How to Set up a CB Radio in a Car? Easiest Guide For Newbies

A CB radio is a very handy tool for two-way communication over short distances. While many people set up their radio in their house, it is much more convenient to set up the radio in your car.

This will allow you to be able to communicate with many different people in many different areas, and it might even come very handy in any case of emergency.

So if you want to cash in on this advantage and set up your CB radio in your car, you have come to the right place. Because we are going to show you the ways through which you can set up your CB radio in your car.

Required Materials To Set up a CB Radio in a Car

Before we move on to the procedure, you need to make sure you have all the necessary materials needed for setting up the radio.

The materials you will need are:

• CB radio for off-roading
• CB antenna for cars
• Coax cable
• CB antenna adapters
• Double din installation kit (optional)

The Methods of Setting up the CB Radio 

It doesn’t matter if you have the best CB radio for a car if you don’t know how to install it. So, let’s move on to the guide now. Pay attention to the steps and choose the specifications mentioned in them according to your preferences.

Step 1: Mount the Radio

Now that we know all the necessary hardware required for the setup, it is time to move on to the actual setup.

First of all, you have to find a good place to mount the radio. Realistically, there are multiple places where you can mount your radio, and it all depends on your convenience. But we would recommend placing the radio somewhere where it is easy to reach. So your best option would be to place it on the dashboard.

Step 2: Set It up Properly

Now that you have decided where you want to place the radio, it is time to learn how to do it. We are going to show you two different methods of mounting your radio. You need to decide which one is more applicable to you, depending on your vehicle and its dashboard.

The Double Din Set up 

This is the most common CB radio set up. Here you can connect your single din CB radio and your car radio in a double din set up. For this, it is better to keep a separate double din installation kit, but you can work with any normal installation kit as well. Follow the directions given below.

First of all, test fit the adapter plates in the dashboard and determine how much of it needs to trimmed. Then trim the adapter plate depending on the shape and size of your dashboard. After that, mount your radio in the dashboard. And that is how you mount the radio in a double din set up.

An Alternative All-in-One Set up

This type of set up is quite uncommon, but handy nonetheless. The reason this is uncommon is that it doesn’t work on every radio. In fact, it only works on one particular type, and that is the all-in-one mini CB radio.

All you need for this type of set up is the radio, an antenna, and some cables to connect the two. This is perfect for vehicles with a more modern dashboard where the double din mount either doesn’t work or is very difficult to set up.

So, if by any chance you haven’t purchased a radio yet, while you are reading the article, you might want to reconsider your options and get an all-in-one type of radio instead. It will save you a ton of hassle and time.

Step 3: Mount the Antenna

Now that you know how to mount the radio, you can move on to the next step, which is, setting up the antenna. This part can actually be considered to be even more crucial than the previous one. Because the overall quality of the sound you receive depends on your antenna and how it has been set up.

We will show you three different ways in which you can set up your antenna and tell you the pros and cons of each.

1. The Bumper Mount Way

These types of mounts are more common in mid-size trucks. For mounts like these, it is better to use a 9-foot steel antenna in the bumper of your vehicle.

Pros

• Even though the 9-foot steel antenna looks very ugly, it works the best as it is a quarter-wave antenna. So the sound quality will be best if you use this antenna. 
• In any different setup, a 9-inch steel antenna can’t be used directly, and a loading coil is needed. This deteriorates the sound quality of your radio.
• It also allows a direct connection through the metal of your bumper.

Cons

• In this setup, the antenna is situated very low. For this reason, the radiation may be lopsided and uneven.
• To set up this antenna, you have to make a hole in your bumper. So if you are someone who likes to protect the integrity of your car design, then this might not be for you.
• Not very convenient for most vehicles.

2. The Trunk Mount Way

These types of mount are more common in sedans. This requires a 32-36 inch antenna, which is mounted with the help of a magnet on the trunk of your car.

Pros

• This type of set up is more convenient than a bumper mount.
• This uses a magnet mount, so you do not have to drill any holes in your vehicle.

Cons

• Like the bumper set up, it is also placed very low, and thus, it results in lopsided and uneven radiation.
• It also doesn’t use a 9-inch long antenna, and so this type of set up has the weakest radiating power.

3. The Center Mount Way

This type of mount is the most common setup and can be used in almost all vehicles. Like the trunk mount, a 32-36-inch antenna is used which is mounted with the help of a magnet on the center of the roof of your vehicle.

Pros

• This type of set up is also very convenient.
• Being a magnet mount, this doesn’t require you to drill any holes in your vehicle.
• As the antenna is placed higher than the previous two types of setup, this gives a much more even radiation.

Cons

• The antenna is very small and is not as powerful as the 9-inch long antenna.
• Using longer antennas in this set up is extremely inconvenient and can damage the roof of your vehicle by colliding with outside objects frequently.

Step 4: Bring It All Together

Lastly, you have to connect your radio and the antenna with the help of a coax cable, and then you are good to go.

Conclusion

And that is all the ways in which you can set up a CB radio in your vehicle. Choose any of the setup systems mentioned above by considering your ideal requirements and reap the full advantage of having a CB radio set up in your vehicle.