Anyone installing CB/ Ham radio and/or NMO antenna mount on your new Ranger?

[JDCinVA]

I used to have my Yaesu FT-8800R installed in my 2006 Explorer. I had installed a nice NMO mount myself for the quarter dipole antenna, and wired the power directly to the battery with inline fuses. At the time of install, the Ex was about 4 years old so I didn't mind drilling a hole in the roof for the NMO mount and fishing power wires through the firewall. When I traded my 2006 Ex for a 2013 Ex for my wife and kids, and inherited her 2010 Escape, I never got around to reinstalling my FT-8800R.

I don't have a base station ham radio, just a little Yaesu handheld, so the FT-8800R was the only chance I had to chat on the 2M bands during my commute. I'd like to install it again in my Ranger, but drilling a hole in the roof of a brand new vehicle just doesn't seem right.

Anyone else doing it?

(Sorry mods, not sure if this should go in interior or exterior mods section?)

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[Shaggy1911]

With the aluminum alloy panels, might have to do some extra work to get good grounding / prevent galvanic corrosion.
There was a thread about a CB / ham install where he went the bed rail route using a ss bracket and had to prep it to prevent corrosion.
I'm sure it can be done, someone's done it.

I used to have my Yaesu FT-8800R installed in my 2006 Explorer. I had installed a nice NMO mount myself for the quarter dipole antenna, and wired the power directly to the battery with inline fuses. At the time of install, the Ex was about 4 years old so I didn't mind drilling a hole in the roof for the NMO mount and fishing power wires through the firewall. When I traded my 2006 Ex for a 2013 Ex for my wife and kids, and inherited her 2010 Escape, I never got around to reinstalling my FT-8800R.

I don't have a base station ham radio, just a little Yaesu handheld, so the FT-8800R was the only chance I had to chat on the 2M bands during my commute. I'd like to install it again in my Ranger, but drilling a hole in the roof of a brand new vehicle just doesn't seem right.

Anyone else doing it?

(Sorry mods, not sure if this should go in interior or exterior mods section?)

 

[Floyd]

With the aluminum alloy panels, might have to do some extra work to get good grounding / prevent galvanic corrosion.
There was a thread about a CB / ham install where he went the bed rail route using a ss bracket and had to prep it to prevent corrosion.
I'm sure it can be done, someone's done it.

Only the hood, front fenders, and tailgate are aluminum on the Ranger. everything else on the body is steel.
including the fender and core supports.
At any rate, all that should make the issue irrelevant.

 

[WxNerd2015]

I plan on adding a CB to mine! Already have the Cobra 29 LX that i want to mount on the dash with a built right industries dash mount when they come out with that! And then i was looking to use the Third Brake Light Antenna Mount - 2017+ Ford Raptor because it seems that the CHMSL light on the Rangers appears to be the same as the F-150s! And no holes drilled and a nice wire routing location through to the inside with good seals still!

I would also love to use one of these mini stinger CB antennas! I know with CB's antenna length and height go a long way, but for where else I would mount it, it would still get up just as high, and not be blocked by the body of the truck at all! I hope this setup will work, but that is what I am looking into, and no Ranger delivered to me yet to test on!

 

[JDCinVA]

I plan on adding a CB to mine! Already have the Cobra 29 LX that i want to mount on the dash with a built right industries dash mount when they come out with that! And then i was looking to use the Third Brake Light Antenna Mount - 2017+ Ford Raptor because it seems that the CHMSL light on the Rangers appears to be the same as the F-150s! And no holes drilled and a nice wire routing location through to the inside with good seals still!

That antenna mount looks like a great option! I wonder if it fits the Ranger. Pricey, but better than drilling a hole in the roof I suppose. My antenna knowledge is a bit rusty, but I think I'd have to upgrade from a 1/4 wavelength vertical to a 1/2 wavelength vertical with this mount since there is no ground plane like you'd have on the roof.

How are you going to power your CB? Do you tap a wire under the dash, get power from the fuse box, or will you do a home run to the battery?

 

[WxNerd2015]

That antenna mount looks like a great option! I wonder if it fits the Ranger. Pricey, but better than drilling a hole in the roof I suppose. My antenna knowledge is a bit rusty, but I think I'd have to upgrade from a 1/4 wavelength vertical to a 1/2 wavelength vertical with this mount since there is no ground plane like you'd have on the roof.

How are you going to power your CB? Do you tap a wire under the dash, get power from the fuse box, or will you do a home run to the battery?

Yeah, I am not an antenna expert either for sure, but the mount itself provides a solid options, that is not something permanent, but should give you no issues! That's what I love about it! Plus, they make a dual antenna version if you want more than one radio!

As for power, I believe that I will run straight to the battery, as this should give the best performance all the way around for he radio with the least interference. I will then also run a switch for the system inside the cab somewhere as well to have a complete kill switch for power as well, maybe with one of the switch systems list in one of the other threads! (https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/aftermarket-fascia-bracket-for-auxiliary-switches.1467/)

 

[Pflip]

Yeah, I am not an antenna expert either for sure, but the mount itself provides a solid options, that is not something permanent, but should give you no issues! That's what I love about it! Plus, they make a dual antenna version if you want more than one radio!

As for power, I believe that I will run straight to the battery, as this should give the best performance all the way around for he radio with the least interference. I will then also run a switch for the system inside the cab somewhere as well to have a complete kill switch for power as well, maybe with one of the switch systems list in one of the other threads! (https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/aftermarket-fascia-bracket-for-auxiliary-switches.1467/)

Yeah, I am not an antenna expert either for sure, but the mount itself provides a solid options, that is not something permanent, but should give you no issues! That's what I love about it! Plus, they make a dual antenna version if you want more than one radio!
(https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/aftermarket-fascia-bracket-for-auxiliary-switches.1467/)

I e-mailed this co the other day [ the one with the fascia and inserts] and as you surmised it seems that it will work just fine. they sent several pics and one caused me to remember your thread re: CB radio mounting. now I know that your connections are coax but they have switches and blanks that you could work with to make the whole install very neat and clean

 

[t4thfavor]

Hi all, I'm an extra class ham radio operator. So I'm "sorta" an antenna expert (lol)... The antenna mount doesn't need a ground plane since it's physically connected to your vehicle and made from what appears to be metal. AT WORST CASE you could run a flat piece of ground braid between the mount and some bolt inside the cab. NMO mounts are good as well to much higher frequency than CB radio. I personally prefer a magnet because when it takes a hit on a tree, you don't lose a 100$+ antenna or 300$+ antenna mount. I'm planning on finding the clutch line hole in the firewall, and using it for my power, and running antenna wire between bed and cab and finding something underneath that is already perforated. I plan to run a Kenwood D710G on a seat bolt mount.

 

[Jon54]

I plan on adding a CB to mine! Already have the Cobra 29 LX that i want to mount on the dash with a built right industries dash mount when they come out with that! And then i was looking to use the Third Brake Light Antenna Mount - 2017+ Ford Raptor because it seems that the CHMSL light on the Rangers appears to be the same as the F-150s! And no holes drilled and a nice wire routing location through to the inside with good seals still!

I would also love to use one of these mini stinger CB antennas! I know with CB's antenna length and height go a long way, but for where else I would mount it, it would still get up just as high, and not be blocked by the body of the truck at all! I hope this setup will work, but that is what I am looking into, and no Ranger delivered to me yet to test on!

I had no idea CB’s were still around. I have a Pace handheld from the early 70s still in the box. It’s the size of the walkie talkies you see on WWII movies.

 

[t4thfavor]

I had no idea CB’s were still around. I have a Pace handheld from the early 70s still in the box. It’s the size of the walkie talkies you see on WWII movies.

I tend to use CB when on road trips, the truckers get bored and let everyone know what is up the road. Just can't turn it up with the kids in the car as it's still full of degenerates who like to swear at each other all day long. Ham is nice if you have others that are also licensed to talk to, but on road trips they can be few and far between.

 

[Doc]

I tend to use CB when on road trips, the truckers get bored and let everyone know what is up the road. Just can't turn it up with the kids in the car as it's still full of degenerates who like to swear at each other all day long. Ham is nice if you have others that are also licensed to talk to, but on road trips they can be few and far between.

Hi I’m Doc....N4BX

 

[t4thfavor]

Hi I’m Doc....N4BX

AD8CJ, name is Chance '73

 

[Doc]

AD8CJ, name is Chance '73

QSl

 

[WxNerd2015]

I had no idea CB’s were still around. I have a Pace handheld from the early 70s still in the box. It’s the size of the walkie talkies you see on WWII movies.

Yeah, my Jeep group still uses em on many off road trips! I also use it for road trips, and I am a meteorologist, so I use the radios with built in NOAA Weather Radio Channels as well! SO...a few uses for me!

 

[t4thfavor]

I've done some crawling around the truck, and I see a couple of points where the antenna wire could come into the cab. One is the E-brake plate which is basically just right of the drivers seat, and there's a fat rubber grommet directly above the transmission where I believe the manual shift lever would be. How you get to them from inside is still beyond me. The tail light thing is probably the cleanest method even if it's the spendiest.

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