CB issue or vehicle?

Discussion in 'CB Radio Forum' started by Chris M., Nov 8, 2011.

  1. Nov 8, 2011 #1
    Chris M.

    Chris M. Light Load Member

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    Im not huge CB radio guy (i think i have used the one i have in my w9 twice in the last month), but i do enjoy them and use them. When at home I use a Cobra 18 st wx ii to help round up pallets or sell them when i am home. The radio worked great in my tacoma, but i sold it because it was really more truck than i needed so i bought a mazda 2200 (1989), mounted it up and I have had nothing but terrible performance after the switch. Keep in mind the vehicle height is the same as the other, I use a 18 foot coax and a 4 foot firestick on the corner of the bed by the cab. The antenna sticks up more than halfway (yes i know roof mount would be the best with a whip). I get a lot of interferance from the electrical system and have to turn my sqwellch up to 60-80% to keep it silent. What i have done so far is ground the mounting bracket to the frame and it still didnt make a difference. Other thing is I pick up more skip guys than anything else is that normal? I am not against getting another radio but this one has usually worked really well even when i had it in the w9 with the same set up. Radio is only year or so old. Thanks.
     
    Chris M., Nov 8, 2011
    Chris M., Nov 8, 2011
    #1
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  3. Nov 8, 2011 #2
    kajidono

    kajidono Road Train Member

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    You need to get a noise filter for the power wires of the cb. Take the truck up the auto parts store and see if they do free electrical system checks while you're at it. Auto Zone does them, I think Oreilly's might. Sometimes that noise is generated by an alternator that's starting to fail. Oh yeah, and check the SWR with an external meter. Other than that, it has been pretty noisy lately, so that's part of it.
     
    kajidono, Nov 8, 2011
    kajidono, Nov 8, 2011
    #2
  4. Nov 8, 2011 #3
    Chris M.

    Chris M. Light Load Member

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    Yea i thought it was pretty "noisy" lately. Well i tried to get a noise filter and i am dead serious, every parts store locally looked at me as if i fell of a turnip truck. I will hunt for one tomorrow and see what i can come up with. Far as swr goes i did it back when it was in the tacoma and it was decent got it o 1.6 or something like that. Is it worth doing it again? I ask because you can buy radios "pre-tuned/peaked" and it sounds like you can just put them in and go if set up with an antenna. I will have to dig out my meter and check and see. Thanks for the response.
     
    Chris M., Nov 8, 2011
    Chris M., Nov 8, 2011
    #3
  5. Nov 8, 2011 #4
    kajidono

    kajidono Road Train Member

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    Yeah, you have to recheck the SWR every time you change the setup. I had a radio/antenna combo that worked great on my t600, pretty good on my pickup, but when I bolted it on my international the SWR was somewhere north of 4. I used the stock antenna and it was around 2, now it's over 3 for no apparent reason. Haven't changed anything.

    The internal tuning of the radio doesn't set the swr. That's changed by the coax and the antenna positioning/adjustment.

    Noise filters are more commonly used on car stereo amplifiers. Any car audio shop you can find will know what you're after. Best buy should have some in the car audio section too. Just make sure to get one that filters the power and not the ones that plug into stereo RCA cables.
     
    kajidono, Nov 8, 2011
    kajidono, Nov 8, 2011
    #4
  7. Nov 10, 2011 #5
    jessejamesdallas

    jessejamesdallas Road Train Member

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    More than likely a noise filter is NOT going to help your noise problem...IMO so called "Noise Filters" or "Suppressors" are a waist of money. I have yet to see one do any better than the noise filters that are built in most radios already.

    To get rid of noise problems like engine whine, alternator and fuel pump noise your going to have to do some Bonding...That means running ground straps off the doors, hood, trunk lid, pick-up beds, tail pipes, all to the frame...This is time consuming and a royal pain, but it works...(doors can be grounded to the door-jam then the body grounded to the frame)

    I don't have any "Noise filters" installed in any of my vehicles, and when the motor is running or not, you can't tell any difference in the radios receive...

    As for the skip...for right now, "This is normal"...But rest assure it will end sooner or later and when it does it wont be back for years...
     
    jessejamesdallas, Nov 10, 2011
    jessejamesdallas, Nov 10, 2011
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  8. Nov 11, 2011 #6
    mike5511

    mike5511 Road Train Member

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    +1:smt045. With the newer vehicles, (cars, pickups, big trucks) bonding everything is almost a must! Helpful tip: If you can gain access to old crown vic police cars, they have two bonding straps on the deck lid. My local PD let me remove the straps off of their old cars they were getting rid of.
     
    mike5511, Nov 11, 2011
    mike5511, Nov 11, 2011
    #6
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