• You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.

amp? or big radio?

joeboo

New Member
Jan 26, 2015
9
1
3
49
If i want to be able to talk over a majority if need be. Or just have a setup that will be loud and heard. Would a amp route be best with a near stock radio with a low deadkey and low swing?
Or would a "Big" higher output radio be best?
I apologize for starting a conversation with some of you on here when i don't know anyone. I wasn't sure how to post these questions at first and did it through adding some to my conversation. Sorry. Dang new guy:)
 

What do you mean by big truck? My F150 is a big truck.
Big radios are a complete waste of money........single final or dual final radio and an external amp is the way to go.
If it is a semi you are talking about, you can forget about talking over the majority.
 
  • Like
Reactions: joeboo
What type of truck and what if any restrictions do you have?

I have a 2015 cascadia. I already bypassed the cophased factory setup. Bypassed the little box that ran am/fm through antenna system. I currently have a hustler hq -27 on driver's side factory mount on top side corner of the cab.
Swr's are a little below 1.5. According to meter on uniden pc78ltw radio. But i need to get a meter and check. If i go with a force x80 i will need a new antenna to handle it.
No restrictions that i know of i can mount it anywhere i need.
 
What do you mean by big truck? My F150 is a big truck.
Big radios are a complete waste of money........single final or dual final radio and an external amp is the way to go.
If it is a semi you are talking about, you can forget about talking over the majority.


Yes semi is what i am referring to.

That was what i said. I realize i will never be the biggest or loudest. I just want a good setup that gets the job done clean and clear.
Thanks
 
Is this mostly for your usual channel 19 trucker use? If so I would go with a small amp and have the radio you already have set up to drive it, the Uniden 78's are good radios for highway use.

Of course it goes without saying that the antenna has to be squared away first.
 
  • Like
Reactions: joeboo
Is this mostly for your usual channel 19 trucker use? If so I would go with a small amp and have the radio you already have set up to drive it, the Uniden 78's are good radios for highway use.

Of course it goes without saying that the antenna has to be squared away first.


Yes will mostly use on 19.

Any suggestions of antennas i might check out?
 
In the past I have used Predator 10K antennas. These are really lightweight and have a nice bandwidth almost as good when I compared it to a 102" whip.
singlecoil.jpg



Power-wise, these antennas can handle anything you will throw at it. I recommend the longer shaft size of either 17" or 22". One draw back to the Predator antennas is they are taller than 5 feet depending on the model. I used the 22" single coil shaft and after tuning it measured nearly 80 inches.

Since you run a new Freightliner Cascadia, you did do the right thing and by-pass the factory coax. However, I would go one step further and use a different antenna mount.

If you look at other Cascadia's rolling down the road, you will see some drivers put a antenna on the mirror post using a custom "birds perch" antenna mounting bracket made specifically these trucks. These mounts will bring the antenna down lower so antenna height won't be an issue. I have seen one driver use a 102 inch whip with his but the antenna height was still over 13'6 which will mean a lot of bridge whacking especially if you run back east or Chicago.

$_35.JPG


These brackets can be purchased at most of the Flying J /Pilot truckstops in the CB radio accessories section. You can see in the pic above that it mounts to the 2 mounting bolts that secure the mirror post to the cab door. This will give you a better D.C. ground than the factory Teardrop mount you are using now.

You will have to re-route your coax. I have seen drivers run the coax under the cab and up and out thru the top corner of the hood. There is plenty of gap between the hood and the cab that the coax wont get crushed with the hood closed. This is currently how I route mine on a 2013 Volvo.

You should have a factory pre-formed hole under the cab where all the electrical wires enter the cab/sleeper but you will have to lift up the floor matting which should be able to be done by removing the threshold under the door.

You can also check the firewall for knockouts you can punch out for routing the cable out from the cab also for places to exit the coax out from the cab. These are places I have used in the past on other trucks to route coax outside without drilling holes.

Ask other drivers with Cascadias that use birdpirch brackets for more advice.

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Sideways and joeboo
In the past I have used Predator 10K antennas. These are really lightweight and have a nice bandwidth almost as good when I compared it to a 102" whip.
singlecoil.jpg



Power-wise, these antennas can handle anything you will throw at it. I recommend the longer shaft size of either 17" or 22". One draw back to the Predator antennas is they are taller than 5 feet depending on the model. I used the 22" single coil shaft and after tuning it measured nearly 80 inches.

Since you run a new Freightliner Cascadia, you did do the right thing and by-pass the factory coax. However, I would go one step further and use a different antenna mount.

If you look at other Cascadia's rolling down the road, you will see some drivers put a antenna on the mirror post using a custom "birds perch" antenna mounting bracket made specifically these trucks. These mounts will bring the antenna down lower so antenna height won't be an issue. I have seen one driver use a 102 inch whip with his but the antenna height was still over 13'6 which will mean a lot of bridge whacking especially if you run back east or Chicago.

$_35.JPG


These brackets can be purchased at most of the Flying J /Pilot truckstops in the CB radio accessories section. You can see in the pic above that it mounts to the 2 mounting bolts that secure the mirror post to the cab door. This will give you a better D.C. ground than the factory Teardrop mount you are using now.

You will have to re-route your coax. I have seen drivers run the coax under the cab and up and out thru the top corner of the hood. There is plenty of gap between the hood and the cab that the coax wont get crushed with the hood closed. This is currently how I route mine on a 2013 Volvo.

You should have a factory pre-formed hole under the cab where all the electrical wires enter the cab/sleeper but you will have to lift up the floor matting which should be able to be done by removing the threshold under the door.

You can also check the firewall for knockouts you can punch out for routing the cable out from the cab also for places to exit the coax out from the cab. These are places I have used in the past on other trucks to route coax outside without drilling holes.

Ask other drivers with Cascadias that use birdpirch brackets for more advice.

Good luck!
Great info. Thank you.
 

dxChat
Help Users
  • No one is chatting at the moment.
  • dxBot:
    Tucker442 has left the room.
  • @ BJ radionut:
    LIVE 10:00 AM EST :cool:
  • @ Charles Edwards:
    I'm looking for factory settings 1 through 59 for a AT 5555 n2 or AT500 M2 I only wrote down half the values feel like a idiot I need help will be appreciated