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AMC AM/FM and CB radio How to wire it?

Discussion in 'Intermediate CJ-5/6/7/8' started by QCJeep, Oct 28, 2015.

  1. Oct 28, 2015
    QCJeep

    QCJeep Current project DJ-6 1965

    Quebec, Canada
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    Nov 26, 2012
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    I bought a radio recently and I'm looking how to wire it.

    I’m sure that the two connectors with white/black/green wires are used for the front/rear speakers.
    The connectors with the brown/orange/black wires is also easy since it’s written on the nameplate.

    I would like to be sure for the black connector on the left corner, is it for grounding to the chassis?

    I’m wondering if the antenna is OK or not. Should I consider that the radio and the CB are using the same antenna?


    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I found this on the web which look accurate for me but there is no mention about the black connector:

    Orange = Ignition 12v hot CB
    Brown = Ignition 12v hot Radio
    Black = ground

    Should be Front Speakers:
    green to green = R + speaker
    white with black tracer to white with black tracer = L + speaker
    black to two black wires = common - for speakers

    Should be Rear Speakers:
    green to grey = R + speaker
    white to white = L + speaker
    black to two black wires = common - for speakers

    Original post on my website:
    http://jeepwillysworld.com/blog/2015/10/28/am-fm-cb-amc-jeep-radio-wiring/
     
  2. Oct 28, 2015
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    The black tube you've labeled "chassis ground?" is actually the connector for the am/fm antenna, the other antenna is strictly CB.

    H.
     
  3. Oct 28, 2015
    PeteL

    PeteL If it wasn't for physics, and law enforcement... 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Hills of NH
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    I have a radio that is supposed to be AM only, but it works in the afternoon too. (?)

    ;)
     
  4. Oct 28, 2015
    turbogus

    turbogus Member

    Albany, Oregon
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    Reminds me of the old Cheech and Chongs' bit from Big Bamboo [​IMG]

    "Hey mon check this radio, it even gets AM" :rofl:

    It still have that rolling paper
     
  5. Oct 28, 2015
    Walt Couch

    Walt Couch sidehill Cordele, Ga. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    cordele, Ga.
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    This is correct. AM/FM ant connector.
     
  6. Oct 28, 2015
    jpflat2a

    jpflat2a what's that noise?

    Hermosa, SD
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    You might be missing the antenna splitter box.
    They both used the factory antenna/mast.
     
  7. Oct 28, 2015
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    Ah, I forgot about those- I used to have one but you need the proper antenna to work with it- a standard car antenna can't be loaded up for good VSWR.

    H.
     
    Last edited: Oct 29, 2015
  8. Oct 29, 2015
    QCJeep

    QCJeep Current project DJ-6 1965

    Quebec, Canada
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    Ok, if this black connector is for the AM/FM antenna why I should need a splitter box? Can I have two separated antenna? One for the radio and one for the CB? The splitter box is for those who want to use only one antenna for both, right?
     
  9. Oct 29, 2015
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    Yes you can use separate antennas.

    H.
     
  10. Oct 29, 2015
    Walt Couch

    Walt Couch sidehill Cordele, Ga. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    cordele, Ga.
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    Howard didn't the splitter have a way to shunt the am radio ant when you keyed up the CB to keep from burning up the input to the radio. Been too long for me to remember. I do remember some models you had to switch from radio to CB on the front panel and some units that had a relay so that when you keyed the mic it switched the relay swinging it to the CB ant.
     
  11. Oct 29, 2015
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    The one I had was a filter- energy at CB frequencies was blocked from the radio input so you could use the CB while the radio was on. The antenna it came with had a small loading coil in the base to match the CB transmitter for VSWR.

    Of course with a combo radio unit you probably can't listen to music & CB at the same time. :rofl:


    H.
     
  12. Oct 30, 2015
    QCJeep

    QCJeep Current project DJ-6 1965

    Quebec, Canada
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    I am completely lost. I though it would be simple.
    I don't really have knowledge about radio and CB frequency.

    Here is how I see it.
    I have a combo radio that can do AM/FM as a normal radio and it can be use as a CB also.

    So I should be able to plug the speaker and power to the radio and connect one antenna for the radio itself (i will find one) and connect the other antenna for the CB.
    Then I turn on the radio with the switch to AM or FM to listen the music.
    Now If I want to use it as a CB, I turn it off, put the switch to CB and turn it on. Voila.
    I can't listen anymore the music but instead I can listen trucker's singing country song through the CB.

    Does it look right?

    Does anyone here has an installation manual that goes with those radio?
     
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2015
  13. Oct 30, 2015
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    You're not lost at all- you have it completely correct.

    And some of those truck drivers sign pretty good :D

    H.
     
  14. Nov 27, 2015
    QCJeep

    QCJeep Current project DJ-6 1965

    Quebec, Canada
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    Can I use any type of speaker? ohm?
     
  15. Nov 27, 2015
    Howard Eisenhauer

    Howard Eisenhauer Administrator Staff Member

    Tantallon, Nova...
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    Non-critical, 4 or 8 ohm speakers will work fine.

    H.
     
  16. Nov 27, 2015
    Walt Couch

    Walt Couch sidehill Cordele, Ga. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    Well you have to be a little careful there. Some speakers take a good deal of power to drive them. I have some 8 ohm speakers that take about 60 watts of power just to start driving them.
     
  17. Nov 29, 2015
    timgr

    timgr We stand on the shoulders of giants. 2022 Sponsor

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    Speakers vary a lot in efficiency. The "nominal" impedance of a speaker should match the output impedance of your amplifier. The lower the speaker impedance, the more power it takes to drive it to a given volume. So, 8 ohm speakers should be a lot louder than 4 ohm speakers ... in an ideal world where all speakers had the same operating efficiency (they do not!).

    Your typical transistor amplifier can drive either a 4 ohm or 8 ohm load, but the sound volume should be very different for "otherwise similar" speakers. Your typical car speakers will have a low input impedance (ie 4 ohms) because the car amplifier is voltage limited, and lower impedance means more power for the same voltage. But the SPL (sound pressure level) is more related to the speaker design than the rated impedance.

    If you have no speakers now, look at the output impedance of your amplifier and use speakers that match that impedance. When you shop for speakers, their efficiency will be given in dBWm or dB of volume for 1 Watt input at 1 meter. Recall that dB is a logarithmic scale, so an increase in 3dB is a doubling of input voltage, but not a doubling in perceived volume. A speaker with a 84 dBWm (inefficient!) will be clearly less loud than a speaker with an efficiency of 86 dBWm, which requires half the power. A speaker with efficiency in the 90s is very efficient, and can be driven to high volume by your iPhone, for example.

    There is a lot more to this ...
     
    Last edited: Nov 29, 2015
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