Damn CB radio !

[Jackrabbit379]

Sounds like a good setup, but yes, I would run an 18' coax. I don't know why they made a 9' coax. Longer coax might help bring down the SWR.

So that's a "bird pirtch". Ok. That's what I see on Fed Ex trucks.

[Kevin0915]

Sounds like a good setup, but yes, I would run an 18' coax. I don't know why they made a 9' coax. Longer coax might help bring down the SWR.

So that's a "bird pirtch". Ok. That's what I see on Fed Ex trucks.

eh...i'd hate to buy 18' coax if it dont help. and if anything, i can always extend the tip on the firestick. that 18' coax runs almost $30. Guess if i dont need it, i can try selling it over the CB for $25.

I am headed home. i MIGHT get the chance to get over to a CB shop my dad use to go to when he was a driver. maybe they'd be able to hook me up with something to help get my antenna/CB tuned to the truck.

that 'bird pertch', i was told, to just unscrew one of the window bracket screws, and the pertch has the same thread type, and just replace the bolt with the pertch. Thus gives the antenna the 'ground' it needs rather than the ground strap.

i like it...it is a fairly 'clean' setup. Another question i had, was running dual-coax. do two antenna's really give you better clarity? ok...and another question....if i should ever WANT more power to talk 5+ miles away, how does one go about hooking up an 'amp' or whatever?

[freebirdrfd]

check livewire.com....... they would be able to answer your questions. you could also go to claysradio shop's web site. they would also answer your questions. they are both good shops, i have used them both. livewire is in PA. and clays is in N.E. Texas. i can't remember the towns.

[Kevin0915]

check livewire.com....... they would be able to answer your questions. you could also go to claysradio shop's web site. they would also answer your questions. they are both good shops, i have used them both. livewire is in PA. and clays is in N.E. Texas. i can't remember the towns.

If Clay's is near Hawkins, TX. i've probably driven right past it. Will probably give the 18' coax a try. cant hurt.

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

Well...here we go.....I take it into a CB shop in Walcott, IA.....they do $70 worth of 'work' on it and the tech sells me a ground strap for that 'no ground' wilson POS antenna. Guess what.....STILL dont have a working radio. I've blown $210 now on a POS galaxy, a POS antenna and 'work' done on my radio, and can't get any range.

i'm about to just take the galaxy out, and roll over it with my trailer. I'd get more use out of it as a wheel chock. Might as well just sell the antenna, and radio for $70, and just go buy a new cobra 29....seeing how i'm told a new radio right out of the box will get me 2-3 miles range.....

If I ever run into you in my travels I'll give you an 18ft Coax , Mounting bracket , And an old browning metal whip antenna , And beefed up Galaxy 44 ...FREE . this would get you out 15 miles or so .

[Kevin0915]

Well, i knew it was just a matter of time.

i'm back having issues with my CB. I stopped the other day just outside of Columbus, and someone said I was cutting in and out. Meter looked fine and all. then yesterday evening my meter starts jumping all over agian when i key up. I turn off the CB for a few minutes....and back on...and its fine. then after some time goes by....it starts again when i key.

i switched mics, and does the same thing after while.

anybody ever hear of an overheating problem?? i'm seriously about to just take this and back over it with my truck....and just go buy one that is super juiced.....

[Kevin0915]

If I ever run into you in my travels I'll give you an 18ft Coax , Mounting bracket , And an old browning metal whip antenna , And beefed up Galaxy 44 ...FREE . this would get you out 15 miles or so .

at this point, i'll go out of my way to take it off your hands. heck, i'd trade you my Galaxy...AND give you $100 for it. =)

[Kevin0915]

okay...bought 18' coax, and changed the bracket so the same type end that plugs into your radio, also plugs into the bottom of the bracket. I think this gave me alot better ground. HOWEVER, i still am over 3+ for SWRs. And now, when I talk, and my RF power is cranked up to full, my SWR light comes on. So i'm still not working right.

I'll be switching back to my 3' wilson whip, to see if that lowers the SWRs or not. i tried the ground strap in the door hinge, but the way the hinges are setup on Volvo's, i cant do it.

Also, after i made the coax switch, i was working fine. then all of a sudden, an hour or so down the road, the needle was jumping all over the place again. Still dont know if its a problem inside the radio with loose solder or what....bad connection. But it only seems to happen after the radio has been on for a while.

about to pull into a truck stop, try selling it for $100, then going out and buying a brand new Galaxy 959.

[Jackrabbit379]

Kevin, I know the chances are pretty slim, but if you ever run up HWY 287 north of Ft Worth, stop at Rusty's in Bowie (tx). Bowie is about an hour north of Ft Worth. Rusty does all my radio work. In my opinion, he's the best in the business. Like I said, I don't know what the chances are of you passing though Bowie on 287, but if you do, stop and let Rusty help ya out. He knows his stuff.

[Kevin0915]

Thanx jackrabbit. My next stop will be to WallcottCB again. I switched back to the 3ft. wilson, and my SWRs are HIGHER than they were with the 4 ft. firestick. i'm at the end of the rope with this Frickin radio. I might get to Rusty's, but it wont be till December, since i'm running great lakes regional right now. I stay pretty much in the midwest, dont get farther south than MAYBE arkansas, and no farther east than Ohio..

[Kevin0915]

okay...new question. anybody do any of their own minor CB work? Question i have now is soldering that connector on the end of your coax that goes into the radio itself. I notice there are two different points to solder, the tip naturally, then 'ports' around the throat of the connector. does the coax weaved outer jacket get soldered to the 'throat'? I know the center lead gets soldered to the tip, naturally. I just havent been by any CB shops to have them just do it for me....guess i just need to be patient.

Oh...btw...i bought a new 29LTD, still have the galaxy, but i'll put a Connex board in the 29 rather than dump more money into the galaxy that i think needs work again.....

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

okay...new question. anybody do any of their own minor CB work? Question i have now is soldering that connector on the end of your coax that goes into the radio itself. I notice there are two different points to solder, the tip naturally, then 'ports' around the throat of the connector. does the coax weaved outer jacket get soldered to the 'throat'? I know the center lead gets soldered to the tip, naturally. I just havent been by any CB shops to have them just do it for me....guess i just need to be patient.

Oh...btw...i bought a new 29LTD, still have the galaxy, but i'll put a Connex board in the 29 rather than dump more money into the galaxy that i think needs work again.....

Wasting your time putting a "connex board " in your cobra it's only an echo board and will do nothing to get you out even a foot further .


either get a radio sporting some IRF520 mosfets or Toshiba 2290's for finals or get a good radio with good audio board and dual finals like the Connex 3300hp or Glaxy 99 ...(both radios have same audio board)...And get an amp of your wattage taste and that will work with your charging system a 1x4 will work on the volvo with the 135-140 amp small alternator ...the good audio board is what produces the clean audio that is amplified in the final stage .


Also do not solder your own coax connections unless you have the right high heat gun and know how to do it ...better shops now use solderless connections anyway.


I think your listening to 2 many drivers who make claims of getting out 15 miles in normal conditions with "tewaked/peaked " 29 on their mirror mounted truck antenna ...LOL


I love sitting at Dannys truck stop in Phoenix ,AZ and just talking shyyyyt/...111111 waiting for the Connex board /swing kit crowd to try and key out mr DAVE MADE ...at first they claim it's not doing the deal , but after getting their lips cut off with MR DAVE every time they key they start crying ...I don't key on just anyone ...just those who can't read their S-meter and attempt to key on MR DAVE with 40 watts...lol I had a gentlemen last Tuesday sitting at the Flying-J claim I must be next to him b/c I was pinging his meter on his 4600 with his rF gain all the way down..lol


You want to get out you need the tools and A connex board swap into a cobra or a "swing kit" is not the stuff to do it ...


Search forums like Cb radio talk .com and look for items being sold that fit you desired wattage needs ...I bet it would be cheaper than the route your thinking of taking

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

Well I just made the step up to a 16 pill Davemade ...I will be running this in the big truck off a 400 amp motor maul using my 2x4 Dave made to drive the 16 pill ...nothing like variable voltage on demand for volting a 16 pill Dave made and the Motor Maul completely eminates the stock charging/electrical system when keyed up during transmit ...oh yeah 111111 ...I should be looking at a PEP or swing wattage at 18 volts of around 4kw ...Well there went $3,000 in stuff I'll only use to bust BALLZ on the road...lol ...only bad thing is the only place I have to put the 4 batteries used for the Maul is in the battery box on the passenger side of the truck which means some voltage drop with the legth od cable required to run to the maul in the cab ...oh well this stuff is addictive and expensive , and will probably take me a week of home time to install well ...lol