Ok please forgive my incredibly newbish question, but I got my Cobra 75, firestick 2 (4 foot) and teraflex spare tire mounting bracket today from NorthRidge4x4! The question is what exactly do i need to properly mount the antenna to the teraflex bracket? I've searched the threads but I'm still not positive. Is there a mounting bracket that I should have ordered or possibly something I can grab from Radioshack tomorrow...

 

it should all screw in place...
i mounted mine on the license plate just because i didnt want to get it ripped off by tree limbs and what not. keep that in consideration.
it should be very straight foward
good luck

 

Hmm, I posted yesterday just before the server went down (guess it got deleted). Anyways, Thank you for your response. I think I was having one of those overly excited nights in combination with a disengaged brain. I did the install and swr tune yesterday in about 3 hours. 4ft firestick 2 mounted on the teraflex spare tire bracket. I used 20ft of RG-58 radioshack brand coax with a radioshack antenna spring and mounting bracket.

I ran the coax up the roll bar and mounted the control box for the cobra 75 cb behind the glove box. Took about 5 minutes and I was able to get the SWR tune down to 1:1 (or extremely close) on all bands.

I have one more question that may have been answer already but since the thread is already open. If I take the antenna off at night to put the rig in the garage will that affect the swr over time? I did it once last night and then reinstalled and tested (it remained in perfect tune) but I am curious if after awhile it might change. THANKS for listening to me ramble and thanks laxaholix for the response

 

IMHO, it shouldnt bother the match.
Just check it periodically to see if it has changed.
Needless reminder, if the antenna is removed, make sure the radio cant be keyed.
Otherwise byebye radio.

 

Yea that is one thing that i found on virtually every thread when i started researching cb radios.

I plan to check it occasionally and when the antenna comes off for storage i disconnect the cb anyways. Thanks for the response

 

I had to get a Stud Mount to attach my antenna. I looks like this:

 

Good to know you have it figured out... how about some pics just to brag about the install?

 

VVV- Cobra mounted under passenger seat -VVV





VVV- Antenna mounted to spare tire mount -VVV

 

Heh... If i had installed mine under the seat it would have been fried. I've got a habit of going through mud holes that are too deep with no doors. I worry about the airbag stuff under there, but so far it's proven to be waterproof.

As far as removing the ant for garage storage, you should be checking SWR monthly anyway. If anythhing changes you'll know.

 

That I can do... I grabbed a few quick shots today while I was SWRing again. (everything is still perfectly calibrated)

Wiring to the battery and grounded to the chassis


Mounted underneath the glovebox (was nervous about placing it underneath the seat do to water from freak rain storms or wheeling). I temporarily used zip ties, but i might leave it that way to prevent me from having to drill. The box is mounted rather snug under that support and doesnt move.


I cut a notch out of the bracket covering the lower portion of the glove box in order to feed the coax and connector through. I initially had it just coming out and floating around in the dead space below, however, it kept floating over to the floor heater duct and i was worried about warping the connector this winter.


The notch cut is hardly noticeable and the connection sits further up than that but i pulled it down a bit for picture purposes.




Teraflex mounting bracket, radioshack antenna spring, radioshack stud mount. All in all with the spring the antenna has enough flex that it hasn't stripped the stud mount (the first install was without the spring and threaded the stud mount the first time the antenna flexed more than 20 degrees).


I also ran the 18' of RG-58 coax up from the tail gate along the roll bar and down through the A-pillar plastics. Everything is nicely hidden and when Im not using it i detach the antenna and store it width wise on the rear horizontal roll bar (inside the zippered neoprene), the cb gets tossed on the glove box and no one would ever know the cb was even installed.

I'd like to thank all the previous write-ups on cb install and ways to run the wires, i found them to be a huge help.