Where to put my CB antenna....

[SgtLip]

I was thinking since Ford has a list of roof attachments (posted on this forum) then maybe there are already roof mounting areas on each side that you could put a cross bar in and attach to the crossbar.

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[Big Kahuna]

Crossbar won't work as a antenna needs to have metal that makes connection with the body/frame for a proper counterpoise. Truck beds are usually a bad place to mount as the beds usually don't make a solid ground connection with the frame - some older trucks were better for that. You can mount in the bed and then run a large 0 gauge ground wire to the frame, I've done that before.

CB radio is still going strong though - lots of people on the air.

 

[Spook]

Like I said earlier, the manual for this truck is on this site and it has a drawing that shows 3 places to place an antenna. It also gives power levels and frequencies of your radio not to exceed. I have been a licensed Amateur (Ham) operator for over 50 years. I also have installed many radios in private and government vehicles over the years.
With all the microprocessors and other electronics in modern vehicles, you need to be careful when transmitting RF signals to prevent any damage or interference with the vehicle electronics. You wouldn't want to be driving down the expressway and key the mike to have your truck stop in the middle of traffic. Do your research and be careful.

 

[Big Kahuna]

It's pretty ridiculous that it shows the tailgate/hitch location as the place to mount your antenna for 0-30MHz and 50W? If their system can only handle 50 watts that's ridiculous. People run much more than that in other newer vehicles without issues. The real thing to be careful with is the airbag sensors and not having RF inside the vehicle. An antenna on a roof is usually the best place to minimize RF so weird they mark the tailgate unless they are worried a roof mounted antenna in 0-30MHz would interfere with something inside the cab or engine but that's highly unlikely at even 100W.

I guess I shouldn't second guess the engineers but seems like a low rating to me.

 

[Hot Runr Guy]

I thought CB radio's were well less than 10 watts?

HRG

 

[Big Kahuna]

I thought CB radio's were well less than 10 watts?

HRG

Yes most CB's are 4 watts AM and 12 Watts SSB. Some 10 meter radios are 100W and many HF radios are 100W that would fall into that 0-30MHz range.

Many Cbers who off-road though or go into remote areas use amplifiers which do put out more wattage (usually 100-300W) and there are some guys out there that have amplifiers that put out 500-1000W or more but you need extra batteries or alternators at some point if you put out that much power. Higher wattages like that though would create some serious concern about RF and a new vehicle though.

It's illegal to put out more than the CB 4watts but in most cases FCC isn't enforcing it and it's not bothering anyone. I generally don't put out more than 200W and most of the time just run the stock radio output. With a ham license you are allowed more wattage on specific frequencies.

Some GMRS radios will do 50 watts.

 

[D Janke]

This is awesome information for GMRS antenna fixed mount location. Just curious as to how the antenna coax will route, where a good radio mount location might be, if I'll need a radio with a detachable face ..... all these things that I can only speculate on being that I've ordered this Maverick site unseen hehe. Guess I'm gonna find out in about 8 or so weeks!

 

[slashy42]

Crossbar won't work as a antenna needs to have metal that makes connection with the body/frame for a proper counterpoise. Truck beds are usually a bad place to mount as the beds usually don't make a solid ground connection with the frame - some older trucks were better for that. You can mount in the bed and then run a large 0 gauge ground wire to the frame, I've done that before.

CB radio is still going strong though - lots of people on the air.

The Maverick being unibody is probably helpful in this situation.

 

[PapaDave]

Or you could use the forward most tapped screw hole in the bed. Seems like that might be ideal

Yeah, I can probably fab some sort of mounting bracket.

 

[PapaDave]

There is probably some way to route the needed wiring from the cab to the rear of the bed. The plug-in power inverter is mounted on the back panel, cab inside. And I believe the power wiring goes from there to the, drivers side, rear bed. If I had some cross bars, raised to top of cab roof height, it should work as a mounting point. Great place for cell booster antenna too.

 

[Rkbrumbelow]

There is probably some way to route the needed wiring from the cab to the rear of the bed. The plug-in power inverter is mounted on the back panel, cab inside. And I believe the power wiring goes from there to the, drivers side, rear bed. If I had some cross bars, raised to top of cab roof height, it should work as a mounting point. Great place for cell booster antenna too.

There is a cable provided to supply that power from driver rear to driver front panel, at least in the electrical demo video in the Makers Series (produced by Ford)

 

[PapaDave]

There is a cable provided to supply that power from driver rear to driver front panel, at least in the electrical demo video in the Makers Series (produced by Ford)

I will mount the radio somewhere near the dash. I was just trying to figure out how/where to run the antenna cable/wire to mount antenna externally. I will just have to wait, like many others, to see how to carry out the projects once I have the Maverick in my hands.

 

[Rkbrumbelow]

I will mount the radio somewhere near the dash. I was just trying to figure out how/where to run the antenna cable/wire to mount antenna externally. I will just have to wait, like many others, to see how to carry out the projects once I have the Maverick in my hands.

If you happen to run across a SIM8200EA-M2 wave share without the snapdragon Achilles vuln from Qualcomm, let me know. You might just, given your coms proclivity.

 

[Claymore]

I'm a big CB radio / Ham Radio guy and I've always had a CB radio in my vehicle. I either hard mount or magnetic mount my antennas. Currently my antenna is a Wilson 5000 magnetic mount center of the roof.

That would be great for this truck but I'm wondering if the body is aluminum or steel? I know on the F150 guys complain they can't use a magnet mount antenna.

I could go with a fender mount antenna but I'm worried the gap in the hood will be too small compared to a full size truck. Other option will be to mount off the back corners of the bed with a frame mount but that's never ideal for best radiation pattern of the signal.

Haven't been able to determine what the body will be - anyone? Please say not aluminum as that makes this all tougher.

QUESTION: Would mounting the external CB Antenna close to the vehicles external AM/FM Antenna effect it's intended purpose????? In front, beside or behind? Magnetic mount.
Wilson 1000, 3ft antenna. Could receive 5/10 mile range or more mounted on my F-150,s.
Vehicle antenna was not mounted on top of cab, fender mount.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[Big Kahuna]

QUESTION: Would mounting the external CB Antenna close to the vehicles external AM/FM Antenna effect it's intended purpose????? In front, beside or behind? Magnetic mount.
Wilson 1000, 3ft antenna. Could receive 5/10 mile range or more mounted on my F-150,s.
Vehicle antenna was not mounted on top of cab, fender mount.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

No shouldn't make a difference - unless of course you're transmitting while listening to the AM radio - it can bleed through in some cases then. I've never had an issues with CB and AM/FM car antennas causing issues for each other.

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