CB selection choices/suggestions please.

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:24 am

Okay I am looking for a small CB to use primarily on the highway to speak with semis while traveling on the turnpike, and while in traffic, should I need to follow a detour.... I don't know what to look for in a decent CB, but I think that the majority of them are too big and have a 70's look that I don't really care for. It would be nice if it were small enough to mount in the center console to be completely out the way, or under the interior lights like moose did, but it's asthetics as much as function for me to be happy with it. I know radioshack carries CB's and I found these two which I like the look of, but I don't know what to look for.... how many watts.... internal/external speaker? etc....

Here are links to the two that I'm liking the look of:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2526812&cp=2032052.2032070&pg=2&parentPage=search&sr=1&origkw=cb&kw=cb&parentPage=family

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102653&cp=2032052.2032070&pg=2&parentPage=search&sr=1&origkw=cb&kw=cb&parentPage=family

Thanks for any advice.... as far as antennas go, I'm planning on getting a www.firestik.com firestik...

Price isn't a huge deal, but it is cool that these two are inexpensive, and suit my tastes for what I would like to look at.
-Mark

DZL_LOU · **Posted:** Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:43 am

The "Shack" models your looking at can only transmit legally at 5 watts. The downside on the smaller radios is that there is limited modifications that you can do to the unit to increase power.

The larger units are easier to make mods for increase transmit power. If you don't need to transmit 50watts or greater then the units your looking at should work just fine at 5 watts.

I'm running at Uniden PC68XL with a Galaxy single stage final amplifier added internally to the unit that gets me about 50 watts PEP.

Most of the truckers out there are running 100watts minimum on their rigs.

Troysterr · **Posted:** Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:44 am

If you do a search on "cb install" you'll find a ton of articles on this.

There are also a few ideas here:
http://www.youngs.org/kjparts/default.asp?category=12

swyszomirski · **Joined:** Sat Oct 01, 2005 2:59 am **Posts:** 286

I have a Cobra 75 WX, and it is small! Everything is in the mic, with a junction box to connect the mic and antenna that can go where anywhere. While you can't mod it to put out more power, it fit the small specification really well.

Stephen

moose · **Posted:** Mon Feb 12, 2007 9:02 am

had the cobra 19. it was a good started unit with a magnetic antenna.

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:15 pm

What difference does the power make? Transmitting or receiving?

Does a better antenna help in transmitting?
(The firestik seems to get high marks)

Moose, your cobra 19, how far could you transmit? What antenna did you have? Why did you get rid of it?

What does it mean to upgrade a CB? I feel like I am getting onto a slippy slope with the whole CB issue.... well.... anything that I can modify spells T-R-O-U-B-L-E :twisted:

-Mark

2006KJSPORT4x4 · **Posted:** Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:22 pm

I'm saving up for the Cobra 75 myself, it's small and seems to suit my needs with the 10 NOAA channels and emergency switch for Channel 9 and 19, plus 40 channels capable...anyone tried it out??...sorry for the hi-jack donkeykong, just htought i'd toss the 75 into the mix as well...

Gris · **Posted:** Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:44 pm

Donkey, if you want small, the Cobra 75 is definately the way to go. Sure it's more than those others at $100, but it's really just the size of the handset, and that's it.

I have that first one you show. I think it's the 503, right?

It's tucked kinda neatly on the driver's side of the center console...

The only time I ever use the thing is on the trail and if I'm stuck in traffic trying to find out what's going on. It does well on the trail, and OK on the road. I've picked up trucks reporting a mile marker 7 miles away, but I can;t transmit nearly that far. I've had no real way of testing the transmit distance, but I know it's not that long. here's the link to my antenna and CB install page. http://jeep.allgris.com/cb/

I plan to upgrade to the Cobra 75 one day, but it's so far down the to-do/money list that I doubt I'll ever actually get one.

moose · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 6:27 am

Mine is similar to the Cobra75, but it's got a larger footprint. I wish it was smaller, so I could have put it in the hole behind the gear shift next to the power outlet. The 19 was fine, but it wouldn't pick up my voice - to low. Others who used it (wife for one) had no problem. Transmit was only about 2 miles, but RX was in the 5-7 mile range. With the 4' Firestick and the Uniden, I can RX 20-30 miles and TX probably 5. (I need to look into upgrading the TX power... :twisted:

) I upgraded because I wanted the NOAA channels and a better mic than the stock.

riptricket · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:14 am

moose do you have a cardomain site? b/c i want to check out your ride!

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:50 pm

Gris wrote:

Donkey, if you want small, the Cobra 75 is definately the way to go. Sure it's more than those others at $100, but it's really just the size of the handset, and that's it.

I have that first one you show. I think it's the 503, right?

The only time I ever use the thing is on the trail and if I'm stuck in traffic trying to find out what's going on. It does well on the trail, and OK on the road. I've picked up trucks reporting a mile marker 7 miles away, but I can;t transmit nearly that far. I've had no real way of testing the transmit distance, but I know it's not that long. here's the link to my antenna and CB install page. http://jeep.allgris.com/cb/

I plan to upgrade to the Cobra 75 one day, but it's so far down the to-do/money list that I doubt I'll ever actually get one.

$100? I paid about $80 for mine. Check out my write up.
GO HERE for INSTALL OF Antenna Mod and Cobra 75 install

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/718416

2006KJSPORT4x4 · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:54 pm

Cheapest i've found the Cobra 75 was $93 and change at Amazon.com.....and i checked into something like 15 websites....now where did you acquire yours????

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:35 pm

Is this the cobra 75?
It's $99.95 thru radioshack... (link below picture)
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2110933&cp=2032052.2032070&pg=1&parentPage=search&sr=1&origkw=cb&kw=cb&parentPage=family

-Mark

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:36 pm

Gris, I really like your mounting location. Does it get in the way of accelerator operation, how about the OBD plug?
-Mark

riptricket · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 5:36 pm

yes, that's it. i bought my CB off of eBay for $5 bucks(ish) including shipping.

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Tue Feb 13, 2007 6:00 pm

How many watts does the 75 have?
Is it upgradable?

How deep a voice will it not pick up? (Barry white deep, or what?)
-Mark

Science_Guy · **Posted:** Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:56 am

Donkeykong wrote:

How many watts does the 75 have?
Is it upgradable?

How deep a voice will it not pick up? (Barry white deep, or what?)
-Mark

I have the 75WX ST. The box says it is "full 4 watt power output." This has proven more then enough on the trail but I wanted to see if I could get more out of it for highway travel.

I was able to contact Cobra and they sent me the spec sheet on the radio. I took the spec sheet and the radio into a shop to see if they could do anything to increase it power. The electronics of the 75 were too compact and many of the parts are layered on top of each other. I would compare it to a laptop computer (very hard to upgrade).

Next radio will be:
compact unit Cobra 19 or Uniden 510
medium unit Cobra 25 or Uniden 68
Magnum also has a small 30w unit (Mini Mag) but many people are only getting ~15w out of them.

All these units are larger then the 75 but because of this, they also allow more upgrading (like a tower computer = more room to work and upgrade). It really comes down to what you are looking for in your radio. Do you want the radio to just be a ultra-compact, trail unit or are you looking for a mobile, talker unit that you can "peak and tune."

I have found some great information on the forums at http://cbradioforum.com/ and recommend reading some of the threads on mobile units.

Gris · **Posted:** Wed Feb 14, 2007 12:41 pm

Donkeykong wrote:

Gris, I really like your mounting location. Does it get in the way of accelerator operation, how about the OBD plug?
-Mark

It doesn't get in the way of the accelerator at all, and I have to sit a bit spread-kneed because I'm 6'3".

It Does block the ODB plug that's right there, but you could easily doo doo it down 1" lower than mine is and not block it at all. I'll try to take a picture from the front of it with me in the vehicle so you can see that it's not at all a wide unit and where my leg is in relation to it.

DZL_LOU · **Posted:** Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:57 pm

Science_Guy wrote:

Donkeykong wrote:

How many watts does the 75 have?
Is it upgradable?

How deep a voice will it not pick up? (Barry white deep, or what?)
-Mark

I have the 75WX ST. The box says it is "full 4 watt power output." This has proven more then enough on the trail but I wanted to see if I could get more out of it for highway travel.

I was able to contact Cobra and they sent me the spec sheet on the radio. I took the spec sheet and the radio into a shop to see if they could do anything to increase it power. The electronics of the 75 were too compact and many of the parts are layered on top of each other. I would compare it to a laptop computer (very hard to upgrade).

Next radio will be:
compact unit Cobra 19 or Uniden 510
medium unit Cobra 25 or Uniden 68
Magnum also has a small 30w unit (Mini Mag) but many people are only getting ~15w out of them.

All these units are larger then the 75 but because of this, they also allow more upgrading (like a tower computer = more room to work and upgrade). It really comes down to what you are looking for in your radio. Do you want the radio to just be a ultra-compact, trail unit or are you looking for a mobile, talker unit that you can "peak and tune."

I have found some great information on the forums at http://cbradioforum.com/ and recommend reading some of the threads on mobile units.

I purchase and modify my radios at SteelRods CB Shop. I-65N and Exit 205. These guys can help you and as for the 75, all you can do is tune the audio.

2006KJSPORT4x4 · **Posted:** Sat Feb 17, 2007 1:37 pm

Well I know I had spoke of waiting to get the Cobra 75 for the Jeep but I came across an awesome deal on a fairly new Cobra 18 for $30 locally....SOLD I said....so I'll be getting it this afternoon...will show install of it in the coming weeks once i get coax cable, quick disco, and screws for custom mount.

CB selection choices/suggestions please.

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