How do I wire in my cb radio?

[Wil3yCoyote]

Hi everyone, I am new to using cb radios. I just purchased a cobra 19 DX IV along with a fire stik antenna however I don't have a cable to connect the two together. What cable do I use and where can I get one? Also, how are some of the best ways to power my radio? My rig is a 2001 standard cab Toyota Tacoma, if anyone knows of any good spots to install this radio and mount the antenna without fabricating please let me know. Any help and knowledge you can pass on to help me finish this project is greatly appreciated, thank you.

 

[Road]

Hi everyone, I am new to using cb radios. I just purchased a cobra 19 DX IV along with a fire stik antenna however I don't have a cable to connect the two together. What cable do I use and where can I get one? Also, how are some of the best ways to power my radio? My rig is a 2001 standard cab Toyota Tacoma, any help as to how to finish this project of mine is greatly appreciated, thank you.

Dawson - here is the manual for the Cobra 19 DX IV: https://www.cobra.com/sites/default/files/manuals/19DXIV_MANL.pdf
On page 4 it shows the antenna connector on the back of your unit.

That page also shows the power cord on the back of your unit. If the power cord coming out of your unit has a 12v plug, plug it into a 12v outlet. If it is a straight wire with no plug on the end, but with bare wire ends or terminals, you'll have to wire it to the fuse panel, or add a fuse and wire it to your battery. If you're not sure what any of that means, then you probably should be getting some help in person.

Here is the Firestik site: http://www.firestik.com/CatalogFrame.htm
If your Firestik antenna did not come with a cable, click on Coax, Fittings, and Misc in the top menu bar, then look along the left side menu. Go through the selections and, depending on the distance from desired radio location to where you will be mounting the antenna, look at the various cables that will fit your application. You'll see that many have the coax end that will screw onto the female connector on the back of your radio.

If that still leaves you in the dark, take your car and the radio and antenna to one of the big box stores that sells and installs radios, or find a CB shop. They are often near big truck stops.

Here's the google search for CB Shops Las Vegas

Hope this gets you on the way to installing your radio.

 

[Wil3yCoyote]

Thank you so much Road, the links and directions help a ton. I'll definitely be looking into those to be sure I have the right parts and install it correctly. Again thank you.

 

[Road]

Thank you so much Road, the links and directions help a ton. I'll definitely be looking into those to be sure I have the right parts and install it correctly. Again thank you.

My pleasure, Dawson - google is your friend

 

[1Louder]

My CB is velcro'd to the back of my center console. I have also had one on the side as well. Simple strong velcro. No drilling required. Since CB is pretty much useless for other than group trail runs I don't need mine in a prominent place.

Amazon or a local truck stop will have the cable for between the radio and your CB. As Road mentioned if you need a mount Firestick would have it. Did you get this stuff new or used?

For wiring you have the following options:
- You can go direct to your battery, most challenging setup but some folks don't feel comfortable feeding wiring through the firewall.

- You can get a add-a-circuit like this, Link: http://a.co/2oh8JVh and pick a fuse in your fuseblock to add the CB radio to or put this into a blank one. Someone somewhere will have a diagram of your fuse panel to help you pick the best place. There are always on fuses and keyed. Meaning you must at least have your truck key turned enough to run your windows etc.

- You could also get a cigarette plug wiring harness and just wire up the CB to that and plug in when you need it. Of course that means losing that port for anything else like a USB charger. Link: http://a.co/cJCEwEe just use butt splicers between the factory wire and this or you could setup a quick disconnect with some SAE plugs.

Here is an example photo of the FJ Cruiser Fuse Panel. I am sure someone has drawn up something similar for your Tacoma. There are specific Tacoma forums on the internet as well. I personally wouldn't connect wires like in this photo since they don't show a fuse.

As Road mentioned take it to a CB shop and shell out the money if you don't feel comfortable with any of this. They will also tune your CB antenna to make sure you will get maximum range. I am guessing there are some truck bed mounts if you don't have a shell on your Tacoma. Magnetic mounts are the simplest way to go. While I have dedicate mounts for my Ham antennas I use a Mag Mount for my CB on the top of my FJ. Worst case return the Firestick and get a Lil Wilson or Wilson 1000. It's a monster but provides great range.
Wilson Electronics Magnet Mount Antenna 3000W
by Wilson
Link: http://a.co/8k2SOn6

 

[Wil3yCoyote]

Hi 1Louder,
I purchased both the radio and antenna used via offerup. I did find a spot to install my radio and antenna thanks to the help of Road. although when it comes to wiring I know just enough about electricity to be dangerous, on the other hand I'm not too sure how to go about wiring this all together with the suggestions you've provided. Not trying to get too fancy with this install so I'm only looking to have the radio powered while my rig is running. In this case I would assume to run it straight from the battery. I know by doing so I could have direct power and use my radio while my rig is off but is this really necessary? What are cons to getting power through the fuse panel?

 

[1Louder]

The only con to the fuse panel is possible radio interference. However, this is not very likely with most modern vehicles. Only way to screw this up is if you put red to black and black to red. Don't over think this. Easy install!

My radios are always on, wired direct to the battery via a fuse block, because I lead a lot of trail runs. If my vehicle is off I like to still be able to hear if someone is calling my on Ham or CB. Many times we might be the first to camp, are away from our rigs and waiting to hear from folks who are coming later. This is just a personal preference.

 

[Road]

My CB is velcro'd to the back of my center console. I have also had one on the side as well. Simple strong velcro. No drilling required. Since CB is pretty much useless for other than group trail runs I don't need mine in a prominent place.

Amazon or a local truck stop will have the cable for between the radio and your CB. As Road mentioned if you need a mount Firestick would have it. Did you get this stuff new or used?

For wiring you have the following options:
- You can go direct to your battery, most challenging setup but some folks don't feel comfortable feeding wiring through the firewall.

- You can get a add-a-circuit like this, Link: http://a.co/2oh8JVh and pick a fuse in your fuseblock to add the CB radio to or put this into a blank one. Someone somewhere will have a diagram of your fuse panel to help you pick the best place. There are always on fuses and keyed. Meaning you must at least have your truck key turned enough to run your windows etc.

- You could also get a cigarette plug wiring harness and just wire up the CB to that and plug in when you need it. Of course that means losing that port for anything else like a USB charger. Link: http://a.co/cJCEwEe just use butt splicers between the factory wire and this or you could setup a quick disconnect with some SAE plugs.

Here is an example photo of the FJ Cruiser Fuse Panel. I am sure someone has drawn up something similar for your Tacoma. There are specific Tacoma forums on the internet as well. I personally wouldn't connect wires like in this photo since they don't show a fuse.

As Road mentioned take it to a CB shop and shell out the money if you don't feel comfortable with any of this. They will also tune your CB antenna to make sure you will get maximum range. I am guessing there are some truck bed mounts if you don't have a shell on your Tacoma. Magnetic mounts are the simplest way to go. While I have dedicate mounts for my Ham antennas I use a Mag Mount for my CB on the top of my FJ. Worst case return the Firestick and get a Lil Wilson or Wilson 1000. It's a monster but provides great range.
Wilson Electronics Magnet Mount Antenna 3000W
by Wilson
Link: http://a.co/8k2SOn6

Great info and great links. This is good solid advice to follow, @Dawson.

Regarding your antenna, I've had all kinds of antennae over the years, going back literally decades, and now use the Wilson Lil Will, which is only a third as expensive but only a tenth of the wattage of the Wilson antenna @1Louder recommended, but which has served me quite well for years. The best thing about using a mag antenna over a more permanent mount is that you can easily remove it for car washes, anti-theft when in areas it may more likely get lifted, etc. Getting it tuned by someone with a meter that knows what they're doing will help. They can also suggest best placement for your vehicle.

I use my CB mostly for interstate travel and avoiding sudden congestion due to accidents that just happened, learning about alt routes, and for the occasional chit-chat with truckers, but use it a LOT for the ten NOAA stations built into my CB. I see the antenna @1Louder recommends may be better 'weather ready' for those NOAA stations, so may switch to it and compare. I love testing crap, so might have a bit of fun with this.

CB traffic is nowhere near as prevalent as it was years ago, and if you're thinking you're going to be talking to all sorts of folks while driving around town as well as on the trail, you'll probably be disappointed. Going with ham and doing the easy test and getting certified will result in much more communication over a wider range.

As for the NOAA Weather Radio I mentioned above, man oh man, it is super handy to have when on the road, either local or long distance, and having a CB that includes it adds to the radio's versatility. You can get some NOAA via mobile devices now, too, but won't always be in cell service area where your radio might pick up the stations. I remember running through Arkansas late one wild windy night and because of being able to listen to up-to-the-minute tornado warnings on NOAA, stayed abreast of a tornado that had "touched down at 9:41pm on I-30 at mile marker ___" and realized it was less than a mile behind me and literally just seconds ago.

 

[Wil3yCoyote]

The only con to the fuse panel is possible radio interference. However, this is not very likely with most modern vehicles. Only way to screw this up is if you put red to black and black to red. Don't over think this. Easy install!

My radios are always on, wired direct to the battery via a fuse block, because I lead a lot of trail runs. If my vehicle is off I like to still be able to hear if someone is calling my on Ham or CB. Many times we might be the first to camp, are away from our rigs and waiting to hear from folks who are coming later. This is just a personal preference.

Thank you @1Louder, your knowledge is a great help to me. I've got a good idea as to how I will be setting up my radio. It's definitely a project for me so I'll be taking it in steps but i'll let you know how it all goes.

 

[Wil3yCoyote]

Thank you both @Road and @1Louder, you guys have offered great suggestions for me. I appreciate all the links and information you could pass on. Just a matter of time as I now know what parts to get and how to connect it all together. I'll give you guys a follow up when I get this project finished. Again thank you both.

 

[Road]

Thank you both @Road and @1Louder, you guys have offered great suggestions for me. I appreciate all the links and information you could pass on. Just a matter of time as I now know what parts to get and how to connect it all together. I'll give you guys a follow up when I get this project finished. Again thank you both.

You're welcome - we'll be counting on you to help others with your experience and new knowledge as you get into it all more, whether radio or other off-road gear.

And, you switched up your forum name? I thought the one you had was awesome, really, and a name that always makes me think of the Yukon and Alaska and the rugged people of the Gold Rush, and mountain passes in Glacier NP.

 

[Wil3yCoyote]

You're welcome - we'll be counting on you to help others with your experience and new knowledge as you get into it all more, whether radio or other off-road. gear.

And, you switched up your forum name? I thought the one you had was awesome, really, and a name that always makes me think of the Yukon and Alaska and the rugged people of the Gold Rush, and mountain passes in Glacier NP.

That's exactly why I became a member with you guys. I love the atmosphere this group brings. I really enjoy getting to talk to other people who share the same interest. I will definitely look out for any opportunity to help others as you two have helped me.

Also, Thank you for the complement on my name, I'll be sure to change it back after the 30 days!

 

[Road]

That's exactly why I became a member with you guys. I love the atmosphere this group brings. I really enjoy getting to talk to other people who share the same interest. I will definitely look out for any opportunity to help others as you two have helped me.

Also, Thank you for the complement on my name, I'll be sure to change it back after the 30 days!

Very cool, great, it can be a pay-it-forward type of site if you let it.

As you get to know the place better, and the way it all works, don't get hung up on all the levels, badges, points and bling you see under some folk's names or on their profile. Some of the most experienced and knowledgeable members here are much more humble and low key than that, and couldn't care less about accumulating that sort of thing.

Looking forward to hearing about your experiences!