CB Radio ideas

[john101477]

The cobra 75 is actually a pretty decent radio and the design is great for trucks lacking space. I personally use a Cobra 29ltd /weather. I also have a cheater amp and a wilson 1000. I have used the smaller uniden and cobra radios (which are the same thing now) but never cared for them as much. I have also used several 10 meter radios like the HR2510, and the a few gallaxy radios. If my finals had not gone out I would still be using the 2510 but along with a few other problems it had I had to discard it to a more knowledgeable guy with time and parts on his hands.

 

[drbandkgb]

Nice setup :clapsmile

Thanks

 

[Hootowl]

Dragging in late with some opinions on CB stuff... Have you acquired one yet?

First of all, get the best antenna your budget can swing. A terrific CB with an average antenna is going to have just average performance. I've used mediocre antennas, average and very good. Wilson is my favorite and will stick with them for my future uses unless someone knocks them off the top of the mountain.

The complication with CBs in our Nissans is where to put the blasted thing. No room! The mini-sized ones can cram into the center console's cubby hole at the front although you will probably have to do some cutting if there are wires or antenna connections on the back side of the radio, which most have.
I personally don't like mounts on the dash or up high on the roof because I don't like heavy things that can fly around in a traffic accident.

What I do like are the all-in-one handsets like the Cobra 75 WX ST, which I have, or a similar model that Midland has. There's an ugly electronics box that has the transciever and has connections for antenna, power and aux. speaker that I have ziptied under the drivers seat. For the power, I wired in a 12 plug and plug it into the power receptical on the dash or in the console box. The heavy coiled cable for the hand held unit runs up from under the seat and I usually have the handheld in my lap or in a cup holder. When not using the CB, I just cram all the cords under the seat.

I'm using a Wilson 1000 metal antenna with a magnetic base. The antenna screws off the base and I store it in a closet when it's not in use on the Xterra Offroad. I have the lazy way of running the antenna cable. It goes under the floormat then under the back seat bottom. It comes up on the backside of the seat bottom and I just have it hanging on the side of the cargo area, below window level. When not in use, I cram the mag mount and cable in the side storage pocket at the back hatch. Because of the width of the magnet, I can only mount antenna at the very rear of the roof, not ideal but that's the way it goes! LOL! Yes, the mag mount can be knocked off by a limb that is within about 1.5 foot of the roof. The antenna has about a 6.5 foot mast and yes it whacks everything in creation but whips are tough and it's no big deal.

I also used the magnetic mount on my old Frontier truck simply by running the cable out the back door. Just kept the antenna stored behind the seat when not in use.

I've only seen these used on trucks a very few times but there is a real useful marine antenna mount that you can source through places like Boats US or West Marine. It can be roof rail mounted and has a rachet that will hold the antenna in the vertical position or lay it down horizontal.

 

[AdvisorX]

Sorry I havent responded lately, I was busy celebrating the birth of my first son!!!!! Amazing I love it.

thank yall for the advice and no still havent purchased a cb yet. Im leaning towards a radio with a weather band! Antenna Im just not educated enough yet to make a decision. Thinking of wilson but where and how to mount on the Xterra, the firestix Ive heard good things about but just not sure! I will post pics up of both the install and little man!

 

[Momrocks]

I have an antenna mounting optimization question. I am considering mounting an antenna on my swing out tire carrier. The choice for mounting there is completely for convenience. I know the best thing is to center it on the roof for the best ground plane but is there something I can do to optimize the tire swing mount? I have improved my body grounds and can easily add a good grounding strap to the swing out if that helps.

Any expert advice is welcomed. Citizens Band, to the novice, can seem like voodoo.

 

[john101477]

I have an antenna mounting optimization question. I am considering mounting an antenna on my swing out tire carrier. The choice for mounting there is completely for convenience. I know the best thing is to center it on the roof for the best ground plane but is there something I can do to optimize the tire swing mount? I have improved my body grounds and can easily add a good grounding strap to the swing out if that helps.

Any expert advice is welcomed. Citizens Band, to the novice, can seem like voodoo.

I am not an expert but have some history with CB and 10meter. I was trying to find a product I remember seeing on the wilson website that used looped wire to create a ground plane in jeeps where the antenna is mounted in the back. unfortunately wilson's website is under construction so I have no clue what the product name is or a link to give ya. I just know it is there lol

 

[el_jefe]

Another vote for the Cobra 75, that's what's in the wife's Xterra. For extra giggles, I welded a tab to the handset mount so that it hooks over the edge of one of the ac vents. That and some double sided tape holds it in place with no drilling. Another option for the antenna on an X is to use a 2 1/2 inch exhaust clamp on the roof rack as the base, then bolt the antenna mount to it if you want to avoid drilling holes. Some folks have had SWR issues, eithe rrun a non-ground plane antenna or run a good ground wire to one of the roof rack bolts.

 

[john101477]

At least with the 75 you will not have to do this. Although I like it.

 

[Ghost65]

Sorry I havent responded lately, I was busy celebrating the birth of my first son!!!!! Amazing I love it.

thank yall for the advice and no still havent purchased a cb yet. Im leaning towards a radio with a weather band! Antenna Im just not educated enough yet to make a decision. Thinking of wilson but where and how to mount on the Xterra, the firestix Ive heard good things about but just not sure! I will post pics up of both the install and little man!

Go with a Firestik NGP (no ground plane) antenna. I bought the kit on Amazon for about $60, plus I bought a clamp mount for another $16 and mounted to the center of my light cage.

Click here for the antenna: http://www.walcottcb.com/firestik-fg3648-no-ground-plane-cb-antenna-kit-p-894.html
Click here for the mount: http://www.walcottcb.com/firestik-ss64-stainless-steel-mounting-bracket-p-832.html?cPath=28_353

This could work for your tire carrier application as well.

Here is a link to a good Firestik install/mount discussion as well.

http://www.thenewx.org/forum/showthread.php?t=25360

First trip out (Moab) it performed flawlessly for group communications. :victory: I did tune the antenna/radio combo with an SWR meter before leaving, and it came through very well in the mid channels, but the high and low ends (ch's 37-3 had a higher SWR. Might try to tune it better later, but this seemed to work.

Thinking of wilson but where and how to mount on the Xterra, the firestix Ive heard good things about but just not sure! I will post pics up of both the install and little man!

Again, you can't go wrong with the Firestik. Also, as others have posted, consider a ham radio. This provides much more power, range (through mountaintop repeaters), and clarity of communications. With the simple test, a Technician license is well within the average (I mean I did it!) persons grasp. The radios and antennas are a bit more pricey, but it is a long term purchase that does not typically run obsolete quickly. Some of the 2 meter (arguably the most common and widely used band) radios are very compact, put out 50 to 65 watts of power, and are priced well under $200. Antennas and mounts can run in the $40 to $50 range for antenna, and $20 to $50 for mount. Check out http://www.aesham.com/ for some good pricing and customer service.

Congratulations on the new addition, bet you can't wait to get him out for his first adventure!

 

[RBOWWOW]

Put my Cobra 18WXSTII here.. Found knee panel in breaker yard - have orig. to put back in later and 4' Firestik, Firefly.

 

[alfio]

I use a Midland 75-822.

two quick questions on the Midland 75-822: with the semi permanent set-up, are you able to change the audio output (or are you only able to listen to the speaker on the radio itself)? is there an option for a permanent power input (or does it always need to be plugged into a cigarette style 12V power supply)?

 

[theksmith]

two quick questions on the Midland 75-822: with the semi permanent set-up, are you able to change the audio output (or are you only able to listen to the speaker on the radio itself)? is there an option for a permanent power input (or does it always need to be plugged into a cigarette style 12V power supply)?

only can use speaker in unit which can be hard to hear with windows down due to wind noise. the handheld cobra has a speaker connector on it's base for external speacker... however in every other way i think the midland is superior.

as far as power, you can always cut off the cigarette lighter plug and hardwire the thing. i just wired an extra lighter adapter and hid it in the center console and ran the cb wires through a small hole into the console... can't see it here, but it's the same as the hole the ipod wire goes into but on other side:

yes i know you have nissan not jeep, but same theory applies.

 

[alfio]

the handheld cobra has a speaker connector on it's base for external speacker... however in every other way i think the midland is superior.

thanks for the info, very helpful.

would you care to elaborate on the cobra vs. midland a bit more? i know the cobra costs a little more (esp. when you factor in the adapter) and it obviously doesn't have the mobility (which is a big plus for me) but the speaker issue is a concern.

 

[theksmith]

i've seen 3 of the cobras die in my local club. they are kinda ugly and bulky, but thats just opinion. the midland's cord is more flexible and stays coiled better, it is very sleek and compact and i've never heard of anyone having any problems with them, not to mention the flexibility of running it as a handheld as an option if you get stranded somewhere and have to hike out, however there is that speaker thing. i was actually planning to go to the cobra just for the speacker if my midland died until i saw people having issues with them.

 

[Rick B]

Just for fun, here is what I did with my Cobra 18WXSTII:

Many of the guys I run with have Cobras and most of us swear by the value/performance ratio.