Looking for CB Expert!

[moranton]

I am writing an article about CB radios and would like the help of a CB expert to answer a few questions.

-Joel

 

[Tennmogger]

Every CB'er I ever talked to was an expert!

 

[moranton]

lol not the guys I talk to.

A lot of people I wheel with never seem to get theirs working right. Some say they have it mounted wrong or the some of the setting on the CB are not right. So I am looking for someone to let me the do and don't for CBs

 

[KA5IVR]

lol not the guys I talk to.

A lot of people I wheel with never seem to get theirs working right. Some say they have it mounted wrong or the some of the setting on the CB are not right. So I am looking for someone to let me the do and don't for CBs

I have been into radios (CB & Ham) for over 35 years and IMO, most CB problems on the trail that I have seen are from people buying the wrong CB. A lot of people run the small compact CB's. The Cobra 19 series is the most common and the Cobra 19 is NOT a good radio for close up communication. Close up is what most of us do while on the trails because we can usually see the guy we are talking to. Strong singles overload the front end too much and people think the radio is bad because it stops receiving. I seen it several times, they go out and buy another Cobra 19 and same thing happens again. My small radio of choice is the Uniden 510/520 series. They are a little more money, but don't have the problems the Cobra's seem to. I've been running the same one for several years. I don't have any experience with the Midland 1001 series and I would not even waste the money on the handheld CB's.

Another problem I see a lot is people install their antenna mounting brackets wrong. This causes problems. Also, some people choose antennas that are way too long (102") to be safe on the trail. The best I have found is the 3 foot long Wilson Flex Silver Load antenna. It tunes well, flexible so no springs are required, and short enough not to swing around and hit someone on the trail. Wilson makes a 4 foot as well, but could never get the 4' to tune on the Jeep and that is still a mystery.

The following link is from another website. I don't know how to contact the Arthur, but he has included lots of good information on CB's. I don't agree with all of it, but overall it is very complete and useful:

http://lsjc.org/board/showthread.php?t=38789

 

[moranton]

KA5IVR,
Thank you for the information. Sorry took me so long to reply I am getting ready for another adventure.

When you say people mount their CB antennas wrong, how can you mount it wrong?

 

[rusty_tlc]

Check out the radio shack at you local Truck stop. Almost every truck stop I've ever seen had a guy in a back room, back lot trailer or whatever that would work on the truckers radios.

Buy the guy a cup of coffee and I bet you will get all the info you need from somebody who really knows CB's.

 

[KA5IVR]

When you say people mount their CB antennas wrong, how can you mount it wrong?

The most common issue I see is they will improperly place the Isolator resulting in the Antenna direct shorting to the ground. Another is they do not properly ground the mount.


Go down to the CB/Ham section on Stu's site. Lot's of helpful info:

http://www.stu-offroad.com/siteindex.asp