Auto Electrical
Two-way radio installation near you
Two-way radio installation for CB, amateur or commercial radios: mounted, powered and tuned, with the antenna placed and tested so you transmit cleanly.
- Time at the shop
- 2 h
- about
- Mobile service
- Available
- at your address
- Shops in Canada
- 1
- doing this work
- Your price
- You set it
- shops bid on it
You set the budget
Shops near you send their bids
1 shop in Canada does this
Auto Electrical
What a two-way radio installation is
Two-way radio installation puts a mobile radio in the cab and an antenna on the body and connects the two properly. The installer mounts the radio, or its detachable control head, where you can reach it, runs fused power leads to the battery, fits the antenna on the roof, a fender or a pickup’s bed rail and routes the coaxial cable without pinching it. Most vehicles are done in about two hours.
What separates a radio that works from one that disappoints is tuning: a meter reads how much power reflects back from the antenna, and the whip is adjusted until the reading is low on the channels you use. Trail and overland drivers book it, as do truckers, tow operators, contractors and fleets that need to talk where cell coverage drops out.
- For cars, vans and trucks
- Takes about 2 h
- Can be done at your address
What does a two-way radio installation cost?
It depends on your vehicle and the shop. Post a job with your budget and compare the bids shops near you send.
Get bids
Name your budget. Shops near you bid.
1 shop across Canada does two-way radio installation.
What to expect
Two-way radio installation, step by step
What the job normally covers, what to mention in your request, and the signs that it is time. Every shop says what its bid includes.
The job
What’s included
- Radio or control head mounted clear of knees, airbags and the shifter
- Power lead run straight to the battery with an inline fuse and a solid ground, not tapped from a dash circuit
- Antenna mount fitted: permanent roof mount, fender or hood-lip bracket, bed rail or magnetic base
- Coaxial cable routed through a grommet and under the trim without kinks or crushed sections
- Antenna tuned with an SWR meter, with readings taken on low, middle and high channels
- Commercial radios programmed with your licensed channels and tones before handover
- Microphone clip and any external speaker placed within easy reach of the driver
- Transmit and receive checked on air with the engine running, listening for alternator whine
Checklist
Before you post
- 01Know your radio service: CB needs no licence, amateur radio needs an operator certificate, business channels need a licence
- 02Ask whether the antenna mount means drilling the roof and how the hole is sealed against leaks
- 03Bringing your own radio? Confirm the shop installs customer-supplied equipment and has the right antenna mount
- 04Check the height: a tall whip on a truck roof may not clear your garage door or an underground parking entrance
- 05Ask for the antenna to be tuned on the vehicle and for the SWR readings in writing
- 06For a fleet, ask about programming, the price per vehicle and whether the work can be done at your yard
Signs
When you need it
- You drive trails, logging roads or remote highways where there is no cell signal
- Your crew or convoy needs to talk vehicle to vehicle without dialling a phone
- You hold an amateur radio certificate and want a mobile station in the vehicle
- Your fleet is adding or replacing dispatch radios in its trucks or vans
- An existing radio transmits poorly, picks up engine noise or has a damaged antenna
Sound familiar?Tell shops near you what you need and what you want to spend.
Get bidsHow it works
Get a two-way radio installation done in four steps
You set the budget and choose the shop. Posting is free, and you pay the shop you hire once the work is 100% done.
- 01
Post your job
Choose the service, describe the job and your vehicle, and set your budget. It takes two minutes and costs nothing.
- 02
Shops compete
Nearby shops that do the work see your request and send their best offer: price, when they can start, what is included.
- 03
Accept the best offer
Compare bids, ratings and distance, then hire one shop. The others are told, politely.
- 04
Talk and get it done
Your conversation with the shop opens right away to agree on the day. You pay only after the job is complete.
Keep exploring
Related services
Mechanical Repair
Light bar installation
LED light bar installation: bars, pods and driving lights mounted and wired through a relay, fuse and switch so they run only when you turn them on.
Mechanical Repair
Winch installation
Electric winch installation on a bumper, plate or hitch cradle, wired with heavy cable, breaker and remote and sized to your vehicle’s weight.
Auto electrical repair
Auto electrical repair for blown fuses, dead circuits, warning lights and overnight battery drain, with the faulty wire, relay or connection traced and fixed.
Mobile Mechanics
Fleet maintenance
Fleet maintenance for company cars, vans and pickups: preventive service at your yard or a shop, with history and due dates kept for every vehicle.
Dash cam installation
Dash cam installation behind the mirror, hardwired to the fuse box with cables hidden in the trim and parking mode set to protect your battery.
Questions
Questions about two-way radio installation
General answers for drivers in Canada. The shop you hire confirms the details for your vehicle.
Do I need a licence for a CB or two-way radio in Canada?
It depends on the radio. CB radio is licence-exempt. Amateur (ham) radio requires an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate, which you earn by passing an exam. Commercial VHF and UHF radios used by businesses operate on frequencies licensed by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, usually arranged through the radio supplier. High-power GMRS mobile radios sold in the United States may not be certified for Canada, so check before you buy.
Where should the antenna be mounted on my vehicle?
The centre of a metal roof gives the most even coverage, because the roof acts as the antenna’s ground plane. That means drilling a small hole, which many owners prefer to avoid. Fender, hood-lip and bed-rail brackets need no visible holes and work well, with a slightly directional pattern. Magnetic mounts are quickest but can scratch the paint and pinch the cable in the door seal.
What is SWR and why does the antenna need tuning?
SWR, standing wave ratio, measures how much of the transmitter’s power is reflected back down the cable instead of leaving the antenna. A high reading means short range and, over time, a damaged radio. The installer checks it with a meter and adjusts the antenna’s length or position until it is low on the channels you use. It has to be done on the vehicle, because the body is part of the antenna system.
How far will a vehicle-mounted two-way radio reach?
A 4-watt CB with a well-tuned antenna usually covers a few kilometres between vehicles, more across open country and less among hills or tall buildings. Commercial VHF and UHF radios put out more power and, through a repeater, can cover a whole region. Antenna and terrain matter more than the radio itself, and a badly placed or untuned antenna shortens every one of those distances.
Will a two-way radio drain my battery or cause interference?
A mobile radio draws very little while listening, but one wired straight to the battery stays live with the ignition off, so switch it off when you park or ask for an ignition-controlled relay. Interference usually shows up as a whine that rises with engine speed. It comes from poor grounding or power taken from a noisy circuit, which is why installers run dedicated fused leads to the battery.
Something else to ask? Once you hire a shop, you talk to it directly in your request’s conversation.
Ready when you areTell shops near you what you need and what you want to spend.
Get bidsFor auto electrical shops
Sign up as a business
Auto electrical shops across Canada: drivers post their Auto Electrical requests here. Publish your weekly flyer, open the appointment windows you can take and bid on the jobs near you. Free while we launch, no commission.