Just upgraded......but need HELP!!!

[BoDarville01]

I had a Cobra 29LTD Classic. Bought it used off eBay, got a good 6-8 mo. out of it, then just went to ####. Didn't want to blow $200 on a radio, or $400 to be like those 'super truckers'. But i did get a steal on a used Galaxy DX959. Least i THINK i did....$100 from the CB shop at the Pilot off exit 4 in Indianapolis.

Now i'm not a driver who needs all the bells and whistles, talkback, roger beep, etc....but heck, it doesnt give me anymore range than i had with my POS cobra. I'm lucky to get 3/4ths of a mile range, but when i am in range it is clear as a bell.

Maybe someone could help me with how exactly to get my SWR set, etc. Someone told me to key the mic, holding it close to the CB itself, and if it squeals, your mic gain is set to high.

Someone with a Galaxy please lend some help?? I've got stock coax and stock antenna. I know down the road i'll upgrade those, but for the time being, i'm glad to have a better quality radio....now if only i can talk to the moon =)

[TriAxleTrucker16]

What kind of antenna(s) and coax are you using? The galaxy, unless it has been tuned is probably doing 4 watts, and thats probably close to what the cobra you had was doing.

[Turbo-T]

Ahh, I see you bought your radio from where all the CB Rambos of Indy like to hang out and threaten each other over the radio.

Anyways, it's likely what happened was your SWR's were too high and if they are, keying up your radio will burn out the final transistor.

Your range will be mainly determined by the antenna you are running and the coax. A $200 radio and a $20 antenna will sound/operate/perform like a $20 radio. SWR's also play a role.

Holding the mic close tot he radio to see if it squeals IS NOT how you set your SWR. I am going to walk you thru this.

First get an SWR meter. Radio Shack sells them new for $49.95. Sparkys sells them for $20 and up. You'll also want to purchase a 2 foot piece of coax.

On the rear of the meter are 2 coax jacks...one is for the antenna, the other says "xmit"...hook the 2 foot coax from the xmit to the rear of the radio.

Now, turn the radio to channel 20 and key up the mic BUT DO NOT SPEAK INTO IT and DO NOT HOLD IT CLOSE TO THE RADIO. On the front of the meter there should be a calibration knob and a calibration selector switch. You set the meter to the callibrate position, then turn the knob until the needle touches the end of the red. Once this is done, you have now calibrated the meter to the antenna.

Now flip the calibrate switch to the SWR position and key up the mic AGAIN DO NOT SPEAK INTO THE MIC OR HOLD IT CLOSE TO THE RADIO. Now watch to see where the needle goes...without speaking into the mic, you want the needle to fall about the 1.5:1 position. This is a good SWR reading. If the SWR goes to 3 or anywhere into the red, unkey. This means your SWR is too high and you need to find out why.

1. What could cause a high SWR? Several things:

2. Coax is bad/shorted

3. Antenna is not the right size for the radio

4. Antenna is not properly grounded

5. The waves reflected by the antenna might be hitting something metal...such as a metal pole, metal sign, etc....any reflected waves will go back into the radio as heat and will destroy the final transistor.

With that said, anytime you are checking SWR's you want to be in an open parking lot/field away from large buildings, metal poles, other vehicles, etc... You do not want anything that will cause the waves to reflect back to the antenna and make the SWR's go up.

Keep in mind, CB's aren't made to "talk to the moon". Most CB's with a good antenna, a low SWR and not running an amp will get out 5-10 miles, again depending on your antenna set up. Remember the antenna will make or break any radio.

Plus I believe your Galaxy has sideband, which if someone else is also on sideband you can talk to them a greater distance than on regular old AM.

As for the squealing, yes keep the mic away from the radio when you key up...it's known as "feedback" and you can hear it when you have the talk back on and transmitting too close to the radio.

Hope this helps.

[BoDarville01]

Originally Posted by Turbo-T

Ahh, I see you bought your radio from where all the CB Rambos of Indy like to hang out and threaten each other over the radio.

.

i like those guys though. makes for good cheap entertainment.
I was heading west on 74 going thru Bloomington, and heard a guy talk to a tanker as he was getting on the on-ramp, cusing him out for cutting him off in the parking lot. I liked how 'rambo' waited till he was going the opposite direction than the driver getting on the ramp when he made the comment. radio rambos are such sissys.

Turbo...tell me more about the amp. I've read of a guy who bought a "2x4" or something, another who added a 'con-ex' board, others who 'swing XXX watts'. I dont need to talk to the moon, but it would seem like i was if i could get out farther than half a mile. I'm guessing a quality radio is alot like a quality car like a corvette. You wouldn't run a car like that on $20 tires from Wal-Mart. I've planned on buying a new quality antenna...and coax. Just hope i dont end up with a $400 setup, cause i dont want to end up like super rambo trucker. =)

[Turbo-T]

Originally Posted by BoDarville01

Turbo...tell me more about the amp. I've read of a guy who bought a "2x4" or something, another who added a 'con-ex' board, others who 'swing XXX watts'. I dont need to talk to the moon, but it would seem like i was if i could get out farther than half a mile. I'm guessing a quality radio is alot like a quality car like a corvette. You wouldn't run a car like that on $20 tires from Wal-Mart. I've planned on buying a new quality antenna...and coax. Just hope i dont end up with a $400 setup, cause i dont want to end up like super rambo trucker. =)

Well if you decide to run an amp, it will put you into "super trucker" category.

An amp (also known as a linear, linear amp, foot warmer, etc.) just takes the signal coming out of the radio and boosts it. However using an amp on a CB is illegal and if you get caught using it can be fined pretty heavily for it.

A "2X4" is an amp that has two transistors that drive four transistors. I don't know if one is better than the other because they also have 1X4 amps, 2 pill amps, etc.

But, an amp cannot and will not make up for a crappy antenna and coax. Because amps are sensitive and if the SWR is too high on the radio, it's gonna destroy that amp in a hurry.

So first you need to figure out why your radio can't get out.....if it's the antenna and coax and SWR's being too high then you need to fix those first. I don't think this will put you into the $400 territory but an amp can.

A Connex board....they're probably referring to an echo board made by Connex installed in their Cobra/Galaxy.....if it's not that I don't know. Truck stop CB shops like to feed truckers all sorts of bogus lies for a quick buck.

The "swing" is just the modulation created when you talk into the mic.

Really get yourself a good antenna, good coax and get those SWR's down to 1.5:1 and you should be able to talk for more than 3/4 mile.

[WA4GCH]

Coax ?

If you stay with a name brand of coax at Cb there should be no problems

[BoDarville01]

any difference between nickel plated or whatever? I was at the Iowa-80 truck stop, and they wanted almost $40 for it. They also wanted $130 for a new Cobra 29LTD which i know you can get for $99.99 at any Love's/Pilot.

Any perticular antenna you'd recommend for a Galaxy? was hopin' the truck stop i stopped at had their CB shop open, but they closed it down.

thanx all for your help...

[WA4GCH]

Originally Posted by BoDarville01

any difference between nickel plated or whatever? I was at the Iowa-80 truck stop, and they wanted almost $40 for it. They also wanted $130 for a new Cobra 29LTD which i know you can get for $99.99 at any Love's/Pilot.

Any perticular antenna you'd recommend for a Galaxy? was hopin' the truck stop i stopped at had their CB shop open, but they closed it down.

thanx all for your help...

I like firesticks 5 foor or longer ...... check out [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link.

[outerspacehillbilly]

BoDarviile you need to get you a good antenna and good coax and have a good cb shop set your swr's ( and show you how to check/set them so you know for future ). That will cure your problems and get you hearing and talking farther. It would also be a good Idea to have that radio tuned by a good tech. I don't know which shop you bought it from but Big O's does #### work and I don't know about cb world as I never had them do anything but have bought a couple odds and ends parts from them. You should also get you a good mic like an RK56 or Astatic 636 or Skythumper 65 DX. Those stock galaxy mics don't give much modulation. You can have that setup top notch for less than $100.

[BoDarville01]

my first upgrade when i had my Cobra, i bought one of those noise reduction mics for $30 or so. Works pretty good. Think any stock mic should just be taken off and tossed in the trash. Though i dont think you need to buy a $200 mic from Bose or anything. =)

I did just buy a 2 ft coax and a SWR meter. I'm at my folks place now, and forgot about a radio shop in town that my dad will take me too tomorrow. He use to be a truck driver for 30 years, just turned 70 this past January. Might be a kick for him to ride in a truck again. =)