I've got a new to me, Cobra 29 WX NW ST Sound Tracker and I can't make the thing work properly. I talked through it to another driver and he told me it's not adjusted properly. OK, I've got the squelch, RF gain and dynamike turned all the way up to max. I back off the RF gain waiting for static, but I get none. So I turn the RF gain to where the needle is just in the green area of the scale and out of the red. I'm using an RK56 mike. What the heck am I doing wrong?
Start with the basics. S/RF switch in the S/RF up position, NB/ANL off down position, the CB/PA and CB/WX in the CB up position, channel 19 and 9 down position for normal, and the round ST button left in the out position. On the lower row adjust the volume to around 11:00 position, and the squelch knob fully counter clockwise off position. Turn the RF gain and Dyna knobs fully clockwise, and the dimmer knob fully clockwise, the weather knob doesn't matter for testing and set the SWR/CAL at the 12:00 o'clock position. This is a good starting point to test the receive and transmit. RF gain has nothing to do with transmitting, but the Dyna does, it's the mic gain. With these settings turn the RK56 mic gain down to a low number to start with, and raise it to a higher value until another person your talking to says it sounds good. If it's too high your audio won't sound good due to over modulation. If you don't hear much noise in the speaker with these settings, your radio, coax, speaker, or antenna may have a problem.
Tune the antenna by switching to cal, go to channel 1, or 40, key up on the Mike, get the needle up to the red. Alternating between both channels, try to match both readings. I think that’s correct. If not hopefully someone else will chime in.
I’ve had this happen a few times even after installing a whole fresh new set in/on a truck. Has always been the doors have poor grounds through the hinge's so the antenna and coax won’t work correctly. A simple 12 gauge jumper wire screwed into front of the door and jamb at the hinge joint has fixed it in the past.
Theoretically if you increase RF gain, you’ll pick up a longer range. However you also get more static. Then increase squelch, till the static stops. However that doesn’t always work. Often increasing the squelch will keep out weak signals, even if they’re close. I always back squelch off all the way, increase RF just enough to hear nearby radios, without hearing static. If longer range reception is desired, increasing RF and using squelch if needed.
That works. I know a lot of folks who only use Squelch to reduce static. One of my other problems is my eyesight, lol. It's dang hard, if not impossible, for me to see the dials for where the radio is located.
