I have just purchased a Pace CB166 For my Smokey and the Bandit Transam.As its a vintage set is there anything I need other than the radio to get it installed and fully working in the vehicle.What type of Antenna would I need.All help Appreciated!
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PACE CB166 INSTALLATION
- Thread starter CHRISLONDON
- Start date
Well by looking at pictures of that car it had an Antenna Specialist antenna (base loaded) which is no longer in production or I think it's not but you would need to mount it behind the T-top in a hard mount fashion if you choose to stay with that theme.
Are you planning on actually talking on this radio? If so I wouldn't give a crap about the Pace. Cheap cheap cheap. Low performance. Very few people are going to know the difference.
But good luck anyway!
But good luck anyway!
I have one of those A/S antennas put away somewhere, but do you really want to drill a hole in your 78?
(Gotta love that frog!)
(Gotta love that frog!)
I was looking to talk on it what radio would you recommend id prefer something not too modern at a decent price.thanks
It has a small one located on the trunk lid which was done by a previous owner so the hole is already there
Hi Chris, Well 4 watts is 4 watts no matter what brand it is. Today's radios are the Exports that do 35 watts and up and have the echo and roger beeps ect...There's a wide variety of makes and models to choose from. Look around. The Galaxy's are popular.
YouTube - Pace CB-166 Bandit CB Radio
are you doing a frame up resto on the car?
if so, you should restore the CB as well.
(well that is coming from a radio geek LOL)
LC
are you doing a frame up resto on the car?
if so, you should restore the CB as well.
(well that is coming from a radio geek LOL)
LC
CB 166 INSTALLATION
I am fitting my PACE CB 166 to my TRANS AM I am using a Wilson little wil antenna.Do you have to use a swr meter or something to tune the cb in? Thanks in advance
I am fitting my PACE CB 166 to my TRANS AM I am using a Wilson little wil antenna.Do you have to use a swr meter or something to tune the cb in? Thanks in advance
yes, you should use an SWR meter in line between the radio and the antenna so you can adjust the antenna for the lowest SWR.
there are numerous articles here and elsewhere on the net about how to do it.
doesnt the trans am have lots of fiberglass in its body?
if so, it may be hard to get the SWR down because of the lack of counterpoise.
also, the wilson lil wil is not a very good antenna. yes, its well made, and yes, it will work, but its range is pretty limited in my experience.
LC
there are numerous articles here and elsewhere on the net about how to do it.
doesnt the trans am have lots of fiberglass in its body?
if so, it may be hard to get the SWR down because of the lack of counterpoise.
also, the wilson lil wil is not a very good antenna. yes, its well made, and yes, it will work, but its range is pretty limited in my experience.
LC
I believe it was a Antenna Specialist M-124 or a variant, hasn't been manufactured for many years. Best bet is eBay or flea market.
Chris,
First off I don't know what antenna was used on the SATB Trans AM. However, it does look to me like it was probably a 5 foot whip. A Wilson 1000 has a little over 5 ft and are very good antennas....in fact much better than the Lil Wil antennas you inquired about. It will let your Pace CB 166 talk further and receive further than your Lil Wil can or will.
As for your SWR question, yes you need to find a location for the antenna to sit, then you need to perform an SWR check using an SWR meter. Radio Shack sells them for $37.99. You tune the antenna for the first and last channel of the radio, and then the middle. You do this by adjusting the height of the antenna until you get as low of an SWR across all the channels as you can.
However I will point out in the movie the car obviously was a T top car and the antenna was right on the T bar roof in the center towards the back....which is by far the best place to put a CB antenna on a hardtop car. BUT....the lack of metal under the antenna (due to the T tops) may make the SWR's go up as the antenna requires metal under it on all sides to get a good counterpoise.
BTW I've always wanted a special edition black and gold 1977 Trans AM like what Burt drove in the first movie....very beautiful cars....only problem is now they're astronomically priced for a 220 hp car with a questionable quality control of build.
First off I don't know what antenna was used on the SATB Trans AM. However, it does look to me like it was probably a 5 foot whip. A Wilson 1000 has a little over 5 ft and are very good antennas....in fact much better than the Lil Wil antennas you inquired about. It will let your Pace CB 166 talk further and receive further than your Lil Wil can or will.
As for your SWR question, yes you need to find a location for the antenna to sit, then you need to perform an SWR check using an SWR meter. Radio Shack sells them for $37.99. You tune the antenna for the first and last channel of the radio, and then the middle. You do this by adjusting the height of the antenna until you get as low of an SWR across all the channels as you can.
However I will point out in the movie the car obviously was a T top car and the antenna was right on the T bar roof in the center towards the back....which is by far the best place to put a CB antenna on a hardtop car. BUT....the lack of metal under the antenna (due to the T tops) may make the SWR's go up as the antenna requires metal under it on all sides to get a good counterpoise.
BTW I've always wanted a special edition black and gold 1977 Trans AM like what Burt drove in the first movie....very beautiful cars....only problem is now they're astronomically priced for a 220 hp car with a questionable quality control of build.
THanks for your help,I have just purchased a 78 seT top in Bandit colours to go with the 78 Trans am I already have.I have my pace cb 166 fitted in the other car with a littile will antenna on the trunk lid.I wanted the antenna speacialist aerial to go on the T top bandit so it looks exactly like the one in the movie.I intend to get another pace 166 for this car and talk car to car when I'm going to a show
Hustler (not the porno mag) makes a base loaded antenna that looks real close in my opinion to what Bandit had on his car. I thought it was a hustler on the Gen Lee as well but maybe not (see other thread). LINK==> Base Load I can't speak to quality, etc. of the base-loaded antennas, but I bought a stainless ball and spring from hustler a few weeks ago and it seems like good quality stuff.
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