In this article, we will give you some useful tips to keep in mind when installing a radio in your car. So, in order for the car radio to work well, it is extremely important to install it correctly, connect it to the antenna and power. Most often, a place for a radio station in the car is not provided. Therefore, each car radio comes with a special mounting bracket and mounting bracket. Since any vibration is harmful to the radio, the bracket must be fixed on a hard and even surface.
Radio installation.
We must not forget that the rear panel of the radio should be ventilated, and the panel with the speaker should not be pressed so as not to drown out the sound. The CB radio is installed in the car in such a place that it does not interfere with or distract from driving. Most often they are installed in the receiver socket, on the side of the driver's seat, sometimes on the instrument panel. In the CB truck, the radio is mounted above the glass.
Power connection.
First of all, in order to avoid a short circuit, we disconnect the electrical system from the battery. Next, we connect the black "negative" wire from the radio to the "mass" of the machine. Red "positive" directly to the fuse box. In order for the radio to turn off automatically when the ignition is turned off, you need to connect the power cable to the ignition switch contacts.
Antenna installation.
The most popular are CB antennas with vertical polarization and circular radiation pattern of the Ground Plane type (used for mobile objects). The minimum length of the antenna should be equal to a quarter of the operating wavelength. However, you don’t want to mount a long antenna on your car, so manufacturers shorten its size and compensate for it with an extension coil, which is located at the base or in the middle of the whip.
Antennas are on a magnetic base and mortise. The advantage of a magnetic base antenna is that it can be easily hidden inside the car while parking, and the magnet will provide a secure fit during fast driving and shaking. It is best to mount the antenna at the highest point of the vehicle in the center of the surface (middle of the roof) that is selected for installation.
Setting.
It remains to adjust the antenna using an SWR meter. To do this, we change the length of the pin (shortening or building up), achieving a standing water ratio (SWR) close to one. After that, we check the SWR on adjacent channels. If it changes, then the antenna is working.
Despite all the vagaries of the weather, summer has finally come, and most of the autotourists have gone on long journeys. It was during this period that there was a great interest among car owners in CB radio stations that operate on the trucker channel and are of great benefit when traveling by car. Today we will tell you how to properly connect and configure such a station.
Connecting the radio to power
The following tips for installing such a walkie-talkie are suitable for those drivers who will not use it every day, but only when necessary, in the same summer season. In this case, few drivers will want to mount it in a conspicuous place in the cabin, which will not only spoil the whole appearance, but also attract thieves who are not averse to feasting on sophisticated devices inside the car. Thus, we choose the mounting option between the seats, in the tray for small items under the dashboard, and so on. In simple words - where it will not be visible and it will be very easy to get to.
When we found a suitable place for our walkie-talkie, then it's time to connect power to it. Some say that you will have to connect the radio with separate wiring from the battery, but this only applies if the station is used every day. In our case, everything is simpler - you just need to take power from the cigarette lighter socket. Thus, the connection will be very fast, safe and it will be the most correct.
All work will take about half an hour, and nothing will threaten the electrical wiring. And most importantly, this is the best option for new cars that are under factory warranty. After the station is turned off, the dealer will definitely not be able to refuse repairs.
A station with an output power of 4-5 watts, the current consumed will be 2-3 amperes and this is the maximum figure. Radio stations with a power of 8-10 watts - about 5 amperes and above.
So, the red and black wire that departs from the station must be lengthened by twisting or soldering by 1-2 meters, in general, the length depends on the location of the station. At the end of this wire, we solder the male connector, which will be inserted into the cigarette lighter. Such a connector is sold in any specialized auto shop.
If there is only one cigarette lighter socket, and on the road it will be necessary to connect a phone or other gadgets, but you will have to pull the wire directly from the battery, but for this you will need to stock up on both wire and patience and time.
Antenna Installation
After the station has been connected, it's time to install the antenna. Let's take as an example a quick-detachable antenna that comes with a magnetic sole and does not require damaging the car body. In this case, we will single out a few main theses, and we will not delve into the theory. So:
- Antennas up to a meter or even less - I work, but their efficiency is minimal. The efficiency will increase along with the length of the antenna. It is best to look at the two-meter version;
- The best place to install it is the roof of the car. the signal will be slightly worse if you install the antenna on the trunk. In order not to damage the paint on the roof of the car, it is best to put polyethylene under the magnet;
- The wire from the antenna to the station can be passed through the door seals. It is necessary to ensure that the seals do not leave large dents on the wire;
- The antenna cable must not be shortened or extended. What is left must be hidden under the seat, while twisting the cable into rings is not recommended;
- It is necessary to take into account the fact that antennas are sold without settings, since it depends on the installation location on a separate car. Basically, antenna tuning is done with a small hex key that adjusts the height of the antenna.
Setting up the antenna
It is the antenna tuning process that is the most important step in our history. Alternatively, the work can be entrusted to professionals, and finding a service station for this is very simple. But still, most drivers prefer self-installation.
In order to tune the antenna, you must initially stock up on a special tool called an SWR meter, with which we will measure the wave ratio. The simplest model of such a device costs from 500 to a thousand rubles. The most common options are devices called SWR-420, 430, and also KW-520. The quality is of course average, but for infrequent use it is just right.
We also need a high-frequency connector, which must be of the same standard as the socket on the radio and on the cable plug. When everything you need is on hand, it's time to connect the antenna.
- An SWR meter will need to be installed between the antenna and the station. The station connector with the help of a barrel must be connected to the connector of our device in the RTX connector, and the antenna in the ANT connector;
- The PWR/SWR switch must be in the SWR position and the FWD/REF switch must be in the FWD position;
- After turning on the radio, you must switch to transmission mode. By turning the knob on the SWR meter, you need to set the arrow to the number "10" on the SWR scale;
- Next, you need to switch the FWD / REF position to REF and press the PTT again. The best SWR-1 on the SWR scale. If it is more than one and a half, then you need to slightly adjust the antenna;
- To tune the antenna, you need to slightly increase the antenna pin and again adjust the 2,3 and 4 points. It is necessary to set an indicator that will be as close as possible to 1 on the SWR scale. 1.5 is a lot.
This completes the installation of our station and its configuration. Now you can talk to truckers in your travels and get useful information from them.
Nowadays, CB (citizen band) radio communication is becoming increasingly popular among motorists.. It is especially relevant for those who often travel long distances. These are truck drivers, and travelers, and other people whose activities or recreation are associated with frequent trips.
Modern radio stations in the 27 MHz band are very diverse in size, technical characteristics and layout. Devices with a remote front panel are also common. In some designs, all controls and indications are located on the PTT. In other words, the industry produces products that can satisfy the most fastidious customer.
We will talk about how to properly install and connect the radio station in the car, and also touch on the topic of antenna tuning.
Table of contents:Antenna Installation
It is customary to begin the installation of a communication device in a car with the installation of an antenna. Mortise antennas require good contact with the metal of the body (body) of the car. This is necessary for the correct radiation pattern. The place of attachment of the bracket must additionally be protected from corrosion with any preservative. Ordinary Movil will do. If possible, the antenna rod should be located as close to the center of the roof as possible. This is especially true for antennas with a magnetic base.
Please note: Placement on the trunk lid or rear bumper will result in poor performance and distortion of the beams. This means that the maximum gain will not be distributed correctly, and the antenna will only work effectively in certain directions. For example, if an antenna with a magnetic base is located on the back of the roof of a car, then its maximum efficiency (both receiving and transmitting) will be directed towards the front of the car.
Antenna cable placement
The laying of the antenna cable should begin with its laying on the roof. In order not to spoil the paintwork, it is better to purchase special self-adhesive pads. The cable will lie on them without touching the roof surface. However, it should not be too tight.
Inside the passenger car, it is advisable to lead the cable through the trunk lid (or the fifth hatchback door), and not through the side doors. Inside the passenger compartment, the cable should be pulled under the skins, while it is undesirable to attach it to the standard electrical wiring harnesses. It is better to have it separately. Secure the cable with nylon ties.
Important: Do not allow strong bends, twists and deformation of the cable.
The length of the cable supplied with the antenna is usually 3.5-5 meters, so make sure you have enough. It is not recommended to extend or cut the cable - this may lead to a violation of its coordination with the antenna and degrade its technical characteristics.
Placement and connection of the radio station
Place the device in such a way that it will not interfere with access to controls, limit visibility or distract the driver. This should ensure ease of control of the device. If it is difficult to find a suitable place for installation, then preference should be given to devices with a remote front panel. It is always easier to place a small panel, but the block can be fixed in any convenient place. The only requirement is that it cannot be placed in places where it will be heated from various sources.
All radio stations are designed to be powered by 12-13.8 V. It is desirable to lead the power wires from the battery. And both positive and negative. This will eliminate the occurrence of unwanted interference, with which the 27 MHz band is already clogged, especially in urban areas. The power cable included in the kit already contains a noise filter and fuses. If it becomes necessary to extend the wires, it is most preferable to use soldering and insulation with heat shrink tubing. It will not be superfluous to hide them in a plastic corrugation.
The laying of the power cable is done neatly, without twisting and deformation, using nylon ties for fixing.
Please note: Do not power the radio from a regular cigarette lighter, and especially from ceiling lights, because. their wiring may not be able to handle the current drawn by the transmitter. This should not be taken lightly, as there are many cases of car fires.
It is also a good idea to install an additional power switch in the cabin. This is easy to implement using a relay and a button, or purchase a ready-made switch. The latter must be designed for a current of at least 20 A. You can place such a switch anywhere, but remember that it must be fixed, and not hang on the wires.
Antenna tuning
Antenna tuning is a very important procedure, and you should not bypass it. From this will depend on the efficiency and quality of radio communications. This is best done by a professional, but with minimal equipment, some types of antennas can be tuned on your own.
Tuning the antenna is to bring it into resonance with the frequency of operation. The frequency at which the drivers work is 27.135 MHz (channel No. 15).
To set up you will need:
- An SWR meter is a device for measuring the standing wave ratio. Simply put, this parameter indicates the quality of the antenna and radio station matching.
- a piece of cable with “UHF-male” connectors at both ends (manufactured independently) with a length of no more than 0.5 m. Further, we will call it an “adapter”.
The measurement is carried out according to the following algorithm:
- connect the antenna connector to the “ANT” jack of the SWR meter;
- we connect the adapter to the antenna jack of the radio station, and the other end to the "TX" jack of the SWR meter;
- turn on the radio and set the frequency to 27.135 (or channel number 15);
- press the "PTT" button on the PTT and look at the readings of the SWR meter
IMPORTANT: NEVER TRANSMIT WITH THE ANTENNA OFF!
The normal value lies within 1-2, the closer it is to one, the better. If the value is normal, disconnect the SWR meter, connect the antenna to the radio and use it to your health.
If the value is greater than 2, the actions are as follows:
- write down the resulting SWR value;
- set the frequency to 27.405 (or channel number 40)
- press "PTT" and watch the readings of the device.
If the SWR has become lower, this indicates that your antenna has resonance at higher frequencies and the pin needs to be made a little longer. To do this, loosen the fastening of the pin to the base (usually 2 hex screws) and slightly push the pin. It must be remembered that in this case the possibility of adjustment is small.
If the SWR has become larger, then this means that the resonance of the antenna lies below the frequency of 27.135. In this case, you need to shorten the pin by about 1 cm and measure the SWR again. If it has become less than the value that was obtained during the first measurement, then you are on the right track. So by gradually reducing the length of the pin, you can achieve excellent readings.
Before operating the radio, carefully read the enclosed instructions.
The following guide to installing a CB radio in a car is not for those who use radio daily and professionally, but for those who need it for occasional use, mainly on long trips. In this case, most drivers will prefer not to permanently mount the radio in the cabin, spoiling the interior and provoking parking thieves, but will want to attach it temporarily in a suitable place: between the seats, between the seat and the side pillar, or in the tray for small items under the dashboard, as it is done, for example, in the photo Chevrolet Lachetti:
Attached a walkie-talkie - we connect power to it! There is an opinion that the radio station in the car must certainly be connected with a separate wiring from the battery, but this solution is more suitable for daily use. In our case of occasional use, this is absolutely not necessary - it is much more convenient to take power from the cigarette lighter socket. This is the simplest, fastest, and at the same time, we emphasize, a completely correct connection. Not hacky-compromising, as some people think, but meeting all the requirements - both in terms of the power unit, and in terms of the direct operation of the radio station on the air.
Such a connection is absolutely safe for electrical wiring and is carried out in half an hour. And most importantly, it is optimal in the case of a new car and harmful guarantors, who are only looking for a reason to refuse a guarantee for far-fetched reasons.
For a radio station with an output power of 4-5 watts, the maximum current consumption does not exceed 2-3 amperes, and for a radio station with an output power of 8-10 watts - less than 5 amperes, which is at least two to three times less than the current of the fuse that protects the cigarette lighter socket.
To connect the radio to the cigarette lighter, we extend the two power wires coming out of the radio station - black and red - by soldering or twisting to a length of 1-2 meters (depending on the intended installation location of the device). At the end of the attached wire, we solder (center - plus, side contacts - minus) a standard “male” connector into the cigarette lighter, which is sold in every car shop.
the plug of the radio power wire must be inserted exactly into the cigarette lighter in the dashboard, it is undesirable to use splitters, the quality of which is often disgusting!
If there is only one cigarette lighter socket, and you need to power the phone, the recorder, and other gadgets on the road, and the warranty period has already ended, and your skillful hands are not afraid of the need to drag the wire from the engine compartment to the passenger compartment, then you can connect the radio station directly to the battery. Although once again I note in brackets: such a connection does not have any advantages over power supply through the cigarette lighter - neither in terms of electrical safety, nor in terms of communication quality.
In this case, you will have to buy a three-meter (approximately) piece of a conventional power wire with a cross section of 2x1.5 mm, pack it along its entire length in a plastic corrugation and drag it from the battery into the passenger compartment through some rubber seal of the motor shield. Terminals for M6 bolts and a 10 amp fuse are crimped or soldered to the ends of the wires near the battery (the fuse is placed in the positive wire next to the battery), and the power tail of the radio station is connected to the two opposite ends of the wires with polarity. The junction of the wires is carefully insulated with adhesive tape or heat shrink.
Antenna Installation
The station is installed and connected, now we mount the antenna. We will assume that we have a quick-detachable one on a magnetic sole, which will not require spoiling the body for installation. Therefore, we will give only a few general theses - without deepening into an extra theory.
- Antennas with a length of about a meter or even less are efficient, but extremely inefficient. The dependence of efficiency on length is direct; when buying, you should prefer an antenna with a length close to two meters. However, as the length increases, the price also increases ...
- The optimal installation of the antenna is on the roof (in the center or on the edge - there is practically no difference). Somewhat worse - on the trunk, but also quite acceptable. In order not to spoil the paint on the roof, we put polyethylene under the magnet.
- The wire from the antenna to the station is passed between the door seal and the doorway or between the trunk lid and the trunk opening seal, and enters the passenger compartment. Make sure that the seals do not leave noticeable dents on the cable!
- The antenna cable on the magnetic sole cannot be arbitrarily shortened or lengthened - its length must remain unchanged, about 3.6 m. We hide the excess under the seats or rugs, without twisting into rings or bays.
- And now the most important thing: the antennas in the store are sold unconfigured, since the setting depends on the installation location on a particular car. Most often, adjustment is carried out by changing the length of the antenna pin (pulling out and pushing in), for which a small hex key is included. The place of adjustment will be indicated in the instructions for the antenna.
Antenna tuning
Actually, antenna tuning is the most important moment in our entire history. It might be worth getting the tuning done by the pros: these services are inexpensive, take less than half an hour to complete, and are offered in truck parks and near major auto shops on the highways. But many prefer to sort out the issue on their own, profess the principle “if you want to do it well, do it yourself!” and want to have their own set of tools to monitor the condition of the antenna in the future. For them - the following master class. Again: only an algorithm, without delving into unnecessary theory and physics of ongoing processes, into which everyone, if desired, can immerse themselves.
To tune the antenna, we need a device called a SWR meter (standing wave ratio meter), which is easy to purchase - Google to the rescue. The cost of the simplest model is from 500 to 1000 rubles. The most common device that has been on sale for many years under different names (SWR-420, 430, KW-520, etc.), in fact, is the same Chinese SWR meter with the same principle of operation and the same designation of switches and connectors. The device, of course, is more than average, but for infrequent use it will do.
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We will also need a high-frequency connector of the same standard as the socket on the radio and the plug on the cable. It is needed to include an SWR meter between the radio station and the antenna without significantly extending the antenna cable. A male-to-male barrel adapter (for a hard connection) or a short (10-20 cm) antenna cable, also with male connectors at both ends, will do. The connector standard is best known by the name "PL", which is how it should be asked in the store.
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And that is all. As you can see, it's not that difficult. But now on the road you can have fun listening to the conversations of "long-rangers", sometimes useful, sometimes not so much. And do not forget that children can ride with you in the car, for whom it is too early to listen to these conversations.
At the request of the workers, I am posting a short article on the rules for connecting civilian communications equipment (and not only) in a car. It would have been necessary to write this short review material earlier, and, in general, there is enough information, but everyone did not reach their hands.
In principle, everything is simple, but following the rules described below will allow you to get the most out of the selected and installed communication equipment. Avoid potential problems, such as a strong deterioration in communication due to interference from the vehicle's on-board network. All information is personally checked in practice.
General principles
Schematically, the method of powering from the on-board network of the radio and amplifier is shown in the figure below (thanks to ci-bi.com), I changed the picture somewhat and made it more general, but there is no point in coming up with something more detailed, the illustration is excellent.
The power wires of the radio and amplifier are shown in red and black. Blue - RF cables connecting the antenna and amplifier, amplifier and walkie-talkie.
- The radio station must be powered from the car battery with a separate wire. We pull only one positive wire from the battery, you do not need to pull the minus. We install a fuse on the stretched wire next to the battery so that in the event of an unplanned short circuit of the positive wire to ground, it does not ignite and, accordingly, a fire in the car. The standard fuse of the radio station does not need to be eliminated. The rating of the underhood fuse is selected from the recommendations below.
- We connect the minus of the radio station directly to the body at the installation site with a wire of minimum length. The mass must be reliable, this is important. It is ideal to use some studs welded into the body for this.
- It is allowed to connect the radio station and the amplifier to the battery with two wires (plus and minus). It must be remembered that the length of the wires in this case must be the same and a fuse must also be installed on the negative terminal next to the battery. The positive and negative wires must be twisted together to form a twisted pair. But this method is more labor- and material-intensive, and if you are confident in the reliability of the on-board network of your car and its body is not a rotten, leaky bucket, then it is better to choose the classic connection method.
- The amplifier, if you plan to use it, must be powered in the same way as the radio station (plus from the battery, minus from the body). You can use the same wire from the battery, but its cross section must be larger than for powering the radio station alone, the specific numbers are below.
- To control the amplifier, if it is installed in a hard-to-reach place, a relay can be connected to its power circuit for quick on / off. To do this, you can use a conventional starter relay from VAZ or GAZ cars, rated for a current of 20-40A. The pinout and method of connecting such a relay is shown in the figure.
Selection of wire cross-section and fuse ratings for powering the radio and amplifier
Wires are best used copper, stranded type PV-3 and the like.
- Radio station without amplifier. The length of the supply wire is less than 2.5 m - 1 mm.kv, if the length is more than 2.5 m, then - 1.5 mm.kv, underhood fuse 5-10A.
- Radio station, with an amplifier of 100 watts (, KP101-12, 747). The length of the supply wire is less than 2.5 m - 1.5 mm2, more than 2.5 m - 2.5 mm2. underhood fuse 15-20A
- Radio station, with an amplifier 150-200 watts (SG200, KL400). The length of the supply wire is less than 2.5 m - 3 mm.kv, more than 2.5 m - 4 mm.kv, engine compartment fuse 25-30A.
- Radio station, with amplifier 280-400 watts (SG400, KL500, 797). The length of the supply wire is less than 2.5 m - 4.5 mm.kv, more than 2.5 m - 6 mm.kv, engine compartment fuse 40-50A.
The battery fuse is best used with a flag fuse, as in all modern cars. Finding them is not difficult, as well as pads for them.
In the case of using fuses 40-50A, it is best to use fuses to power car acoustics. Fuses of large denominations with holders in the form of flasks have proven themselves well.
Powering the radio and amplifier with one or two wires?
Since there are several opinions about the correct connection, with one or two wires, I will say on my own that, in principle, both options are possible. But in each case, you need to make a decision based on the characteristics of a particular car. Sometimes problems with interference and self-excitation cannot be solved using one connection scheme, and an alternative one can help here.
Advantages of connecting with only one wire to the battery
- We pull only one wire from the battery.
- We use only one fuse for the battery.
- There are no problems with disconnecting the mass from the battery, with such a connection, a ground loop is not formed through the antenna cable.
- Such a connection is not sensitive to common-mode interference, and anti-phase interference is remarkably suppressed by the filter built into the radio station.
Disadvantages of connecting with only one wire to the battery
- Sometimes, especially on heavily used rusty car bodies and in some other cases, when the car body cannot serve as a full-fledged DC conductor, all sorts of special effects are possible. In this case, it is better to use an alternative scheme for connecting the minus directly to the battery.
Advantages of connecting two wires to the battery
- They arise from the shortcomings of connecting the negative wire to the body. When using two wires, we are isolated from defects and features of the conductivity of the body of a particular car.
Disadvantages of connecting two wires to the battery
- When the antenna is correctly installed, on an honest ground, and the ground is turned off, for example, an earth loop is formed from the battery, and if you forget to turn on the ground, then when you try to start the engine, all the starter current will flow through the antenna cable sheath.
- It is necessary to install an additional fuse on the wire going to the negative terminal of the battery.
- You need to pull the second wire to the battery
- With this connection, an earth loop is formed between the battery and the radio station, which has its own resonant frequency and, under adverse conditions, is quite capable of collecting interference from the on-board network and the surrounding space.
And remember, proper nutrition is the key to the correct functioning of the equipment. Some stations are very capricious in terms of proper and stable power supply, an example of which, with insufficient voltage, will fail. In addition, properly powered communication equipment is much less susceptible to interference that can be generated by the car's on-board network and other equipment, such as Chinese chargers, power supplies for cheap recorders and other electronic trash in which the Chinese, in order to save money, did not put the appropriate filters to reduce the cost. But this is a topic for a separate article.
