CB radios

chainsaw · Sep 4, 2010

Its time for a new CB in the wheeling rig and Im looking for some thing that'll let me talk for a Looong way. Been considering a single side band, maybe, not dead set on it though. Ive got a 102 stainless whip that has GREAT ears but now would like a radio to match. Im also a bit of a dummy to much more then just a 40channel + volume and sq. So learn me some new stuff. Are there any good shops any more or is it all buying off the internets now?

+ Id prefer a single din size radio that I can stuff into my dash, seems there are more and more these days VS the old classic truck size. Thought on any particular radio?

boardbysled · Sep 5, 2010

Switch to HAM, I heard thats what all the cool kids are doing these days.:fawkdancesmiley:

340SHORTY · Sep 5, 2010

Truck City CB in Fife is a good place. I used to run longhaul and preferred the Uniden line. tuned up on a good matched antenna and it will work fine for wheeling. if its no enough get a cell phone..

chainsaw · Sep 5, 2010

Yeah Ive been down to se them a couple of times, they really know there trade but Id like to learn more then just tossing cash at some one else to do ****. And I have a cell thanks, my plans are for more then just wheeling, more like expedition type stuff.

nowires · Sep 5, 2010

chainsaw said:
Yeah Ive been down to se them a couple of times, they really know there trade but Id like to learn more then just tossing cash at some one else to do ****. And I have a cell thanks, my plans are for more then just wheeling, more like expedition type stuff.

Get a ham or something like that
I have a VHF that I got off E bay cheep

chainsaw · Sep 5, 2010

Hmm...good thoughts on the VHF. Can you tell me a little more?

RusM · Sep 5, 2010

chainsaw said:
Yeah Ive been down to se them a couple of times, they really know there trade but Id like to learn more then just tossing cash at some one else to do ****. And I have a cell thanks, my plans are for more then just wheeling, more like expedition type stuff.

HAM radio is what you need.

boardbysled · Sep 5, 2010

Calling Jakob, Jakob to the ham radio thread...:corn:

340SHORTY · Sep 5, 2010

VHF radios are generally used in the boating world...

POWWAG · Sep 5, 2010

All of the transmitter power output is controlled by the FCC, so when you spend more money on a CB your just buying a better receiver. Single side band is the way to reach out, the draw back is everyone in your group has to have SSB. Same with HAM or VHF. A liner amplifier (not legal for CB) is the way to crank up the distance you can talk/receive but are useless close in. A power mic can help also. Back in the 70's when CB was the high school kids cell phone the shops would tweak the power up and we had "secret" channels that are now part of the 40 from the original 23.

Last year at our clubs camp out we had a communication melt down and at the next business meeting we put the SWR meter on everyone's rig. A matched antenna can make a world of difference. I also discovered most didn't know what all the knobs did, so here's a hand out I made.

CB HANDOUT

Volume: Turn it up it gets louder, turn it down it gets quieter.

Squelch: Is basically an adjustable mute. You can set the squelch to mute anything below a given signal strength. As you get further from the station your communicating with the signal gets weaker and you have to turn your squelch down to hear them.

Automatic Noise Limiter (ANL): Clips off the RF wave generated by other electrical stuff. It works on the spiky narrow waves of junk noise and clips them outside of the normal carrier signal being received. If your radio has one, turn it on.

RF Gain: The RF gain on your radio if so equipped controls the receiver. It allows you to set the sensitivity of the reception, set low it won

chainsaw · Sep 5, 2010

Good stuff POWWAG, Im def going to be getting a better radio, a super tunable if you will. Id like to get a liner amp but since they are illegal maybe I shouldnt (where can I find these?) I think if I can get a CB working really well Ill be happy for a while.

t1h5ta3 · Sep 6, 2010

a good old fasioned stock 4w radio shuld have no problem tranmiting/reciving 5 miles under almost any conditions with some basic tuneing.
1. make sure radio AND antana have good grounds
2. if antana is mounted to a small panel, tool box etc, use a braded ground strap to bond it to a larger pannel
3. adjust swr properly
4. make sure atleast 2/3 of the antana is above the ground plane
5. the longer the ant the better. the 102" whip is the ant to have if you got room

JTR · Sep 7, 2010

t1h5ta3 said:
a good old fasioned stock 4w radio shuld have no problem tranmiting/reciving 5 miles under almost any conditions with some basic tuneing.
1. make sure radio AND antana have good grounds
2. if antana is mounted to a small panel, tool box etc, use a braded ground strap to bond it to a larger pannel
3. adjust swr properly
4. make sure atleast 2/3 of the antana is above the ground plane
5. the longer the ant the better. the 102" whip is the ant to have if you got room

what he said

cobra 25's and 29's are decent 11m radios, also sayin' b/c Ive been whipped-on by the FCC for running a 10m rig (ran 8 watts

JOOP · Sep 7, 2010

This thread has got me thinking it's time for a new CB set-up. Sometimes mine works and sometimes it doesn't. Mine has been pressure washed and covered in mud. So I'm sure its messed up inside.

Hip · Sep 8, 2010

t1h5ta3 said:
5. the longer the ant the better. the 102" whip is the ant to have if you got room

except these are very dangerous when wheeling. i have seen many people damaged being hit with this WHIP antenna. two had to go get stiches one was so close to the guys eye it was scary.

i will no longer wheel with anyone in my group that runs this style antennea unless they tie it down so it cant hurt anyone.

JFYI they do work good and i have one i dont want at the shop.

Zoediak · Sep 8, 2010

I run a Uniden HR2510

I converted it to run on teh 11m frequency range (pretty easy to do)

I have been known from time to time to add a little extra kick with a linear amp from time to time, but have not reinstalled any at this time.

been dabbling with these darn radios off and on since the early 80's...

102" stainless whip was, for the longest time, my favorite antenna, easy to match (SWR - signal to wave ratio) and the 1/4 wave antenna is one of the best 'hill climbing' antenna... meaning it was the best to send and receive the signals in hilly areas.

I now currently run a simple 'firestick' antenna, still easy to match the SWR and can handle any power if I decide to add it, they also don't smack around the old 102's do, which was a drawback to those.. some would 'clip' or 'tie' the tips down towards their rigs to reduce or eliminate this, but what a lot don't know is that greatly effects the signal capabilities of the unit.

always want to make sure that with any antenna or radio you run...
1. Use good quality coax cable - spend some money for the lower loss stuff
2. Always make sure your SWR is as close to 1:1 as you can get it... the higher it goes the harder it is on your radio and you can end up sending the radio in to get the output transistors (or finals as some call) replaced because they got burned up...
3. always make sure that all of your equipment, including the antenna, has a GOOD clean ground... magnetic mount antennas suffer in that department...

and if you want to add a 'power mic' (amplified microphone) to the radio, this will help people to hear you.. to a point.. it does not make the radio output any more power, all it does is increase the modulation of your voice making your voice louder. This is also only on the abilities of your radio, as at a certain point the radio will limit the modulation and start clipping.. sounds like garbage!!!

sorry about the long winded post there... just bringing back some old memories.. haha

Zoediak · Sep 8, 2010

JTR said:
what he said

cobra 25's and 29's are decent 11m radios, also sayin' b/c Ive been whipped-on by the FCC for running a 10m rig (ran 8 watts

luckily i have been able to avoid such troubles through the years... my 2510 pushes close to 75w out of the box without any 'extras' added on... if i add those then well.. lets just say that I can light one of those flouresant 12v worklights up if it is held next to teh antenna if i install all the junk...

but that is way too much for close in trail riding which would be used the most.