Install CB 02/04
AS noted I was using a magnetic antenna attached to truck, when camper was on or off. I've always run a CB but the camper caused me to hold off getting an antenna permanently mounted. I wanted a decent antenna for the truck but needs to be easily disconnected to load camper. Also needs to be set up so when camper goes on I can easily connect camper mounted antenna. Kept putting it off. So what I came up with, I threw together one weekend just cause I refused to set the mag antenna on my truck cowl again. though a temporary fix & as hokey as it is, been almost 6 years in use. Id like to do a trick & sanitary switchable ant. install, I know what Id like to see & how I want to do it--but there's no motivation, I've been waiting for something to fail- need replacing. The antenna, cause its so hi is always getting knocked off the mount, rolling around the roof by its zipped tied coax-but wont quit. The antenna as mount on truck though the SWRS aren't good, gets out & receives well. Its going to be a matter of finally getting tired of the hokey wire hanging on the side of camper- silly mag ant that shouldn't work... dang it, hard to upgrade somthing that works, but soon. I want a new radio and some 'accessories' to make it TALK.That's why though its been 6 years I still refer to it as temporary.
Pics of the truck mount.The antenna mount used on truck I found at Radio shack-added female plug to it for attaching camper coax cable, then filled the entire assy with hot glue. Due to all the metal inside the truck cab walls I couldn't mount truck antenna as high as I had hoped. SWRs aren't very good (too much ant to close to cab). I had hoped the sloping away of the cab would help-it didn't. But it works.
Pics from roof of camper of plate attached to rail. The added camper ant mount is a simple clamp on mount from Radio Shack. Replaced one of the clamps with a piece of steel plate for mag ant to set. The mount is located at the front edge of roof rail on drivers side of camper. This puts ant. bout middle of camper roof. Currently still using the lil small magnetic antenna has a small spring. Cable runs down side with zip ties. Plans are for a better camper antenna mounted on a plate mounted to camper roof, drill thru roof and run cable inside to front (my refer vents are on the side of camper, many use this for access). I read post on RV net that sounded good. Mounting a water proof electrical box to roof. Run cable from ant to it and cable from there thru roof inside and to front, With connection inside box if there's a problem (I rip it off) it'll be easy fix without rerunning all the cable. I used this method when I rewired the TV antenna.
Pic included of radio-kinda hard to get a pic of. Power, runs up behind head liner to rear interior light.. Antenna lead also runs across headliner then behind corner plastic trim to mount. Trying as much as possible to keep the wires as far apart as practical. As it is to use, I unscrew truck mast, load camper then attach camper coax cable from camper to truck mount. This Radio a 'Maxum' was a raffle prize. I used it for the install but was quickly replaced with a cobra.
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