CB Radio/PA install!!!

[brock]

sorry this is kind of sloppy and my camera was dying so i only had a little bit of time to take pictures i purchased the PA speaker from Radio Shack for $15 (make sure it's an outdoor speaker) and i bought everything else from FRYS electronics... all of this costed just under $100...

OK.. heres the picture of the antenna mounted on the front left portion of my bed... it feeds down a hole in he bed right below the antenna:


after feeding the wire down the hole i ran it along the emergency break cables (don't directly attach the wire to the emergency break cables... run it along something comfortably far from the emergency break cables, like me) and pardon my ugly zip-tying skills:


Here is the wire coming up right behind the front left fenderwell (ugly zip-tie again:


and here is the picture of it coming up from the fender well (the black wire, this is also under the hood):


then i fed the wire through the firewall (you can also see the PA wire in this picture):


And finially i hooked the wire up to the main unit which has a CB radio plug-in and also a PA output:







Now for the PA install

I ran the PA wire from the output on the main unit back out through the firewall (the same way i brought the CB radio wire in):



i then ran the wire down the side of the left wheel well:


then i mounted the actual PA speaker on the frame where there was a lot of clearance (right behind the bumper on the left side, notice the tow hooks) and then soldered the wires together):


sorry if this thread is confusing... if you don't understand something feel free to PM or instant message me... have fun guys, don't get in trouble... later...

[belmont]

breaker breaker one nine.

what model Uniden is that and how much $$?

[brock]

haha, its ****ing funn to hear truckers talk.. they hit on my girlfriend all the time... its the PRO520XL... around $50-$60

[88GMCtruck]

Nice install on the PA. I also have a CB and PA in my truck but the CB quit working.

[Mjilnor]

Ahhhh! Where'd the pics go?!? I would LOVE to see how this was done as I'm doing the exact same thing (on a 95 Z71 though, don't know what your truck is).

[Mjilnor]

Thank you for updating the pictures! It's nice to finally have a visual reference.

What year truck did you do this with? I gues you were able to run the antenna and PA wires through existing holes in your firewall?

[bigredmudder]

nice work...how did you hook up that radioshack pa to the pin connector on the back of your radio...i have the same cb...could you take a pic of the back of yours?

[Bob T]

Originally Posted by Mjilnor

... I gues you were able to run the antenna and PA wires through existing holes in your firewall?

Looks like he went through the Big Grommet, my kid calls it "The Rubber Azzhole."

[Mjilnor]

Eh, yeah I guess the NBS would have a "Big Grommet".

Looks like I'll have to drill my own in my '95. I just keep thinking (hoping, actually) that there's one in my firewall too and that I'm just overlooking it.

[Viperrgh20]

Is your pa speaker amplified? How many watts does a normal cb send out for the pa... I have mine amplified by a 140watt car audio amp one one channel so its prob rlly like 50 ... its loud

[slow96z]

Originally Posted by Mjilnor

Looks like I'll have to drill my own in my '95. I just keep thinking (hoping, actually) that there's one in my firewall too and that I'm just overlooking it.

I have been installing for 15 years and the best option I can recommend for running through the firewall in your truck is to drill where the clutch pedal would go through (assuming it's an automatic). You can see where this is on the firewall by looking next to the brake pedal under the dash. You will see a cut out in the firewall insulation. Just pull the cut out and you will have access to the firewall. Drill in that plate and you will easily see your hole from under the hood. Make sure you install a grommet!

[Mjilnor]

Oh man, that's a great idea! I forgot all about the clutch option. Unfortunately, I already installed my unit (pics comming soon) and drilled elsewhere in my firewall. It's something to definitely keep in mind for the next time though.

[TigerEyz3]

Originally Posted by bigredmudder

nice work...how did you hook up that radioshack pa to the pin connector on the back of your radio...i have the same cb...could you take a pic of the back of yours?

There should be a 3.5mm jack on the back of the CB -- same size as the external speaker jack. One will be marked "PA" the other will be marked "Ext. Spkr." Plug in the PA speaker to the one jack marked for "PA".

[enine]

Couple small details. Its a parking brake cable not break :)
Where you went up by the fenderwell the factory harness there has that silver tape to reflect the heat from the exhaust, your antenna cable should be protected from the heat also.
I usually cover all my wiring with split loom tubing, wither feeding it through the existing or wrapping a bigger one around to help protect the wiring.

[Mudduck Truck]

>>wither<< feeding it through

one should not point fingers. LOL

[enine]

Originally Posted by Mudduck Truck

one should not point fingers. LOL

There is a difference between a typo and not knowing the right word though and I wouldn't have made a post to just point out that but since I wanted to add other things I left it there.
I made that reply from my office PC too so no integrated spell checker since we can't have anything but MSIE so we are in the dark ages of browsers.

[trbcjimmy]

I want to put a PA speaker on my CB radio. I have the wire, CB radio, and a PA speaker like that, but I don't know what to use to connect it with.

[MiDwEsTeRnEr]

Originally Posted by trbcjimmy

I want to put a PA speaker on my CB radio. I have the wire, CB radio, and a PA speaker like that, but I don't know what to use to connect it with.

Im kind of in the same boat. I have the cb, the speaker, and the antennas and mounts are on the way. But what wire do you use to wire it to the cb? Radioshack guys didnt have a clue but either did i.

[TigerEyz3]

Your CB must have a PA jack in order to have PA capabilities. Some CBs don't have this option.

[Fishnfergie]

Pa to CB is just speaker wire.

Antenna to CB is Coaxial IIRC it is best to use lengths of 18 feet to keep SWR in check.