CB Radios for trails

[elwood blues]

Thanks Wooly

After doing a lot of digging around on radios I found this one, it a Cobra 18 ultra. I really like the forward mounted speaker and the 3 NOAA weather band function.

 

[Woolyworm]

I started mounting mine on my roll at this weekend.

Wooly

 

[HackFabrication]

Remember I live in the state that Alice Cooper calls home. One of the greatest show bands of all time.

"ALICE COOPER!!!! We're not worthy! We're not worthy!"

I like your in dash Elwood

Nice clean install.

 

[Hedgehog]

The neighbor came over the other day baring gifts. When he bought his house the attic had some CB radios in it. He grabbed one and brought it over. Now I have a Cobra radio. Do CB radios or can CB's be checked for proper working order. If so, what type of shop would I be looking for?

 

[Lumpy Grits]

The neighbor came over the other day baring gifts. When he bought his house the attic had some CB radios in it. He grabbed one and brought it over. Now I have a Cobra radio. Do CB radios or can CB's be checked for proper working order. If so, what type of shop would I be looking for?

Wire it up and check your antenna SWR. If less than 1.3, find what channel has the most 'chatter' in your AO and ask for a 'radio-check.
LG

 

[Hedgehog]

Ahhhh and you assume I have an antenna SWR. Exactly what is an SWR?

 

[Lumpy Grits]

SWR-Standing wave ratio.
The SWR should be check'd on any CB radio install. If the ratio is above 1.3, you'll damage the radio's transmit(TX)circuit pretty quick.
This is the one I use.
https://www.rightchannelradios.com/collections/cb-swr-meter/products/swr-meter-with-jumper-cable
LG

 

[Peanut Butter]

HH, SWR is an indicator of how much power is going out of the radio and how much of that power is being reflected back into that radio. The radio puts out a 50 ohm load, you antenna may not match that. Also almost all antennas can be tuned to a frequency range by moving the steel whip up or down inside the antenna if you have that kind. Fiberglass antennas are already tuned. Find an amateur radio operator in your area. He'll have all the equipment needed to check everything out. He will also try to convert you to the HAM religion, but you'll still get the results you need. When I tune an antenna for a radio I check the SWR and the forward and reverse power output. I'll also check the coax cable with my antenna analyzer. :wasted: Confused now? Sorry.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

PB-I have had to tune many FG antennas over the years.
Firestick builds some that are made for fine tune'n.
73,
LG

 

[Hedgehog]

Not really confused, just gathering up the language right now. Is there anything in the way of smaller antennas that will get the job done? I can't say as I want a big ol' whip or multiple fiberglass sticks.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

CK out this outfit.
Their stuff is VERY good.
CATALOG Main Page (Frame Setup)

The 'Firefly' 4', would be a good choice.
LG

 

[Woolyworm]

Yes on the firestik stuff. My NGP firestik has the same tunable tip as the firefly and it works well. I also liked the Wilson whip I had - super flexy.


Wooly

 

[tarry99]

For Mobile radios I've found that a co-phased ground plane antenna arrangement far out talks any single antenna unless your driving a van and have a single antenna mounted dead center in the roof.
1/2 wave antenna's out perform the 1/4 waves and co-ax length must be a true match to the antenna...........1/2 wave @ 18 ft 1/4 wave @ 9 ft. Any excess should be loosely wound in as large a circle as possible.

A ground plane antenna mounted in the rear corner of your Jeep will not hear nor talk very well behind you.........It's best db gain is forward to the opposite side of the mount........that is where co-phasing shines is that the gains forward to the left and right are a much larger gain pattern..........although there will be a slight dead spot straight ahead but off to the sides at 45 degree they talk well. To the rear with no metal behind they will suffer.

On my Jeep I have a pair of stainless 102" whips.

 

[Hedgehog]

I suppose they can't be laying sideways like with on up front and the other in the back alone the line of the bumpers .... maybe even hidden away out of sight? I'm sure there is a reason they are always displayed hi and proud on most every rig they are on.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

The antenna shaft can not be in contact with the metal body.
LG

 

[Peanut Butter]

Vertical vs horizontal will not make a big difference for a low wattage CB, but you must get the horizontal above any metal obstruction. Thus the reason for the vertical mount on most vehicles. We call this polarization. On a base station that you want to talk really long distances, horizontal is the way to go. Imagine the ripple going across the water of a pond where you threw a rock in. Radios wave of electric move the same way but in a "S" curve fashion. The size of the "S" varies based on the frequency. What the cops used back in the 60's (big long whip on a big spring) was 30 to 40 MHz. Then they went to AMC 150 MHz, and now to 800 MHz. The second frequency antenna needed to only be 18 inches in length, the last only a couple of inches. CB is in the 26 to 27 MHz range. The higher the frequency number the shorter the antenna is at what we refer to as 1/4 wave length or the length of that "S" curve. A 5/8 wave antenna has the most gain or best performance except for the base station antennas, but at 26 to 27 MHz that's a big antenna. A good fiberglass antenna like some of the ones mentioned here are you best bet, not only for performance but for durability too.