hi

where on the engine should/would the ground wire be located.

I installed a CB and I get a lot of static when the engine is on, as far as my research goes it points towards 2 possible solutions the spark plug leads or bad ground, since the leads are a bit hard to get to (the back once) I was checking to the if the engine had good ground so far I only found 1 ground at the back of the engine (near throttle cables) conects to the firewall, but shouldn't it be grounded on a couple spots.

the other think is I just had the engine swaped over and I found a couple issues already that I need to sort with the mechanic since there was no oil change done and by the look of things the spark plug leads had not been changed either,

once I go on my break I will check it with a mutimeter

thanks
Michael

The main battery to engine ground is under the thermostat on the block itself. There is another one under the airbox.

i have both my negative and the positive of the battery for my UHF and it is doing the same thing also the aerial runs the same path through the fire wall on the left hand side with my amp cables. I have no noise through the sub but through both my cb radios i do. I am looking at a noise canceller that can handle about 25 amps continuous to fix it unless there could be another issue

I have just tested the ground with a multimetre. have found

all off - ground zero
accessory on - ground zero
engine running -ground 0.02 v agross all ground.

not sure if thats normal, in the morning I might buy some thinker power cable and set it up as
+ of battery with noise filter connected inside the cab
- terminated on grounded with in the cab

if I have time replace stock ground cable/wires with bigger once. since I as well have no noise/static on sub power cable.

will do some more research, keep you posted

Michael

EDITED: just found this website and the way this guy hooks up the power cable to the CB is just perfect I think that might fix my problem.
instat of using power cable he used a type of coax, the centre would be the positive part and the shield which will pick up any noise/static is the ground. this way it should provide a clean power input for the CB.
http://www.links4jeeps.com/writeups/BasicCB/wiring.php#battery

I have seen this done a very long time ago but I need about 13 amps to power my UHF up properly and at full power so I am not sure it would work for me but certainly if you have a non commercial radio that should be fine. The idea behind using coax is to simply shield the positive wire from any ignition or engine noise

after talking to my father in law thats been around CBs half his life I will run the same cable thats running my amp since there is no static I am hoping it will have the same result with the CB.

since the bigger cable has more resistance it should have a cleaner power input to the CB
if all else fails my last resort will be to try a cheap coax to see if that will give me a clean input & then either buy a thick coax or try shilding the power cable with some alu foil,

ive got a comercial one as well,

ill keep you posted

Michael

Off topic for your grounding issue, but with CB radios how does the frequency range vs the channel range work? Some are advertised as having certain frequencies while others have certain chanels or a mix of both, what's the most commonly used ones?
I'm after a CB that I can have the unit mounted under the dash and all controls and tuning/volume display etc on the handpiece, to use on cruises with people that have hand-held CB walkie talkies etc, but I'm not sure what would be most suitable.
Also prefer one with a small or hidden antenna, and the cheaper the better.

Several ways to go with it but a UHF 80 Channel something like this http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/GME-TX3340-40-Channel-UHF-CB-Radio-BNIB-/280895655566?pt=AU_Electronics_Radio_Equipment&hash=item4166af8e8e#ht_500wt_900 . This has every thing on the microphone so the main box is easily hidden perhaps under the dash or the passenger seat and have only the microphone cord running into perhaps the centre console and then it can be easily hidden. This radio I think from memory can also scan for some police channels as well and is perfect for what you have said your looking for. As for your aerial it is possible to use a small ground independent one that can sit on the parcel shelf for car to insight car use but your best off with a small 4 Dbi aerial which can some times be bought in a combo pack as well. Make sure if you buy a UHF CB that you don't waste your money on a 40ch one as these are being phased outover the next couple of years

been doing some testing, I have run a 8 gauge power cable still getting the noise, I have been doing some research and talking to professional installers, and keep coming back to a bad spark plug wire, I have tryed runnin the power from inside the cabe but still get the noise, on sat a friend is coming by and we will install the aerial on the rear window, I might try my first Idea and use the coax from the aerial and use it as a test power cable just to see if the noise will disappear, since my commercial radio some how fried, it doesn't start up using possitive and negative but it will work using possitive and the aerial ground, friend is looking in to it, using my spare 40 channel,

Michael

you will find that you have some how burnt a earth track out on the main board of the radio possibly from having the radio turned on while connecting power to it well at least that happened to one of myn in the past. May I ask what radio you do have? I'm running a PRM8030 at just on 50 watts and having the same problems

its a kenwood and its programed to max output, ill have to wait till I get it back from my friend to tell you more. in the moment I have my back up UMD 40 channel (I think) with controls on the mic connected, I tried using the the spare coax for the power but still get the same noise, Ill wait till sat a mate will come help me move the aerial from the fender and put it on the rear window away from the engine bay, and see if the noise stops if its doesn't I'm gona test the spurk plug leads by (bush mechanic trick) and spraying soap water on them in the dark and I should see some sparks if they are bad,

ill keep you posted
michael

well we installed a small 2.5DB gain on glass aerial on the car yesterday and all my static has disappeared. I can only have to reasons to choose from.
1) the static was induced by the power cable
2)the static came from a ignition issue

current setup

power from the battery grounded inside the cap, aerial re-run to the back window and no static, downfall to it all is once I pull in my drive way in rockingham I can't get 3 repeater anymore but I can leave with that.

Michael

What are the on-glass aerials like on reception I might look into to it are they only good for repeater work or a bit of distance to it would be very interesting to the radiation pattern it produces

not sure what the pattern is like, my car was parked near rockingham beach primary (I live near the school) and I was talking to a mate that was at his parents place in waikiki with some small static.
from what I am told if your after distance and power you might not want to get on glass but move the aerial to the boot lid to get it away from the engine or get a filter to go on the coax there would be a little power loss with that as well.
the issue with the on glass is that there is not direct contact all the way as the glass is in the way, I think the term is called induction and there is always some power loss with that.
I choose to go on glass as I am not a havey user and only really use the CB if I am heading to work or go camping with mates, which will be better once I get my 4x4.
Ill try and take a picture later and upload it.

Michael