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How to Make an Indoor CB Antenna

A Citizen's Band radio is not exclusively a mobile communication device. You might talk to local CB operators -- or listen to truck driver conversations -- from the comfort of your home. An indoor CB antenna is sufficient for tuning to the 40 channels on the CB band. The single sideband function on your radio sometimes allows CB operators to join clubs operating on the upper channels in your region or across the country.

Things You'll Need

Speaker wire, 16- to 18-gauge, 27 feet
Coaxial cable, 50-ohm, 5 feet
Coaxial connector, PL-259, solderless
Ring terminal, solderless
Wire-stripping tool
Utility knife
Coaxial cable crimping tool
Soldering iron and solder
Electrical tape
Pliers
Small piece of twine

Instructions

- 1
  Separate the speaker wires. Cut five, 105-inch lengths of wire. Strip 1/2 inch of insulation from one end of each wire.
- 2
  Strip 1 inch of outer insulation from an end of the coaxial cable. Pull the braided sheath back over the cable. Remove 1/4 inch of plastic insulation, exposing the inner copper wire.
- 3
  Solder one 105-inch wire to the coaxial copper wire. Solder the remaining four lengths of wire to the braided sheath. Do not allow the copper wire connection to make contact with the braided sheath connections. Wrap electrical tape around the connections to protect the solder joints.
- 4
  Crimp the ring terminal to the free end of the 105-inch wire connected to the coaxial copper wire. Thread a piece of twine through the ring terminal.
- 5
  Crimp the coaxial connector to the free end of the coaxial cable. Plug it into the CB radio's external antenna jack.
- 6
  Hang the antenna from the ring-terminal twine. Allow the four radiating wires to hang down.

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