bull307

anyone know anything about hooking up a CB radio to an 86 4r it has the red and black wire thingys so im guessing you just hook it up to other red and black wire thingys? im lost on this.....

UncleBob

You need a test light. Hooking up the red and black thingies depends on if you want the CB to work when you have the ignition key on or not. I'd suggest hooking it to ignition. That means a wire that's only HOT when you have your key on.

By the way, the black thingy is ground. You can hook that one up to anywhere that's metal. The red thingy is for power aka hot aka 12V+ aka juice aka positive, etc.

Cigarrette lighter wire thingies are usable..

bob200587

red to the positive battery post, black to a ground.

there should also be the slot for the antenna, a PA speaker, and external CB speaker.

Yota82

Pretty much what everyone has said. It's real easy Red= Power and Black= Ground.

mt_goat

There should also be a small fuse on the positive wire, as close to the source as possible.

Yota Tony

I think if you're not sure what you're doing that you should see a pro to do your install.

There's no sense in messing with electrical and damaging something if you don't know what you're doing.

90RunnerRed

Just a side note too. After you figure out which wires you want to tap into, even if you go with the "Key" wire, please disconnect the battery terminals before you start splicing.

surf4runner

...waiting for the antenna thingy questions

spaceycayce

i run mine through the cigarette lighter adapter i got at wallyworld for 2.00
i just spliced the wires together and called it a day. The antenna is a Wilson 1000 so i got that sucker hard mounted on the roof (I just have to remember to take it off before I drive it in the garage). Yes it was fun putting it on and there is now a hole in my roof

corvettelvr73

Where is the best place to mount the CB radio and the antenna in a 85 toyota pickup? thhanks

GV27

The absolute BEST place to mount a CB antenna for reception and transmission is right in the middle of your roof. Practical considerations override that quite often, however.

The Communications section has hundreds of threads on this topic.....

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f97/

Stomis

Also dont forget on a CB your ground should go straight to your battery post for the best reception.

bull307

whats the battery post? can i just hook the ground up to my radio antenna? if i hook the black to like the car frame does that make my whole car a gigantic antenna?

and where can i get this test light that you speak of?

once again thanks for the help guys this stuff sounds pretty easy

UncleBob

In lieu of a test light, you can strip the wire, bite down on the bare end, and lay your chin on the chassis. If your tongue curls up, the wire is hot.

bull307

yea sounds great ill make sure i get right on that

Yota Tony

Do NOT I repeat DO NOT key up the mic on your radio without an antenna attached, you can and likely will fire your CB by doing this.

Read this, you'll learn a thing or two.
http://forum.sotra.ca/viewtopic.php?t=27

This is also good info:


So what is the most common mistake made?

Clearly the #1 mistake that's made with CB Antenna Install.

Please see the following photo..




I would like to draw everyones attention to PART D and E.... Please note that Part D is the Nylon Bushing which is used as an insulator.

Many installs I see have Part D on the underside between Part E and the mount. That causes a DIRECT body short, causing 100% of your RF energy to short to ground, and will damage your radio (or weaken it's output power significantly)

Also, it's important that Part D is not Damaged or "Mushed" Quite common people people use two wrenches and tighten part E and A crushing Part D..

Part D is ususally also tapered, so that when you put PART A through the bushing it doesn't wiggle back and forth (causing a dead short to ground again), so make sure if you are creating your own mount, that you drill the hole big enough the the tapered part sits in the hole and not on top.

Also remember that Antennas need RF ground and not DC ground.

krash2k77

yes, also don't run that negative straight to the BATTERY POST. this can and WILL cause alternator noise. this is awful to listen too because the whine when u gas teh vehicle, the best way for you is to got to a truck stop and get a ciggerette? adpator, if u are running a cobra 29ltd then it will take a 3 pin, they will also work on connexx's and other various radios just pull that plug out of the back of it that the hott and ground go into "unless they are MADE into the radio and have no plug" but i haven't seen that. Anyway count the holes in the plug and that is what u have, a cobra will be 3 pin.. Also on the antenna get a magnet mount and stick it to the roof of your ride. will work great there.. and if u need that cigg lighter port for more than a radio and don't want to unplug it u can get a one port into a 3 port and have 3 ac' power outlets..Works great

Yota Tony

My Midland power and ground are hooked directly to the radio, can't be unhooked.

Personally for ground thing, find somewhere on the body to ground it, sand it down to BARE metal, toss a ring connector on the wire and use a self tapper to screw it.

GV27

A star washer is also helpful for the ground to cut through any crud and keep it well seated.