CB radio in overhead panel

[Michael H.]

Never realised CB was still a thing. Is Oneweb or Starlink any good in Australia?

In Australia, UHF radios are used used extensively in 4WDs, mainly for communicating within convoys, and also for communicating with trucks to arrange safe overtaking on outback roads.

 

[Miki]

Never realised CB was still a thing.

It's not like it was ... useful when you are out and about with mates or when at a 'pay and play' site where they are commonly used (mainly to ask for a tow out of a hole)...
I have one in my Dedfender ..

 

[AnD3rew]

Never realised CB was still a thing. Is Oneweb or Starlink any good in Australia?

CB at least here in Australia usually means/meant 27Mhz which is essentially dead. Now replaced by UHF. Basically All trucks here have UHF radios and most 4wds that are used as 4wds rather than just SUVs have UHF. Used by clubs and groups for vehicle to vehicle communication, used commonly off road with a spotter with a handheld giving directions to the vehicle on tricky bits of track and on the highway particularly on narrow outback roads ro communicate with the trucks for safe passing etc.

 

[Trialmaster]

CB at least here in Australia usually means/meant 27Mhz which is essentially dead. Now replaced by UHF. Basically All trucks here have UHF radios and most 4wds that are used as 4wds rather than just SUVs have UHF. Used by clubs and groups for vehicle to vehicle communication, used commonly off road with a spotter with a handheld giving directions to the vehicle on tricky bits of track and on the highway particularly on narrow outback roads ro communicate with the trucks for safe passing etc.

Makes perfect sense - be interesting to see the Grenadier kitted out with UHF!

 

[McPharmer II]

I´m afraid a overhead radio installation won´t go without greater destruction of the panel itself.
So I´m still looking for a nice place for the handheld unit at least.

 

[Jean Mercier]

I´m afraid a overhead radio installation won´t go without greater destruction of the panel itself.
So I´m still looking for a nice place for the handeld unit at least.View attachment 7817603View attachment 7817604

Fantastic, and now I am almost sure what happened to my car concerning the wiring mistake: INT1 and EXT2 switches are inverted, in fact the connectors were inverted! They have the same color: blue! Quality control issue!
Could you provide some more information (steps) or pictures how you dismounted it?

Next week I will drop my car at my dealer for the airco, water infiltration and who knows, perhaps they will fix my wiring problem. Otherwise i'll do it myself!

 

[MrMike]

I´m afraid a overhead radio installation won´t go without greater destruction of the panel itself.
So I´m still looking for a nice place for the handeld unit at least.View attachment 7817603View attachment 7817604

I can see a good spot to put a slim UHF, where the 2 parallel wires run in the centre of the panel

 

[McPharmer II]

@Jean Mercier: it´s quite easy. You get the screws out of the cover. Then i´ve used some kind of plastic-tolls (see the pic below) to remove the cover. You see the brassy clips in the first picture. That´s the point where to get the cover out, it stuck right firm in the clips. When the cover is out you´ll see two screws (unfortunately not pictured) in the trunk direction. Get them out and you can unfold the hole board.
I love thoughtful engineering: the board has hinges in front to the windscreen --> very nice.
The change of the switches shouldn´t be a problem.

Same technic is used in the center where the cupholder is.

 

[McPharmer II]

I can see a good spot to put a slim UHF, where the 2 parallel wires run in the centre of the panel

Unfortunately I didn´t measured the gap, but give it a try.

 

[MrMike]

Unfortunately I didn´t measured the gap, but give it a try.

That would be fantastic

 

[Jean Mercier]

@Jean Mercier: it´s quite easy. You get the screws out of the cover. Then i´ve used some kind of plastic-tolls (see the pic below) to remove the cover. You see the brassy clips in the first picture. That´s the point where to get the cover out, it stuck right firm in the clips. When the cover is out you´ll see two screws (unfortunately not pictured) in the trunk direction. Get them out and you can unfold the hole board.
I love thoughtful engineering: the board has hinges in front to the windscreen --> very nice.
The change of the switches shouldn´t be a problem.

Same technic is used in the center where the cupholder is.

View attachment 7817621

Thanks a lot for the explanation. If my dealer doesn't do the switch correction next week, I'll play around with it when I get my car back.

 

[Krabby]

I´m afraid a overhead radio installation won´t go without greater destruction of the panel itself.
So I´m still looking for a nice place for the handheld unit at least.View attachment 7817603View attachment 7817604

A bit of a side question-do you think there’s A power source there that could be easily tapped for a self dimming mirror?

 

[McPharmer II]

@Krabby unfortunately there isn´t a power source in the head panel. I´ve been looking for one for my dashcam. In lack of a power source in the roof I´ve pulled the cable down to the cig-lighter in the middle tunnel.

 

[muxmax]

I´m afraid a overhead radio installation won´t go without greater destruction of the panel itself.
So I´m still looking for a nice place for the handheld unit at least.View attachment 7817603View attachment 7817604

Nice job there, nevertheless. I was waiting for someone to dare taking that thing apart.

 

[Tom109]

A bit of a side question-do you think there’s A power source there that could be easily tapped for a self dimming mirror?

@Krabby unfortunately there isn´t a power source in the head panel. I´ve been looking for one for my dashcam. In lack of a power source in the roof I´ve pulled the cable down to the cig-lighter in the middle tunnel.

I was thinking to use one of the footwell kick-panel power feeds. You still have to run it up the A-pillar but that shouldn’t be that much trouble?

 

[Krabby]

That was my thought too, but if there was an easy power source right there it would be nice.

 

[McPharmer II]

I was thinking to use one of the footwell kick-panel power feeds. You still have to run it up the A-pillar but that shouldn’t be that much trouble?

This is the easier way. But for the videosystem for my kids i toke the power source from the cig-lighter in the middle, so it was no big deal to connect the dashcam there also.

 

[Barney]

I was thinking about installing a simple holder for my smartphone and CB radio. I still had a metal holder from my mountain bike, sturdy and good for the phone. Attached with a ball. I ordered a ball with a 4 mm screw hole for the phone and clamp holder. The photos explain it best. I shortened an M4 screw and glued it to the ball with high-strength Loctite. One ball is 15 mm and the other 16 mm (measured instead of 17 mm) from A. So one is chrome-plated and the other black.