Considering my past luck with getting speeding tickets, I was wondering what some of you think about installing a CB radio in the car to help me identify where the cops are. I've ridden with my dad, who is a truck driver, and anytime you want to know where a police car is sitting, all you have to do is ask. Not that I would break the law or anything http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/smile.gif but it would help remind me to make sure I wasn't exceeding the posted speed limit.

I was wondering if anyone has done this and how much of a pain it is to wire the antenna. I've seen antennas that mount on the glass, but I don't want to do damage to my interior by ripping it apart just to lay in the wire.

Oh well, I'm just thinking out loud here. That unit I saw for $60 at radio shack sure looks appealing, though. http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/smile.gif

Walmart used to sell a CB antenna which was a glass mount. The antenna sits outside, and the antenna wire sits inside going to the CB radio.

As for the wiring for this particular antenna and wire, I would mount it on the backwindow, run the wire inside of the A-pillar and side pillar on the ceiling to below the dash, and to the CB radio.

After thinking about it, I think I'm going to go ahead and get the CB. My reasons?

The aforementioned constabulary locator feature http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/wink.gif.
More antennas look kewl.
Listening to truckers can be real entertaining sometimes, and I know on my trip down to Norfolk from Newport, I'll need all the entertainment I can get.

Besides, avoiding one ticket would more than pay for the unit.

On a long distance trip, it's definitely worth it.

Besides sometimes a 25 mile warning, it's great for getting around traffic jams in cities.

It worked very well on my trip out to Topeka.

What was really neat were the troopers in IL on 70 standing in the middle of the highway with laser facing each way... as if the other guy had their back, and 2 cruisers on each side.

The truckers loved it and were talking about it for miles before we even got there. Nice to know 4 miles away there's a bear up ahead.

--KC

Yeah I installed a CB in my friends S-10, it's not hard at all, just trying to find a spot that doesn't look ugly for the antenna...
oh and we used to listen to some old man that was talking jibberish on the same channel for a couple days straight! Something about Santa Clause?http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/rolleyes.gif
Not even close to the 25th!

I've to figure out where I can mount my siren box (the control part) inside my wrx without it A) being obnoxious and B) out of the way- any suggestions?

I use a $40 Cobra that has a magnetic 2' antenna, just plop the unit in the console and go on your trip. Skip the handhelds, interior antennas suck.

Gary

I have my CB with a glass mounted antenna on the back window. I got it from this place(http://www.electronicsoutpost.com/valor.htm). Real cheep 19$.

<IMG SRC="http://www.electronicsoutpost.com/images/cb27.jpg" border=0>

It has keep me from a ticket or two.

I just got a handheld unit, but haven't used it much. I got it for a rally I'm marshalling at, thought it might come in handy. Didn't want to mount one on my dash. Did I make a mistake? And which channels are the best for listening to chatter? I haven't heard much at all, but maybe that's because I got the hand-held.

At least up here in Connecticut and surrounding states Channel 19 is usually where the truckers talk.

Matty

Anybody have pics of where there cbs are mounted....

Rubasu

put dual antenas in the front like the WRC (W 21 SRT)!!

[This message has been edited by WRXwannbe (edited April 03, 2001).]

www.valentine1.com (http://www.valentine1.com) - That's all I gotta say about not getting tickets. I love mine. http://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/smile.gif

If you bought an internal you can get a fixed-mount antenna for the car. Just plug it in when you're in the car and it's good to go. I've been looking at the Cobra 75blahblahblah whatever it is... it's basically a mic with all of the controls/display on it, and a box that mounts out of sight for the antenna and power. You can get multiple control units cheap and just swap the mic between cars.

So get an external antenna that my handheld can hook up to when I'm in the car? That sounds like an idea that I may have to try. Would be a lot easier to hide the antenna lead than to mount and deal with an under-dash box style one. Thanx!

Another option for the antenna is to get a splitter that uses your stereo antenna. Kind of a stealth thing - you don't see any extra antennae. I have one on my Miata with the Cobra that horatio mentioned. The splitter was made by a guy who's an electronics/Miata nut and tuned it specifically to Miata antennae. I think JC Whitney sells something like it but I'm not sure what the quality is like.

I figure most of you know this but for you CB newbies out there:
http://www.reactintl.org/rules-cb.htm

I am looking at installing one in my subie, when I put in an aftermarket cd deck and have the dash space open again.

Whats the best channel to be on for anticipating speed traps?

I had installed one of the on-the-glass CB antennae on my RS, and used two different CB's.

The first was a ratShack unit that fit perfectly in the ash tray slot, VERY stealth. But, it was standard 40ch CB only and I wanted weatherband due to my frequent trips to desert areas and risk of flash-floods, so I got another unit from Midland. Its the Midland 75-820, and like the aforementioned Cobra unit, its an "all in the handset" unit.

The cool thing was that this particular unit came with an adaptor kit so you could disconnect the battery base and slide on an adaptor that went to a cigarette lighter plug and an antenna plug. I wired in an extra power plug (use the regular one for cellphone) and ran the on-the-glass antenna lead up the center console to the same area. When I wanted to use the radio I just plugged in the lighter plug, screwed on the antenna, and wha-bam, I was on my way.

Easy, stealthy, and functional. I've avoided many SERIOUS traffic jams and a couple of speedtraps on long trips using it.

FWIW, I bought the Midland unit over the Cobra unit mainly because of the weather, etc. other features, but one other thing I like is that the Midland just has the adaptor that clips onto the bottom of the handset, and the plugs. The Cobra version requires you to mount a little interface box that has to be hooked up to 12v power. I didn't want to deal with that box (not the power, but finding an accessable but hidden space for the box).


Currently I don't have an antenna mounted in my WRX yet, so I'm using the handheld "rubber ducky" antenna for now, but will almost certainly mount one soon since I got so much value from the one in my RS.

Cheers.

Ok this is a silly question, but how do the glass-mount antennae work?

I know I certainly wouldn't want to drill into my rear window so I am assuming it uses some other method.

Enlighten me?

The short of it is that no drilling is requied, its a "stick on" device.

The long if it is this:
The two sides of the antenna base are large conductors. When you sandwich the glass in between them (and the sticky tape too) you create a weak capacitor (glass is the dialectric). The little box on on the inside of the glass has some circuitry that allows incoming amplitude on the antenna wire to be modulated onto this "capacitor", which is then conducted out onto the antenna wire.

Ingenious use of elementary physics. It was one of those *POP* "Wow, that's slick" when I figured that one out.

BTW, for the other person who asked, Channel 19 is normally the trucker/speedtrap channel.

Good post. I'm thinking of getting one as well. Maybe a portable. My cousin that is a truck driver says they're good. Maybe it depends on the brand and antenna. I'll have to do more research.
Dennis

ma-b a stupid question from a never CB user ... how does that work ...don't you need to different channels and stuff to talk to different people, how do you find people to talk to or get info about bear traps ...

clueless on this whole topic but I always thought it would be a good idea for traffic and traps and even safety...

Thanks and sorry for the know-nothing-ness ,
Brad

There are 40 channels on the CB. Truckers always leave it on Ch 19, the so called "highway channel". And Ch 9 is left for emergency purpose. Police and emergency should be monitoring that. The rest is open, so that say you've found someone on Ch 19, and want to have a more private conversation, then you can tell the other person to go to that particular channel.

Many warehouses also use a particular channel to communicate with truckers so that they don't need to come in to the offices.

Does any one else hear BANJO music playinghttp://www.i-club.com/ubb-files/smilies/lol.gif Just kidding all!

The following is from two of my posts invoving the installation of a Valentine 1:

The Valentine is the best/one of the best detectors on the market but...

*Often, even the best detectors only tell you that you're about to be lit up and shaken down for taxes. LIDAR is instant-on and narrowly focused; even RADAR is impossible to detect if they aren't shooting every other vehicle in front of you.

*No detector can warn of VASCAR, or a wrapper doing an old-fashioned pace.

My solution has been (hold down the snickering) rather low-tech--use a CB radio. I've owned several detectors, but for the reasons listed above, I gave them up in favor of the CB and a scanner.

Not that I couldn't use a detector as well, but even with a remote display, you sometimes become more of a target, in the following way: Some officers will purposely flip on their RADAR unit just to see who hits their brakes (whether it's brake lights or nose dive) and then pick that individual out for special attention. Also, whether or not you are a victim of that game, if you have a detector (or display) visible when officer friendly peeks inside it doesn't help (to say the least).

I'm not necessarily saying don't use a detector, just be aware of their drawbacks and limitations. With a CB (if you can put up with some moronic chatter) you will find out about ALL the police activity in the immediate area and for miles up the road in addition to accidents (10-33's), construction delays, weather/road conditions, possible detours, etc. No, it's not foolproof, but with the exception of late at night (very little truck traffic) I would pick a CB first over any other electronic gear.

I've come to the conclusion that it's better to go on the offensive and use LIDAR/RADAR "countermeasures". That's really the only way to beat the late night, hidden in the bushes, 'instant-on' type revenue enhancement schemes.

If you decide to use a CB and have a regular route and schedule, you will probably find that you are talking to the same drivers every day. If you are travelling in opposite directions you can help each other out. Personally, I wish the FCC would designate a FM band for our use, after all the are the PUBLIC airwaves. The more people that use CB to warn each other the better, and a nice quiet FM service would encourage its use.

Pardon the accidental double post.

Get a CB. Listen to channel 19. It will keep you out of trouble.

[This message has been edited by sajohnson (edited May 04, 2001).]

Has any of you seen the one in the movie "Legends of Speed II" ? It looks really nice I love HiTech looking gadgets like the one they used to talk on while the races took place. Any who what about an antena like the ones on the rally cars? http://www.swrt.com/gallery/archive/detail/990180a.jpg

Also what is a real nice one I can pick up? I think these would be great when cruising around with other impreza nuts so when you get stuck at a light or lost from the pack in a caravan to an event,etc.

I have a Midland handheld, with a Cobra cell-style glass-mount antenna on the side window. I haven't used it a ton, but it does seem to work MUCH better with the external antenna, and I didn't have to mount anything in my car. Just slide the handheld unit under the passenger seat, and it's all good!