CB Radios . . .

[OneMpg]

Hey I was thinking about getting a CB radio. I have never used a CB before but it sounds like it could be a cool toy to have around. Is there anything I should know before buying one? I was thinking about getting a cobra . . . I've used some of their 2 way radios and I was very impressed with the clarity and also just the quality of the unit.

-http://www.cobra.com/index.php?page=...uct_id=12&id=1


Any thoughts on this radio? Would I need an antenna with this setup? Any input/experiences/whatever would help. Thanks much

-Dave

[doughby82]

i used to play with cb radio's.i would sugest getting a cheap one.maybe at a garage sale first for like 10 bucks to see if thats something you want to continue before you drop almost a 100 bucks on one.i used to run a 29classic ltd,it was the top dog back then as i recall.also yes you will have to run an attenna with all of them the better antenna you get the better

[68 Suburban]

Walmart has a decent one for about $32. I tried using one on oneo f my trips to and from Chicago, but I can't understand 80% of what is being said. It sounds like jibberish....lol

[krue]

CB's are good for staying awake on long trips, avoiding cops, and talking a cop out of pulling you over among other things. If you just want to try one out, get a Walmart special and a magnetic base antenna and give it a go.

A word to the wise, listen a while before you start talking, never call anyone a "Good Buddy" or anything else like that, or you may get flamed.

[doughby82]

Originally posted by 68 Suburban
Walmart has a decent one for about $32. I tried using one on oneo f my trips to and from Chicago, but I can't understand 80% of what is being said. It sounds like jibberish....lol

yeah it takes awile to understand whats going on and whats being said

[krue]

It's a whole new language if you've never been around it.

[Gordo]

An antenna is like 75% of your radio. Buy a cheap radio and a good antenna otherwise you will have a "if you can see me, you can hear me radio".

[lux hauler]

"Stock" radios used on channel 19 in an area where there are lots of trucks (major highways) are pretty much worthless. Most truck drivers are using radios that are modified, in some way, to get them 'over' all the noise, which only makes things worse for those with stock radios.

I guess, what you get, depends on what you plan to do with it.

Get yourself a decent radio, a good antenna and a SWR meter. Match the antenna to the radio with the SWR meter and you're good to go. It may not be the loudest or talk the farthest but it should work ok.

Cobra is a good radio.
I used to run a 29 LTD Classic also.....really nice radio for the time.

BTW.....don't waste your money on a "powered mic" if you plan to use the radio on the road. It will pick-up more background noise. Instead, find a good radio tech that can peak the power and modulation from inside the radio.

My suggetion for an antenna would be either a Wilson (1000) or K40. Both companies make antennas that mount in different ways and different locations.

[old Rusty C10]

for a first one id get a cheapie too maybe a radio shack one the relaistics are cool and they have decent antennas too

[Alexis]

my dad had this little black box that you attach to a CD and i think it suppose to boost the power for the attenna. it has a skull on the front of it where the switch is. never got around to testing it.

[67sss]

that little black box was a linear..bosts power.. we use to go to the top of a hill next to a radio transmitter and talk to people in Idaho from here...until the cops showed up..buy a cobra radio cheapest you can get but spend your $$ on the correct length of coax and a good, correctly grounded antenna..time for a 10-100
c-ya

[doughby82]

those boxes are called lenaers(sp)len-e-ers.i belive they are illigel,but alot of people run them

[Canadian694x4]

Originally posted by doughby82
those boxes are called lenaers(sp)len-e-ers.i belive they are illigel,but alot of people run them

...so thats why you guys keep mentioning cops...

[lux hauler]

I don't think local police have the authority (or knowledge) to bust you for the use of a linear. The FCC doesn't even get involved too much any more unless you're radio is messing with other equipment of some kind. Usually someone has to make a complaint before they do anything. They don't monitor things like they used to.
I was running a Texas Star DX350 driven by a modulator (Texas Star also, I believe). It would swing about 600W on AM.....I never had any problems from police.

[dtlilly]

I use a Uniden Grant model. I had it "tuned-up" at a truck stop CB rado repair shop, (dead keys 40). I have a swing kit installed and an external frequency counter. I have a final out of a Galaxy and a roger beep mic. My little box is a dirty as hell 250 watt linear, and I run either a 102" steel whip, or a Wilson 1000 antenia.

If you go with a cheep radio, you have a cheep radio. Spend the extra money on one that is upgradable. when you have it set like mine, I can find people to talk to overseas (shortwave), I also have been known to find the frequency that will change street lights, turn on automatic car washes, and bleed over on concert monitors and speakers. Have fun playing hide and seek with your friends that have CB radios too.

[ozarkhippie]

I run a Galaxy 88 with a Texas Star 500 linear and a Wilson 1000 ant.

[lux hauler]

I also have been known to find the frequency that will change street lights, turn on automatic car washes, and bleed over on concert monitors and speakers. Have fun playing hide and seek with your friends that have CB radios too.

You know those 'touch lamps' that turn on/off/bright/dim buy touching them? I knew a guy that was the town drunk that had those lamps in his house. I used to give him rides home from the bar. Just as he was about to walk in the house, I'd key the mic and turn his lights off and on. He'd freak out every time thinking there was someone in his house. He'd fall for it every time.....he was always to drunk to figure it out.
There was also a kid in town that no one really liked......kind of a punk. He had an alarm on his car......drive by in the wee hours of the morning and key the mic and his alarm would go off. It was fun messin with him too.

[dtlilly]

Lol, that's the funniest thing I've heard in a long time

[Baradium]

Seems that most of the truckers aren't using too much of the boosting stuff these days. My last trip from TN to GA I only heard two guys running amps, and they both got flamed for doing it. It seems that it's considered extremely rude, because not only do they put out so much power, but they come over the receiving radios as very loud. There is a maximum wattage allowed by the FCC and anything above that is illegal, those boosters do that and yes are considered illegal. And they ALL interfere with stuff. It doesn't take much boosting to interfere with a lot of electronic equipment.

A stock radio will output fine. I run a "smaller" 40 Channel cobra I picked up on ebay, guy lists radios routinely and if you wait a few days I can get you in touch with him. He's an electronics store and sells the stuff too. Nice guy to deal with.

I got a mag mount whip antenna from radio shack, it's a pretty tall antenna, the setup worked very well this last trip. Don't worry about the boosters, there is no reason to have them, you don't need more range than a regular and tuned radio offers for CB. If you want long range get a HAM license and get the radio shack radio that has 2M Ham, AM, FM, incl the CB channels on it. That way you can get your range without being a nuisance.

[ozarkhippie]

selling vin's with titles is considered illegal too but we do it anyway.

[Baradium]

Originally posted by ozarkhippie
selling vin's with titles is considered illegal too but we do it anyway.

Makes it a lot easier for the car thiefs too...

back to the matter at hand. The boosters are illegal because they really DO cause problems. My problem with them isn't so much because they are illegal but because they are SO ANNOYING. It's like someone shouting over the radio at everyone. You wonder if they are just trying to blow up everyone's speakers. You have all these guys talking normally and this one guy breaking in really loud. Not to mention the fact that it gives everyone a bad name when it interferes with TVs and car radios.

Ham radios can talk long distance legally, and the test isn't even all that much, the basic technician's license doesn't even require morse anymore. There is absolutely no reason for anyone to need the CB radio boosters.

[lux hauler]

I don't think anyone was suggesting that he run a linear.
BTW.....FCC laws state that a cb radios output can be no more than 4W. I can almost bet that 99% of the truckers are running much more than 4W.

[SEVEND2]

RED NECK INTERNET

['68OrangeSunshine]

I got a new SSB rig for my Jimmy. I haven't hooked it up yet. I was thinking of hanging twin truckers on my west coast mirrors. Preamp mikes work if you get the noise canceling type. On the pickup I have a hustler mast holding a fiberglas 'shack stubby whip, and a barefoot (no linear) 'shack TRC421. Back in the '60s I used to have a tube type Johnson whiteface Messenger I, 5 crystals but 5 watts out. (If you bypassed a 4" ceramic resistor near the final it cranked out 10 watts.)
A friend of my brother's was an aircraft engineer and discovered that. It was bigger than a breadbox, constantly buzzed and would drain your battery in a heartbeat, but baby, that was broadcasting. And we liked it.

[dtlilly]

Originally posted by Baradium
...isn't so much because they are illegal but because they are SO ANNOYING.

I'll agree with that statement. If I'm on CH19, you can hear me on CH18 and CH20 too. Signal is so strong, it bleads over other channels.

Just a note. Putting two fiberglass whip antenia on each mirror LOOKS good, but will not work for your CB needs. A wave length of CB signal is 10 foot wide. You will need to have both antenia spaced apart 10 foot, or your signals will get mixed up and you actually lose signal strength and distance. That is why a 102" (10 foot) steel whip is actually the most efficiant type antenia you can get.

CQ, CQ, CQRT.