CB Radios

[Kappes03]

Anyone have any familiarties with CB radios? Worth using I'm guessing just wondering what ones you guys how and your experiences. Also if they need a larger antenna. I'm lookin at some cobras, and unidens. Any info is appreciated, I searched online but didn't find any. Thanks

-mike

[ShowStop]

I prefer Uniden brand. Beyond that it kinda depends on what you want to do with the radio and whether you want it to fit in a small spot or if you want a full featured radio.

[Lysmachia]

You know it kinda depends on Budget and what you expect from your CB. I have the cheapo - $40 Radio shack one in Tippy and it worked great for what I needed it for. I will say if you go with a fire-stick (The fiberglass antenna) try and get one that is tune-able. The taller the antenna the better reception, however they can also be more anoying to drive with...

The more powerfult he CB, the better the "broadcast".

Many of us have SWR meters so we can help you tune the CB once you have one.

And yes a CB IMHO is essential wheeling gear, more important to get than anything else... because it allows the comunication to flow!

[Lysmachia]

Oh and Mike, check with some of the other newer taco owners as to how they mounted their CB. I know there can be a grounding issue for you with the fiberglass bed cover!

[acidchylde]

I use one of the little basic Unidens (http://www.uniden.com/products/productdetail.cfm?product=PRO520XL). Was like $50 at a truck stop when I bought it years ago. Small, basic, does what I need it to do. At that level they're all pretty much the same. I'd go HAM before I'd get one of those huge monsters some truckers use. There are a few models that are special in that you can mount the controls seperate from the radio, or everything is built into the mic. Depends on where in your truck you want to put it, if you have room, and how clean you want it to look. I'm actually working on finally getting mine installed right now.

A randomly Googled page that has decent general CB overview info: http://www.roadtripamerica.com/dashboarding/CB-Radios.htm

As for antennas, that depends entirely on placement and your personal preference on whether you want a whip, fibergalss, or the (in my experience) more popular FireStik style. You can read more on antennas and placement and coax than you'll probably ever want to know at http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs.htm

[Ric]

If your going to use the CB just for trail use, you can pick them up for as cheap as $10, at just about any pawn shop, then get a good antenna, I like the Firestick, but heard GREAT things about the Wilson antennas.
Ive got a Cobra 18 WX II http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd139/Rix4rnr/2004%204Runner-new/CB/DSC_0010.jpg
got it cause of the size, it fits perfect under the radio, and looks factory, and the fact that this radio has a Front firering speaker.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/Ric4rnr/bumper/IMG_3606.jpg
Id suggest any radio you get, to run it over to Radio Service Center, and have them Tune and Peak the radio, you can get the radio and antenna there, good guys, they know there stuff.
Hope that helps :cool:

[extremepaint]

a little tip i have is to find a good short heavyduty spring, especially if you mount it anywear close to body panels. i had a flexy spring on my back bumper and it ended up scraching the paint. id recomend a bed bar antena mount with a cood ground on the bed bar to the bed. or a hood/bumper mount.

i've been happy with my midland when i can keep the antena on

[RedRunnertc]

I have had bad luck with breaking fiberglass antennae. They don't really flex that well.

Stainless antenna has held up MUCH better. Mine is a Hustler FG27 or something like that.

[dirtyXplorer]

I went with the Cobra 19 Ultra III or something like that. They are ~$35 at walmart and it has worked pretty good for me.

[devinsixtyseven]

If you don't have much room, Cobra makes a radio with everything in the handset, and you can mount the transmitter behind the dash somewhere.

Get any decent radio, but make sure you get the longest antenna you can afford & reasonably run, and you absolutely must tune the antenna.

[ike]

had the all in handset cobra(75wx or something like that) and mine only lasted about 4 months before it fried.

[Kappes03]

Thanks for all the great help guys! I think I want to put it in the little cubby spot in front of the stick shift, not too too small so I should be able to find something. I found a website with many brands and antennas. http://www.bellscb.com/

Very helpful info I greatly appreciate it!

-mike

[Kappes03]

Soo I just did some searching and bought this little Cobra 19DXIII for 22 bucks.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f398/Kappes/47bf93becb1e6_55831b.jpg

[arrrghhh]

Soo I just did some searching and bought this little Cobra 19DXIII for 22 bucks.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f398/Kappes/47bf93becb1e6_55831b.jpg

lemme know how you like it. i've never purchased a CB, i don't need anything major. just something small that i can take out when i go wheelin.

i like the size/look of this one tho.

[devinsixtyseven]

had the all in handset cobra(75wx or something like that) and mine only lasted about 4 months before it fried.Checklist...

-Connections good?
-Tuned antenna?
-Fused power?
-TRX mounted away from heat?
-Made In China?

I know a few people using this same model w/o problems. First case is the quickest way to turn a radio in to a paperweight. I never rule out the last case, tho...

[ike]

It has a short in the handset. if you hold it at the right angle it works, if not it doesnt.

[Kappes03]

So I got an email about my order today saying they ran out of the Cobra 19DXIII but are giving me the Cobra 19 DX IV which is better and for the same price. W00t

[Ric]

Soo I just did some searching and bought this little Cobra 19DXIII for 22 bucks.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f398/Kappes/47bf93becb1e6_55831b.jpg

where did ya get that for $20 ?

[poorboyota26]

I just hit the reply button.

I bought my uniden 210xl I think for $15 off of craigs list. I used a magnetic mount antena for a year or so. Worked great no problems except those damn trees kept knocking it off the truck.

30 total invested and it worked great.

[ike]

gotta love cheap and functional.

[Red Brewer]

nice thread, I was actually wondering about this stuff today and couldn't find too much good info. How hard is a little guy like these to install and run wire for? I know basically nothing about wiring. Are the Radio Service center people good for install?

[extremepaint]

i installed a radio in my 04 it was easy as dirt... i few zipties a couple eyelets and a soldering iron make this one clean job... or a crimper dont even need a soldering iron hell a pair of pliers will work!

lol

just find a place to mount it. i picked the ashtray. and run your power wires to the battery or something that has power when the key is on. theres a nice plug in the fire wall you can punch a hole through and feed the positive and negative wires. then on the drivers side near the seat under the carpet theres a small plug. run your coax cable through there. down the frame and anywear you need it.

its really simple thats how i did mine works like a champ! except dont mount it on the rear bumper or anywear that the antenna will hit. like i said earlyer haha

[Lysmachia]

Come to the WFTW Charity Wrench-athon on Sunday June 28th and we can fab up a bed bar for durability and a good ground. We'll steal MrDoug's Idea. PM MrDoug for a material list (I think he said it was around $25) that you will need and then we can help you install it!

http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?t=134057

[Red Brewer]

Ok. Can I bring beer? j/k Tell me what kinds you like of the tkb and I'll bring some.

[Lysmachia]

We'll be asking for a donation for set-up and install for the wheelers for the wounded charity fund. But if you can't make the June 28th WFTW event in the sorings I am sure a few of us can come to you in payment for beer... ;)

[Red Brewer]

Seriously, I have no problem with a cash donation, if that's what yer getting at. But also seriously, I'd like to bring some beer for people too (see my email I sent you). I can also see about root beer for non drinkers and the lil uns if any. I also want to do this for the actual WFTW event. Sorry to get off topic here, just saying. As far as on topic goes, I'll be putting a ladder rack on my bed around my shell. Can a CB antenna be mounted horizontally, say flush with the rail of the ladder rack? Or will the metal of the rack interfere with the signal?

[acidchylde]

Can a CB antenna be mounted horizontally, say flush with the rail of the ladder rack? Or will the metal of the rack interfere with the signal?

No, it needs to be vertical for any kind of range. The rack isn't the problem, that's just how antennas work. You could store it that way, but not use it. Also, given the setup you're describing you'll want to pay close attention to grounding the antenna or getting a NGP (no ground plane) antenna.

[mrdoug]

Don't forget that TTORA events are dry, esp the charity HOWs (saftey/insurance/etc).

After event festivities aren't tho.

[Lysmachia]

Don't forget that TTORA events are dry, esp the charity HOWs (saftey/insurance/etc).

After event festivities aren't tho.

Yeah we'll be dry (root beer is great!) for the charity wrench-a-thon, but I think we can have Beer at the BBQ AFTER the day of wheeling at WFTW. But We better double check with Eric (FJCruzer) on that one ;)

[JeepGuy]

The most important thing, as Sean said earlier, is the antenna. Your CB is only as good as your antenna. This includes grounding and tuning. I finally got mine working right in the tow pig yesterday by grinding down to bare metal where it’s mounted to the vehicle. It’s important to have the antenna mount (or in my case the grounding ring at the end of the coax) grounded well. AND…don’t forget that plastic washer between the antenna and the coax! Otherwise your entire vehicle is the antenna, and that’s not good :eek: The SWR should be as close to 1 as possible and should be the same on channels 1, 20, and 40, starting at 20 as the reference point. I just got a Firestick yesterday, but really any tunable antenna will do, and the longer the better (in general). The ideal antenna is any 8 foot whip, since that’s the diameter of the radio wave that’s transmitted & received, and that’s why you see all that wire wrapped around the shorter fiberglass antennas…it’s the required 8 feet shrunk down. Since the FCC only allows a maximum of 4 watts to be transmitted (by law…but that doesn’t mean that some people don’t have illegal amps hooked up ;)), then the type, brand, money you spend, etc. on the actual CB is insignificant to your antenna setup. My :2cents:

[Kappes03]

Thanks for the info.. I was looking at the firestiks, found an entire kit for about 40 bucks.