden]

Appreciate it niceguy, I couldn't be happier with the truck. It's an especially nice ride for a beat through the woods company truck. You're right about the people that I need to talk to and the radios that roam around log jobs. Most are running junk that's beat to hell. All the more reason for big ears though. The rock truck is usually an exception, most of the haulers around here have decent setups. I need to reach them at pretty good distance sometimes.

The radio showed up today and I can't wait to get it wired up. It's bigger than I was expecting though and I don't have it mounted yet. I've mocked it up almost everywhere I can think to put it where I can still see/reach it. There's a super handy organizer on each side of the transmission hump that I'd hate to lose but it's prime real estate. Looking at the roof too, but there are tradeoffs there too.

 

[niceguy71]

Appreciate it niceguy, I couldn't be happier with the truck. It's an especially nice ride for a beat through the woods company truck. You're right about the people that I need to talk to and the radios that roam around log jobs. Most are running junk that's beat to hell. All the more reason for big ears though. The rock truck is usually an exception, most of the haulers around here have decent setups. I need to reach them at pretty good distance sometimes.

The radio showed up today and I can't wait to get it wired up. It's bigger than I was expecting though and I don't have it mounted yet. I've mocked it up almost everywhere I can think to put it where I can still see/reach it. There's a super handy organizer on each side of the transmission hump that I'd hate to lose but it's prime real estate. Looking at the roof too, but there are tradeoffs there too.

post some pictures of the interior... someone here will come up with a brilliant idea I'm sure.

 

[slowmover]

There’s all kinds of storage options. Seat front & back is how I set up big truck. My radio rides on seat in a case under seatbelt, and I use an armrest panel similar to this one from GALLS facing the interior.



With or without the radio it keeps things at hand versus jamming up a console or glovebox (or overhead in truck).

Stuff laying on the dash ain’t gonna happen. These are also easy to move out of the way. (Avoid cheap knockoffs).

I have to have tools to figure diversions around traffic, so Road Atlas, paper, etc., all need to be at hand. Don’t do these things by memory. And don’t mix them in with legal, work or vehicle papers.

Radio causes operator re-organization.

 

[slowmover]

There's a super handy organizer on each side of the transmission hump

Location advantage:

Passenger-side. Metal backing plate and bracket on some O-rings or similar for vibration. Simplifies running power thru HVAC line firewall entry. 10-AWG ANCOR under flame resistant split loom conduit. Fuse at BATT+ and NEG to fender BATT- connection.

GEARKEEPER from rear view mirror for mic. (BC-645 mic with Mix 31 snapover underneath is easy to grab mid-swing vs stock. No up/down buttons).

Coax up starboard A or B pillar or out cab vent behind rear seat. May also be floorpan plug. More split loom, but can be cheaper. (MyAntennas choke at radio).

External speaker under drivers seat. (Split loom). More shock isolator.

This is how I look at it. Do as you will. Install can turn into a bear depending on location.

 

[jcrmadden]

post some pictures of the interior... someone here will come up with a brilliant idea I'm sure.

Everyone will probably have the same brilliant idea... and it will probably sound something like, "Jesus Christ man, clean your #### truck!"
It does not look the same inside as out... It's not cluttered, but I could probably grow potatoes in there. Getting in and out of the truck on log jobs means mud and dust are a constant.

Location advantage:

Passenger-side.

@slowmover you're right on target. Everywhere else I put it feels clunky and inconvenient. Plus, I keep the front seat open. My 5yo son is my co-pilot most days. Warning: The next paragraph is a totally irrelevant aside...

Raising him in the woods and on the road is tough, but it beats the hell out of letting the state have him for 8 hours a day at the indoctrination facility (school). He's learning to interact with the real world in real time. He's learning that the value of hard work isn't always the money, although he appreciates the jingle-jangle (what he calls money). He got his vocabulary from men; the intelligent and the idiot alike. I.E. "Dad, did you see that moron cut that guy off?!" ...or... "Look dad, some douchebag threw his garbage on the ground!" He's independent to a fault, with an undertone of obstinance. Hell, somedays he's borderline feral. I'm proud of where he is, and if he doesn't go to juvi or overthrow the government he just might make it in this world...

Now, back to our regularly scheduled broadcast... The notable exception for clunky/inconvenient mounting locations is the armrest (which doubles as a lid for the console cubby hole). That's where I have the radio sitting now, and oddly enough it seems like a natural fit. I'm thinking about taking the lid off that center cubby, mounting a plate on the existing hinges, and mounting the radio to the plate. Done right and it should still function as a lid, look super clean, and be convenient. Key words: DONE RIGHT. I'll send some pictures of the interior later today.

Aside number two... I have seat covers that have the organizers on the back. I keep my Kentucky Gazetteer on the back of the passenger seat. In that narrow cab its well within reach and found without looking. My timber sale docs and property level maps live in the back of the drivers seat. I keep a rugged backpack with my laptop, field computer, and assorted tools/supplies in the back seat. There's a second backpack with extra clothes for me and my helper, a smaller "activity" bag for little man's school work and coloring books, and a moderately sized lunch box full of food and snacks. There may or may not also be a five gallon bucket of toy dump trucks, bulldozers, tractor trailers, and the like in there... The topper will be a game changer with regard to storage since a lot of that stuff will migrate back to the bed. I just need to get the back cleaned out and organized first. The inconvenience of the tonneau cover meant that sometime stuff just got shoved in. Getting that squared away is the plan for this evening...