Take it to the next level - Here's a way to have the best of both worlds. I have wired the positive power cable for the UHF to the common terminal of a relay which has accessories power wired to the Normally Closed terminal, and a permanent +12V feed from the aux battery wired to the Normally Open terminal. The relay is then controlled by a rocker switch on the dash which is connected to a permanent +12V wire. With the dash switch off, the relay stays off and this leaves the radio connected to accessories for normal operation with the radio turning on/off with the key. Flick the dash switch on and the relay operates, connecting the radio power lead to the permanent feed from the aux battery. This allows the radio to be on at all times even with the key off, and powered from the Aux battery, so no risk of a flat starter battery. In my case, the rocker switch that I used is one of the illuminated type so a quick glance at the dash (or the eerie red glow in the cabin at night) will reveal if I have forgotten to turn the switch back to the accessories position which turns the radio off when the key is not in the car.
Be careful about taking the excess coax cable and rolling it into a circle. it could create a feed back loop or a balun choke. It is usually better to figure 8 it, zip tie it in the middle, then tuck it out of the way.
@@4WD247 Gonna have to disagree with the figure 8.. for 27Mhz you can wrap RG58 safely to an 8" circle without RF loss.. that's about the tightest RG58's dielectric can take without migrating close to the shield and throwing your match.. which it will do over time. In stowing a figure 8, the loops tend to get shoved into place, tightening the radius.. No kinks. Ziptie loosely! Also, a CB's coax can, and should be, cut to the closest 3 foot increment for improved performance. For good measure, loom the coax in the engine bay with 300'F loom. Keep it up!
@@beepbeepcoyote Heheh.. it's what I do! Yeah, it used to bug me when incorrect terminology was used.. but that aside, radio theory hasn't changed.. I think understanding the hows and whys are sometime a bit more important than correct nomenclature.. which is why it doesn't bother me as much anymore. Lives can depend on dependability and performance of the equipment. Just do it right and to hell with what it's called.. unless you need parts and the guy at the counter can't decipher what that "dohicky bolted to that thingamabob" you need a gasket for.
EcoMuse Images question for ya, the antenna has that rubber kind of sleep that goes of the nut on the bottom. Do you remove that or how do you tighten the nut when it’s on ?
You forgot to mention always run the antenna cable under the grill not through the grill Because if you ever need to anything apart it makes it a hell of alot easier than pulling the cable all the way back through
@@hannahranga hahaha yeh iv done that before although found out the hard way I dropped half my distance from putting a joiner in.. too much resistance I'd say?
1) For the UHF 477 MHz CB the best antenna and location is a 1/4 Wave flexible whip antenna mounted in the centre of the roof - drilled and sealed. The 1/4 Wave whip is only about 20cm in length and will out-perform any high gain antenna on a bull bar. If you have a ute or wagon with no roof rack then this is the best antenna and position. It's virtually invisible and won't get broken off. 2) If you have a roof rack or other thing on the roof then a gutter mount with a 1/4 Wave antenna and spring is almost as good. Both the positions above are ZERO gain which is what you want driving around in hills, mountains, valleys, cities and undulating terrain. Unless you live on the Nullarbor Plain then you want LOW GAIN antennas. 3) A Half Wave length whip antenna on a gutter mount is also excellent and will out-perform any of the higher gain antennas. A gutter mount Half Wave whip is about 2 dBi which is also excellent for talking in most terrain and geographical areas. 4) Remember, if you want to talk over a hill, round a hill, through a valley and through thick bush then LESS dBi is better. Don't believe the marketing BS.
I've installed a number of older (AM) and newer radio units over the years and personally I prefer power to come off a source (e.g. batter) which is available if the vehicle is turned off completely. I've typically also added a separate switch to turn the unit on and off at will. The older Uniden AM models (such as the PC122XL in the day) also offen came with an option to wire in an external P.A. speaker. Both of these features (vehicle off but radio still working, and/or ability to broadcast radio (and your own voice) externally was terrific on 4WD club trips and events. When speaking of "cutting the cable" on the antenna... there's no "can" affect... it WILL affect. Don't do it! (in the old days of AM CB you could always did because your standing wave was always tuned/tweaked by the aerial tip ...) and if you need to loop it, then wide loops is better. No need to figure 8 it - that was more a thing for the older AM radios...
You can also run a 2nd fuse panel in the cab with a length of welding cable up to the battery with a heavy solenoid triggered by the acc line to run all of your radios on if you are like me with 4 radios in the cab of your truck depending on who you are talking to on the trail.
A voltage cutoff on your starter battery is also a good method to being able to keep it on without killing your battery. They use those kits for dashcams in parking mode so they record as long as they can until the battery reaches a cutoff voltage and turns it off.
Another power option is to find you ignition wire behind your key and run it to a relay then run the power fron the AUX or Starter battery to the relay. This would be a good method if your uhf doesn't come with a fuse and it makes it more reliable that running your power sorce directly from the ignition wire in case you need to wire up other thing eg: hf and gauges.
Great vid! If you run the ground to the frame it'll reduce engine noise feedback into the radio, and make sure your extra coax and any bends in it are not sharp, they need to be relaxed and nice. As you said, you can break it inside coiling and bending it too tight. There is coax that has an internal wrap that wont let you bend it beyond a certain point, but its a lil more pricey.
have you checked the SWR [Standing wave ratio] on the radio to the antenna this ensures the your radio is putting all power threw the antenna and not feeding back to the radio and run all coax strait and not roll it up like Cory Farra said
I've been running several radios in my vehicles for years and always put the aerials near each other and not an issue or spread them over the space of the bullbar being the smallest and less obtrusive on the drivers side.. I never wire them to the Cig power socket wiring, I run a separate heavy duty fused wire from the 2nd battery.
Here I am rocking a Baofeng UV5R in the cupholder with a Nagoya 10" whip on the roof, $55 for a cheap as setup that performs well enough for the price.
Waits for an appropriate time to watch this as I want to enjoy a nice cold Coopers Pale Ale while watching this.. I tried XXXX Gold and found it to be horrible stuff and I can't work out how anyone can drink that unless they are paid to drink it! That Iron Jack is very nice lager too, But I still prefer the Coopers Pale Ale.
Rolling your coax creates a choke coil. And you said to keep it away from heat and then zip tied it directly to your radiator hose, which gets extremely hot..
Big fan of your videos Graham! I have a question for you. Why does everyone from down under mount their antennas on the front bumper? Seems more likely to get busted off I think. I’m an avid off road enthusiast and also a radio operator here in the US. But in the US we generally mount the antennas behind the vehicle. Unless it’s a mostly highway vehicle. I asked ARB and all they could tell me was “Well because that’s how we build our bumpers”.. I’m guessing it could be the radiation pattern of the uhf antenna? An SWR issue maybe? Thanks Graham. Keep on rocking!
OregonDX It’s an easy and obvious mounting point on the front bar and actually pretty safe given how high up they are. I’ve never busted an antenna on my front bars.
Great video as always Graham, but could you boys show the VMS unit, on a video. Went back through all the 4WD ACTION videos, and haven't found one on the VMS unit. Love all your videos. I have been bindge watching them for the last month......Be safe......
No way I'd mount mine in the footwell. It might be OK for shorties, but I had a trailer brake controller there in my Hilux and it was always in the way of legs.
@@caltravels9454 My old Hilux didn't have a lot of adjustment, especially with the kids in the back. I'm sure it depends on the shape and location of the dash.
Depends how much sideway there is, work had some that work okay in a Hilux but I wouldn't try it in my bravo. Ended up sticking it underneath the centre console trim.
You should mount antennas at least a quarter to half a wave length apart for optimal performance, yes saying you're done that for years doesn't mean it's the best option. It's like adding your heat shrink etc, why not do the most important part correctly.
I’ll probably do option 2 for my commodore as I don’t have a second battery and my alternator is only 120amp, I’m also hoping to install a second UHF on my camper trailer that way when I turn off my car and if I need to communicate and or check for updates I won’t have to rely on the one in my car or stressing about draining my battery while having it installed in my car
Hi Graham, Does the antenna have to be grounded to the bull bar or not? Because I see there is quite a good coating of paint on the antenna where it gets mounted/screwed onto the bull bar bracket. Thanks
I can not agree with no shorten the coax wire, the antenna cable! Of course, if you have not enough experiences crimping a RF connector or the right tools ( or the right dude to do that!) is better dont touch it !
My recommendation for any kind of RF installation is: Coax wire more short as possible, best Rf connectors quality possible, avoid any kind of transitions or "joints" ( about DC supply: some: more short possible cables, the right diam to avoid voltage drop and a special carefully with connectors and crimp/soldering). The magic word is GND - Earth - and/or ground plane, so important in a lot of ways! If you have 10 $ to invest: invest 1$ in the transceiver and 9$ in the antenna!
The power hookup should come after you have your antenna hooked up because if you turn it on and key the mic with no antenna you will destroy your radio.
G’day Graham, I have a Nissan Patrol and have a problem with the coolant s siphoning into the overflow tank leaving the cooling system without coolant, how do you deal with that hallening
Graham how does the Undien stand up against the good old GME ? Also running a 2nd UHF as a back channel hand held VS a 2nd hardwired ? I’m in truck across most of east coast and NT and on channel 40 or 29 depending where I am and channel 18 on back channel . I’m using a 5w GME as back channel radio but looking to hardwire a 2nd unit in . I know antenna placement needs to be 1.5 mts at least . Main radio had a 8.1db 6footer and
Oh I do a lot of heavy Haulage pilot driving for OSOM trucks - done one job where we had truck A at front then low loader then stiff bar at back of trailer with truck B pushing . It’s a tough job getting both trucks to synco their gears at same time with only 1 pilot vehicle
Graham I have a Toyota Camry Atara. I have a GME 6.6 DBI I just bought a Uniden handheld as a back up radio when I go traveling to supercars events. And other stuff I go on the road with. What other antenna can I get when I'm on a long road driving and going through hills I'd love to get a bigger DBI for the highways. But also like to get a small DBI going through the hills and mountain areas. If you can help that would be amazing!!!
Hey Graham - I’ve got a 56K genuine MQ LWB Diesel... you can see where this is going, 24volts! Yep want to tow from time to time any tips on best way to wire it up so we can tow trailers with 12volt lights? The old MQ is completely 24volt including all lighting.
What is a good places to find decent offroad gear and mods in the USA? Everytime I find something I want, I realize that it's in Australia. For example, I was looking at long range fuel ranges from ARB and on they are on the Australian website but not on the US website.
Hi I setup My uniden uhf uh013 , its been packed away carefully & in dry place till brought another 4wd & people can hear me but i cant hear them. volume right up any tips to look for or has my poor Cb seen its last days
Here’s something to know also: Never hit the ‘Call’ function or even recommend not to turn on your CB Radio until the antenna is connected to the unit. CB antennas function differently and doing so will cook or fry out certain components in your unit, this will transform your new or old CB Radio into a paper weight.
@@veneratedmortal4369 Even a $1000 unit wouldn't protect itself. By keying up without an antenna, all the power you are sending to the connector (which is normally where the antenna coax is connected) is reflected back to the radio. Without anywhere to go, RF goes backwards. Even with an antenna connected, if it is not tuned for impedance and capacitance some of the energy being sent to the antenna we be reflected back into the radio. This is what is known as a standing wave, and the ratio is how much of the energy is being reflected. 1:1 is a perfect match and every drop of RF being sent to the antenna is being emitted while a 2:1 only means that half of the power being sent to the antenna is being emitted which means your radio is experiencing heating within the transmitter itself, which over time (and depending on the SWR or Standing Wave Ratio) will take its toll on the electronics (possibly immediately depending on how much power is reflected). Radio communications is quite a bit more complicated than just snaking some wire into a cab and turning a gadget on. a lot of thought has to go into the best engineering practices when installing and using a transceiver. Graham's tip about coiling up the wire is not considered a best practice, and by doing so he inadvertently created what is known as a balun, which can turn a perfectly matched antenna into a radio killer. Never ever EVER coil excess coax.
Thanks Graham for the intro! I have a 15 year old President CB that sends at 45W. It supports FM, AM, LSB, and USB. I know that there are some restrictions within Europe with that, basically restricting 40 channels on FM, and 12 channels on AM (Germany). Are there any restrictions like that in Australia in the use of that? Does anybody care? Cheers
Graham being from the states uhf CB is not an option without being licensed. Well to put out any power anyway. What hf do you use and what is your antenna tuned to.
PLMR is usually the way to go for VHF off-road communications in the states. It is a licenced band, however for roughly $70 it gets you 5 years of use and access to high power VHF/UHF communications without having to take a knowledge test. If you've ever tried to use commercially available FRS (UHF Handheld) service in a well packed off-roading area (think Moab, UT), you will instantly appreciate having your own WELL OFF BAND line of communication with the rest of your convoy without having to put up with the banter of other users (or a radio that refuses to squelch).
Good video. But your were wrong about cutting the cable. If you know what you’re doing, cutting the cable to length can increase your range and performance. I repeat, if you know what you’re doing
yeah unfortunately you're both right. but it is a bit of a bad wives tail. it's a sad state we live in that we still have to protect people from themselves but that's reality for you. On a positive note another good video guys keep it up.
Yep do not cut the cable if you are not sure what you are doing, I have been installing these for years and i always cut mine, i have seen some bad installs too. Good job 4WD ACTION
When you say don’t cut the cable, my antenna came with an un terminated end so at the time I just assumed I just cut to length and terminate it myself. So iv probably lost signal?
not likely. A shorter cable means less loss. The longer the cable is, the more attenuation you will have. Not that big a deal in the lower frequency bands, but for UHF (and depending on the cable construction) it could be significant.
Gday fellas, I have a question regarding suspension and I would really appreciate some advice! I am looking at lifting my vehicle within the next month, and cannot decide whether to go with HD springs or not. Now I normally do not carry any weight in the back of my vehicle and I have an alloy bar, but when I do go on trips I have a lot of weight in the rear and this obviously causes the vehicle to sag. The main purpose of a lift would be to increase clearance on trips, however I do not want my vehicle to feel like a rollercoaster on the daily. For this reason I am considering HD springs in the rear and SD in the front but I would like an expert opinion on the matter. Cheers
I've installed my uniden in my outback roof console but the wiring they give you is only long enough to go from the dash to the firewall. Anyone installed one and could help me out? I'm guessing I'd have to go buy wire and terminals etc.
Take it to the next level - Here's a way to have the best of both worlds. I have wired the positive power cable for the UHF to the common terminal of a relay which has accessories power wired to the Normally Closed terminal, and a permanent +12V feed from the aux battery wired to the Normally Open terminal. The relay is then controlled by a rocker switch on the dash which is connected to a permanent +12V wire. With the dash switch off, the relay stays off and this leaves the radio connected to accessories for normal operation with the radio turning on/off with the key. Flick the dash switch on and the relay operates, connecting the radio power lead to the permanent feed from the aux battery. This allows the radio to be on at all times even with the key off, and powered from the Aux battery, so no risk of a flat starter battery. In my case, the rocker switch that I used is one of the illuminated type so a quick glance at the dash (or the eerie red glow in the cabin at night) will reveal if I have forgotten to turn the switch back to the accessories position which turns the radio off when the key is not in the car.
Be careful about taking the excess coax cable and rolling it into a circle. it could create a feed back loop or a balun choke. It is usually better to figure 8 it, zip tie it in the middle, then tuck it out of the way.
Good tip!
That’s what I’ve done!
@@4WD247 Gonna have to disagree with the figure 8.. for 27Mhz you can wrap RG58 safely to an 8" circle without RF loss.. that's about the tightest RG58's dielectric can take without migrating close to the shield and throwing your match.. which it will do over time. In stowing a figure 8, the loops tend to get shoved into place, tightening the radius.. No kinks. Ziptie loosely! Also, a CB's coax can, and should be, cut to the closest 3 foot increment for improved performance. For good measure, loom the coax in the engine bay with 300'F loom.
Keep it up!
Agreed and to sound like a pro, never refer to the antenna as an ariel!
@@beepbeepcoyote Heheh.. it's what I do! Yeah, it used to bug me when incorrect terminology was used.. but that aside, radio theory hasn't changed.. I think understanding the hows and whys are sometime a bit more important than correct nomenclature.. which is why it doesn't bother me as much anymore. Lives can depend on dependability and performance of the equipment. Just do it right and to hell with what it's called.. unless you need parts and the guy at the counter can't decipher what that "dohicky bolted to that thingamabob" you need a gasket for.
Your kidding, been looking for a good install video for a few days and finally just put my uhf in today and this pops up
Hopefully it's working fine and installed fine mate! Did the video give you any tips for next time?
4WD Action yeah might rip it out and re install it 😂
Caleb Deluchi Timing is everything mate, hope it helped you out a bit.
EcoMuse Images question for ya, the antenna has that rubber kind of sleep that goes of the nut on the bottom. Do you remove that or how do you tighten the nut when it’s on ?
You forgot to mention always run the antenna cable under the grill not through the grill Because if you ever need to anything apart it makes it a hell of alot easier than pulling the cable all the way back through
So true
Great tip mate!
Word bro....
You're a better person than I am if you'd thread it back, I'd be cutting it and sticking connectors on.
@@hannahranga hahaha yeh iv done that before although found out the hard way I dropped half my distance from putting a joiner in.. too much resistance I'd say?
Don't think I've stopped watching since I found you guys
Same here
I absolutely love the tutorials a lot may be common sense but common sense isn’t so common and it’s handy to pick up on a couple tips along the way
Thanks Graham. Very informative and simple to understand. Also great uhf. The replay feature is a game changer
1) For the UHF 477 MHz CB the best antenna and location is a 1/4 Wave flexible whip antenna mounted in the centre of the roof - drilled and sealed. The 1/4 Wave whip is only about 20cm in length and will out-perform any high gain antenna on a bull bar. If you have a ute or wagon with no roof rack then this is the best antenna and position. It's virtually invisible and won't get broken off.
2) If you have a roof rack or other thing on the roof then a gutter mount with a 1/4 Wave antenna and spring is almost as good.
Both the positions above are ZERO gain which is what you want driving around in hills, mountains, valleys, cities and undulating terrain. Unless you live on the Nullarbor Plain then you want LOW GAIN antennas.
3) A Half Wave length whip antenna on a gutter mount is also excellent and will out-perform any of the higher gain antennas. A gutter mount Half Wave whip is about 2 dBi which is also excellent for talking in most terrain and geographical areas.
4) Remember, if you want to talk over a hill, round a hill, through a valley and through thick bush then LESS dBi is better. Don't believe the marketing BS.
I've installed a number of older (AM) and newer radio units over the years and personally I prefer power to come off a source (e.g. batter) which is available if the vehicle is turned off completely. I've typically also added a separate switch to turn the unit on and off at will. The older Uniden AM models (such as the PC122XL in the day) also offen came with an option to wire in an external P.A. speaker. Both of these features (vehicle off but radio still working, and/or ability to broadcast radio (and your own voice) externally was terrific on 4WD club trips and events. When speaking of "cutting the cable" on the antenna... there's no "can" affect... it WILL affect. Don't do it! (in the old days of AM CB you could always did because your standing wave was always tuned/tweaked by the aerial tip ...) and if you need to loop it, then wide loops is better. No need to figure 8 it - that was more a thing for the older AM radios...
Hi Graham, my dad just recognized you driving around Eelup roundabout (Bunbury)…he was the guy tooting his horn in the Passat (so embarrassing 😅)
I always forget you have this wep! Love it!!
You can also run a 2nd fuse panel in the cab with a length of welding cable up to the battery with a heavy solenoid triggered by the acc line to run all of your radios on if you are like me with 4 radios in the cab of your truck depending on who you are talking to on the trail.
A voltage cutoff on your starter battery is also a good method to being able to keep it on without killing your battery. They use those kits for dashcams in parking mode so they record as long as they can until the battery reaches a cutoff voltage and turns it off.
I like the lighter idea, I use flush cutters and that works too.
Great vid mate! Good to finally see the video after the behind the scenes social media vids 😂😂😂
Learn so much👍🏽 Hope to meet you one day😃
well done Graham now go get a cold one, you've earned it bud haha .........keep up the great work!
Another power option is to find you ignition wire behind your key and run it to a relay then run the power fron the AUX or Starter battery to the relay. This would be a good method if your uhf doesn't come with a fuse and it makes it more reliable that running your power sorce directly from the ignition wire in case you need to wire up other thing eg: hf and gauges.
Great vid! If you run the ground to the frame it'll reduce engine noise feedback into the radio, and make sure your extra coax and any bends in it are not sharp, they need to be relaxed and nice. As you said, you can break it inside coiling and bending it too tight. There is coax that has an internal wrap that wont let you bend it beyond a certain point, but its a lil more pricey.
Can you do a more in-depth video on how to install through the cig socket?
Jeez what do you want after that?
In-depth on how to tie your shoe laces?
@@sahhull Some people don't understand electronics well and just need a more indepth tutorial. Dont be a dick about it
Northy wanker
Great video. You made it look so easy. Grateful , thanks. 👍
have you checked the SWR [Standing wave ratio] on the radio to the antenna this ensures the your radio is putting all power threw the antenna and not feeding back to the radio and run all coax strait and not roll it up like Cory Farra said
Gotta love a video from you guys on a Monday 🍺
I've been running several radios in my vehicles for years and always put the aerials near each other and not an issue or spread them over the space of the bullbar being the smallest and less obtrusive on the drivers side.. I never wire them to the Cig power socket wiring, I run a separate heavy duty fused wire from the 2nd battery.
Yeah as Graham said - never an issue! For those wanting to go accessory cig socket is often the easiest
@@4WD247 I just don't like to overload the fuse rating on the cig supply
@@theozBandit I'm an ex-radio tech in civy st. and an ex-RAN Radio operator, I know exactly what your talking about.. ;)
this was really helpful thanks mate
You should take the GU on a trip that is on dvd
Got a feeling that Isuzu help pay the bills...
thanks uncle graham
Here I am rocking a Baofeng UV5R in the cupholder with a Nagoya 10" whip on the roof, $55 for a cheap as setup that performs well enough for the price.
I hope you have a licence to use that radio
@@Fluzz574 I used CHIRP to make it into a basic 80ch UHF, I don't bother with the other stuff.
I run my UHF power on a 3 way switch, Auto (Main battery Acc), On (Direct Aux Batt power) and Off. Same with my Headunit
Love the cable tie trick them bastards catch me out all the time
ahaha mate get yourself some close cut side cutters, this lighter method is medieval.
Use a pair of nail clippers, it rounds off the edge
Waits for an appropriate time to watch this as I want to enjoy a nice cold Coopers Pale Ale while watching this.. I tried XXXX Gold and found it to be horrible stuff and I can't work out how anyone can drink that unless they are paid to drink it! That Iron Jack is very nice lager too, But I still prefer the Coopers Pale Ale.
They are both weak as piss beers
More videos like this would be awesome
We've got a few more happening mate!
I know this is a stupid question but I want to see the mount clip for the dash mat.
Me too pls. What clip do you use?
Rolling your coax creates a choke coil. And you said to keep it away from heat and then zip tied it directly to your radiator hose, which gets extremely hot..
Can you do a video on how to connect all the lights up into switches for each
Oh btw- he loves your channel..
Hi boys! Love the show. How do I use the VMS I bought not long ago. I've updated it as instructed. Any videos available on tutorials? Cheers
Big fan of your videos Graham! I have a question for you. Why does everyone from down under mount their antennas on the front bumper? Seems more likely to get busted off I think. I’m an avid off road enthusiast and also a radio operator here in the US. But in the US we generally mount the antennas behind the vehicle. Unless it’s a mostly highway vehicle. I asked ARB and all they could tell me was “Well because that’s how we build our bumpers”.. I’m guessing it could be the radiation pattern of the uhf antenna? An SWR issue maybe? Thanks Graham. Keep on rocking!
OregonDX It’s an easy and obvious mounting point on the front bar and actually pretty safe given how high up they are. I’ve never busted an antenna on my front bars.
Past experience, never locate anything electronic below mid point of your dash, the higher the better. Water crossings sometime get deep right fast.
Great video as always Graham, but could you boys show the VMS unit, on a video. Went back through all the 4WD ACTION videos, and haven't found one on the VMS unit. Love all your videos. I have been bindge watching them for the last month......Be safe......
No way I'd mount mine in the footwell. It might be OK for shorties, but I had a trailer brake controller there in my Hilux and it was always in the way of legs.
I have done that and mounted directly on the brake booster, i am no shorty, adjust your seat properly
@@caltravels9454 My old Hilux didn't have a lot of adjustment, especially with the kids in the back. I'm sure it depends on the shape and location of the dash.
Depends how much sideway there is, work had some that work okay in a Hilux but I wouldn't try it in my bravo. Ended up sticking it underneath the centre console trim.
@@hannahranga good idea
Hi Graham. What sort of clip did you use to mount your hand piece?
Aaron Christensen usually you get one when buying a uhf
No idea why the earth is fused on the unit?
How was the drive with the bonnet up mate?
Geez you go alright for a sandgroper Graham 🤙👍👍
Use flush cuts for your zip ties, cuts it off with no sharp bits.
Sandman355 I’m not that neat mate!!
Can you do one about installing light bars or HID's please. love the tutorial
Awesome stuff and very informative thx cheers and thumbs up
Awesome love tech videos like these. Keen for more. Is there as much of a need for all the other electronics you have now days?
Ben crimmins Perhaps not mate but if you’ve got it, may as well use it.
@@EcoMuseImages_GrahamCahill hey Graham, I've got a question for you. You're a big fan of the td42 patrols, what's your opinion on the rd28 version?
did you check the swr of the antenna??
You should mount antennas at least a quarter to half a wave length apart for optimal performance, yes saying you're done that for years doesn't mean it's the best option.
It's like adding your heat shrink etc, why not do the most important part correctly.
Well said. It will be adversely affecting the radiation pattern if nothing else.
Probably should mention the distance (477mhz UHF ÷ 300 ÷ a quarter) is 400mm minimum.
I’ll probably do option 2 for my commodore as I don’t have a second battery and my alternator is only 120amp, I’m also hoping to install a second UHF on my camper trailer that way when I turn off my car and if I need to communicate and or check for updates I won’t have to rely on the one in my car or stressing about draining my battery while having it installed in my car
Very cleaver idea mate!
Love the videos
i'm currently looking at a dual antenna radio, just wondering what i should be looking for in a 6dBi and 3dBi antenna?
Hi Graham, Does the antenna have to be grounded to the bull bar or not? Because I see there is quite a good coating of paint on the antenna where it gets mounted/screwed onto the bull bar bracket. Thanks
I can not agree with no shorten the coax wire, the antenna cable! Of course, if you have not enough experiences crimping a RF connector or the right tools ( or the right dude to do that!) is better dont touch it !
My recommendation for any kind of RF installation is: Coax wire more short as possible, best Rf connectors quality possible, avoid any kind of transitions or "joints" ( about DC supply: some: more short possible cables, the right diam to avoid voltage drop and a special carefully with connectors and crimp/soldering). The magic word is GND - Earth - and/or ground plane, so important in a lot of ways! If you have 10 $ to invest: invest 1$ in the transceiver and 9$ in the antenna!
The power hookup should come after you have your antenna hooked up because if you turn it on and key the mic with no antenna you will destroy your radio.
Graham what type of devices are you using and 2nd of all why? Also can't wait to see shorty on the tracks again
How did you extend the power cable, mine is too short to go from battery to uhf in the cab
G’day Graham, I have a Nissan Patrol and have a problem with the coolant s siphoning into the overflow tank leaving the cooling system without coolant, how do you deal with that hallening
I just bought a car with a UHF but I don’t know anything about how to connect to other UHF or what are any of those switch for
One the back of the unit, does it have both EXT and PA speaker conections?
very nice.
Nice vid, Graham
Graham how does the Undien stand up against the good old GME ?
Also running a 2nd UHF as a back channel hand held VS a 2nd hardwired ? I’m in truck across most of east coast and NT and on channel 40 or 29 depending where I am and channel 18 on back channel . I’m using a 5w GME as back channel radio but looking to hardwire a 2nd unit in . I know antenna placement needs to be 1.5 mts at least .
Main radio had a 8.1db 6footer and
Oh I do a lot of heavy Haulage pilot driving for OSOM trucks - done one job where we had truck A at front then low loader then stiff bar at back of trailer with truck B pushing . It’s a tough job getting both trucks to synco their gears at same time with only 1 pilot vehicle
Graham I have a Toyota Camry Atara. I have a GME 6.6 DBI I just bought a Uniden handheld as a back up radio when I go traveling to supercars events. And other stuff I go on the road with. What other antenna can I get when I'm on a long road driving and going through hills I'd love to get a bigger DBI for the highways. But also like to get a small DBI going through the hills and mountain areas.
If you can help that would be amazing!!!
Hey Graham - I’ve got a 56K genuine MQ LWB Diesel... you can see where this is going, 24volts! Yep want to tow from time to time any tips on best way to wire it up so we can tow trailers with 12volt lights? The old MQ is completely 24volt including all lighting.
John Ernst I simply change the bulbs in my trailer. Cheap and easy.
Put LED lights on the trailer 3 volt to 30 volt range
What is a good places to find decent offroad gear and mods in the USA? Everytime I find something I want, I realize that it's in Australia. For example, I was looking at long range fuel ranges from ARB and on they are on the Australian website but not on the US website.
Hi I setup My uniden uhf uh013 , its been packed away carefully & in dry place till brought another 4wd & people can hear me but i cant hear them. volume right up any tips to look for or has my poor Cb seen its last days
I'm having trouble getting the aerial cable through the grommet
Here’s something to know also:
Never hit the ‘Call’ function or even recommend not to turn on your CB Radio until the antenna is connected to the unit.
CB antennas function differently and doing so will cook or fry out certain components in your unit, this will transform your new or old CB Radio into a paper weight.
Wouldn’t most have gain control and protection these days?
@@veneratedmortal4369 Even a $1000 unit wouldn't protect itself. By keying up without an antenna, all the power you are sending to the connector (which is normally where the antenna coax is connected) is reflected back to the radio. Without anywhere to go, RF goes backwards. Even with an antenna connected, if it is not tuned for impedance and capacitance some of the energy being sent to the antenna we be reflected back into the radio. This is what is known as a standing wave, and the ratio is how much of the energy is being reflected. 1:1 is a perfect match and every drop of RF being sent to the antenna is being emitted while a 2:1 only means that half of the power being sent to the antenna is being emitted which means your radio is experiencing heating within the transmitter itself, which over time (and depending on the SWR or Standing Wave Ratio) will take its toll on the electronics (possibly immediately depending on how much power is reflected). Radio communications is quite a bit more complicated than just snaking some wire into a cab and turning a gadget on. a lot of thought has to go into the best engineering practices when installing and using a transceiver. Graham's tip about coiling up the wire is not considered a best practice, and by doing so he inadvertently created what is known as a balun, which can turn a perfectly matched antenna into a radio killer. Never ever EVER coil excess coax.
PS, I’m a telecommunications technician by trade so yeah, this stuff is my shizz lol
So am I, funnily enough and our radios handle it fine.
Yeah but is it your shizz mate lol.
Hey graham, i was wondering if you would recommend the XROX bullbar for the dmax and if not, why not?
Xrox is shit, avoid it. they are weak as piss
This is very helpful mate thanks
Tough aussie outdoors men. But are they tough enough for vegimite mate?
Thanks Graham for the intro! I have a 15 year old President CB that sends at 45W. It supports FM, AM, LSB, and USB. I know that there are some restrictions within Europe with that, basically restricting 40 channels on FM, and 12 channels on AM (Germany). Are there any restrictions like that in Australia in the use of that? Does anybody care? Cheers
Thanks for the video Gram I'm currently on the hunt for finding a new 4x4 mine got totaled in an accident and tips when looking at 4x4 for sale?
Graham being from the states uhf CB is not an option without being licensed. Well to put out any power anyway. What hf do you use and what is your antenna tuned to.
PLMR is usually the way to go for VHF off-road communications in the states. It is a licenced band, however for roughly $70 it gets you 5 years of use and access to high power VHF/UHF communications without having to take a knowledge test. If you've ever tried to use commercially available FRS (UHF Handheld) service in a well packed off-roading area (think Moab, UT), you will instantly appreciate having your own WELL OFF BAND line of communication with the rest of your convoy without having to put up with the banter of other users (or a radio that refuses to squelch).
So u don't need a soldier when installing a antenna?
I have my uhf wired up with my cd play but would like to know when I should go a bigger fuse as I have a 2 ed uhf to put in my car and a ssb set
Where do you get those clips for the hand piece that go from the swivel mount to a clip like that for the dash mat????
Good video. But your were wrong about cutting the cable. If you know what you’re doing, cutting the cable to length can increase your range and performance. I repeat, if you know what you’re doing
For most punters - much better to not cut the cable
yeah unfortunately you're both right.
but it is a bit of a bad wives tail.
it's a sad state we live in that we still have to protect people from themselves but that's reality for you.
On a positive note another good video guys keep it up.
Yep do not cut the cable if you are not sure what you are doing, I have been installing these for years and i always cut mine, i have seen some bad installs too. Good job 4WD ACTION
@@4WD247 BREAKA BREAKA CHOCOLATE BREAKA
Is there an easy way to pull out your cigarette lighter i just can't seem to get it out or find a video on it
Can you change the CB wiring if and when you get a dual battery set up?
How do I get 79 dual cab with bench seat. Got 4 kids, Mrs don't like driving too much, so 79 towing is answer if I can fit all of us
Off topic. But could you do a rig build and review. Of both your vehicles!
Check out his channel Ecomuse, he has all his rigs on there and some solo touring videos
Hi Graham where abouts did you get the clip for your hand piece.. thanks mate
I currently have a 5 watt uniden uh750 handheld radio, do you think a handheld radio is fine for roads and off-roading (with a car mount)?
Just wondering when it’s best to have a second battery (say if I’m running spotties, uhf & winch) is it needed ??
good advise gramham i have asimalar size unit.mircro size..in my 75 series to me they are pretty usless uhf
Holy crap that's a huge CB antennae 🤣😂🤣
How do you get away with the spotlights on top off the bullbar
How did you carry the cable from the clove box to the drivers foot well
When you say don’t cut the cable, my antenna came with an un terminated end so at the time I just assumed I just cut to length and terminate it myself. So iv probably lost signal?
not likely. A shorter cable means less loss. The longer the cable is, the more attenuation you will have. Not that big a deal in the lower frequency bands, but for UHF (and depending on the cable construction) it could be significant.
Is the unit really worth the $500 odd for it??? I've been looking and hearing and seeing a lot of reviews about it just really not sure
Gday fellas, I have a question regarding suspension and I would really appreciate some advice! I am looking at lifting my vehicle within the next month, and cannot decide whether to go with HD springs or not. Now I normally do not carry any weight in the back of my vehicle and I have an alloy bar, but when I do go on trips I have a lot of weight in the rear and this obviously causes the vehicle to sag. The main purpose of a lift would be to increase clearance on trips, however I do not want my vehicle to feel like a rollercoaster on the daily. For this reason I am considering HD springs in the rear and SD in the front but I would like an expert opinion on the matter. Cheers
Michael Moore Mate check the full guide to suspension I did a couple of months ago on this very channel!!
I've installed my uniden in my outback roof console but the wiring they give you is only long enough to go from the dash to the firewall. Anyone installed one and could help me out? I'm guessing I'd have to go buy wire and terminals etc.
Heard 4wd action forum is closing tonight
So helpful cheers mate
LMFAO look at everyone trying to comment first haha. Well I can say I'm not first BUT I'm the first female to comment HAHA
Who cares
@@scottwest5013 not me just being a smart arse cause I can
Miss_Marie better than a dumbass
what about piggyback fuses, they're the way forward with accessories these days