bayou barataria, what are you looking to do with ur cb. i deal with radios all day long. I will give ya my best recommendation staying legal without costing you all your green.

 

Yes, I forgot to mention, you need a license to talk on the 10 meter frequencies. They offer the tests every so often and it's around fourteen dollars I believe. My father and my friend at work are HAM operators. I need to start studying to get my license.

 

I probably won't use it too much, but I am the kind of person that likes mods. . The legal aspects don't concern me, but what are the advantages of having extra freqs and what type of people use them and what can I expect to hear there? I was thinking of something with a higher power output than 4 watts, I don't want to be restricted to a short commo. distance, but I don't want one of those giant antennas with the 1" diameter and 10' long steel shaft and an old car spring for a coil at the bottom . What are those for anyway? Also what sidebands do people usually use and does that cut down on the trash on the airwaves?

 

I've listened to guys in Texas running deer, they were skipping, but it sounded like they were having a lot of fun. Unless your running a great antenna, your not going to talk state to state unless you both have a lot of power. Certain times of year you can skip to other states/countries, but as I said before it takes a bit of power. Most of the high end radios with 11/10m will have an option on power, it's usually under 100watts though.

The coils are used to make the effective length of the antenna 1/4wave, but let it be less than 108" tall.

The higher the frequency, the less natural interference. I don't think there is any standardization to what sidebands are used when, it's just what other people in the area choose to talk on. Around here, it seems like the lower two bands are prefered and the CB freqs are covered with spanish speakers. You'll have to ask around to see what channels are used locally, it will typically end up being groups of people on certain freqs.

 

Thanks for the info, I don't need to talk to another state so what kind of setup do you suggest I get.

 

Depends on your budget. I use my Galaxy mostly only when hunting (or at the camp) and while on the interstate. It's more radio than I need, but as much as I want. However at $475 it's a bit of an investment.

The features I would require would be Frequency counter and Side bands (at least 5 bands 2 above and 2 below CB freqs). Power is something tricky depending on how illegal you want to go, if your going to use a linear, then you don't want it turned up real high internally. I find my Galaxy barefoot is plenty, how when I was looking to replace my blown up DX73v, I was also considering Connex, Ranger and General. Ranger had some nice looking, chromeless and digital radios. If cherokee is still in business the ones I've played with were nice for no more than they cost.

 

What do you think about the uniden pc78xl? The radios with the side bands seem to be expensive.

 

Uniden used to make great radios. I am not sure sure about them since they started competing with the cheaper radios. A quick search didn't show any mods, but for a 40/wx it's going to be a decent radio for you.

 

My last radio was a uniden and I got many trouble free years out of it. Do these new radios really need to be tuned?

 

The better a radio is tuned, the more effective it will be. For normal use, slap it in and wire up an antenna. If you want to play around with, tune away.

 

Matt, I just bought a uniden pc78ltw that sells for $130.00 for $54.00 and free shipping on the uniden web site. It is "like new" or remanufactured, but I have never had any probs. with reman. stuff, it usually looks new and works good.

 

the pc78ltw isnt a bad radio just replace the mic with an aftermarket one thats the biggest gripe i hear is that the stock one fails or sounds poorly

 

Thanks for the heads up.... but radiator went out... now i think its head gaskets.... so CB is on the back burner.... but i appricate the heads up

 

It looks identical to some other brands models like cobra, it is probably made in the same place. I could not turn it down with that price, if it does not work it is no great financial loss.

 

First off running any Frequency outside of channels 1-40 on a CB without proper licencing is illegal. Even the Alpha channels in the CB bandwidth (26.065 to 27.405).

Now with that out of the way, most AM CB radios will talk just fine. Like said before moving up to an amplified Microphone is a help. This whole "Tuned radio" is a rip off to help a foll part with $$$. Most shops just re-adjust the bias current to factory spec. and if possible by way of factory adjustable Pot, they turn up the audio section or raise the Modulation limiter.

I suggest looking for a used unmolested Uniden PC122, great readio rugged and has sideband that will normally not cost you and arm and a leg.

I oersonally will be installing a CB in my truck seeing I have taken a Hiadus from the CB, just too much skip in my area for years and didn't have a truck.

I am biased toward the Firestick II's I had used a 5', 4', and a 3'. they work great, although the 5' was gave me the best match. The 3' I was only able to dial that down to around 1.75:1 Approx. at midband.

I have had many radios in the past and for $$ wise , size wise the PC122 is a great perfomer.

And I am basing this off this comparison off of radios I have owned like a 148GTL, 29LTD, Uniden Grant, Lincoln, PC122, 510XL (Great Cheap radio), 142GTL, DAK Mark 9, Golden Eagle Mark III, Royce 648-1 and many others I have just forgot.