Cool Tech's CB Antenna Kit for JL Wrangler - Available Now

[CoolTech]

Jeff,

I'm sorry you had trouble with the kit. It seems that you either had a bad coax or a short in the FireRing connector. We would have gladly made it right. You are correct that we do not have phone support but we respond very quickly to emails - so I'm curious how we would have missed your emails.

I want to assure you that our system is not "crap". I have been a licensed HAM radio since 1978 and we have been building solutions specific to the Jeep Wrangler since 2006. We ONLY use top components (including the coax, Firering connectors, and antennas) from FireStik who has been our sole supplier for the last 13-years. They stand behind their products and we stand behind everything that we sell.

Again, I'm sorry you had a problem and second, I'm sorry you had trouble to contact us. Please PM me as I would like to provide you a refund to offset the additional expenses that you should not have had to incur.

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[Drkarr]

Thanks.

This was very frustrating install because of the amount of time I invested installing, reinstalling, trouble shooting, trying to contact you guys, and ultinmately using some of my day off which are few to visit the CB store to get some assistance. I am not a CB expert but I am hands such as on restoring cars, antique firearms, ect.

 

[Drkarr]

Cool Tech did promise a full refund, FYI.

 

[CoolTech]

Jeff,

We DID issue a full refund. Perhaps Jeff's case was simply a bad coax cable... but let me just add a few words to help clarify how the FireRing connector works.

The Firestik FireRing connector has a metal ring on each side of the "banjo-like" end. One of the metal rings is connected to the shield (ground) of the coax and the other ring is connected to the center conductor (positive) of the coax. The FireRing MUST be oriented correctly or it will not work. If you look closely at both sides of the FireRing, you will notice that one side has a white plastic lip. This is the side with the GROUND ring. This lip must be mounted into the 1/2" bracket hole. It centers the FireRing in the hole AND the GROUND ring smashes against the metal bracket... grounding the coax to the bracket. The hex head of the stainless steel bolt comes into contact with the POSITIVE ring on the opposite side of the FireRing. The bolt goes through the FireRing and the metal bracket. On the topside of the metal bracket, a white plastic washer (lip side down) is placed onto the bolt followed by a flat washer, then a lock washer, and finally a hex metal coupler. Then everything is tightened securely.

When installed correctly, the ground ring is squished against the metal mounting bracket - grounding the coax to the grounded (by virtue of the mounting bolts) antenna bracket. The hex bolt contacts the POSITIVE (center conductor) ring and carries it up and makes the hex coupler positive as well. (The white insulating washers insure that the bolt does not contact the grounded mounting bracket.)

A competent CB shop could (should);

1. Simply test for continuity between the outer shield of the coax and ground (should be continuity)
2. Test for continuity between the center pin of the coax and the hex coupler that the antenna threads into (should be continuity)
3. Finally, insure that there is NO continuity between the center pin and the outer shield of the coax.

The 3 steps above can be done in less than 5 minutes and should allow a knowledgeable shop to quickly determine where the problem is.

 

[Jeep Generation]

I have Cool Tech set ups on both my JLU and JK. No issues with either install. Maybe it was just a bad batch.

 

[DeekT]

I have Cool Tech set ups on both my JLU and JK. No issues with either install. Maybe it was just a bad batch.

I also have the Cool Tech on my JLU with Cobra 75 and friends are blown away with how good it talks. Setting SWR was quite easy.

 

[Triplethreat4597]

Just setup my cooltech system tonight and couldn't have been easier. Still have to hook the power up but will do that tomorrow. Ordered at like 12am EST on 12/27 and it arrived today! Great shipping and support!!

 

[Chevelleman25ann]

I wanted to order a full kit for my new JL but it’s saying $70 just for the shipping! That seems like a buttload. Is that what ya’ll paid for shipping?

 

[CoolTech]

Most of the time our website gets it pretty right on shipping - but occasionally we may see an error like this. A CB "All-in-one" kit ships in two boxes. One box will have the antenna and this is around 50" x 2" x 2". The second box will contain everything else - CB, coax, mic mount, ant. mount. The typical shipping cost should be around $25 total.... not $70. However, if you add a couple of items, the website often isn't smart enough to know that we will combine packaging and sometimes shipping costs gets additive when it shouldn't. We are NOT trying to profit from the shipping - just trying to cover actual costs.

 

[Chevelleman25ann]

Most of the time our website gets it pretty right on shipping - but occasionally we may see an error like this. A CB "All-in-one" kit ships in two boxes. One box will have the antenna and this is around 50" x 2" x 2". The second box will contain everything else - CB, coax, mic mount, ant. mount. The typical shipping cost should be around $25 total.... not $70. However, if you add a couple of items, the website often isn't smart enough to know that we will combine packaging and sometimes shipping costs gets additive when it shouldn't. We are NOT trying to profit from the shipping - just trying to cover actual costs.

Thanks cooltech. It was actually human error on our end. Bad interpretation. So sorry. We are actually going to get 3 kits and that was total for the 3. We thought it was for each. Now we know and are ordering today. Can’t wait for them to arrive! Thanks Cooltech! You really do have great customer service as so many here have stated.

 

[Chevelleman25ann]

Cooltech has been in contact w me throughout the day about my shipping cost concern which turned out to be human error on our end NOT cooltechs. We got our order in and they shipped our 3 kits out today! Can’t wait til they arrive. I’ve already familiarized myself with the install process (YouTube) which btw looks super easy and should be a breeze. Two thumbs up From us.

 

[imapseudonym]

Just ordered the all in one kit from ya guys!

Wish you had free shipping, but I understand :D

 

[millerjl]

CB testing help... hey guys, is there any way to "test" without getting an SWR meter? I got my kit all hooked up but before I run the antenna cable permanently under all the trim I wanted to make sure it was working. I am on the socal fwy for an hour each way to and from work, should I be able to pick up the truckers? Is there a channel that people generally use.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[EarlThe3rd]

CB testing help... hey guys, is there any way to "test" without getting an SWR meter? I got my kit all hooked up but before I run the antenna cable permanently under all the trim I wanted to make sure it was working. I am on the socal fwy for an hour each way to and from work, should I be able to pick up the truckers? Is there a channel that people generally use.

Any advice is appreciated.

An swr meter and jumper is pretty cheap and can be had on Amazon for $20-$25. It's worth it, especially if you ever need to make a change to the setup or are having issues. Quick and easy to test and address. In the meantime, you can certainly test and see if you pick anything up You just want to be aware of the damage you can cause the radio if you try to transmit with a less than ideal tune to the antenna.

Try out ch 19, which is an open channel that is used for finding others. There are other channels that are supposed to be used for east/West or North/South traffic, or region specific, among other things.

 

[millerjl]

Listened to 19 all the way home and did hear some squelch but nothing really came through. Have read you could damage if you transmit, so didn’t do that. Ordered an SWR meter last night and will tune it properly once it arrives.

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