What do you use your CB for?

[Willtyat]

To be honest I can only see myself using it for consignees calling me to the dock and the occasional traffic check. What do you use yours for?

I'm trying to justify spending $80 - $100 on one instead of just getting a cheapy $40 - $50 one.

How many drivers out there don't have a CB at all? Can I get by without one?

Thanks.

[Redneck]

Originally Posted by Willtyat

To be honest I can only see myself using it for consignees calling me to the dock and the occasional traffic check. What do you use yours for?

I'm trying to justify spending $80 - $100 on one instead of just getting a cheapy $40 - $50 one.

How many drivers out there don't have a CB at all? Can I get by without one?

Thanks.

It is up to you whether or not to spend the extra money for a more expensive radio, but it is like this.

If you spend $100.00 or more on a high dollar radio and run a cheapy antenna you have not acomplished anything.
Now if you but a cheap radio and buy a "good" antenna then you will be able to talk and hear pretty good.
If you buy a more expensive radio and put a "good" antenna and coax with it you will do very good in all area's.
My point is it doesn't matter how much money you spend on your radio, if your antenna is junk. The high dollar radio will do nothing.

As for needing a radio or not, it is not a must but it is helpful at times.

Buy a cheap radio and a good antenna and you will be fine.


As for which antenna to buy, there are several out there. I alway's liked a Wilson 2000 or a Wilson 5000 antenna but again you are talking around probably $65.00 or more for them now.

I bought 2 from a CB shop in Toledo,OH about 3 year's ago and I got them for $50.00 a piece installed (on different truck's). These were new in the package.
I once took my Wilson 5000 off and replaced it with a Monkey Made Junk.\
I used it for 2 day's went back and replaced it back with the Wilson.

[Willtyat]

I was thinking along the same lines 168. I can get a Cobra 19 DX III at amazon for around $45 and I've seen the wilson 2000 for around $55. So I can get the whole set up for the price of just cobra 29.

[hillbilly]

good idea on the cheaper radio but I would go with one of the unidens I own a cobra 19, uniden 68ltw, uniden 78ltw, have owned cobra 29ltd, cobra 18wxst, I have used a galaxy 959, and newer made cobra 148ltd, My best results in a radio combination so far has been a uniden 78ltw, 18feet of rg58 coax the grey one and a fancis 5 1/2 foot antenna. whatever you do save money on the radio and spend it on a quality antenna system. ask korcey. his advice on this sight has helped me greatly I can only tell you my experience he can explain the technical stuff

[pjnickles]

Notwithstanding the advice kc0rey may give on this post, I run a stock, out of the box, untinkered with $45 straight A.M. Cobra, through on the company truck already, co-phased antennas with an SWR/matchbox combo in line at all times and I've NEVER had a complaint.

I generally run with it off 99% of the time, as the airwaves are filled with the idiocy that is Sesame Street and I want no part of it.

As for performance, I've noticed no difference in this set-up, than I have with the 148-GTL, HR-2510, RCI-2950/2970 noise cancelling microphone, Wilson 3, 4, or 5 foot set-ups I've had over the 12 years I've been driving.

You can peak and tweak and tinker with any aspect of any radio you want and still end up with a bad experience, because I think it all comes down to antennas.

No radio is supposed to transmit more than 4 watts and for those that do, if you have a terrible set-up for antennas, it's moot.

Swing kits are junk and designed for the unscrupulous tech to part you from your money.

Power mics, mod kits, echos, reverbs, expo-kits and linears are ALL in the same category and it's been my experience that most drivers have no clue how to use them properly or what they sound like, even if it it like doo-doo.

I absolutely refuse to buy into the hype of bigger, badder, louder anymore since my 148-GTL was stolen.

Why waste my money on an expensive set-up which ends up sitting on the dash that I have trouble listening to in the first place because of the childish behavior on it, which only gets turned on in traffic jams or at the receiver just to keep up with the Jones'?

Go for a good antenna and a RELIABLE, STURDY radio and save your money for better things.

JMO

PJ

[kc0rey]

Most of the advice here is good. The cheap radios are disposable radios. They may last a few years or a few months. Any electronic device takes a serious beating in a big truck.

If it were me I would invest in a Uniden and not the cheapest model. PC76 or PC78. A Grant if I could get a good deal on one. The better radios will last longer and have better recievers and recieve filtering.

A CB can save your life or the life of another. It is your communication with your co-workers. I feel it is irresponsable to run with it off. If it is off and somebody tries to warn you of an impending danger and you miss the warning then shame on you. Turn the volume to a suitable level, open the RF gain up and squelch it out so only the close signals can get break it.

As to antennas:

As mentioned abouve the antenna is 99% of your system. A 5/8 wave antenna will always outperform a 1/4 wave antenna. I don't care what any CB guru or truck driver tels you. This is physics.

The Wilson SilverLoad and Firestk antennas are 5/8th wave. The Wilson 2000 and 5000 are not. Monkeymade and Strykers are not. A SilverLoad and Firestik will out perform any of these high dollar antennas on an Antenna Range (Antenenna rangers are area set up to test antenna efficiency) because they are 1/4 wavelength.

The amount of coax to use is the least amount you need to get where it needs to be. The shortest length is the best length as it will have the least amount of loss.

My kid is bugging me and I have to go.

Any questions? I'll answer 'em tomorrow

[pro1driver]

Originally Posted by Willtyat

To be honest I can only see myself using it for consignees calling me to the dock and the occasional traffic check. What do you use yours for?

I'm trying to justify spending $80 - $100 on one instead of just getting a cheapy $40 - $50 one.

How many drivers out there don't have a CB at all? Can I get by without one?

Thanks.

frankly, mine is frequently tuned to channel 41..............

meaning, its turned off, most times. i am sick and tired of the "singing", "noises", "stupid talk", "the roger-beeping morse code", and so on and so forth. when i see brake lights ahead of me, it gets turned on. sometimes, (at certain locations), or when i see an approaching driver from my company coming towrds me, i turn it on.

i seem fairly fond of the Uniden c.b.'s. i run with "an out of the box", PC68, cost just under $80 from an online retailer.

[BearGator56]

I'm fond of Uniden products in general. In my home, I have used their cordless phones for about 5 years now. The last one I had was still working when I upgraded to an expandable set-up with my Vonage.

Because of this, I bought a Uniden pc78 elite over Cobra, or the other big names. I got it tuned up today, and it appears to work well. I just wish it didn't have the "old school" chrome looking face. I prefer a more modern appearance.

[RyanW]

notify other drivers of conditions, cop and scale checks, also being regional/local I have quite a few jabber buddies.

[cookie71]

Originally Posted by hillbilly

good idea on the cheaper radio but I would go with one of the unidens I own a cobra 19, uniden 68ltw, uniden 78ltw, have owned cobra 29ltd, cobra 18wxst, I have used a galaxy 959, and newer made cobra 148ltd, My best results in a radio combination so far has been a uniden 78ltw, 18feet of rg58 coax the grey one and a fancis 5 1/2 foot antenna. whatever you do save money on the radio and spend it on a quality antenna system. ask korcey. his advice on this sight has helped me greatly I can only tell you my experience he can explain the technical stuff

Francis 51/2 is a excellent antenna. I run a Ranger 2970 and have a perfect SWR reading with out needing to match. with the power I am running I need a ground plane for it but if your running under 50w PEP 18' coax and a $15 Francis will do fine.

Ooops! I accidentaly hit edit instead of quote. You post has not been changed.