Got a CB, what to do for an antenna?

[Amok]

I got a Uniden PRO 310e for $5 at Goodwill (with a compatible wall wart for $1).  It powers up but it's useless without an antenna.  Pics:


Top's antenna jack
Bottom with other antenna jack

I have no idea what type of connector the top is.  The bottom is an RCA jack though.

So, what should I do for an antenna?  I'd like this to be done on the cheap, so if I can't find one to buy for cheap, I won't mind building one (especially if it's simple).  Preferably, the antenna I would use would screw onto the top of the unit, but I wouldn't mind one that had its own stand.

[legend813]

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRANSMIT WITHOUT AN ANTENNA
because it will overheat the finals and damage / destroy them. It is probable that this radio will not work already because of this.

The RCA jack... there is your salvation...

Radio shack sells an adapter just for this. The only bad this is that it is lossy and bulky and makes it very easy to snap the RCA jack away from the board.

Now as for an antenna. A magnet mount car antenna should work well if you have a car to place it on, or any metal surface with enough area to make a proper ground plane. Base station antennas are high dollar things, I would suggest making yourself a wire dipole antenna for just a little over the price of some RG-8, connectors, 20 feet of 14 ~ 16 gauge stranded wire, a measuring tape, a bit of knowledge of what frequencies a CB radio works in and a soldering gun and solder

Read and understand this:

http://www.signalengineering.com/ultimate/antenna_basics.html

Power issues... This this come with a 120v AC to 12v DC  power pack? If so you must make sure that it is the proper one. Rated at 1400 milliamps ( 1.4 AMPS ) or more. If it did not, you are gonna find that it is impossible to use the RCA jack while the battery pack is on the unit.

[RijilV]

yeah, just be advised that radio isn't the greatest thing ever so don't go spending a ton of money on an antenna for it.  You'll probably have a good amount of fun with it, but just keep in mind you can buy yourself a brand spanking new CB handheld for around $40 - and that comes with an antenna.

[Bill_S]

For a simple base antenna, I would do a vertical dipole, like as suggested. A long time ago I made one using solid uninsulated copper wire.  Bought some fence post insulators for the middle and top. Hung it by the top (vertically) in a tree. About 2 feet off the ground so it was about 19 feet at the top. Most of the time it was swinging in the wind, but was fine.  I was only using a 4 watt radio which kind of sucked. I mainly could only talk to other base stations. Most people illegally use a radio that is "peaked and tweaked" to about 40 watts.

[Tails502]

i've seen a connection similar to the one in the first picture, just a question, is there a little pin that pokes out of the center?

[legend813]

A version of the manual for this radio can be found here:

www.uniden.com.au/RESOURCES_MAIN/pdfs/PRO310E.PDF

[Amok]

Thanks for the replies.

I haven't transmitted, but who knows if someone else has without an antenna and that's why it was given away.  Hm, I didn't consider that.  That alone makes me wary of getting an antenna, if it wont work anyway.  The wall wart is 800ma.  I could always hunt for a beefier one at another goodwill (800ma was the highest I could find).  I also saw a magnetic car antenna at one of the goodwills I went to that day for like $6, I might go back and get it next weekend or the weekend after.  The connector wasn't the same type as the ones onboard, hence why I left it.  It wasn't BNC.  I could use an adapter I guess.

I know this radio is nothing fantastic but if it's something to mess around with, then it's all good.  I figure, it might be nice to have in the car for use in emergency situations when my cell phone won't work (granted I can get a somewhat portable antenna (rubber duck?) or a car antenna, and a car adapter).  "Anyone out there?  My tire blew out and I'm in the middle of nowhere."  Or a passenger could shoot the shit with some truckers while bored.

I don't have the space for a really big antenna since I live in a college apartment.  I guess I should have mentioned that.

There isn't a pin in the connector.

[CerealKiller]

Why can't i find cool shit like that?

The only cxool thing i found like that was a big walkie from Lambert Airport laying in the road. It was fun to play with until the battery started smoking.

[Lestan Gregor]

Truckers sell their bodies for diesel money.