How-To Install CB Radio in Your Car


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I'm kind of a CB radio guy, and I've finally perfected a method to install your CB radio. I chose this method because it keeps your cables protected from being pinched such as in a situation where the cable is just ran through a door. By following this method I've been able to successfully install several CB radios in a way that keeps the wires protected and out of the way of the driver and passengers.

I recorded a YouTube video of me showing variations of my method on my two vehicles.

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Ah Cobra 148GTL-DX? I used to have one of those about 30 years ago. Good rig. CB has all but died over here in the UK.

Been watching ebay lately. Thinking of getting a 148 again, but boy, they hold their price lol, even all these years later. They tend to go for around ?150-?250 (used).

How much did you pay for yours over there in the US?

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Ah Cobra 148GTL-DX? I used to have one of those about 30 years ago. Good rig. CB has all but died over here in the UK.

Been watching ebay lately. Thinking of getting a 148 again, but boy, they hold their price lol, even all these years later. They tend to go for around ?150-?250 (used).

How much did you pay for yours over there in the US?

I paid $150 USD (new in the box) for the both of my 148 radios. It's been a great radio, I've got one in the house as well hooked up to a transformer to use as a base station. Base stations are only made by a couple of companies any more (from what I've been able to find anyway) and the ones I have seen run from $400 USD up into the thousands, so I just spent about $300 and got a 148, 18 foot antenna (roughly 6 meters), and a transformer and put one in the house, and it works great.

Do people still use CB radio a lot? Can you still use a handle or does a Youtube popup appear asking you to use your real name?

In rural areas it's still used quite a bit, and truckers still use it quite a bit. Some trucking companies around here actually buy and install radios for you so if you start driving for them, your truck will probably already have a radio in it. My family and I use it because the terrain here prevents us from getting reliable cell phone coverage. I turned my cell phone off altogether because I don't even get service in my house, and it drops in various places around the county. Because of that, our CB radios are more reliable, not to mention the fact that there's no monthly bill for using one, :p

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A lot of US motor bikers also use the CB frequencys via a PTT [Push to Talk button] headset mic & speakers along side a PMR446 (466MHz) radio.

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You guys have heard of a recent development called mobile phones? They mean you can talk to anyone anywhere. Several companies are even developing watches that you can use as a phone now, anywhere.

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Mobile phones need dialing and only speak to one recipient unless its a party call whilst CB and PMR radios just use a PTT button mike and you can broadcast to whomever is on the same channel.Which is why there are so many accidents on the road these days from peeps dialing and texting :D

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This thread made me go watch "Convoy" the film on Youtube :D

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You guys have heard of a recent development called mobile phones? They mean you can talk to anyone anywhere. Several companies are even developing watches that you can use as a phone now, anywhere.

Mobile phones also cost money, CB does not.

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This thread made me go watch "Convoy" the film on Youtube :D

Go play with your rubber duck 10-4 Good Buddy? :rolleyes: :laugh: :laugh:

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Never used a CB myself but I know there is still a fair bit of demand for them. Mainly truckers.

Breaker breaker do you copy? :p

I don't know why they use all that code to be honest. It's just as easy to say Hello can you hear me? :p

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You guys have heard of a recent development called mobile phones? They mean you can talk to anyone anywhere. Several companies are even developing watches that you can use as a phone now, anywhere.

He said that cell phone reception near where he lives is crap. That would explain why he doesn't want to use a cell phone.

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You guys have heard of a recent development called mobile phones? They mean you can talk to anyone anywhere. Several companies are even developing watches that you can use as a phone now, anywhere.

1) They don't work "anywhere", if I want to make a call with my wife's cell phone while we're at home, we have to walk out into the front yard so we can get 1 bar of service.

2) I've found using a CB radio while driving far less distracting than reaching into my pocket, digging out a cell phone, and then trying to navigate the screen with one hand while looking at the road. All I have to do is reach about 4 inches from the steering wheel where my hand is already at.

I realize they're not for everybody, but I think they're kind of neat, and in our situation, it's more convenient than a cell phone a lot of the time.

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To the dude posting about mobile phones.

You are comparing apples to oranges. They are completely different beasts with completely different uses!

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Not to mention the fact that when the power went out around three years ago here, and was out for a month due to ice, all we had were our cb radios, and it helped me keep in touch with my family, and help rescurers find people that were stranded. Cell phones are nice, but they dont work when the towers go offline. CB doesnt require a powered antenna for local range. I should also add that the power was out for a full 35 days for close to 10k people

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