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classB
Joined: 21 Jun 2008
Posts: 59
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:32 pm Post subject: CB radio |
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What is a good CB radio? Are they still popular?
Is there a general channel that most truckers use to communicate with each other? Is there anything good to listen to out there? |
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JeffTheTerrible
Joined: 20 Jan 2005
Posts: 746
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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Channel 19. 17 tends to be popular out in California, and I've noticed that 10 tends to be used quite a bit in Ontario, but only among the Pakistani drivers.
If you're just looking for something to be there if you need it, any Cobra will suffice... just avoid the ones with the noise cancellation systems, because they really kill your reception.
It's really a matter of how involved you want to get with it. You can get a basic radio and antenna, so that you can ask oncoming vehicles what's ahead, or you can dish out a lot of cash to get something like a Connex, high dollar antenna, and all that good stuff. But if you get a basic Cobra (I like the Classic Cobra 25, personally), and a decent antenna, you'll do just fine. You can even have that Cobra tuned to crank out a little more power, and you'll still avoid breaking the bank on radio equipment.
Oh, yeah.. if you do go with the Cobra, avoid the auto squelch, noise cancellation, and 'Nightwatch' crap. It sure seems cool at first, but you'll soon realise how utterly useless it really is.
And, if you are going to go to a CB shop to have your radio peaked and tuned, ask around before you go to any of them, because a lot of these shops aren't worth a damn, and will only deprive you of your money, for some modification which will end up blowing out your radio as soon as you key up to speak on it. If they're telling you they can get you 60 watts out of any Cobra, Uniden, etc., avoid them like the plague, because these people are full of [manure]. |
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WarHorse
Joined: 03 Apr 2008
Posts: 79
Location: Madison County, IL
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:51 pm Post subject: |
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I strongly recommend getting a model with SWR calibration. (Most Cobras and more expensive brands have it.) You can tune your radio as needed according to weather and whatever else effects your transmission.
My first radio burned itself out because I couldn't sync the transmitter with the antenna. |
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matcat
Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 560
Location: Sumter, SC
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| Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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If you trully know nothing about CBs, I would buy a simple modal such as a cobra 29 or 25, or if you really want a few extra features a galaxy 949 or something, but really if you don't know much it's just going to confuse you with all those extra features the bigger radios have.
Now once you get a radio you like, find a reputable CB shop to install it for you, and ask them for a descent antenna to go with it, and have them setup the SWR and all that for you.
Or you could save a few bucks and find a fellow driver to help you out with installing it and getting it setup correctly. |
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tweety bird
Joined: 24 Jun 2006
Posts: 435
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 9:09 am Post subject: |
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Channel 19 is the "public" channel for the US. In California, if you head north out of LA on I 5, you'll switch to channel 15 round abouts the Castaic scales (I think the actual switch is south of there) and run 15 up to Lost Hills (I forgot the exit number- where the Loves is- route 46). North of route 46, you'll run channel 17. If you run north out of LA on the 101, you'll skip 15 and just use 17. California, Oregon and Washington state use channel 17 for north-south and 19 for east-west. Weird but true.
On I 10 in California, a lot of local drivers switch channels from place to place, too. I don't know what channel or where. I used to know but they never give bear reports and most of the otr guys are up on 19 so I quit bothering.
I second the Cobra 25 or 29. Beware cb shops- unless you find someone you trust who suggests a good cb shop. A bad one can screw up your radio. We've gone to I 75 exit 99 Ohio- Anna- and they seem to do good work. Had good luck in Eloy/Casa Grande, too, at the cb shop near the Circle K- they have a dirt lot that can have some pretty bad pot holes in it. Don't know the exit number- there's a Carl's Jr or something right next to them. |
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all18wheels
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Posts: 217
Location: sacramento
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| Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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| i run a cobra 25. simple and reliable. i usually just stay on 19 unless im in the central vallwy, CA i switch to 17 |
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Lunker
Joined: 04 Feb 2007
Posts: 132
Location: Grants Pass, OR.
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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It's pretty much summed up here from a previous post I found except we use 17 on a lot of east/west routes in Oregon too, such as hwys 140 and 58.
tweety bird wrote: Channel 19 is the "public" channel for the US. In California, if you head north out of LA on I 5, you'll switch to channel 15 round abouts the Castaic scales (I think the actual switch is south of there) and run 15 up to Lost Hills (I forgot the exit number- where the Loves is- route 46). North of route 46, you'll run channel 17. If you run north out of LA on the 101, you'll skip 15 and just use 17. California, Oregon and Washington state use channel 17 for north-south and 19 for east-west. Weird but true.
On I 10 in California, a lot of local drivers switch channels from place to place, too. I don't know what channel or where. I used to know but they never give bear reports and most of the otr guys are up on 19 so I quit bothering.
I second the Cobra 25 or 29. Beware cb shops- unless you find someone you trust who suggests a good cb shop. A bad one can screw up your radio. We've gone to I 75 exit 99 Ohio- Anna- and they seem to do good work. Had good luck in Eloy/Casa Grande, too, at the cb shop near the Circle K- they have a dirt lot that can have some pretty bad pot holes in it. Don't know the exit number- there's a Carl's Jr or something right next to them. |
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Double L
Joined: 26 Sep 2007
Posts: 1474
Location: Illinois
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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| I got a Cobra 29 off a friend of mine for free and it has a roger beep and talk back. It has the soundtracker and thats it no nightwatch or weather. I got it tied to a Wilson 2000 antenna with an astatic mic and it gets out about 10-20 miles but I don't mind since I don't want that big of a radio. Whats the point in pushing out 600 watts to hear 100 plus miles ahead when they wouldn't be able to hear you? :roll: |
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matcat
Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 560
Location: Sumter, SC
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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Double L wrote: I got a Cobra 29 off a friend of mine for free and it has a roger beep and talk back. It has the soundtracker and thats it no nightwatch or weather. I got it tied to a Wilson 2000 antenna with an astatic mic and it gets out about 10-20 miles but I don't mind since I don't want that big of a radio. Whats the point in pushing out 600 watts to hear 100 plus miles ahead when they wouldn't be able to hear you? :roll:
You got that backwards, if you are pushing 600 watts they will hear you, you won't hear them. |
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Double L
Joined: 26 Sep 2007
Posts: 1474
Location: Illinois
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:41 pm Post subject: |
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| You know what I meant. :lol: |
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matcat
Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 560
Location: Sumter, SC
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Just checking :P |
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Colts Fan
Joined: 10 Aug 2007
Posts: 581
Location: Indianapolis, IN
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:17 pm Post subject: |
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I have a Cobra 29 Classic with 4 foot Firestick antenna. I went all out on a coax, got a thick 18 footer. I calibrated the SWR myself. They sell the calibrator at truckstops for $10-$15 bucks. You want the SWR to be less than 2, mine is at 1.
I'm not sure how far it gets out. Everytime I do a radio check I get a response saying it sounds good. It gets a nice, clear reception. |
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Double L
Joined: 26 Sep 2007
Posts: 1474
Location: Illinois
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| Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:10 pm Post subject: |
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Colts Fan wrote: I have a Cobra 29 Classic with 4 foot Firestick antenna. I went all out on a coax, got a thick 18 footer. I calibrated the SWR myself. They sell the calibrator at truckstops for $10-$15 bucks. You want the SWR to be less than 2, mine is at 1.
I'm not sure how far it gets out. Everytime I do a radio check I get a response saying it sounds good. It gets a nice, clear reception.
I got the 18' clear cover coax cable. Mine is at 1 as well! I angled my antenna straight forward and my swr was high like 2-3 and I angled it forward and it went down to 1. :? |
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countryhorseman
Joined: 04 Jan 2005
Posts: 736
Location: The Great State of Texas - Seguin
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:47 pm Post subject: |
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SWR Calibration is not a device to tune your radio with a knob, to whatever the conditions are!
The SWR feature on radios is to allow the user to see if the antenna is in tune with the radio! A physical adjustment to the antenna length and or placement and grounding needs to be done to adjust SWR!
The only other method is to use a matching device, which to my knowledge has not been built into any factor Cobra, Uniden, Galaxy, etc!
Go to this site for an excellent primer on antennas and tuning! http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs.htm
WarHorse wrote: I strongly recommend getting a model with SWR calibration. (Most Cobras and more expensive brands have it.) You can tune your radio as needed according to weather and whatever else effects your transmission.
My first radio burned itself out because I couldn't sync the transmitter with the antenna. |
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Double L
Joined: 26 Sep 2007
Posts: 1474
Location: Illinois
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| Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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countryhorseman wrote: SWR Calibration is not a device to tune your radio with a knob, to whatever the conditions are!
The SWR feature on radios is to allow the user to see if the antenna is in tune with the radio! A physical adjustment to the antenna length and or placement and grounding needs to be done to adjust SWR!
The only other method is to use a matching device, which to my knowledge has not been built into any factor Cobra, Uniden, Galaxy, etc!
Go to this site for an excellent primer on antennas and tuning! http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs.htm
WarHorse wrote: I strongly recommend getting a model with SWR calibration. (Most Cobras and more expensive brands have it.) You can tune your radio as needed according to weather and whatever else effects your transmission.
My first radio burned itself out because I couldn't sync the transmitter with the antenna.
Horseman is correct. Also let me add that the don't trust the swr when using the one on the radio, get a real swr meter. It's a more acurate reading in my opinion. Also when checking your swr do it in open space away from buildings and cars cause that'll make it run high. Also if the swr is high place your hand on the antenna and move your hand down, if the swr goes down then you need to ground the antenna. Also like Horseman said you may need to adjust the whip only 1/4" at a time though. That can make a difference in the swr big time! Also when checking the swr close the doors! |
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