Off Roading

[Hoppyjr]

Here’s my ride & radio.

2022 4Runner & Icom 2730.

The antenna on left is a Larsen LP450NMO for GMRS, the one on right is for the Wilson WeBoost cell booster.

Most of the lights & electronics are run through the SwitchPros panel.

If anyone is a 4Runner fan and interested, here’s my build thread:

Hoppy’s build thread - 2022 ORP
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/topic?share_fid=10034&share_tid=308118&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Etoyota-4runner%2Eorg%2Fshowthread%2Ephp%3Ft%3D308118&share_type=t&link_source=app

[nokones]

This morning I replaced my Cobra 19 DX III CB Radio with a Cobra 25 LTD Classic AM/FM CB Radio. I barely had enough room to install the radio. 

I'm using a Firestik II antenna with a quick disconnect spring and the best VSWR I can get is 2.1:1. My forward power is about 1.5 watts. Of course the Jeep is a poor antenna platform.

I am kinda unhappy about that but I kinda expected this with the newer model of CB radios these days and being on a Jeep.

[Socalgmrs]

What is the swr on 1 and on 40?   I’ve always been able to get my fire sticks to tune out just fine and I’ve owned 12 different jeeps and helped many others on all types of jeeps, scouts and broncos ect….Are you sure your chassis ground is good?  

[nokones]

15 minutes ago, WRXP381 said:

What is the swr on 1 and on 40?   I’ve always been able to get my fire sticks to tune out just fine and I’ve owned 12 different jeeps and helped many others on all types of jeeps, scouts and broncos ect….Are you sure your chassis ground is good?  

The ground is a chassis ground to the radio.  The antenna is attached to the Mopar heavy duty spare tire support mounting bracket. The VSWR is about the same on all channels now after tuning it.

[Socalgmrs]

The antenna mount at the base of the antenna needs to be grounded to the chassis on cb.  Not so with gmrs but a cb antenna mount needs to be grounded to the chassis/negbatt.  So if you have that and all the channels are the same I’m lost never had they happen to any of my cb radio installs

 

 

what happens to the swr when you lengthen or shorten the fire stick? 

[nokones]

2 hours ago, WRXP381 said:

The antenna mount at the base of the antenna needs to be grounded to the chassis on cb.  Not so with gmrs but a cb antenna mount needs to be grounded to the chassis/negbatt.  So if you have that and all the channels are the same I’m lost never had they happen to any of my cb radio installs

 

 

what happens to the swr when you lengthen or shorten the fire stick? 

Strangely, I didn't see much of a change. I'll ground the antenna and see what happens. I knew that the antenna needed to be grounded but I never put much importance on it and accepted the 2.something VSWR since it is a CB and never gave it much thought ever communicating far in a Jeep group.

[marcspaz]

1 hour ago, nokones said:

Strangely, I didn't see much of a change. I'll ground the antenna and see what happens. I knew that the antenna needed to be grounded but I never put much importance on it and accepted the 2.something VSWR since it is a CB and never gave it much thought ever communicating far in a Jeep group.

 

I ran a 3/4" ground strap from the swing gate to the tub, from the tub to the frame and from the from to the engine block.  My SWR did drop under 2:1 (1.7 IIRC), but the radio just worked much better.  I could hear a lot better and got much more distance out if it.

[Socalgmrs]

2 hours ago, nokones said:

Strangely, I didn't see much of a change. I'll ground the antenna and see what happens. I knew that the antenna needed to be grounded but I never put much importance on it and accepted the 2.something VSWR since it is a CB and never gave it much thought ever communicating far in a Jeep group.

It lo has to do with the quality of both receiving and transmitting as well as not hurting the radio.   Hope it works out better 

[nokones]

The Tail Gate is grounded and so is the coax run to the mounting area..

[nokones]

Ah, I found my plastic bushing doo-hickey was reinstalled wrong by the Dealer that installed my Heavy-Duty Mopar Spare Tire carrier Mount for the Rear Tail Gate.  I reinstalled it properly and after I get done with my morning Traffic and Weather Reporting Duties for my GMRS Repeater Club, I'll recheck my VSWR.  I wish I had a 27 MHz slug for my Bird.  Maybe I'll buy one just to compare.

[nokones]

The 25H Slug ordered from Bird and now onto checking to see if I have any improvement with my VSWR using a cheapo CB VSWR meter that wasn't really all hat cheap.  Oh, I just remembered, I have a Telewave 44 I can compare with.

[nokones]

Ah Hah - Just shy of 3 watts with just about 1.12 or so:1 on Ch. 1, 1.15 or so:1 on Ch. 20, and almost but less than 1.2:1 on Ch. 40.  I think my problem is solved now and I am a happy Jeeper. Both my Telewave and my DOSY are pretty close and good enough for hobby work.

And this check was with the engine idling with 13.21 VDC at the battery.

[Socalgmrs]

So what was the problem? 

[SteveShannon]

2 hours ago, nokones said:

Ah, I found my plastic bushing doo-hickey was reinstalled wrong by the Dealer that installed my Heavy-Duty Mopar Spare Tire carrier Mount for the Rear Tail Gate.  I reinstalled it properly and after I get done with my morning Traffic and Weather Reporting Duties for my GMRS Repeater Club, I'll recheck my VSWR.  I wish I had a 27 MHz slug for my Bird.  Maybe I'll buy one just to compare.

 

10 minutes ago, WRXP381 said:

So what was the problem? 

 

[nokones]

The problem was the plastic bushing was installed under the mounting bracket instead on top of the mounting bracket and the cable was not grounding to the  mounting bracket.

The cable mounts to the bottom of the mounting bracket.

Now, maybe I didn't need to order that 2-30 MHz Bird slug now, OH well, at least I have one now.

[Socalgmrs]

Very nice. Glad it all up and running well.  I knew it had to be something with chassis  grounding 

[nokones]

5 minutes ago, WRXP381 said:

Very nice. Glad it all up and running well.  I knew it had to be something with chassis  grounding 

I didn't realize the bushing was incorrectly installed until I was poking around and checking grounds. The bushing in between the cable grounding point the bracket was an obvious clue.

[nokones]

Thanks guys.

[amaff]

I occasionally do some overlanding with what's left of a 1992 Mazda Miata (with a Honda engine and a NASCAR transmission ).

I have a couple of KG-905Gs that are my go to. Headset for my kid up on the tower or pit wall, and a wired in 'car harness' setup in the car (plugs into the radio, PTT button on the steering wheel, and plugs into the helmet for mic and molded ear buds).

[nokones]

3 hours ago, amaff said:

I occasionally do some overlanding with what's left of a 1992 Mazda Miata (with a Honda engine and a NASCAR transmission ).

I have a couple of KG-905Gs that are my go to. Headset for my kid up on the tower or pit wall, and a wired in 'car harness' setup in the car (plugs into the radio, PTT button on the steering wheel, and plugs into the helmet for mic and molded ear buds).

I have specific vehicles for off-roading and for staying on the pavement.

[gortex2]

Same here....

Off Road

And On Road...

And yes both have APX mobiles in them....

[marcspaz]

You guys are making me jealous. I have a Jeep but I haven't had a sport car or muscle car in a long time.

[gortex2]

LOL. Well the muscle car is basically a garage vehicle...only 1200 miles on it... Wife kinda took over my JT once we took her JK for off road stuff. I have a work truck for most of my travel stuff. 

 

[nokones]

In my 23 Wrangler IZARUBICON 2 Dr. I have a XTL5000 Remote high-powered, of course, I set the max RF output power at 50 watts, for three reasons. 1) to be legal for GMRS; 2) I really don't need the extra power; 3) I don't want to max out the Aux 1 circuit with the XTL5000 at max power draw, a CB Radio, Streamlight Flashlight Charger, and a Dometic Refrigerator.

In my racecar, I use a XTS1500 portable radio with a remote PT-T on the steering with the radio connected to a non-ground plane Antenex Phantom antenna mounted to my rollcage in the rear.

[WRUQ357]

I retired to South East Arizona and picked up a '05 TJR for exploring the local State trust lands and forest roads. This is my 6th Jeep and I hope I'm able to enjoy it for a long time. I usually run GMRS channel 16 or have my radio on scan. !