CB & Scanner Install Done

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Due to the placement of the radios, one on top of the other and stuffed into a deep pocket in the dash, I needed to use external speakers. I picked up two Uniden Bearcat BC-20 speakers and mounted them as far forward and out of the way in the passenger floorboard as possible. They’re easy to hear, easy to conceal, and even I, at 6′ tall, have plenty of foot room with them there. I ran the wires under the carpet and into the console.

The console with all the wires pulled. You have the power for both the CB and Scanner on the left. The scanner has an orange wire that is designed to sense headlights, so I probed around in the fuse box with a multi-meter until I found a fuse that was good to tap. On the right you have the antenna cables, external speaker cables, and GPS RS232 cable. I didn’t snap a picture of the GPS, but I have it on a windshield mount at the very bottom center of the windshield, with the cable running in where my Garmin RV760 cable does. It has a cigarette lighter adapter that has 5v output, so I spliced in a socket and hid it in the console.

When looking for a good way to run the antenna wires in from the bed, I found this vent behind the small back seat. I pulled the seat, popped the vent, and cut one of the plastic spines out of it so that the cables could be run though. I ran the cables under the carpet where they entered the truck through the vent, all the way up to the console. GM uses really thick padding under the carpet to keep the noise down in the cab, and it hides the wires well. Despite their size, you can’t feel them.

I knew I was taking a big risk with putting the antennas so close to the cab, but wanted them there for aesthetic reasons. Three 4′ antennas is tacky enough, having them mounted all over the place in an inconsistent manner would bother me.

Fortunately, I was able to get the SWR down to 2.3, and stable between channels 1 and 40, so it is usable, but not ideal. I may mess with it some more, with the goal being to get it under two.

EDIT: SWR is down to ~1.4 after working to ground the antennas better.

I’m happy with the final install. It’s about as close to factory as you can get inside the truck without having DIN bays to put them in.

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