CB radio installation

[Brian Little]

Well here it goes, my first post since becoming a BAC member while attending the National Convention this past August in Madison.

When I bought my 2000 Beaver Patriot, the previous owner mentioned something about the coach was CB ready?  Now I know there are two antenna's on the roof, assuming one is for the dash radio and the other for the CB.  But that's all I can find that leads me to believe the unit may be CB ready.  The previous owner never had a CB radio installed in the Beaver, and I can't find anything that looks like a coax antenna cable or wiring harness. Although I did notice a grey plastic connector mounted to the side wall, near my left leg that looks like something you would plug some sort of electronics into......

 Can anyone tell me, if Beavers were built CB ready, and if so, where should I be looking?

Brian

[Joel Ashley]

Sometimes the factory CB antenna cable is under the dash, but in our coach it was hiding inside the upholstered driver's side control panel, below the window;  you may have to remove the upholstered section to locate it.  After descending the driver's windshield post, the cable goes left or right, apparently at the installer's discretion.

As I recall, the power connector was found coiled beneath the small access panel atop the drivers dash, and had to be fed down around the steering column.  The grey connector may be what you want, but see if it matches your CB plug;  I would expect a dedicated plug configuration that fits only one device type.

Your coach may be entirely different, but if that's not it, I'd check the places I mentioned.

And a hearty welcome to the BAC, Brian!  If you still encounter difficulty finding the cable and wires, don't hesitate to ask;  someone here has probably been there, done that on your model coach.

Joel

[LarryNCarolynShirk]

The grey plug is probably where technicians can connect with a laptop to check diagnostic codes.  The two antenna on the roof are probably AM & FM radio.  Tune to a station, and see if the signal changes, when you remove each antenna.  If the coach is CB ready, the factory co-ax may be coiled under the roof somewhere near the middle,middle of the roof.  To use it, you need to locate it and cut a hole in the roof to mount the new antenna.  Then locate the other end of the co-ax near the driver seat.   Lift the access panel on the dash, and look for a co-ax cable, which may have a fitting attached, or not.  It may be easier to add a new CB antenna and lead the new co-ax cable down the driver side windshield pillar to where you want the radio installed.

Larry

[Joel Ashley]

On both coaches I've owned, AM and FM are in the same antenna.  It's metal.  The second one on Brian's roof is probably his CB, esp. if it's white fiberglass.  He just needs to locate his cable and connector which are likely coiled within reach of the driver's seat, behind structure.  You are right, Larry;  diagnostic connectors that I've seen are grey, so that's probably what he's found and the CB power is coiled elsewhere.

Joel

[Jerry Pattison]

As Larry states, it is likely that the two antennae on the roof are both FM antennae, IF you have a FM radio in the bedroom.  That is my case.  I have two FM antennae and one CB antenna.  The coax from the CB antenna is under the dash (I have a removable dash cover just in front of the steering wheel).  Hope this helps.