Fitting a CB in an HGV cab comes down to three checks. Confirm the radio accepts your cab’s supply, because many lorries run 24V and some CB sets are specified for 13.8V only. Measure the depth behind the dash before ordering. Then pick an antenna and bracket that respect your overall travelling height.
A lorry install is not a car install: a 24V system, a shallow dash, a visor upright instead of a boot lip, and a vehicle near the limits under bridges. Licensing, SWR and antenna choice have their own guides, so this one stays on truck ground.
12V or 24V: check the radio before anything else
Read the label first. The PNI HP8000L states a DC input voltage of 13.8Vdc plus or minus 15 percent, so nothing in its specification reaches 24V. The PNI HP8024 is described as suitable for cars on 12V and for trucks or TIRs on 24V. The PNI Escort HP 9001 PRO and HP 9500 are specified at 12V to 24V, and the TTI TCB-900 lists a 12/24V input. The rest are in CB radios.
A lighter plug is fine for a trial, less so in a cab that vibrates all day. The 3 pin fused CB power lead is 20 gauge with a fuse holder and a 2 amp fuse, while the HP 9001 PRO quotes a maximum draw of 2200mA. Match the fuse to the radio.
What CB radio do truckers use in a tight dashboard
Depth decides this more often than features. The TTI TCB-900 has a depth of only 94mm excluding the antenna socket, with a front speaker and front mic socket. It ships with a standard under-dash mount, with a DIN adapter listed as an optional extra. That 94mm stops at the socket, so the plug and first bend of coax still need room.
The PNI Escort HP 6500 V3 is listed at 120 x 110 x 27 mm, with a detachable microphone and quick disconnect bracket. The HP 9001 PRO is 1DIN at 46 x 142 x 158 mm, the HP 9500 comes with a 1DIN case, and the CRT SS 8900 quotes an installation depth of 230mm.
Truck antenna bracket options by make
The cab specific brackets are electropolished stainless steel, each drawn for a named mounting point on a named cab. The DAF, Actros 2016 and Stralis new series listings add laser cut high strength steel.
- Scania: passenger’s side, sun visor upright, 2.5mm.
- Volvo FH first series: second visor upright, passenger’s side, 3mm.
- Volvo FH new series: first visor upright, passenger’s side, 3mm.
- DAF: either door, two screws and two rivets on the vertical upright, 2.5mm.
- MAN: driver’s side, above the door by rivets, 2.5mm.
- Mercedes Benz Actros 2016: passenger’s side, above the first visor anchorage, 4mm.
- Iveco Stralis, Stralino, Eurocargo: two screws of the vertical upright, passenger’s door, 2.5mm.
- Iveco Stralis new series: two screws of the door’s vertical upright, passenger’s side, 3mm.
- Iveco Eurocargo: driver’s side, above the first visor anchorage, 3mm.
Otherwise the universal truck bracket has adjustment holes for any position. Check hole sizes before anyone drills: the 4 metre SO239 mount, the Sirio angled double SO239 connector and the Santiago 600 specify a 16mm mounting hole, the Sirio Titanium 800 specifies 10mm. See truck accessories.
Why a magnet mount cb antenna is a compromise on an HGV
The magnet has to grip flat ferrous steel hard enough to hold at motorway speed, and as a general rule that panel also acts as the ground plane, covered in the guide on choosing a vehicle antenna. On a cab the mirror arms, visor uprights and most trim give neither, leaving the roof, where you least want extra height.
The Sirio MAG 145 PL has an SO239 fitting and 3.6m of RG58. The PNI 170/PL is 170mm with 4m of RG58 and a fitted PL259. The Trimag-S is 30 x 30cm with 4m of RG58, the Turbo-S a 7 inch magnet, the BA150 a 150mm magnet with a 16mm antenna hole. They earn their place where drilling is banned. See magnetic mounts.
Does cb antenna length matter against bridge height
It matters twice, electrically and in metres above the tarmac. Quoted heights vary widely: 790mm on the Sirio Titanium 800, 820mm on the LEMM AT 106, 1445mm on the Bull Trucker 3000 PL, 1665mm on the Bull Trucker 5000 PL and 2030mm on the Sirio Hi-Power 4000 PL. On a visor upright already near the top of the cab, the sums change quickly.
Rule 292 of the Highway Code states that clearance under overhead electric lines at a level crossing is usually 5 metres, 16 feet 6 inches, but may be lower, and that you must obey the safe height warning signs. Rule 307 states that tramway wires are normally 5.8 metres above any carriageway but can be lower. Both are on the gov.uk Highway Code page.
Regulation 10 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 defines overall travelling height as the distance from the ground to the point farthest from the ground on the vehicle, its trailer, its load or any equipment fitted to it. That regulation covers a defined list of vehicles, but the definition is the clearest statement of what counts, and a whip is fitted equipment. The Titanium 800 detaches for the car wash.
What coax cable to use for cb radio, and the run to the dash
Check what is in the box. The 4 metre SO239 mount, Trimag-S, Turbo-S and PNI 170/PL come with about 4m of RG58, the Sirio MAG 145 PL with 3.6m, the Bull Trucker 3000 PL and 5000 PL with none. From a visor upright, down the pillar and across to the dash, 4m goes quickly, hence a made up lead from the coax cable range.
Thicker cable loses less but bends less kindly through a pillar:
| Cable | Diameter | Loss per 10m at 100MHz |
|---|---|---|
| RG58 military spec | 6mm | 1.5dB |
| Mini8 military spec | 7mm | 1.2dB |
| RG213 military spec | 9mm | 0.7dB |
Those figures are quoted at 100MHz, well above the 27MHz CB band, so read them as a ranking rather than a CB loss figure. Where a straight plug would foul the bracket, the Sirio angled double SO239 connector takes the run away at an angle. For high power there is a 4 metre Sirio Teflon RG303 lead, listed to 2000 watts.
Tuning, and hearing it over a diesel at 56mph
Take the SWR reading with the cab doors shut and the truck clear of buildings and other vehicles, since both move the needle. A Moonraker SWR-125 covers 26 to 30 MHz at 100W into 50 ohms. The method is in our SWR guide.
Cab noise beats most internal speakers. The extension speaker here is 8 ohms and 5 watts, with a switchable filter, an 8dB attenuator and 2m of cable to a 3.5mm plug. The TTI K2 handsfree system fits 6 pin TTI, Midland and President radios, with a latched PTT and a 1, 2 or 3 minute time out. It is listed as a 12v supply, so plan that feed.
A word on 10 metre and SSB sets
The CRT SS 8900 works AM, FM and SSB across 28 to 29.7 MHz, at 60W PEP on AM and on SSB, up to 50W on FM. That is amateur spectrum, and it needs an amateur licence. UK 27 MHz CB is licence exempt at 4 watts on FM and AM across the 40 UK and EU channels. Those sets are in 10m SSB radios; our guide on UK CB legality covers the rest.
Before you order a bracket
We are in Larbert, Falkirk, with decades in CB and amateur radio behind the counter, and orders go out on UK wide courier delivery. Give us the make, model and series of the cab, because the mounting point moves between series.
Frequently asked questions
What CB radio do truckers use in the UK?
Usually a dual voltage set, because many cabs run a 24V supply. Models specified for 12V to 24V include the PNI HP8024, the PNI Escort HP 9001 PRO, the HP 9500 and the TTI TCB-900. After voltage, depth behind the dash aperture decides it.
Does CB antenna length matter on a truck?
Yes, twice over. Length affects electrical performance, and it adds to vehicle height. The Construction and Use definition of overall travelling height measures to the farthest point from the ground, including fitted equipment. Quoted heights above run 790mm to 2030mm.
Does a magnetic mount CB antenna need a steel panel?
It has to grip flat ferrous steel, so it needs a panel of reasonable area, and as a general rule that panel is also the ground plane. On an HGV cab the mirror arms, visor uprights and much of the trim give neither, leaving the roof.
What coax cable should I use for a CB radio in a truck?
Most mounts here ship with about 4m of RG58, flexible enough for a pillar run. For lower loss over a longer route, Mini8 at 7mm and RG213 at 9mm are thicker and stiffer. For high power work on Sirio and GGD antennas the Teflon RG303 lead is listed to 2000 watts.
Is a 10 metre radio the same as a CB?
No. UK 27 MHz CB is licence exempt at 4 watts on FM and AM across the 40 UK and EU channels. A 10 metre set such as the CRT SS 8900 works on 28 to 29.7 MHz, amateur spectrum that needs an amateur licence.