After a number of years ... Finally finalized CB Radio and Amp

[70cst]

For a number of years ...I have been going back and forth as to which period correct CB and Amp I wanted to disply in my truck. The decision is made... the CB has been gone though and the amp works as it should.

Now I need to finalize which CB Antenna.
I have a Avanti Hippo, Cobra A6000, Avant Fazer Dual antennas, and a Hustler Twin antenna.

I am getting close.

[Caddylackn]

How do you split into two antennas? What adapter piece is required?

I have a Cobra 29 LTD and have the two CB antenna mounts of the C20 dumbo mirrors and want to run twin antennas.

Are you overhead mounting your CB or below the dash? I mounted mine below the dash, but it is a real knee knocker. I would like to see how to mount it overhead.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by Caddylackn

How do you split into two antennas? What adapter piece is required?

I have a Cobra 29 LTD and have the two CB antenna mounts of the C20 dumbo mirrors and want to run twin antennas.

Are you overhead mounting your CB or below the dash? I mounted mine below the dash, but it is a real knee knocker. I would like to see how to mount it overhead.

For Dual Antenns there is a splitter that needs to match the antennas to the CB ... they have the cool factor but the single perform better - from my understanding.

As far as mount - I have a CB Hump Mount .. which I have two spares for sell.

[body bolt]

Originally Posted by Caddylackn

How do you split into two antennas? What adapter piece is required?

I have a Cobra 29 LTD and have the two CB antenna mounts of the C20 dumbo mirrors and want to run twin antennas.

Are you overhead mounting your CB or below the dash? I mounted mine below the dash, but it is a real knee knocker. I would like to see how to mount it overhead.

I mounted one in the dash. I plan to use a slide mount for another under the A/C controls. The top one in the bottom pic is the other. I need to replace the display as it's impossible to read in sunlight. The bottom one I did replace the display so the difference in pretty vivid.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by body bolt

I mounted one in the dash. I plan to use a slide mount for another under the A/C controls. The top one in the bottom pic is the other. I need to replace the display as it's impossible to read in sunlight. The bottom one I did replace the display so the difference in pretty vivid.

Nice set up

[70cst]

This Antenna NOS Cobra A6000

[body bolt]

Originally Posted by 70cst

This Antenna NOS Cobra A6000

How do you intend to mount that?

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Caddylackn

How do you split into two antennas? What adapter piece is required?

I have a Cobra 29 LTD and have the two CB antenna mounts of the C20 dumbo mirrors and want to run twin antennas.

Are you overhead mounting your CB or below the dash? I mounted mine below the dash, but it is a real knee knocker. I would like to see how to mount it overhead.

''Twin Sticks'' or ''Rabbit Ears'' have a co-ax loom that is factory spliced to have equal length lines going to each antenna. That way the gain is equal and standing wave ratio is balanced. The signal output pattern resembles a 'peanut' or Figure 8, with one equal lobe extending forward from the broadcasting vehicle and one behind it. Emissions from the sides are diminished.
Back-in-the-day, there were devices with a variable capacitor as a dial in the center -- to boost gain on one antenna, and decrease it on the other, so the signal pattern could be changed from the peanut to a cardiod, or omnidiretional. [A taller 1/4 wave whip has more omnidirectional gain though.]
I have not seen one for over 40 years. They were once commercially available. A Ham or electronics expert could rig the right parts, but the engineering is over my head.

[body bolt]

Originally Posted by 70cst

For a number of years ...I have been going back and forth as to which period correct CB and Amp I wanted to disply in my truck. The decision is made... the CB has been gone though and the amp works as it should.

Now I need to finalize which CB Antenna.
I have a Avanti Hippo, Cobra A6000, Avant Fazer Dual antennas, and a Hustler Twin antenna.

I am getting close.

Nice setup. Is that about '77-78?

[jimijam00]

cool

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by 70cst

For a number of years ...I have been going back and forth as to which period correct CB and Amp I wanted to disply in my truck. The decision is made... the CB has been gone though and the amp works as it should.

Now I need to finalize which CB Antenna.
I have a Avanti Hippo, Cobra A6000, Avant Fazer Dual antennas, and a Hustler Twin antenna.

I am getting close.

I doubt there's anyone left at the FCC that's old enough to know how to track a wattage output violator, let alone remembers what CB was. I don't think they'll give a F#$%.
You'll probably get away with it, unless your signal gives interference with cell towers.

[body bolt]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I doubt there's anyone left at the FCC that's old enough to know how to track a wattage output violator, let alone remembers what CB was. I don't think they'll give a F#$%.
You'll probably get away with it, unless your signal gives interference with cell towers.

Yeah, back in the day it interfered with broadcast TV but those days are gone. Maybe it will blow speakers on bass thumping cars. That would be too bad...

[70cst]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I doubt there's anyone left at the FCC that's old enough to know how to track a wattage output violator, let alone remembers what CB was. I don't think they'll give a F#$%.
You'll probably get away with it, unless your signal gives interference with cell towers.

The Gray is mostly for show.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by 70cst

The Gray is mostly for show.

Ah, Ten-Four.

[tdangle]

don't forget to check your SWR after installing the antenna. Back in the day, I replaced many "finals" in CB's due to mismatched SWR. As a side note, what would really be cool is to find a vintage AM/FM/CB radio and mount in the stock location. Don't remember who made them, pretty expensive in the day.

[body bolt]

Originally Posted by tdangle

As a side note, what would really be cool is to find a vintage AM/FM/CB radio and mount in the stock location. Don't remember who made them, pretty expensive in the day.

Scroll up. That one was also labeled and marketed by Radio Shack, Pioneer, Midland, Lafayette, etc. I have a few other in-dash AM/FM/CBs; Realistic, Automatic Radio, Audiovox, Cobra.

[Caddylackn]

Originally Posted by tdangle

what would really be cool is to find a vintage am/fm/cb radio and mount in the stock location. Don't remember who made them, pretty expensive in the day.

Cadillac had a factory 8 track and CB option. I had this same 8 track player, which I pulled from the junkyard and put in my '74 Eldorado convertible to rock some 8 tracks, but didn't realize it had a CB function.


not mine, but an internet photo

['68OrangeSunshine]

Truck stops are about the only retail space with CB gear anymore.

[body bolt]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Truck stops are about the only retail space with CB gear anymore.

Up until a few years ago we had a CB shop located by a truck stop where I-25/I-40 crossed, The Big I. Now gone.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by body bolt

Up until a few years ago we had a CB shop located by a truck stop where I-25/I-40 crossed, The Big I. Now gone.

The Flying J [Sunshine Rd ?] on I-10 between Tucson and Phoenix had a CB section last time I was there. My trips to PHX have been curtailed by the pandemic. It's been over a year. Who knows what's there now?

The AM/FM/CB/8-Track rigs are very cool from a collector viewpoint, but as I recall they weren't considered superior to discrete CB transceivers and AM/FM tuners.

[body bolt]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

The Flying J [Sunshine Rd ?] on I-10 between Tucson and Phoenix had a CB section last time I was there. My trips to PHX have been curtailed by the pandemic. It's been over a year. Who knows what's there now?

The AM/FM/CB/8-Track rigs are very cool from a collector viewpoint, but as I recall they weren't considered superior to discrete CB transceivers and AM/FM tuners.

The Motorola above puts out over 4 watts with ~90 percent modulation. The CB portions are just what you'd find in most any stand-alone radio of the day: Cobra, Uniden, Realistic, MIdland, Lafayette, etc. You've seen one CB schematic you've pretty much seen them all, except for the high-end stuff. The AM/FM tuners are what you'd find in any radio of the day.

Myself, I didn't care about a tape function as I added Bluetooth to that Motorola. Just A2DP, no phone profiles. I was more interested in having pushbutton AM/FM.

[Caddylackn]

We got into the CB craze in the 70s after watching Smokey and the Bandit and watching the movie Convoy like everyone else. My mom had a Realistic 40 CB put into her new VW Sirocco. It was the CB model that had the big channel dial onto the hand microphone so you could flip through channels and talk with the same hand. We used to listen to truckers on road trips but me and my sister were always afraid to say anything to them, except once we said "hi".

I have a vintage chrome faced under dash 8 track player that I am going to put in my truck under the dash. I also have a vintage ball compass on the stand for the dash, and my CB player, which I am going to try to mount overhead. Got to find room for all my vintage accessories. Still looking for a vintage steering wheel knob. I have some vintage Grote cab lights that need installed after I repaint the top.

['68OrangeSunshine]

I had a Realistic TRC-421 w/a pre-amp noise-canx mic, a Motorola remote speaker above the rearview mirror, and a PA speaker behind the grille. I had a Sanyo AM/FM/Cassette [recorder] receiver. No buttons, but great DX analog tuning on FM. Tape deck was good, I played the hell out of it. I also had a 2 channel amp and Jensen speakers. With C90 tapes, I could get 1 LP on each side, with some extra time that I'd dub interesting singles onto.
When I rebuilt the pickup. I took all that stuff off.

[body bolt]

I have a TRC-421. Those are really good little radios. Was your mic also Realistic? I may have the same one. I put a Sanyo AM/FM cassette in my girlfriend's Karmann Gorilla.

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

I had a Realistic TRC-421 w/a pre-amp noise-canx mic, a Motorola remote speaker above the rearview mirror, and a PA speaker behind the grille. I had a Sanyo AM/FM/Cassette [recorder] receiver. No buttons, but great DX analog tuning on FM. Tape deck was good, I played the hell out of it. I also had a 2 channel amp and Jensen speakers. With C90 tapes, I could get 1 LP on each side, with some extra time that I'd dub interesting singles onto.
When I rebuilt the pickup. I took all that stuff off.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Yes, a Realistic mic. Couldn't find a model number on the back. I can't find the battery compartment flap. It takes a 7 volt battery. The original ones were made of mercury, so illegal [in CA] and unobtainable any more. The replacement battery is a stack of 5 or 6 button cells, so it's got 7 times the chance of corroding. A great mic in its day.
''Realistic Preamplified Noise Cancelling Microphone'' All black.
I may have the TRC421 around somewhere, but I took all that stuff off in 2002, when I did an engine swap, and put a new floormat in the cab, and took out all the old JC Whitney accessories I'd accumulated since the '70s.
In '95, I bought a '71 GMC Jimmy and bought a new Radio Shack SSB CB rig for it. But as cell phones came in about then, I never installed it. I tried it briefly, about 5 years ago in my '92 Subaru with a mag mount antenna on the rear deck, but it was not magnificent. Radio works good, but "There's no intelligent life on that Planet'' to quote Mr Spock.