Make your own CB antenna ground cable! It's a really easy DIY.

[@uncle_spanky]

This is the BEST video series for CBs and antenna. This man knows his 💩. Excellent information the OG way radios should be installed.

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

Thanks for watching

[@brandonhebert5485]

Not really. Crimping a solder joint destroys the solder in the joint. Nobody I know does that. He also solders on crimp connectors. That's questionable but he's a nice guy and he's trying to help people.

[@bhoward9378]

Thanks for showing me how to do this.

[@paullutz457]

I'm having issues with my 2024 389. I changed the mirror mount because they were corroded. Now I keep burning up the receiver on the radio. Running dual 3 foot fire sticks with antenna springs and a cobra 29 LTD classic

[@PlainsHomestead]

Do you have a link to the ground wire shown in the video?

[@bryanm214dallas]

Shout out to j rich for keeping me trucking. The stuff I've learned from you makes sketchy situations a breeze

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

LOL, glad I could help!

[@lesjones5684]

Thank you brother ❤❤

[@robertjordan6025]

Can you just use a new negative battery cable form antenna base to frame.

[@davidbeaudry2715]

My dude....thanks for the content. I replaced my factory coax wiring in my 2016 freightliner Cascadia daycab. It was 4 pieces that went into a box behind the dash and ended at the antenna mount bracket with a uhf style connector at the top of the drivers side cab. There doesn't seem to be a ground as the final connection to the antenna post is insulated from the metal that would ground to the frame via the 3 mounting screws. Would this fix that issue?

[@jeffreyashman9751]

How about using an old set of jumper cables? They are a heavy gauge and flexible.

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

Yes

[@zacfabbri2691]

I liked your video, I need some help grounding my 102' whip to my 97 Fleetwood Tioga rv

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

Maybe better to use a no ground plain antenna.

[@zacfabbri2691]

@@jrichtruckincbtips like wat kind

[@NAVYABHAN]

I used a section of coax as my antenna ground. It works a lot better than the 10 gauge I was using. There is a whole lot less noise.

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

And, 1" braided ground strap would be that much better. Check out my RF bonding video. The results are amazing.

[@RobertFelitz]

Just wanted to know if i need to ground my marine antenna if i use ut on my home base.i see no way to ground it.

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

I'd like to think a Marine antenna would be a no ground plain antenna, but I could be wrong.

[@craig_sez8534]

Nice vids sir...I would like to ad a cpl tips though...Before you insert the wire into the lug,open up the wire strands a lil and drop some solder in there as well then do as in your vid..Much better connection...On your ant stud,grab some liquid tape or coax tape and goop a lil on every connection point where ant stud comes together on bracket...It also help when slush or heavy rains builds a lil bit of an electrical bridge between stud and bracket...Happened to me a few times...Oh and finally check your connections with an ohm meter just to be sure there is no resistance..

[@MrStingray186]

I own a 389 long hood pete all-metal cab with grounding straps to the frame already. I just mount them to the mirror arm which has pre-drilled holes for co-phased antennas and done. Plastic body trucks I guess need straps???

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

The general consensus is that straps are better for RF bonding than cable, but a 4ga cable can be used as it has nearly the same strands as a 1" flat braid.

[@TheRoadhammer379]

Even aluminum bodied trucks like the Peterbilt 379/389 will benefit from ground straps at the antenna mount. Factory installed mounts are garbage, often the wires are bundled with other electrical wires creating a lot of bleed over noise in the radio

[@colemanoutdoors5810]

So can I ground it to my battery

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

You can ground the black wire from the cb to the battery, but not the antenna. Antenna grounds and rf bonding goes to the frame.

[@colemanoutdoors5810]

@@jrichtruckincbtips ok thanks bud

[@sambird7613]

Can I run 4 ft long 4gauge wire and be fine on radio internals? I need to ground it to frame

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

Should be fine, that's about how long mine is.

[@craig_sez8534]

Better off doing short runs less than 8"..Each piece connecting parts of the truck/car together to become one..ex..Door to cab..Cab to fire wall,fire wall to chassie..

[@ianhumphry1]

If i use a mirror perch for my antenna on the top of the mirror on my 21 Volvo vnr, does it ground itself because there is a ground connection on the bolt i would replace with the perch ?

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

When using the purch you should ground the doors to the cab and cab to the frame for best results like in this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGeze6yta8-baK8

[@ianhumphry1]

@@jrichtruckincbtips thank you.

[@kenmyers3052]

Hi J Rich . Yes I Did Test my Midland 4001 Model that was Tune in 1980's with Original K40 with New K200 Coil Connector and 57 1/4 stainless steel 17-7 Whip . RS SWR Meter 1.2 Setting . My Radio Check comeback was 11 Miles . I Purchase in 1980 Old Original K40 , Mega-Mount 40 Years has some Life Left . I believe K40 products work Even K40 Mic. Even that They Make Today . Even If I took Single Fiber Glass K40 Antenna and hardware and Installed in Semi-Truck . Learning Your ( Tricks of the Trade ) a my Knowledge of Components and Proper Installs Be One Happy Driver with his CB Radio ..

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

It's all in the setup

[@Fox250R]

Hi rich, I have a cb radio in my 18 Chevy pickup. Antenna mount is a left hood side fender mount and every time I turn my steering wheel I get massage noise over my cb. Could that be a grounding issue or something else? I’m powered straight to the battery. My ground was inside my cab near the radio but I moved it to my neg batt post to see if that might help and it didn’t. My question is should run a grounding strap from my mount to the Frame and from the battery to the frame? Thank you for your time.

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

Yes, those grounds will help. What really helps is RF bonding. Another viewer did his yesterday and said his system is much much better. Watch here to see what I mean.kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGeze6yta8-baK8

[@Chuck_Carolina]

As J Rich's other video talks about, RF ground is different than your DC ground in the pick-up. Running flat ground straps (they must be flat 1/2 inch wide at a minimum) to all the different panels, frame and engine will help the metal of the truck be a better RF ground for any antenna used on it, but I don't think it will mysteriously solve the receiver noise - RF grounding it is only reactive when the radio is transmitted. It has little perceived benefit to the incoming signals, but it surely can't hurt your receive on very, very weak incoming signals. The first thing I would try is to ground the chassis of the radio (again, it must be a flat strap) to see if that shuts-up the noise in the receiver. One natural problems in a mobile set-up is you have no earth ground sitting on rubber tires. The ideal solution would be to ground the radio chassis to the earth and bypass all the metal of the truck. So why the flat strap you may be asking? There is no skin effect on flat straps with RF - round wires make good antennas. The most over looked item in a CB install is RF grounding the radio chassis and amp. Most of the time that is enough to resolve 99.9% of the problems without having to ground all the panels and such. The idea is to get the RF signal off the antenna and into the air without reacting with everything along the way. Not RF grounding the radio gear is a recipe

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

@@Chuck_Carolina well said, the RF bonding does help receiving especially the days of solar events, Skip rolling, and the Ham and Base guys crowding the airwaves. It also knocks down most interferences from the vehicle. Such as opening doors, LED lights, and alternator whine all based on my finding on this Freightliner. However it doesn't seem to help with outside interferences such as traffic lights, stores, and the chicken light trucks. In theory the transmit should be way better and less single directional and be a true omni-directional.

[@Chuck_Carolina]

@@jrichtruckincbtips Propagation in solar evens is a whole different discussion. These spurious signals getting into our speaker is also another problem on its own - those signals are present and should be filtered out by the radio's circuitry. They can get into the radio in the RF, IF, Audio and DC power circuits of the radio as well, not just through the antenna - and each one needs be addressed inside the radio, or at the source of the signal. Good RF grounding the chassis of the radio equipment is the #1 thing on the list of things to check for first! Alternator wine, LED lights, doors opening are all coming into the radio from the DC rower cord - filter at the radio and isolate it from the source. The front-end of the receiver, the RF section of the radio, does a pretty good job of filtering outside interferences picked up by the antenna if the radio chassis is RF grounded properly. Get a good shop to align the front end of your radio if problems persist. RF bonding, as you are talking about it, has a great deal of effect on the radiation pattern and takeoff angle on transmit. The likely hood of you having much effect on it in a vehicle install is unlikely on receive. Raise the antenna up 8 feet and maybe you will see a difference. An antenna like we use on trucks are bad - unless you can get the antenna up off the truck, there is not much to talk about. That stuff all has to do with propagation, and for the most part, you get what you got where you hang the antenna - always. Look, I have had people hear me for 100 miles or better before they got close enough to talk to me. Just by where I was sitting. Nobody had a problem hearing me - talking to me was their problem. Propagation is a primary concern on transmit (power out)- not on receive; the transmitted signal from the other end either gets to your antenna or it don't. If you can hear all these spurious signals, you can also hear someone on that frequency if that station can get to you. RF bounding has little to do with the radio receiver's performance in a mobile install. Incoming RF signals are so weak that antenna height (location) and a good earth ground is the only way to hear better. With rubber tires you have no earth ground - let alone anything other than a bad RF antenna ground. In this location, I talked for miles because of my transmitted foot print had a true earth ground. I could hear the moon, but not these guys rolling up the highway. Grounding the radio equipment with a good RF ground allows the radio to only see the antenna - the ground plane could be a VW Bug or a Tank and the radio would never know the difference on receive; again no-earth ground or height and location on a receive antenna being King alone.... Radiating (transmitting) off that same ground plane (antenna) is another story in reactance to the load - which is the antenna and power is the King. You can test this by using a different receive antennas, but no mobile receive antenna is going to work well for this test - you need to get the antenna at height away from the vehicle and into a good earth ground to see any better results. RF bonding is not a receive thing in propagation without antenna location and type without a "good earth ground." Everything else is a poor compromise.

[@Fox250R]

@@Chuck_Carolina I’m beginning to find this cb shit a little ridiculous 😂

[@thomaswarmouth2551]

Jay Rich if you wouldn't mind can you show how you connected your ground cables from the cab to the frame mind you my Freightliner Mount is on the side of the cap that truck so I would have to go from the cab to the frame and I'm in a company vehicle so I need to do this hopefully right to where I do not get in trouble

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

I show how in this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqK0Zn6AqNOqadU

[@robertandstaceytyler-newto4441]

How do I get a hold of you please...

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

Ask your questions here, it helps others.

[@Mixer_Driving_Nurse]

Any issues with using a heavier gauge cable? I have both some 1/0 and 2/0 cable already. It’s going to end up being a slightly long run as I’m mounting to a tool box on my pickup

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

What I would do, because you have the tool box, is ground the antenna mount to the bed. Then to get the absolute most out of the system is RF bonding with 1" ground strap. Here's a video on RF bonding and what it's about. It a lot of work, but well worth it. You can get 1" ground strap by the foot fro DX Engineering for $1.20 per foot that's about half the price as Amazon. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGeze6yta8-baK8

[@jeremyshiver6055]

what about jumper cables

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

I mean you could, just keep as short as possible

[@TruePatriot127]

Does this apply to installing on a pickup?

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

Yes, it does. But, use a braided ground strap if possible. If not make a cable.

[@TruePatriot127]

Should I use the same Guage wire? I'm using a 4

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

@@TruePatriot127 I use 4 gauge as well.

[@mrkultra1655]

Thanks

[@Littlelewie151]

People confuse rf ground with dc ground all the time. DC ground travels inside the conductor, and RF ground travels on the surface. The thing that sucks is a multimeter is really no help when testing rf ground. My local cb shop says run a ground strap from the antenna to the frame and I disagree. I sort of picture the rf energy wanting to leave the antenna and get to your horizontal metal surfaces as easy as possible and have multiple paths to take. I have small ground straps from my firewall to my hood on both sides and my cab to my bed both sides. The worst place for an antenna is on a hinged door. If thats your only choice put at least two straps from the door to the cab so the rf energy can bypass the hinges.

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

Very true, and yes straps are best, but you wouldn't believe how many people I see trying to ground an antenna with a small gauge wire. However if you can't find a ground strap long enough, making a cable is better than nothing. Thanks for watching.

[@thomasbarnley3168]

A man who knows what he's talking about.

[@lesjones5684]

You are the man ❤❤

[@kikibrewer6571]

How do you get 100watts?

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

You either buy a radio that is capable of that or add an amp.

[@chrisaquila8328]

The good ol’ crack torch. 😂

[@ChristiannTyler]

I have a hood channel mount on my car with a firestik I was thinking about just drilling a hole in the mount an running a wire to the closest ground strap do you think that’d help I can only fit about 10awg though since the hood doesn’t have much of a gap

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

Or, does the mount not have a bolt holding it to the fender? Otherwise, yes you're on the right track. I'd go to the closest ground or if it's closer to go straight to the frame. If that get rid of any undercoating or paint at the ground. Thanks for watching.

[@ChristiannTyler]

@@jrichtruckincbtips it has two self tapping screws it’s on a Camry just one of those little hood channel mounts I shoulda got rid of the paint before installing it but I’m afraid to undo the mount now and have to use bigger screws cause there’s only one spot that has enough of a gap to put the mount so I was gonna go directly from the mount next to the stud for the antenna and just use some type of connector with a screw and run it to the closest ground

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

@@ChristiannTyler yeah, leave the screws alone, I'd do like you're thinking and drill another hole. Make the ground wire as short as possible. I gotta get on the road now.👍

[@ChristiannTyler]

@@jrichtruckincbtips right on man thanks

[@craig_sez8534]

@@jrichtruckincbtips goin from mount.to frame adds electrical length to ant..Your tune will be way off..

[@sledgenft8856]

Thanks for the help

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

Thanks for watching

[@mayoman8565]

I would never crimp I would solder every time. crimps don't like vibration and big trucks have plenty of vibration.

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

It's soldered, crimped, and heat shrunk.

[@kenmyers3052]

J Rich, It's All in Process and And Additional Small Components and Technique to Apply in Install Steps . From Antenna to Mounting the CB Radio in Semi-Truck Over- Head . The RG-8 Coax Large Oval Loops , for Extra Cable that Helpful , has you Stated Once. I Learned from NASA once you Complete One Loop Duck-Tape them down in Place . I use This PL-259 Male Plug to SO-239 Female Right Angle 90 Degree RF Adapter Connector , That Connected Side-Ways to that CB Radio . It Works. I also Use # 4 Adapter ''suction cup 3/8 threaded' 3/8 in Length with Washers Lock-Nuts , 3/8 Nuts . Two for the Bracket Down on Bottom . It Raises it Up with Down Angle so you can See the Face Better . One Slap Down it Don't Move .. I do the Same with Other Two ''suction cups -For Speaker Bracket on the Bottom of HeadLiner . Place the Speaker where I want-in , with 3.5 connector going over the Shelf Rim to the back of CB Radio with Extra Speaker Cable inside the Speaker-Housing . If It Drops Down Just Re-Stick back up Inverted with the Bracket ''Suction Cups .No Mounting Holes and Speaker Is Lite Anyway . Only Question I have for You Is , is there Power Already in the HeadLiner to Tap into ? My Ideas Really Aren't That Bad , Learn from Others . ( Little Tricks of Trade ) ..Thanks Now ...

[@joerowland7350]

Never use wire for a rf ground Strap is the way to go wire can radiate like a antenna

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

While wire or cable is not ideal. It's often difficult to find a rf strap long enough, especially for big rigs.

[@thomasbarnley3168]

The antenna should be grounded DIRECTLY UNDER the antenna. If you don't have a good ground connection at that point, the wire you add regardless of what it's made of becomes part of the antenna. It becomes an unbalanced dipole instead of just a whip antenna. This leads to SWR problems, noise etc.

[@thomaswarmouth2551]

Also I have ordered a Stryker 497 from derail if you haven't seen him check it out I will have to wait 14 weeks to get the radio set the way I want it but that is the biggest power I can run without putting an amp box kicker whatever in the company won't allow it so that's why I got the biggest radio as far as power I can get that's why I got to struggle for 97 do not want to bring this radio up when I get it so I need to go down the right path the right and Tannerite everything and I've been watching you I do have a top-load antenna I've had set for so long I'm not sure what it is I think it's a Wilson I'm not sure I'll have to pull it out but I appreciate all your help everything you're doing on these videos thanks man

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

That Stryker is around 100 watts and that's all you will get without an amp. Also running a 100 watt radio you'll have to your power and ground to the battery. The Freightliners cb wiring will not handle that much power.

[@thomaswarmouth2551]

@@jrichtruckincbtips see that's the problem j-rich I'm in a company truck I am not allowed to alternate anything in there that's why I got the Stryker 497 for the most power I can get the only thing I'm possibly could get by with his ground wires from maybe the cab to the frame will that do me any good or not

[@thomaswarmouth2551]

@@jrichtruckincbtips or I could run a ground Plane off the antenna if that would help and it did back in the eighties and nineties when I had a big radio when I could run an Empire with the same company that I'm still with getting up in age so I want to stay with them hanging up retire without getting fired

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

@@thomaswarmouth2551 you have to know how much power the stryker is putting out. It's been my experience that 40-50 watts is the max on the truck factory cb wiring before you start blowing fuses.

[@thomaswarmouth2551]

@@jrichtruckincbtips that's my problem I have already ordered Stryker 497 from derail it will possibly go through 120 to 140 Watts with Factory voltage that I might maybe change the fuse and I'll handle it or not I do not know according to them it would but it would push the limits I probably have to change to a 5 amp to a 10 amp breaker on the truck cuz I have to use Factory power

[@ThinKkBIGG]

You can't crimp over the weld. You break the solder when you do this and take away the benefits of the crimp ...

[@KillerKatt66]

Just solder over the crimp ;)

[@ThinKkBIGG]

@@KillerKatt66 Crimp or solder have distinctive qualities. On the other hand, in the case of a connection that will not have much vibration, will not be manipulated or will not move, then soldering is a good practice but only after crimping without overheating the wire and the connection on a clean surface.

[@ron99693]

Damn impressive

[@paulgrodkowski3412]

J Rich Truckin' what works for you may not work for others and may not work for me.😀

[@kellyphillips4404]

Great information my friend,….. watching from Kentucky “ The Bluegrass State “ . I Subscribe to KZbin Channel

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

Thank you and I see you're interested in grounding, check this out it's the same principle whether it's a car or truck. It's some work but this is the best grounding ever.kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGeze6yta8-baK8

[@brandonhebert5485]

While this guy certainly made a nice "looking" wire, that's actually not a very good setup for use in a moving vehicle. Even the FAA has banned the use of solder in aircraft electrical connections. EVERYTHING must be a crimp. Why? Solder gets brittle when exposed to vibrations such as is experienced during flight or driving. Crimp is by far the best connection for anything on a moving vehicle of any kind. That being said, NEVER crimp on a solder joint. You just busted up the solder inside the connector. But other than that, nice video.

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

It's not as ideal as flat braid, but is better than when someone tries using 12ga speaker wire for a ground.

[@Santoki30004]

Lol, Crack torch

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

It is what it is.😁

[@ron99693]

NO...no no and no😂😂😂😂😂

[@ron99693]

Who's the 1 dink that hit the thumbs down button...DINK

[@jrichtruckincbtips]

There's always at least 1.🤣🤣

[@johnkulpowich5260]

WOO. Hoo