| Author |
Message |
    
Rattlesnakejake
| | Posted on Friday, December 12, 2003 - 10:44 pm: | 
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Hey yall.
i was wondering exactly how you would go about installing a mobile cb amplifier? (Step by step) |
Tech808
| | Posted on Friday, December 12, 2003 - 10:53 pm: |
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#1 ~ Buy Amplifier
#2 ~ Set Power on Radio to Specs on Amplifier
#3 ~ Hook Amplifier to Radio with Coax Jumper.
#4 ~ Hook Amplifier and Radio direct to Battery.
#5 ~ Have good Antenna
#6 ~ Check SWR if it is good start talking.
#7 ~ ***BUY EVERYTHING FROM COPPER!***
Lon
Tech808 |
Kiwikid
| | Posted on Saturday, December 13, 2003 - 1:58 am: |
|
Hi Team,
Rattlesnakejake,I go with Tech 808 also ground everything you can with the braid out of RG213 or RG8 type coax soldering all the termination eye terminals.Run good quality coax with quality PL259 connectors on the ends,heavey gauge wire for the DC power with circut breaker protection at the battery end and do not over drive the amp with Power microphones and the like.Check the specifications of your antenna so that it can handle all this "NEW POWER"
Confirm that the vehicle alternator can keep up with the amplifier,higher current output than the amp draws.
Play it safe and enjoy the DX
73
CEF 195
Kiwi Kid
41-HN3800 |
Unit199
| | Posted on Saturday, December 13, 2003 - 6:03 am: |
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Also make sure the wire you run to battery is heavier than what is coming from linear. Don't use a very long jumper from linear to radio. I would run my ground to chassis instead of battery. Just make sure where you ground to chassis is cleaned real good. Harve-Unit199 |
Tech671
| | Posted on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 10:07 am: |
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Rattle, drop me an email with specifics to your radio, vehicle, antenna, and amp you want to install and I'll walk you through it. |
Ca346
| | Posted on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 7:19 pm: |
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What about the bracket for an amp? Is there such a thing?? |
Tech808
| | Posted on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 7:56 pm: |
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Ca346,
I use Velcro Straps, you can find them at Lowes, Menards or Home Depot.
I also put a 1/4 inch rubber pad between radio and amp so amp is not directly on radio to help keep it cooler.
Just my 2 cent's.
Lon
Tech808 |
Rattlesnakejake
| | Posted on Sunday, December 14, 2003 - 11:57 pm: |
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Thanks, everybody. What about the power cable up by the battery getting too hot? Do I just bolt the thing on there? Wont i get wired? |
Kiwikid
| | Posted on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 2:46 am: |
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Hi Team,
Rattlesnakejake,The power cable sizing to the battery positive and negative depends on the maximum current(amperes)draw/load that the amp. will draw from the battery when it is fully charged and with the engine running at an above idle r.p.m. and how long the cable run is intended to be.We use metric measurements in my country so I have used twin 10mm.sq. conductor cable with a length of no more than two metres for a load of sixty amperes.I and other in our radio club use Anderson Connectors on all High Current circuts.Now that I have positioned the amp. in the rear cargo area I have run 35mm.sq. cables to the rear of the truck with an auxillary battery along side the amp.A voltage sensing relay in the positive lead prevents the auxillary from draining the starting battery.This also keeps the voltage to the amp.steady and constant when the truck is running and allows longer QSOs with the engine off without the worry of the starting battery running flat.
Re capping:
Run the largest cables that you can afford.
Protect BOTH the positive and negative cables with fuses/circut breakers at the battery end of the cables i.e.
10amp.load= 20amp.fuses/circut breakers
20amp.load= 40amp.fuses/circut breakers
60amp.load= 120amp.fuse/circut breakers
Ground ALL appiances to good clean shiny metal earth points.
Crimp and solder all electrical connections.
If in doubt seek help!
Cheers!
CEF 195 |
Marlboro_Man
| | Posted on Monday, December 15, 2003 - 6:00 am: |
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I use Big zip ties to hold my Linear to my radio. My radio is in a bracket so this works very nice.and like Lon said put something in between the radio and linear to help it "breathe". I use a 1" x 8" peice of mudflap about 1/2" thick. Marlboro_Man |
DennisAdams
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 10:26 am: |
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I have a new Palomar 250 I just got from copper. It didnt come with any specs to set the radio (a Galaxy 949). What should my radio output be set to? |
Tech808
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2003 - 10:44 am: |
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Dennis,
Code: W90-PALOMAR250
W90-00002 PALOMAR 250
$ 79.99
FEATURES:
(2) MRF455 Transistors
Input power: 4 Watts
Output power: 125/250 Watts Max.
3 stages of pwr High/Low/Med.
20 dB gain preamp On/Off
TX & Status indicators
*30 DAY MANUFACTURE WARRANTY (INCLUDES PARTS AND LABOR)
I would suggest setting radio to 2 1/2 to 3 watts, it will work Well and no chance of over driving it.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Lon
Tech808
|
Jtc
| | Posted on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 12:05 pm: |
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I installed a Texas Star 400 in my Jeep. Runs fine except at night my headlights sometimes modulate with the signal. Got a 117amp alternator, and wired the amp to the battery. I was thinking of adding one of those big capacitors they use in car audio installations to prevent the headlights from dimming with the bass. Think this would work? |
Buck
| | Posted on Friday, December 26, 2003 - 5:43 pm: |
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1Farad cap....Yep it will work good for you...I used to have one in my truck when I was young and dumb....Guess I wised up but didnt grow up...Toys just changed
Buck |
Tech671
| | Posted on Saturday, December 27, 2003 - 6:51 am: |
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JTC:
It could be moreso in your install. For that amp a fine 8ga wire direct to + of battery with 50a fuse at battery, fine 8ga wire can go to the - of batt, and an additional 8ga from batt - to frame. If you still get dimming it can be from 2 other sources, the charge wire from your alt to the batt is too small, or if your swr is too high it will cause the amp to draw excessive current. |
Jtc
| | Posted on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 1:07 pm: |
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I ran 6ga wire from the battery to the amp. Fused at the battery w/solid electrical connections. I did run the - from the battery as well. I will try running a strap from - to the frame. I am driving the amp w/ a Ranger 6900F25. Power trimmed to 2w am. SWR generally 1.3 or better to a Wilson 5000 roof mount. Somtimes SWR starts climbing after a few seconds and I have been unable to pin down the source. I saw on another forum that sometimes patch cords and SWR matching circuits in the radio can "fake out" the SWR meter. I am checking SWR between the linear and the antenna with an external meter. I am using the radio internal SWR meter to check between the radio and the linear. Would lopass filters help? |
Bigbob
| | Posted on Monday, December 29, 2003 - 7:12 pm: |
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If swr climbs when modulating or dead keying it could be due to heat build up in center conductor causing it to migrate,in a system like this always use a solid dieelectric coax to prevent this,of course even solid will fail if you drive more than the rated watts.Bigbob |
Jtc
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 31, 2003 - 10:37 am: |
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It also helps to have a good meter. I was using a Radio Shack SWR meter. Checked it again with an Astatic and did not see SWR moving. |
