How to Build a Dipole CB Antenna
Citizen band (CB) enthusiasts know they need an outdoor antenna if the CB receiver in a home is to work properly. You can avoid the high cost of a commercially made CB radio antenna by making your own Dipole antenna. You will need some coaxial cable, along with other items you can get from a hardware store. If properly made, your Dipole antenna will pull in signals from all your “good buddies” in other homes and on the road.
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic clothes hanger
- Duct tape
- Broom
- 50-ohm coaxial cable
- Wire cutters
- Wire strippers
- Plastic coated speaker wire
- Tape measure
- Coaxial cable grip
- Coaxial cable screw
Instructions
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1
Measure 105 inches of speaker wire using the tape measure. Cut the speaker wire with the wire cutters. Cut three additional 105-inch-long pieces of speaker wire.
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2
With the wire strippers, strip off an inch of insulation from one end of each of the four lengths of speaker wire.
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3
Arrange the four lengths of speaker wire on the ground next to a tree so that each wire touches the end of another. Fan out the wires in an arc.
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4
Measure a length of coaxial cable that is long enough to reach from the CB receiver to the lengths of speaker wire. Cut the coaxial cable with the wire cutters. Use the coaxial cable grip to attach the coaxial cable screw to one end of the cut length of coaxial cable. Stretch the coaxial cable over to the speaker wires.
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5
Use the wire strippers to strip 2 inches of insulation off of the end of the coaxial cable. Wrap the ends of the four speaker cable wires around the braided outer shield of the coaxial cable.
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6
Measure a 20-foot length of speaker wire. Cut the speaker wire with the wire cutters. Strip an inch of insulation off of one end of the speaker wire with the wire strippers. Wrap the end around the braided outer shield of the coaxial cable.
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7
Drape the other end of the speaker wire that was just attached to the coaxial cable through the plastic clothes hanger. Duct tape the wire to the plastic clothes hanger.
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8
Put the end of the broom through the plastic clothes hanger. Push the end of the broom against a tree branch. Shake the plastic coat hanger free from the end of the broom so that the plastic coat hanger falls over the tree branch.
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9
Attach the coaxial cable screw that is attached to the coaxial cable to the antenna port of the CB receiver.
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Tips & Warnings
Have another person help you in stretching out the antenna wire so that it doesn’t get tangled.
Make sure that the wire of your antenna is not long enough to reach a power line if it becomes dislodged or blown out of position by the wind, which would increase the risk of being electrocuted.
The antenna will not work if the speaker wires attached to the braided outer shield of the coaxial cable touch any of the interior wires of the coaxial cable.
