kenworth t680 install.

[Slowmover]

I used a serrated-edge blade to open up grommet cover UPPER (mirror of LOWER which runs mirror electric).

Getting the grommet back in place is fun!

JRich used the lower smaller grommet to run power to BATT and egress coax. (Just visible as small black circle). I found it harder to access from interior and asphalt was heating quickly at that point (near-hottest week of a Texas summer).

Revision:

1). As with mirror, just loosen decorative panel rear bolts. Do both items, then remove both as it’s no harder. They’re designed to slide out.

2). Use lower grommet, not upper. Again, easier.

Revision after doing passenger side.

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[Slowmover]

With mirror removed I used a 1/8” Dremel carbide cutter in cordless drill to remove powder coat from flange surrounding upper bolt hole.

The RF Bond mounts there.

Decorative body panel has about six (6) bolts to remove or loosen.

10mm & 13mm sockets/wrenches.

 

[Slowmover]

Back side of mirror.

Drivers side mirror power is also outside temp reading sender. Depress tab (easy) to unplug.

Coax BNC connector shown.

Remove forward bolts. Loosen rear bolts and slide mirror forward to remove. Minimal slack on lines (can do from ground if you’re 6’2” with long arms; maybe not on an oilfield t880).

Re-hang mirror on rear bolts when done (dead minimal alignment to achieve).

 

[Slowmover]

Note:

— If running coax thru arm (new coax only; NOT these antenna mounts; done as per video) procedure still the same.

 

[Slowmover]

This is seen from the front of the truck. Ahead of the aluminum arm.

Set-up for now (leave early tomorrow).

Prior to a single wrap of 88, here is a 5/8” ID bronze thrust bearing washer acting as a jam nut so that RF BOND could go directly to “source” versus corroded arm threads under cap screws.. What I could find at True Value that would work.

PL-259 installs fully seated and washer (bought several thicknesses) leaves no slack around braided weave; it’s “tight”.

The other end of the tinned braid is at the forward upper mirror mounting bolt (cab metal) where powder coat was removed. About 13” long. Both ends of bond were simply opened to fit around bolt or Coax Stud.

Both coax & braid feed OVER upper portion of decorative panel (same route).

Hopefully, this isn’t a hare-brained idea. I already know the coax is far superior, so I expect better performance than with factory set-up. Maybe this’ll cut some noise as OEM had no separate bond.

(Palomar Engineers Mini Line Isolator gets installed another day along with triple-wrap against weather.)

No advantage I could find in trying to run coax otherwise. Would take “relieving” body panels with cutter. Still more than 7’ slack at console overhead prior to closing things in.

Hood closure doesn’t “pinch”.

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[Slowmover]

1. Overhead feed from A-pillar was E-Z on drivers side, tough on passenger. (Use fishtape; tool I don’t have with me).

2. Double body grommet was a pain to re-seat.(So use lower).

3. Access to body grommet from inside to feed coax was by far the worst part of the job. (Fishtape job; avoid panel removal if at all possible).

— With an imaginary straight line the distance from radio to antenna mount is under 5’. Took about 11’ of line to cover the true distance.

Next truck will feature coax covered its complete length in UV-resistant split loom. Power in FR type. Etc. Just a “better” job will be done, overall.

This oughta work next 27,000-miles (9-weeks).

Abandoning the expense of this install MIGHT be worth the cost. Being without the upgrade wasn’t seen as prudent. The radio was (is) so much better than the OEM antenna system it was crippling at times.

I’ll salvage the mounts, leave coax + power run.

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[NightThumper]

Slowmover, this has been a highly enjoyable thread sir! You do very fine work! I think the thrust bearing washer was an excellent idea.

 

[Slowmover]

Slowmover, this has been a highly enjoyable thread sir! You do very fine work! I think the thrust berating washer was an excellent idea.

Thx

Spent more than hour at hardware store to find something. Two old fart workers and I conferred. But idea credit goes to a lurker who suggested jam nut (earlier in thread).

“Thin jam nut” with extra-fine thread (24-pitch?) not a hardware store item. Or, if it is, not 5/8” i.d.

Almost hogged out some copper washers. But luck pointed me one last time at specialty fasteners.

(Have been in FTW since Wednesday. Never saw the house. Now you know how I “recreated” on my two days off; first “real” time off in a month and not just a 34-hr HOS re-set. Time off is by choice).

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[Slowmover]

Nothing like a late start to a work day.

Arrived to get loaded. About 55-miles on a Saturday morning from west of FTW to near Dallas.

A). Definitely, the local stuff that was unintelligible before is improved. Signal comes clear earlier.

B). Waiting to load so installed the Receiver-Mount P-E coax filter.

— At 10:00 CDT, can use maximum RF Gain without penalty. (Had it backed down slightly before; see Big Kahuna recommendation on Prez Lincoln; I’d go to AM-18 and cut RF Gain on an empty channel).

— DSP backed down to 10:00 position (typical minimum setting; per factory and per use).

— Radio Volume at 17, DSP Spkr volume at 12:00. (The most from each preserving audio quality).

— Hi Cut Filter off

— NB/ANL off

All local RX at present. Believe I’m hearing “better” (quieter background) than ever before in a big truck. Previous contender had same gear except this radio & coax filter.

(Hi-Cut will go back “on”).

SSB now the best I’ve heard in a truck. On 38-LSB and it’s impressive (radio getting a chance to show its colors).

Dinky Duck Dick 163 in NM, and, The Tampa Mental Patient, are currently ruining AM-19.

There’s more “space” between the TX participants on 38-LSB.

Sounds damn near as good as AM!

(Taken almost two years to get here. First, a President Lincoln. Second, mobile sideband).

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[Slowmover]

Yeah, the coax change is big!!

 

[NightThumper]

Yeah, the coax change is big!!

Must admit that was some nice looking coaxl. FME ends are nice…can’t count the number of times I ran coax through a small opening and had to haul out the soldering iron and extension cord to put on a PL259. This was before I had the butane iron

 

[Slowmover]

Must admit that was some nice looking coaxl. FME ends are nice…can’t count the number of times I ran coax through a small opening and had to haul out the soldering iron and extension cord to put on a PL259. This was before I had the butane iron

The Wilson CoPhase is about $40. The ends make it worthwhile for this upgrade. Much easier to accomplish.

The pics & text of the thread are aimed at fellow drivers. Anyone else who “benefits”, that’s lagniappe. Trucking is a kind of hidden world.

We “think” truck drivers have CB radios . . . they have them just sorta. The right upgrades and it’s not the same anymore. Most guys can’t hear for S.

Was slamming an irritant in Indiana a short while back and another driver asked, to whom was I speaking? (Irritant had a strong radio).Had a hard time believing he couldn’t hear that jerk.

Graduating to an Eleven Meter Radio (from a CB) is a worthy expenditure of time & money.

13.75’ tall antennas + DSP filtering

Quality AM/SSB radio + small amp.

(Noise Abatement applied)



17:00 Addition:

Rode a few hours east and found myself fascinated with the audio quality of what I was receiving. Nothing new, I’m sure, to the guys with great mobile or base stations, but all the pieces fit together like never before in my experience with big trucks.

New Coax & a pair of 7’ Skipshooters with Pro Comm mounts is a cheap easy upgrade to a t680. Add a few ferrites and call it $200.

Less than a days net pay for a driver, and the benefits will last for years.

(Need a wire shirt hanger or fishtape sorta tool).

Later, $200 again for DSP filtration (don’t leave home without it).

— A power run will be done next. Cheap fuse-tap type as addition to OEM binding posts in order to run KL-203 amp on separate circuit. Amp not currently in use.

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[Slowmover]

Visual Impression of Changes

The Pro Comm mounts move the antennas forward a few inches and tilt them slightly forward. Out of the shadow of the condo, somewhat.

— Having a MUCH larger stud is piece of mind. I’d keep watch in high crosswinds waiting for the worst, previously.

— Coax wrapped with Scotch 88 causes that plus RF Bond to visually disappear. (Split loom which is preferable will do the same). Coax still “hidden”, so to speak, so bringing it outside the arm NOT noticeable.

The forward tilt causes the antennas to be a bit more attention-getting (13.75’ TTL height). Had comments from other company drivers as we loaded who previously never mentioned them as I’ve run them since signing on.

The antenna mount plates you’d think would get visual attention, but the angle from the ground doesn’t make them stand out all that much. It’s the stud and the tilt that are the visual changes. (Less than 15-degrees of tilt).

— The antennas also bow inwards slightly when at rest due to plate wedge geometry. Forward and Inward are the changes. Subtle, not serious.
This is the difference from the right-angle OEM stud position. The new mounts change the relationship angles to the truck.

— Given their length the tilt lets these 7’ antennas stand straighter at speed.

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[Slowmover]

First pic of Post #95 shows close-up of antenna feedpoint.

Today changed the arrangement shown to braided weave copper now resting on PL-259 shell instead of bronze bushing at botttom.

Not as “secure” (tape is help to hold bond in place) as future set up will be, think of this truck as proof-of-concept.

Waaayy too many voices now getting thru (1630 CDT in western Alabama) and have had to experiment with Lincoln II “noise controls” in new ways.

Howzavout it, truck drivers, ever have too many conversations to follow on the CB?

(The Lincoln II is just too good for a big truck, IMO, and it’s compromised antenna system; even with TLC upgrades. I’m sorry I didn’t bring one of the SSB-capable Galaxy radios this trip to do back-to-back comps).

Granted, today it’s mainly Skip. I’m around MM-49 on the westbound side so it’s funny to hear about (somewhere) a gator in the northbound lane at MM-488.

Short version of this is that “noise” is further reduced such that voices can be heard versus mainly hash. Signal-to-Noise Ratio improvement; see (link) www.k0bg.com on that subject.

Thanks, to the lurker who suggested bonding straight to the PL-259 shell at the antenna feedpoint!

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[Slowmover]

CB Shop, Dallas Pike, WVA, coming in strong!

Means secret squirrel Is near by.

And, at 1730 clock time, the cacophony has lessened.

On all earlier days the amount of NOISE would have me turning radio to nearly OFF and losing reasonable distance AM for road conditions.

Took an 8-mile detour yesterday with the LTL doubles guys to go around a six-mile backup on IH-81 in Virginia.

First heard about it 17-miles north of where the backup started. About 12-miles from where northbound was still warning us southbounders.

Trucks that had passed me 160-miles back north were passing me again thirty and more miles south past the wreck.

Mid-afternoon a real deaf spot what with Skip overlaying typical noise at that time.

How do you fix that?
(I hope now you know).

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