Ok, so I've been wanting a CB for a long time now and finally bought
one - a Uniden PC78 Elite Bearcat, 40 channels & all the goodies you
could ever want.

I've got a 1999 poor man's Ford Ranger (branded as a Mazda B-2500).
Here's my trouble:

1. Electrical connection is supposed to be made to the ignition
accessory connection. Don't know where that is.

2. Can't figure out the best place to mount the thing. Anybody who's
been in a Ford Ranger knows they're rather cozy. Mine has a 5-speed
manual, which eats up all the space over the hump up against the dash.

Anybody want to help out?

wrote:
Ok, so I've been wanting a CB for a long time now and finally bought
one - a Uniden PC78 Elite Bearcat, 40 channels & all the goodies you
could ever want.


Single sideband? Opps, missing a feature.


I've got a 1999 poor man's Ford Ranger (branded as a Mazda B-2500).
Here's my trouble:

1. Electrical connection is supposed to be made to the ignition
accessory connection. Don't know where that is.


Get some #12 wire, two pieces long enough to reach to the battery,
fuse BOTH wires at the battery, and use that to run the radio.
Using the ignition terminal will pick up lots of vehicle noise.


2. Can't figure out the best place to mount the thing. Anybody who's
been in a Ford Ranger knows they're rather cozy. Mine has a 5-speed
manual, which eats up all the space over the hump up against the dash.


Between the seats with an external speaker? The internal ones all seem to suck.
Drill under the dash and mount with nuts and bolts. It's not a new vehicle anymore.


Anybody want to help out?

wrote:

Ok, so I've been wanting a CB for a long time now and finally bought
one - a Uniden PC78 Elite Bearcat, 40 channels & all the goodies you
could ever want.

I've got a 1999 poor man's Ford Ranger (branded as a Mazda B-2500).
Here's my trouble:

1. Electrical connection is supposed to be made to the ignition
accessory connection. Don't know where that is.

2. Can't figure out the best place to mount the thing. Anybody who's
been in a Ford Ranger knows they're rather cozy. Mine has a 5-speed
manual, which eats up all the space over the hump up against the dash.

Anybody want to help out?


I use to own a 93 Ford Ranger. I never could find a suitable place in the
cab to put a radio. One of the main reasons I bought my current 95 Rodeo is
that it had a nice little spot right under the FM/AM for a radio to go.

I realize this doesn't help you. I thought I would share anyhow.

Take Care! - Matt

Hello Chicken Fried Steak:

Since your vehicle may not be chosen to go to the Paris Air Show, you
might consider mounting the radio on the dash. I have done this with
great success. I just throw a old towel over it in the summer.

The power connections should be routed directly to the battery. This
does help reduce some noises in the power wiring.

In my old 87 Nissan I RTV'ed in a Motorola External Speaker in the upper
aft corner of the cab so that I could hear it real well. No room for
mounting brackets.

I mounted a 96 inch Francis Amazer Fiberglass whip antenna to the upper
back part of the cab using a L bracket. I ran the coax in the floor of
the cab by drilling a hole for it, and then applying Silicon RTV to seal
it up. I used RG142 Coax, and made sure the coax didn't get wrapped up
in the drive shaft. Had that happen ONCE!

It worked quit well.

Hope this helps.

Jay in the Great Mojave Desert, ....just down the road ah ways from the
fillin station.


wrote:
Ok, so I've been wanting a CB for a long time now and finally bought
one - a Uniden PC78 Elite Bearcat, 40 channels & all the goodies you
could ever want.

I've got a 1999 poor man's Ford Ranger (branded as a Mazda B-2500).
Here's my trouble:

1. Electrical connection is supposed to be made to the ignition
accessory connection. Don't know where that is.

2. Can't figure out the best place to mount the thing. Anybody who's
been in a Ford Ranger knows they're rather cozy. Mine has a 5-speed
manual, which eats up all the space over the hump up against the dash.

Anybody want to help out?

Jay in the Mojave wrote:
I used RG142 Coax, and made sure the coax didn't get wrapped up
in the drive shaft. Had that happen ONCE!

Oh man, did it yank the radio off the dash board Jay!?

Hello Steveo:

A good friend I worked with who retired a few years ago, had this problem.

He had a new Dodge Diesel 1 Ton Pick Up Truck. He had bought it damaged
from shipping. I looked it all over I couldn't see anything wrong with
it. So he wanted a first class CB radio Installation. He being one of
the worlds finest heavy equipment operators he had the cash to make
things happen.

He decided to install the radio, linear amplifier, and antenna himself.
After seeing all the installation I noticed the coax dangling down
between the cab and pick up box. He said it shouldn't be a problem.

Well after a few short days the Drive Shaft had somehow got the coax
wrapped around it and yes it pulled the coax out of the radio and
antenna. But because it was the cheap RG58C Coax it didn't hurt the
radio or antenna.

He said he talking to his friends and all of a sudden the radio went
dead. Hehehehee.

I replaced it for him in the parking lot. I had some coax left over. We
called him "The Drive Shaft"

Jay in the Mojave

Steveo wrote:

Jay in the Mojave wrote:

I used RG142 Coax, and made sure the coax didn't get wrapped up

in the drive shaft. Had that happen ONCE!


Oh man, did it yank the radio off the dash board Jay!?

D'OH, just when you thought you'd seen it all along comes the drive shaft!
Lucky he didn't run the hot wire that way!

Jay in the Mojave wrote:
Hello Steveo:

A good friend I worked with who retired a few years ago, had this
problem.

He had a new Dodge Diesel 1 Ton Pick Up Truck. He had bought it damaged
from shipping. I looked it all over I couldn't see anything wrong with
it. So he wanted a first class CB radio Installation. He being one of
the worlds finest heavy equipment operators he had the cash to make
things happen.

He decided to install the radio, linear amplifier, and antenna himself.
After seeing all the installation I noticed the coax dangling down
between the cab and pick up box. He said it shouldn't be a problem.

Well after a few short days the Drive Shaft had somehow got the coax
wrapped around it and yes it pulled the coax out of the radio and
antenna. But because it was the cheap RG58C Coax it didn't hurt the
radio or antenna.

He said he talking to his friends and all of a sudden the radio went
dead. Hehehehee.

I replaced it for him in the parking lot. I had some coax left over. We
called him "The Drive Shaft"

Jay in the Mojave

Steveo wrote:

Jay in the Mojave wrote:

I used RG142 Coax, and made sure the coax didn't get wrapped up

in the drive shaft. Had that happen ONCE!


Oh man, did it yank the radio off the dash board Jay!?

Hello Steveo:

Yeah I could see that coming! I have him some old water hose for running
the wires thru the fire wall, which he used.

But I think the all time blooper was when my child took off with the
"RED NECK" (Ford F250 4x4, 460 CI, worlds loudest Public Address System)
truck loaded with teenagers going to the "The Game". The coaxes had some
how got cough in the rear bumper, as it was very windy, well when they
took off, down came my small antenna farm on a push-up mast. A 6 meter
Interceptor 10K, a 2 meter Interceptor, two scanner antennas, and a VHF
Beam.

I thought a Jumbo Jet had landed on the roof. I was so mad at the kids I
told them to keep on going! They returned with a old Push up mast, and
between the 3 of them and me we had the antennas back up in service in
an hour.

But then it cost me the price for dinner for all of us, and a few girl
friends at the local family runned "High Flutin" Restaurant. Of course
we had to have the special, Lobster and Flite Menong. Not to mention
word had gotten out to all the distinguished radio enthusiasts on all
the bands, so now I had a few more for dinner promising not to say
anything about the antennas coming down from the coax and truck. For a
few drinks......

With a dinner bill of well over several hundred dollars, a good time was
had by all. I could have done without the loud thud on the roof tho.

Jay in the Mojave

Kreedentials:

Rock n Roll Fan
CB radio operator
5 Kollage credits
Desert dweller
Country & Westen fan, Have a lot of Hank Willams records also.....


Steveo wrote:
D'OH, just when you thought you'd seen it all along comes the drive shaft!
Lucky he didn't run the hot wire that way!

Jay in the Mojave wrote:

Hello Steveo:

A good friend I worked with who retired a few years ago, had this
problem.

He had a new Dodge Diesel 1 Ton Pick Up Truck. He had bought it damaged
from shipping. I looked it all over I couldn't see anything wrong with
it. So he wanted a first class CB radio Installation. He being one of
the worlds finest heavy equipment operators he had the cash to make
things happen.

He decided to install the radio, linear amplifier, and antenna himself.
After seeing all the installation I noticed the coax dangling down
between the cab and pick up box. He said it shouldn't be a problem.

Well after a few short days the Drive Shaft had somehow got the coax
wrapped around it and yes it pulled the coax out of the radio and
antenna. But because it was the cheap RG58C Coax it didn't hurt the
radio or antenna.

He said he talking to his friends and all of a sudden the radio went
dead. Hehehehee.

I replaced it for him in the parking lot. I had some coax left over. We
called him "The Drive Shaft"

Jay in the Mojave

Steveo wrote:


Jay in the Mojave wrote:


I used RG142 Coax, and made sure the coax didn't get wrapped up

in the drive shaft. Had that happen ONCE!


Oh man, did it yank the radio off the dash board Jay!?

wrote in message
oups.com...
Ok, so I've been wanting a CB for a long time now and finally bought
one - a Uniden PC78 Elite Bearcat, 40 channels & all the goodies you
could ever want.

I've got a 1999 poor man's Ford Ranger (branded as a Mazda B-2500).
Here's my trouble:

1. Electrical connection is supposed to be made to the ignition
accessory connection. Don't know where that is.

2. Can't figure out the best place to mount the thing. Anybody who's
been in a Ford Ranger knows they're rather cozy. Mine has a 5-speed
manual, which eats up all the space over the hump up against the dash.

Anybody want to help out?

I had a 2002 Ranger and what I did was remove the ashtray and attach the
radios mounting bracket with zip ties.
As for the power connection go to the local auto store and get some fuse
taps (they attach to a fuse ) and run the
power line to that . It's a good idea to use a inline fuse on the power line
at least 3 amp.