CB Installation in my 2015 Vista 27N

[ranchdog]

I finished installing my Cobra 75WXT this weekend. I had procrastinated several weeks because I could not find the factory wiring in my 2015 Vista 27N which is virtually identical to what is now the LX model. The factory installed wiring is left of the steering wheel kind of between the parking brake and the fuse box. Mine was hidden behind a very large wiring bundle at that location and when I found it, it could be lifted over the bundle and was actually coming from a higher point farther to the left. I guess they didn't want us to find it easily so they hid it behind the bundle rather than having it out in the open. It is a yellow(+) and white wire(-) wire with connectors and it is labeled as being for the CB but you won't see that until you get it out from behind the large bundle. Be patient, its there and you can find it although many have not been able to do so. I am using the Midland window mount antenna. I cleaned the windshield very carefully before mounting and it has been on several trips at 65mph with no problems. I was receiving over two miles yesterday but haven't tested it further. I only posted this long message because I have seen so many who weren't able to find where the factory wiring was installed. They hid it well.

[Bosunmate]

Originally Posted by ranchdog

I finished installing my Cobra 75WXT this weekend. I had procrastinated several weeks because I could not find the factory wiring in my 2015 Vista 27N which is virtually identical to what is now the LX model. The factory installed wiring is left of the steering wheel kind of between the parking brake and the fuse box. Mine was hidden behind a very large wiring bundle at that location and when I found it, it could be lifted over the bundle and was actually coming from a higher point farther to the left. I guess they didn't want us to find it easily so they hid it behind the bundle rather than having it out in the open. It is a yellow(+) and white wire(-) wire with connectors and it is labeled as being for the CB but you won't see that until you get it out from behind the large bundle. Be patient, its there and you can find it although many have not been able to do so. I am using the Midland window mount antenna. I cleaned the windshield very carefully before mounting and it has been on several trips at 65mph with no problems. I was receiving over two miles yesterday but haven't tested it further. I only posted this long message because I have seen so many who weren't able to find where the factory wiring was installed. They hid it well.

If I'm reading this right, you say there is a dedicated set of factory installed wires labeled for a CB on your rig? I have a 2017 Vista VE, I'm going to look for these wires as I have a Cobra 75 also. Thanks.

[ranchdog]

Originally Posted by Bosunmate

If I'm reading this right, you say there is a dedicated set of factory installed wires labeled for a CB on your rig? I have a 2017 Vista VE, I'm going to look for these wires as I have a Cobra 75 also. Thanks.

Yes there are a set of dedicated factory installed wires labeled for a CB on my rig and I believe they are on every Winnebago. The wires are yellow(+) and white(-) with butt connectors attached. They were hard to find behind the large bundle of wires left of the steering wheel going toward the fuse box. Actually they are coming out of a corrugated wire loom at very left of the dash at the top and they have a large tag on them. This is looking up from the floor. They are always hot and all you have to do is crimp your red and black wires in the provided connectors. And getting my fat 250lb. butt down there was quite an ordeal.

[Rick FLA]

The big question is it worth having a CB. Most people I have talked to say no they never use it. Would be inturested in your experience . Thinking about just using one of the portable ones.

[soonerdave]

CBs are useful to hear what's going on down the road, especially when traffic slows down. I have weather channels on my radio I listen to sometimes. Sometimes I just listen to the semi chatter for amusement, can get pretty funny at times!

[Bosunmate]

Originally Posted by ranchdog

Yes there are a set of dedicated factory installed wires labeled for a CB on my rig and I believe they are on every Winnebago. The wires are yellow(+) and white(-) with butt connectors attached. They were hard to find behind the large bundle of wires left of the steering wheel going toward the fuse box. Actually they are coming out of a corrugated wire loom at very left of the dash at the top and they have a large tag on them. This is looking up from the floor. They are always hot and all you have to do is crimp your red and black wires in the provided connectors. And getting my fat 250lb. butt down there was quite an ordeal.

Thanks Ranchdog, I will be looking for those wires, I might just hook up my Ham radio instead of a CB.

Always learning something on this forum.

Patrick

[jrpend]

Originally Posted by Bosunmate

Thanks Ranchdog, I will be looking for those wires, I might just hook up my Ham radio instead of a CB.

Always learning something on this forum.

Patrick

FWIW, I used those to hook up both a cobra 75WXST CB and Kenwood D710 2m/70cm radio. I seldom transmit on both at the same time, but it seems to be robust enough to do them. I have had long QSOs on the 2meter.

I am seriously unhappy about the antennas though. I go through the floor board and all the back to the ladder. I'd love to figure someway to mount the antennas on the side of the motorhome near the driver/co-pilot but I don't know how to get to the side wall with causing major damage to the interior.

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by jrpend

FWIW, I used those to hook up both a cobra 75WXST CB and Kenwood D710 2m/70cm radio. I seldom transmit on both at the same time, but it seems to be robust enough to do them. I have had long QSOs on the 2meter.

I am seriously unhappy about the antennas though. I go through the floor board and all the back to the ladder. I'd love to figure someway to mount the antennas on the side of the motorhome near the driver/co-pilot but I don't know how to get to the side wall with causing major damage to the interior.

Would one of these work? https://www.rightchannelradios.com/c...antenna-mounts

[RKL]

On my Journey, i removed the backing from the cabinet over the drivers side window and found the aluminum frameing . I drilled a hole thru it to the outside and then led coax from the outside antenna mound thru the hole. (Without connector attached). Then I mounted the antenna (firestik) mounting to the outside by drilling into the aluminum for screw attachment. I connected a seperate ground wire from the mount, thru the hole and attached it to a steel support in the front cowl frame . After hooking up the antenna, I was able to get a 1to 1 match on the swr meter. Rkl

[JUS1MO]

My Brother in Law is a long distance trucker for Wal-Mart and has a CB in his truck for emergencies only. He says he does not turn it on most of the time because of the raunchy conversations and foul language most people on the radio are carrying on. I don't have a CB so I can't testify to that, just FYI...

[Ramzfan]

Originally Posted by ranchdog

I finished installing my Cobra 75WXT this weekend. I had procrastinated several weeks because I could not find the factory wiring in my 2015 Vista 27N which is virtually identical to what is now the LX model. The factory installed wiring is left of the steering wheel kind of between the parking brake and the fuse box. Mine was hidden behind a very large wiring bundle at that location and when I found it, it could be lifted over the bundle and was actually coming from a higher point farther to the left. I guess they didn't want us to find it easily so they hid it behind the bundle rather than having it out in the open. It is a yellow(+) and white wire(-) wire with connectors and it is labeled as being for the CB but you won't see that until you get it out from behind the large bundle. Be patient, its there and you can find it although many have not been able to do so. I am using the Midland window mount antenna. I cleaned the windshield very carefully before mounting and it has been on several trips at 65mph with no problems. I was receiving over two miles yesterday but haven't tested it further. I only posted this long message because I have seen so many who weren't able to find where the factory wiring was installed. They hid it well.

Ranchdog, what is the Midland window-mount antenna? I have my CB connected with the Winnebago supplied roof antenna and it sucks! I can receive fairly well but cannot transmit worth a darn. I would like to change my antenna-mounting and/or antenna. Your post gave me some hope.
Steve

[ranchdog]

Originally Posted by Ramzfan

Ranchdog, what is the Midland window-mount antenna? I have my CB connected with the Winnebago supplied roof antenna and it sucks! I can receive fairly well but cannot transmit worth a darn. I would like to change my antenna-mounting and/or antenna. Your post gave me some hope.
Steve

Sorry Ramzfan, I believe we are in the same boat. I get good reception but lousy transmission. I want to experiment further and will know a lot more after next weekend. I will give an update on the antenna but I suspect I will be going to a firestik mounted on the rear ladder. I have one of those on my Jeep and it works great. Will give update on the Midland 18-258 antenna after 6/27.

[Ramzfan]

Yeah, let me know what you do. I suppose you can run the antenna cable the entire length of the coach on the frame but isn't there a limit to how long the cable can be for best reception?

[Blastvalve]

I added a CB (Uniden 980SSB) to our coach this past weekend and can echo several of the comments. I went with a Firestik NGP Side Mount antenna kit like this:

https://www.rightchannelradios.com/c...annel-radios-1

I had to open up the "wall" in the side of the front cabinet over the drivers seat to get to the exterior wall. Easiest way was to cut the carpeting in the corners, and then unscrew the bottom so the "wall" would flip up out of the way. From there, clean shot to exterior wall. When cutting exterior wall, be careful there are some steel plates as well that you aren't going to want to hit. (You can see in pic I found one on the left side, and just moved right accordingly). Installing mount was as easy as carving out styrofoam with a plastic putty knife to get to fiberglass. LOTS of measuring, a prayer to the RV gods and 2 drilled holes, and ready to go. Mount goes on outside (has a good rubber base, I used silicone as well) metal backing plate on inside and tighten up. One installed the 2 holes are in the center of the mount and covered from the elements. The antenna cable connects on the inside to the top bolt and covered with a rubber boot. The antenna cable was snaked down the drivers side A pillar and under the dash. As others noted, there was CB power wiring by the fuse block, with crimp connectors ready to go. I left the excess antenna cable in the space behind the cabinet, plenty of room in there to lay it back and forth to eat up excess 5 feet or so I had left over.

Cutting in the cabinet area was a real challenge simply due to limited space. Working under dash was also challenging (Winnebago, you need to make the seats go another 6 inches back) and a reminder to lay off the snack food and beer while camping!

Pic of the inside of the antenna area behind the cabinet wall and the radio installed on the armrest. (Really limited space on our unit for install locations). It was after dark when I finished, will get a pic of the outside antenna this weekend.

My thanks to LSC9901 for guineapigging his RV before my install.

My apologies on pic orientation, on IPad and not sure why they are both 90 degrees off!!

[Blastvalve]

Little late, but a couple of outside pics as promised.

[maryinreddin]

My hubby found out that our rv had a hook up for a cb. He bought a nice radio and hooked it up but cannot get the channels to work. He thinks it might be the antenna. Is there a way to tune in the antenna? We have looked on the internet and most say you have to go out into a field away from everything to do this. Is that true???

[staggerlee]

Have you had the antenna tuned to the cb? ( a must).
You can also have your radio tuned, and peaked.
This really helps a lot.

[staggerlee]

You can tune it in your driveway if you have a meter.

[maryinreddin]

The closest place to us that could do that is 100 miles so we were hoping to do it ourselves. He has a meter and tried tuning it but it didn't work. How do you get the antennae tuned to the cb?

[RickNC]

It isn't any simpler than this: https://www.rightchannelradios.com/b...g-instructions

If it doesn't tune according to those instructions then there is a problem with either the radio, the antenna or the coax.

These guys might help you also: https://www.facebook.com/Redding-Ca-...8806975147202/