| Author |
Message |
    
Keithinatlanta
Advanced Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 578
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 3:20 pm: | 
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Just curous if anyone has ever used a cb in a farm tractor, combine, or other farm vehicle in past, present or possibly future? Excluding future, what kind of radio, even if just a 3 or 5 channel, what kind of antenna, any installation problems? If so, what? Where did you mount radio, even more important, where did you mount antenna? Any pictures that you can post as well? Thank you!!
Keith |
Crackerjack
Intermediate Member
Username: Crackerjack
Post Number: 394
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 6:02 pm: |
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The Rancher who just bought my Jeep,liked the radio in it and put them in ALL his vehicles. It was inexpensive cheap, and simple for everybody to use. We also put them in our Missionaries vehicles in the field.
We used a Uniden Pro-xl 510 with a KL-40 on a 102" SS Whip and the heavy duty mount that Copper's sells. We also installed D-104 Handheld power mics.
That setup is cheap, simple, and rugged -the new model 510's no longer require a modification to the Modulation circuit. |
Mdiver
Intermediate Member
Username: Mdiver
Post Number: 260
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 6:35 pm: |
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Most of the inclosed cabs, especially John Deere farm tractors have 12 volts should have no problem Keith should be just like a car.Mirror mount or mag mount
Steve
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Keithinatlanta
Advanced Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 579
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 7:15 pm: |
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I am not planning on doing this, I was just curious, as so many people on here are in the farming industry as farmers.
Keith |
Dogfacedsoldier
Member
Username: Dogfacedsoldier
Post Number: 56
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, May 01, 2005 - 12:27 am: |
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i run cb's in everything i use even my lawn tractor lol great way to keep in touch with ppl at home |
Bigbob
Senior Member
Username: Bigbob
Post Number: 1851
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, May 01, 2005 - 7:36 am: |
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There was a forum member here a couple years or so back that said he had an rci 2970 driving a sweet16 texas-star and a tilt-mount a-99 on his tractor,no overheads to worry about.I bet if he sat in one place to long he'd have pop corn and cooked veggies.Bigbob |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 5656
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, May 01, 2005 - 7:46 am: |
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Thats a good one Robert. 
Lon
Tech808
CEF808
N9OSN |
Al_lafon
Intermediate Member
Username: Al_lafon
Post Number: 107
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Friday, November 04, 2005 - 12:38 pm: |
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Hello i used to know a guy here in maryland
at a Factory who had not just put a CB in the cab
of the yard tractor (a Truck just used to move things around the factory) HE HAD PUT A FULL BASE
ANT. THE A99 IN FACT FIVE FEET OVER THE CAB !! |
Hollowpoint445
Advanced Member
Username: Hollowpoint445
Post Number: 881
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Friday, November 04, 2005 - 5:41 pm: |
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It's pretty common for spotting tractors to have CBs or some other kind of radio so they can communicate with the dispatch office and/or the drivers.
I'd like to know what kind of mount he used, because spotting tractors knock around pretty hard. If the mount was solid I think the A99 would snap eventually. |
Sinker
Intermediate Member
Username: Sinker
Post Number: 215
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Friday, November 04, 2005 - 7:33 pm: |
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As a kid I remember visiting my relatives in Iowa. Most of them had their own farms and I remember all of them had CB's at home and in their tractors and trucks. They would use them just to talk with home etc. while out in the field. Don't remember anything specific except my brother and I thought they were cool and got excited when our Uncles would let us talk on them. Never seem to remember them talking to other people though, just home but they might have. |
Applejack
Intermediate Member
Username: Applejack
Post Number: 260
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Friday, November 04, 2005 - 9:17 pm: |
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how did i miss this topic earlier? i have a uniden 510 with a 3 foot jumper of RG8 going to a 3 foot fiberglass antenna that i think is a francis, mounted on my loader tractor. i never checked the swr, and only used it to talk around the 90 acres to the base. but just last friday nite i talked to one of my locals about 12 miles away while bush hogging. we were both impressed! aj |
Keithinatlanta
Advanced Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 703
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, November 07, 2005 - 1:38 pm: |
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See Applejack, you never know huh! That is great.
I was just curious if any one here who owns farm equipment had ever installed one on their tractors. I bet moreso a long time ago like what Sinker said above.
Keith in Atlanta |
Rldrake
Junior Member
Username: Rldrake
Post Number: 31
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 - 6:18 am: |
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We installed "CBs" (Class D, 27 mhz) on 3 farm tractors in 1960. The brand was "Radson Radiophone" (Radson=same company that made moisture testers for grain). The tractors were a 1954 Ford NAA (first year for overhead valve engine), a Farmall International M, and a 1954 Farmall 400 (the 3rd one built at the Rock Island, Illinois plant). On the NAA the Radson was installed on the side of the "hood", about a foot ahead of the throttle. On the Internationals, we fabricated heavy, solid mounting posts with flanges near the top for mounting the radio to, and at the bottom to mount the post to the factory drilled and threaded "holes" at the top of the right rear axle housings. The "Radson Radiophones" were 2 channel, all tube design and had no squelch control at all. They had headsets (just like a telephone) with the PTT bar at the center of the handle. There were no conventional speakers in these transceivers. When you went to call one of the other units...you would push the "call button" and the unit on the other end would BUZZ...telling the people at all of the units to pick up their headset and to listen to find out who was calling whom. The antennas on these Radsons were right on the top of the radio. They were unloaded and were about 2 1/2 feet tall (not very effecient, but served the purpose of "CB" quite well...that being primarily for short range, small business communications). The,what is now called, "base" unit (18Q3201/Unit 1) was originally mounted to the side of the basement steps...down by my father's "office". It was moved shortly, thereafter, to the kitchen. Antenna for Unit 1 was a 1/4 wave ground plane vertical mounted at the peak of the roof, atop of a Rohn 3 legged roof tower. roof tower was 8 or 9 feet tall. Feedline was genuine Ampenol RG-58. We also installed the Radson "CBs" in our vehicles. On our 1951 GMC pickup truck, it was mounted right in the center of the all-metal dash...about where the optional AM broadcast band radio would have been installed. Another unit went into the 1956 Pontiac and another into our 1960 Ford Galaxy 500. On the cars the transceivers were mounted under the all-metal dashes. The units in the cars and the truck were all 1/4 wave whips with shock spring. Mount were all heavy-duty, hole type mounts. These real heavy-duty mounts have not been produced for more than 35 years. Within a year, all of the car and truck antennas were replaced with shorter, top-loaded antennas. In 1963, all of the Radson "CBs" were traded in on E.F. Johnson Radiophones. Note that Johnson was still calling these transceivers "radiophones". I have no idea who actually started marketing Citizens Band transceivers as "CBs" or as "CB radios". Our first Johnson "CBs" were Messenger IIIs (all solid state) and a Messenger I (all tube) for the house. All units had the optional Johnson "Tone Alert" selective tone squelched calling systems (reed type) so that we would not have to listen to some fools yelling "ohh-lah, ohh-laa", "skip land, skip land", and "break-break, break-break" when there was no emergency. Note: At this time it was still illegal, on the "Citizens Band", to say "break" or "break-break" other than to interupt existing traffic with a call to summon help, or assistance, in a REAL emergency (calling to tell someone that you had a flat tire or were out of gas, or having a fender bender without life-threatening injuries was NOT an emergency...reporting a fire, an actual tornado (funnel on the ground), or a FELONY crime in progress were valid emergencies). Also, at this time, it was still illegal (in violation of FCC rules and regulations) to call "interstation" on any channels except channels 9 thru 15. All other channels were to be used ONLY for "intrastation" communications. Note: "Interstation" meant calls to stations with other callsigns than your own station and Units. "Intrastation" meant ONLY Units covered under your own station license...No calls permitted to Units or stations licensed under another callsign. The "breaker-breaker", "10-4 good buddy", and "break one-ohh" nonsense and anarchy came into the fold a little later along the "CB" timeline.
Anyhow, about 1965, the EF Johnson Messenger One was traded in on a Messenger 2 and the original "Tone Alerts" were upgraded to "Tone Alert 3's or 4's". A Messenger 100 (5 channel) was added to our little fleet, also. Our cars now were 1963 Galaxie 500 (our first car with factory air conditioning) and a 1965 Mercury Park Lane (retractable rear window). Both cars now equipped with the Messenger 3's and using Antenna Specialists hole-mounted, base loaded antennas...mounted just ahead of the trunk lids. 1951 GMC still going fine...now has a 6 volt postive ground inverter to 12 volt negative ground inverter to power the "CB". None of the tractors have "CBs" now. Conditions were just too severe for them. 1971 comes along...We get our first tractor with a cab and our very first diesel powered machine. It is a International Harvester 1466 (160 hp). A Messenger 3 with the Tone Alert and external speaker goes into the new tractor, with cab, and is mounted with E.F. Johnson's "vibration limiting, shock-proof" mount for the Messenger 3's and a few others of equal width and height. Antenna is Antenna Specialists hole-mount, base loaded antenna...mounted right in the center of the roof, where it belongs. Same antenna and a Messenger 3 with Tone Alert go into 1971 Licoln Continental. 1974...The 1951 GMC is traded in on a Ford F-150 with extended cab. I am not happy. The GMC was gone without me knowing what was going on. I knew my dad was thinking a little about getting another truck, but I didn't realize that he was planning on trading her in on it. The F-150 gets the Messenger 100 and a Tone Alert. Another A/S base loaded antenna goes in the center of the roof, where it belongs. We get 2 Messenger 323's...One goes in the kitchen, the other one into my '72 F-250 with A/S antenna in center of roof, where it belongs. My '68 Plymouth GTX gets a Cobra 132 put into it. Base loaded, hole mount antenna goes into the center of the trunk lid...At the time, I was scared to drill a proper hole into the vinyl top. When Dad died from old age in 1978, the "CB" on the farm discontinued. We went on to leasing UHF business band rigs from the land mobile franchise (EF Johnson) in Peoria. The CB antenna on the ol' house came down in 1991 while the roof was being reshingled. One of the legs on the 31 year rooftop tower was getting in pretty bad shape (rust). The 1974 F-150 went to the auto auction at Morton IL in the fall of 1986...it, like the old Rohn tower, had met up with rusting. Somebody is probably still driving the good old '51 GMC. From Morton the F-150 ended up at a used car lot on the south side of Peoria...still had the "CB" antenna on it, in the center of the roof, where it belonged. The 1466 is still down on the farm, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's old Messenger 3 still works well. |
Keithinatlanta
Advanced Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 718
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 6:07 pm: |
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Rldrake, THANK YOU so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a great story. This is exactly the type of story I was looking for. I would love to have your old 1951 GMC pick up. That has always been my favorite truck. Anyway, thank you again for sharing some wonderful knowledge.
Anyone else out there with stories like this? If so, let's hear from you.
Keith in Atlanta
CEF 150 |
Yankee
Senior Member
Username: Yankee
Post Number: 1061
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 10:03 pm: |
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I can well remember the early days of CB radio. Everyone had only a few crystals in their 4-8 channel transmit radios with 23 channel tuneable receive. Back then we did cross channeling, we would receive on whatever channel the people we were talking to had, and we would be transmiting with whatever channel crystals we had. Many of us had a crystal socket on the front of our radios so we could change crystals quickly, back then crystals for each channel and every radio could be bought at your local Radio Shack or Lafayette Radio Store and were selling for something like $1.29 each, as I remember I had something like 15 crystals within the 23 channels for my first CB radio with an 8 channel internal crystal bank and position 8 went to the crystal socket on the front panel. Can't remember the model number but the first CB was a Lafayette. Those were the days back in 1963. Back then everyone stood by on channel 11.
Carl CEF-357 |
Bvennink
New member
Username: Bvennink
Post Number: 1
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 5:15 pm: |
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We ran CB on our farm. Back around 1978 we set up our equipment. Had a Johnson Messenger 250 50th anniversary model base on a 176 super big-stick. We had a Pace model 123a in the pickup, and a midland model 13-882c on a hy-gain hell cat antenna in the John Deere 4430 tractor. I was wondering if there is still a product out there that is similar to the Johnson tone alert boxes used by some. Sometimes on the farm one dos'nt wish to hear the DX while working, but would still like to recieve call for farm business. Thanks.
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Bruce
Senior Member
Username: Bruce
Post Number: 3490
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 01, 2006 - 6:45 pm: |
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think MURS it is vhf cb radio |
Rldrake
Junior Member
Username: Rldrake
Post Number: 39
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 02, 2006 - 1:17 am: |
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Bvennick, noone is offering selective call systems anymore on 27mhz "cb" radios. Those disappeared with the last of the radios built in America. Some of the U.S. manufacturers that offered such systems were E.F.Johnson (Watseka, Minn.), Pace, International, General, Radson, Sonar, LaFayette, and then Handic in Sweden offered it when they hit the USA market in the mid 70's. Never heard of it being offered on any Jap/Asian built stuff. All manufaturer's that currently sell type-accepted equipment for MURS, GMRS, and the land-mobile services have tone-coded squelch systems available to silence their receivers from unwanted traffic. |
Rldrake
Junior Member
Username: Rldrake
Post Number: 40
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 02, 2006 - 1:22 am: |
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Two more Amercan companies that offered "selective call"...Poly Comm and Citi Fone. |
Keithinatlanta
Advanced Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 723
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 03, 2006 - 4:31 pm: |
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Anyone else have stories to share about using the CB on their farm equipment?
Keith in Atlanta |
Keithinatlanta
Advanced Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 742
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 9:44 am: |
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I guess I am the only one who is farming anymore. I just can't figure out how to run my radio off of my troy built tiller.
No battery, and the noise level on tractor is kinda loud
Have a good day. Any other stories out there?
Keith |
Bvennink
Junior Member
Username: Bvennink
Post Number: 11
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 4:55 pm: |
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I once saw a open cab Minneapolis tractor with a Johnson Messenger III. Because the radio was exposed to the elements the owner welded two .30 caliber army ammo cans togeter. The Johnson was mounted inside vertically and bolted to the fender. The speaker was connected to a all weather PA horn which was bolted to the top of the fender pointed at the driver seat. Also it had a Antenna Specialists base loaded antenna mounted to the fender with a hole-mount. Because the lid of the ammo can was gasketed, it kept all moisture out when not in use. |
Bvennink
Junior Member
Username: Bvennink
Post Number: 12
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 02, 2006 - 9:25 am: |
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Anyone have any good ideas on creating a ground plane for a fiberglass topped John Deere cab tractor? I was once told one could use metalic tape on the underside of the fiberglass top, although I have never seen it done. |
Road_warrior
Senior Member
Username: Road_warrior
Post Number: 1390
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 02, 2006 - 11:44 pm: |
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They make antennas for fiberglass vehicles.
They don't require a groundplane under them. |
Hotwire
Senior Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 1292
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 04, 2006 - 12:37 pm: |
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Good idea Warrior!
Bvennink, Is it possible to attach a long aluminum or stainless steel pole to the tractor and have it sticking up above the cab? You can then just mount an antenna to that. At least the antenna will be grounded and have somewhat of a counterpoise. I would not waste my time taping up the top of the cab with metal tape. I doubt that would have very little if any effectivness. |
Bvennink
Junior Member
Username: Bvennink
Post Number: 13
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Friday, May 05, 2006 - 9:09 am: |
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can anyone reccomend a good no groundplane type antenna that does not compromise performance? Keeping in mind a tractor antenna must be able to take the low tree branches etc. |
Dale
Intermediate Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 361
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Friday, May 05, 2006 - 10:06 am: |
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firestick makes a no gound type antenna and from
past experience with firestick should work well
wont do as well as say a 10k or wilson but should meet your needs
dale/cef426 |
