New driver, question about c.b. radios

Discussion in 'CB Radio Forum' started by sdpetheram, Feb 9, 2016.

  1. sdpetheram

    sdpetheram Light Load Member

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    Mar 10, 2013
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    Simple question. Do megas provide them or no?
     
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  3. Jonrulerofearth

    Jonrulerofearth Light Load Member

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    Hueytown, Al
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  4. sdpetheram

    sdpetheram Light Load Member

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    Mar 10, 2013
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    Thanks for quick response.
     
  5. Jonrulerofearth

    Jonrulerofearth Light Load Member

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    Hueytown, Al
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    Besides buying at at truck stop, or a CB shack, try EBay, it might be cheaper. Good luck.
     
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  6. rabbiporkchop

    rabbiporkchop Road Train Member

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    EBay is usually the cheapest place to buy radios. It's best to buy a new radio because there's lots of terrible radio technicians out there that damage radios.
     
    darthanubis, sdpetheram and handlebar Thank this.
  7. postmandav

    postmandav Medium Load Member

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    When I went to work for Stevens tanker division down in Stockdale Texas I was working in the sand division . In that operation they provide a CB because you must be able to contact the sand Cordinator at different wellsites . Other than that most companies do not providea CB
     
  8. w.h.o

    w.h.o Road Train Member

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    Chicago, il
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    Doesn't tmc or Melton have pre-installed cb? But yeah most companies don't provide it but has the connection to hook 1 up. There's cheap to buy
     
  9. sdpetheram

    sdpetheram Light Load Member

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    Yeah, I'm with my trainer he has a 40 dollar one from walmart and said that's all you need.

    Just not smart to be without one. U.s. xpress doesn't provide one.
     
  10. Xcis

    Xcis Medium Load Member

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    The single most important thing is the antenna. If you can afford an antenna with a loading coil, definitely go that route. Otherwise get an antenna with at least a 4 foot length. 4 1/2 foot length is a little better and 5 foot length is better still.
    .
    .The second most important thing is the coaxial cable [coax]. You really do not have to go crazy on coax. If you run a single antenna setup, you can use either RG8X or RG58 coax. Either is perfectly acceptable in a NON-amplified radio setup. A length of 18 feet of coax cable is NOT mandatory. Actually, shorter is better; less signal loss. If you have a lot of excess coax cable, that can cause you problems. Excess coax cable should be wound as a figure 8 approximately 12 inches long and secured with tape to maintain its shape.
    .
    . If you have a newer truck with the cb and am/fm radio signal multiplexed, you can purchase your own antenna mount and run your own coax cable from the antenna mount to the radio. You can even route the coax from the mount, through your driverside window and up to the radio. While it may look like [bleep] that works well. Just do not close the window all the way up and crush the coax cable. It is also suggested that you go in and out the truck using the passenger door.
    .
    .Finally, I suggest a new stock out of the box radio. The only radio that I will tell you to avoid like the plague is the Cobra model 18. Anything else from any manufacturer but never the Cobra model 18. Cobra 19,25,29 are all okay. Uniden, Midland or any other brand are okay. There are few radio techs that I would allow to touch my radio. During March 2016, you can buy a new Cobra 29 Classic radio at Pilot truck stops. It is on sale for $99.99 and there is a $25 mail in rebate also. Shop around. CB radios come up on sale or with a mail in rebate from time to time. There are other radios from Cobra, Uniden, Midlands and others that you can select. You will never know how well a radio can perform until you hook your cb radio up to a good antenna and coax.
     
    BTShepp Thanks this.
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