CB Radio

[lukasmcdukas]

i have the cobra 19 also. worst case scenario ill buy a new one... they're only 30 bucks around here.

[Crmzendrgone]

So I was thinking I wasn't getting out on my CB and turns out I am. A lady I work with her boyfriend is a trucker so I went out to were he parks his rig and we discovered I was getting out. I was told I need a cobra 29, is that a good CB? I was also given a linear amp says 250 on it but somthing is rattling inside so I do not know if it is good. I was told that truckers use that same amp, TRUE?? I was also given a base unit looks pretty good I'll post pics.

Ok so last night I was playing with my radio and my son's girlfriend's father has a CB in his JEEP so we were going to see how far mine would get out. Well turns out he could only hear me about a 1/4 maybe a 1/3 of mile away. does that sound like it is right or should he have heard me further away??
Next part to that is the son's GF's Father has a cobra29 but I could not hear them in my radio with them just sitting in the driveway. would that have anything to do with the fact they lost me 1/3 of a mile away? I tried playing with all the nobs and buttons but nothing.

[BernieB]

The Cobra 29 is a fine radio, and quite dependable. A good workhorse. The linear though... very illegal, and subject to some really, really hefty fines if you get caught with it. It doesn't even have to be on or connected to anything, just having it in your possession without having the proper license ("ticket") for it is an automatic fine. And those fines can go as high as $10,000 per violation per day. (Typically it'll only cost you a few hundred bucks, but still...)

Everything you've described to me about the way your radio is performing is telling me you have either a really lousy antenna, or you've blown the radio. Probably both.

A good CB, with a good antenna and properly tuned should have a range of about 20-25 miles in clear terrain, even more under good conditions.

[bradrhale]

something is wrong. on a good day, you should be able to reach a mile or 2 factoring in trees, hills and weather conditions.
cobra makes a good radio so model doesnt really matter is all you are doing is yacking like i do. i have a 25limited. as for a linear, beware. they are illegal here and can broadcast good enough to be picked up by PA units in schools and factories. go ahead and ask how i know.

[BernieB]

Originally Posted by bradrhale

something is wrong. on a good day, you should be able to reach a mile or 2 factoring in trees, hills and weather conditions.
cobra makes a good radio so model doesnt really matter is all you are doing is yacking like i do. i have a 25limited. as for a linear, beware. they are illegal here and can broadcast good enough to be picked up by PA units in schools and factories. go ahead and ask how i know.

A mile or two? Should get a heck of a lot further than that, even in rugged terrain.

I used to have my boat up at the family cabin, near Schroon Lake, NY. From the cabin to the lake was about 8 miles straight, but there was a 2,000 foot ridge in the way. Even so, I could easily reach the CB at the cabin on the little handheld unit I kept on the boat.

With my current rig, sitting in my driveway, I can usually chat with guys down in Richmond, and that's 60 miles.

[bradrhale]

you are right. i was trying to give worst case scenario.

since we are on the subject, i have a question. would i gain anything by using a splitter on the cable for twin fire sticks?? or would i do just as good by running one dummy??

[BernieB]

Originally Posted by bradrhale

you are right. i was trying to give worst case scenario.

since we are on the subject, i have a question. would i gain anything by using a splitter on the cable for twin fire sticks?? or would i do just as good by running one dummy??

I'm not sure I understand the question. You only have one actual antenna now, and the other is just for show?

In that case, yeah, a true dual mount will make a world of difference for ya. A word of advice though, dual mounts need matched antennas to function properly, you can't just mix any two together. And top loaded work best for dual mounts.

[Crmzendrgone]

Originally Posted by Crmzendrgone

I bought a lil will and the guy at the shop told me I dont have to tune them. but I think he is full of it cause everything comes in statically and I can't seem to get out. Where would one find a SWR? to add to that I have the squelch adjusted as low as possible with a little noise but in order to hear anything I have to have it all the way up.

This was what my earlier issue was but now it seems that I can get out just not far. How could I have blown the radio(it is a Radio shack brand)??

[BernieB]

Well, the 'Lil Will is your first problem... They're great antennas, don't get me wrong, but they require very, very careful tuning. They even come with the wrench for tuning them, so anyone who tells you they don't need tuning is talking out their hat.

Now, why is the 'Lil Will a particular problem for you? Because, IIRC, you said you had it mounted inside the bed of your truck.

The 'Lil Will, like most magnet mount antennas, is a bottom loaded antenna, meaning most of the actual antenna is in a coil in the base. I'd say that about 90% of your signal is just bouncing around inside the steel bed of the truck, or going straight up in the air. And on receive, again, 90% of the received signal never actually gets to the main portion of the antenna.

That factor right there is going to give you a tremendously high SWR (Standing Wave Ratio - the amount of signal reflected back into the radio during transmission). Too high an SWR, say anything over about a 3:1 is more than most radios can handle, with the result that the final stage of the amplifier burns out. Your setup, even with careful tuning, would probably have an SWR off the range of the meter. Probably 5:1 or higher.

Get that antenna up on the center of the cab roof, buy or borrow a SWR meter, and tune it. The lower the SWR you can get across the band (channels 1-40) the better, with 1:1 on both channel 1 and 40 being your ultimate goal. You'll never actually get that ratio, but you want to get as close as possible.

[BernieB]

Whoops! It was Lukasmcdukas who had it mounted in the bed, not you Dragon. But what I said still applies. Get the antenna as high as possible, centered on the roof, and get it tuned.