Cobra 29 no range no squelch static

Discussion in 'CB Radio Forum' started by OldeSkool, Jan 20, 2023.

  1. OldeSkool

    OldeSkool Road Train Member

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    Ok my title pretty much sums it up. I have a Cobra 29 radio, Astatic microphone, and fire stick antenna. I have a typical truck stop aftermarket coax that’s a few years old. I suddenly have almost no range to hear and idk how far people can hear me. Also when I turn my squelch knob all the way there is no usual static. Any idea’s appreciated. I’m thinking my antenna may be bad because I’ve hit a few tree branches with it recently, however none right around the time it started acting up.

    I have none of the tools or knowledge to check anything. My most technical knowledge of CB radios is a somewhat educated guess so please don’t be too technical.
     
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  3. Metalicious

    Metalicious Road Train Member

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    Wiggle the microphone cord where its connected to the radio. I didn't have an astatic mic, but when my radio did this it was because the mic cord was bad or had a break in it somewhere right where it plugs up. Set squelch to where you should definitely hear static and wiggle the mic cord starting from right at the front of the radio where the mic plugs in and wiggle it back in various spots to the mic itself along the mic cord and if it is in fact that you will have an idea of where the cord is broken inside. If that is the culprit just buy a new mic and should be okay then.
     
  4. Night Stalker10

    Night Stalker10 Road Train Member

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    A bad michrophone cord is a good place to start. Even though you are new to cb radio, you really need to buy an external SWR meter and a short coax jumper cable. Even the cheap meters are better than nothing. Not sure which 29 radio you have, but if it has the built in SWR meter, don't go by what it says. The internal SWR meters aren't very accurate. In fact they are worthless. You need to know if your antenna is okay. A bad antenna and or coax, can cause a low or no noise in the radios receive.
     
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  5. Metalicious

    Metalicious Road Train Member

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    Mine I know the swr is way off. I can hear static in my radio when I open and close my door so I know the coax is broken or shorted somewhere. Plan on getting a new coax and antenna mount
     
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  6. Night Stalker10

    Night Stalker10 Road Train Member

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    Oh okay, very good. Sounds like you are on the right track to getting it fixed. It doesn't take hitting too many tree branches to mess up the antenna system.
     
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  7. Timin770

    Timin770 Road Train Member

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    Since we know the antenna has impact damage, I'd start there for sure
     
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  8. Metalicious

    Metalicious Road Train Member

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    Well in my case I bought the bird perch mount for Volvo trucks, installed on driver side (thankfully rather than passenger side), used the existing antenna I already had and new 9' RG58 coax cable. So now I can get SWR on radio to read 1.5 or less, but can't have radio calibrated to the cal mark. I think the radio may be junk, but getting out now at least more than just a couple trucks either side of me in truck stops.
     
  9. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    its not junk when it works. The builtin SWR meter is usually crap to begin with - use an external meter.
     
  10. Metalicious

    Metalicious Road Train Member

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    So when you use those external meters long as external is good doesn't matter what radio shows, even on the radio calibration?
     
  11. Numb

    Numb Crusty Curmudgeon

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    most Cobra radios I've owned the speaker was the first thing to go.

    try an external speaker.
     
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