CB's
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,017
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From: Southeast FLA
CB's
My most memorable traffic avoidance came from the report of a 14 mile dead-stop backup on eastbound I-76... I took the first exit and went off of dead reckoning, two-lane roads and map glimpses while driving... Ever since that incident ten years ago I consider myself ahead of the game. *knocks on wood* (now watch me get stuck in a 14-miler this weekend...)
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 86
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From: cincinnati oh
CB's
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 02-Mar-02 AT 02:37 PM (EST)]I have a uniden pc66xl(cobra29 with a different name) with a 48" magnet mount Radio Shack antenna. I have had many antennas and this one is by far the best i've had and only $50. that radio stock with a d-104 mike tuned dead on 1 to 1 to the antenna i can usually talk 6- 8 miles at night. daytime is a little rough being within 4 miles of 4 major highways.
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Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Southeast FLA
CB's
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 02-Mar-02 AT 08:13 PM (EST)]I'll agree that Radio Shack antennea are good buys for the money, but over the years and numerous R.S. antennea, plus the other brands I've looked at and the K-40 I now have, have proven to me that the coaxial cable Radio Shack uses is pretty low in quality - in all parts of it (plus its connectors). Over time, and with use, I think you'll find it fails faster than quality stuff. But if you've got a good mount and the cable doesn't see much, if any, movement (and new bends) over its lifespan, it may hold up well. I just move my stuff around too much (either in the trunk or the cab by the daio) for R.S. coax.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 291
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From: Ephrata USA
CB's
hey,
well, i think i went and ruined my CB radio.....i get no static, but every once in a while i will pick someone up....its really REALLY weird. what happened was the other nght driving home my magnetic antenna BLEW OFF and got broken on the road, i did not transmit with no antenna, and turned the radio off right away. i mounted whips on my new truck and could not get static, i figure dit was my ground, but i have a very clean ground, and still no ststic, tried tuning the antennas with no difference....should i just buy a new radio or what? if i do, whats the best i can get for my money? (less than 100 bucks hopefully.....but something with a little oomph to it) thanks!
Mike S.
1995 F-150 4x4
well, i think i went and ruined my CB radio.....i get no static, but every once in a while i will pick someone up....its really REALLY weird. what happened was the other nght driving home my magnetic antenna BLEW OFF and got broken on the road, i did not transmit with no antenna, and turned the radio off right away. i mounted whips on my new truck and could not get static, i figure dit was my ground, but i have a very clean ground, and still no ststic, tried tuning the antennas with no difference....should i just buy a new radio or what? if i do, whats the best i can get for my money? (less than 100 bucks hopefully.....but something with a little oomph to it) thanks!
Mike S.
1995 F-150 4x4
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
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CB's
Now that I am going full bore with search and rescue I am going to get my lisence for the VHF band we use for SAR. When I want to use the cb though I have a Uniden handheld with a handheld speaker and mike. I can take off the ant and hook up a magnetic mount for extra range. Suits me well enough for now.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Southeast FLA
CB's
trueblue_79, I'd not go to that conclusion immediately. First thing I'd do is find a friend with a simple, cheap, single Radio Shack antenna and confirm that it's your radio.
Second, if you liked the radio, wait until you get on the highway and take it to a good trucker's CB shop. I had nearly the same symptoms (though I doubt it could be the same exact problem) and a CB shop opened it up and found a broken internal ground that they soldered up. I now have my cheap, but oh-so-clear-and-impressive, Realistic CB back and running. No, it wouldn't nomrally seem worth taking a little three-dial CB to a CB shop, but I've been so happy with it and got unexpected compliments about its sending clarity and power that I figured I'd be better served to fix it than play around in the confusing & expensive high end CB market.
Second, if you liked the radio, wait until you get on the highway and take it to a good trucker's CB shop. I had nearly the same symptoms (though I doubt it could be the same exact problem) and a CB shop opened it up and found a broken internal ground that they soldered up. I now have my cheap, but oh-so-clear-and-impressive, Realistic CB back and running. No, it wouldn't nomrally seem worth taking a little three-dial CB to a CB shop, but I've been so happy with it and got unexpected compliments about its sending clarity and power that I figured I'd be better served to fix it than play around in the confusing & expensive high end CB market.
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Joined: Jan 2008
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CB's
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-Apr-02 AT 12:16 PM (EST)]The fact that you replaced the antenna with an entirely different
one has caused the problem with the match.
The length of coax to antenna is detrimental to the operation of the system.
[b][i][font color=red]Dennis[/font][i][b]
[font color=red]Calgary,Alberta,Canada[/font]
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one has caused the problem with the match.
The length of coax to antenna is detrimental to the operation of the system.
[b][i][font color=red]Dennis[/font][i][b]
[font color=red]Calgary,Alberta,Canada[/font]
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2002
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CB's
I have a CB in my truck that my dad bought it for and put it in. I know how to use it but I only use it for emergences.
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 291
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From: Ephrata USA
CB's
hey,
you really think it could be something as simple as the length of the coax? i tried 3 different ones, one was barely long enough to connect to the antenna, the other two were plenty long with a foot or so of excess......how long should they be exactly? Oh, and i finally found a CB/wireless communications shop locally....but they charge 72 bucks an hour to work on anything, and my radio was only 89 to begin with....so yeah. i will definitely try the idea of the cheap radio shack antenna though, thanks everyone for your input!
Mike S.
you really think it could be something as simple as the length of the coax? i tried 3 different ones, one was barely long enough to connect to the antenna, the other two were plenty long with a foot or so of excess......how long should they be exactly? Oh, and i finally found a CB/wireless communications shop locally....but they charge 72 bucks an hour to work on anything, and my radio was only 89 to begin with....so yeah. i will definitely try the idea of the cheap radio shack antenna though, thanks everyone for your input!
Mike S.
New User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 0
Likes: 24
CB's
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 30-Apr-02 AT 07:50 PM (EST)]Yes,The length of coax pertaining to antenna system is quite pertinent.
You guys have given me an idea to have a CB Installation & Trouble-shooting section on my web site.
Until then have a look here.
http://www.alfalima.net/store1.htm
[b][i][font color=red]Dennis[/font][i][b]
[font color=red]Calgary,Alberta,Canada[/font]
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[/font
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[font color=blue]78 F-150 429CJ,Silver,Explorer Pkg.
641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V [/font]
You guys have given me an idea to have a CB Installation & Trouble-shooting section on my web site.
Until then have a look here.
http://www.alfalima.net/store1.htm
[b][i][font color=red]Dennis[/font][i][b]
[font color=red]Calgary,Alberta,Canada[/font]
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Minimorleytruck.JPG
[font color=green]Do You Need To Decode Your 78 Truck Data Plate?
[/font
[link:http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/FordTruckCodes.html | Data Plate Decoder]
[font color=red]If New Ford Parts Is What You're Cravin',
Then Buy Them HERE,At Motorhaven![/font]
[font color=green]Please Feel Free To Visit My Website.[/font]
[link:http://www.clubfte.com/users/mil1ion/Mil1ion.html |"North Of the 49th",Mil1ion's Home Page]
[font color=red]
Please Don't Ask Me Any Tough Questions,
"I'm Saving My Memory For When I Develop Alzheimer's" [/font]
[font color=blue]78 F-150 429CJ,Silver,Explorer Pkg.
641/2-Mustang 260,Pre-World's Fair Car.
64-Fairlane500 S/C waiting for a 390-4spd.
68-Mustang 289-Sunlit Gold 80,892Mi
78-Buick LeSabre 403 4V [/font]
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 275
Likes: 2
From: College Station, Tx
CB's
I also have a CB. I have a Cobra 25 LTD Classic. It was my brother in laws but I bought it from him. He had some work put into it to soup it up or sumthin like that but I don't know anything about it.
Gig'em
Gig'em
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
CB's
I forget exactly what the coax length is supposed to be exactly, but I seem to remember it's about 63".
There are many CB sites on the web you can get the exact length from. Keep in mind that for the RF wave to propagate right, the cable length match has to be as close as possible to perfect, so that tuning the antenna will have the most effect. There is only about 3/4's of an inch difference from channel one to channel forty.
The over all length of both the cable and antenna can blend during VSWR corrections, and if the cable is wrong you'll lose part of the signal.
-And if you're ever in Sarasota Florida or Myakka City, get on channel 20 and listen hard for the one Dirty Old Man, Papa Pondscum!
That man can make a CB git up and boogie!
He can also answer all your linear, Galaxy, Connex, and Texas Star questions!
Tell him "Greywolf" sent ya....
There are many CB sites on the web you can get the exact length from. Keep in mind that for the RF wave to propagate right, the cable length match has to be as close as possible to perfect, so that tuning the antenna will have the most effect. There is only about 3/4's of an inch difference from channel one to channel forty.
The over all length of both the cable and antenna can blend during VSWR corrections, and if the cable is wrong you'll lose part of the signal.
-And if you're ever in Sarasota Florida or Myakka City, get on channel 20 and listen hard for the one Dirty Old Man, Papa Pondscum!
That man can make a CB git up and boogie!
He can also answer all your linear, Galaxy, Connex, and Texas Star questions!
Tell him "Greywolf" sent ya....
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,021
Likes: 1
From: Florida
CB's
i bought two 4 foot whips from a company called diesel electronics? it was at a truck stop and i got them cus they were out of 4 foot firesticks and were about the same price. everything seems to be working alright, deifinately better than my lil wil i had before. im using a cobra ulta 2 or something like that. it's a cheapy but seems to work ok. would a more expensive radio work better? or is the fact that i get 4 watts, the max legal limit, all it depends on?
where did u read how to hook up lights to the top of them?
where did u read how to hook up lights to the top of them?
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 291
Likes: 0
From: Ephrata USA
CB's
I forget where it was i read about hooking the lights up on the whips, one of the many, MANY sites i visited related to CB's....just keep poking around on those kinds of sites and eventually you'll find the instructions. The parts list was just some clear plastic tubing and small colored lights, like off of a christmas tree.
Mike S.
1979 F-100 302
1995 F-150 4.9L 4x4
Mike S.
1979 F-100 302
1995 F-150 4.9L 4x4
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 275
Likes: 2
From: College Station, Tx
CB's
Hey I was talking about thses anteannas last nite with some friends. They said you can get them to where the whole anteanna is lighted. I am goin to the CB shop we have here in town to check it out.
Gig'em
Gig'em