Hi! Experts,

My better half is installing a CB radio in our Hyundai Santa Fe. Where to drill ? etc ?

Would appreciate any advice if anyone has encountered this or installed a unit.

Thanks a Lot !!!!!!

Liz

if you dont have room for a uhf in the dash (remembering that an unused ashtray is an excellent spot) then may i suggest on top of the dash in its own little box made up for this purpose I used a little "nook" that wasnt being used for our tx3220 with a facia panel that i bought off ebay

With most modern vehicles they are all Tupperware ( Plastic) so drilling holes is rather simple it's getting the cable through the fire wall to the aerial cabling that is a problem. Not mushroom to put anything and make it look tidy .

Tried to do it a few weeks back and took it to a communications installer most pro job $60 including cable to the front bull bar , surprising thing it was fully tuned and it really works, now that's go to be a plus on DIY.

My vehicle has a nook under the CD player that is the right design for the unit and is held in position with double sided tape the mic is located on the side of the gear box tunnel out of the way

As Dave said the ashtray is normally surplus to requirement  and wouldn't be missed

-- Edited by Wombat 280 on Tuesday 28th of April 2009 08:52:40 PM

My Pajero........had limited space to install a UHF too.......I got a TX3440.....had the body hidden away.the mic...on its bracket on show...and external speaker where the ashtray went...turned out very neat and tidy


Dave



-- Edited by Smokeydk on Wednesday 29th of April 2009 09:22:44 AM

Thank you, Dave, Wombat and Smokey DK. Your help is much appreciated and have passed the info over to the better half. He was opting for above dash installation but it was gettting the cables through the firewall causing him to tear his hair out. We will see what happens today. Cheers! Liz

what I did was to find a grommett (large rubbery washer that allows other wires or pipes to go throught the firewall) I found one that was roughly close to where the wiring had to go and used that, then it was a question of playing "find the wire" but with a little patience it was done, sometimes working "backwards" is the way to go, push a heavy wire through from the cab to the engine bay and hook the uhf cable on to that and then retrieve the cables not easy, particularly in modern vehicles

The most important thing with any radio is the antenna. For UHF CB, a 1/4 wave antenna should be 150mm long (157.5 with 5% less for velocity factor). The ideal place is in the centre of a roof but there should be at least the same amount of flat metal in every direction ie 150mm. Also, the thicker the antenna cable the better especially at UHF. The antenna should actually be tuned correctly but at 476MHz 150mm is close enough.