Suggestions for my Cobra 29 Classic

I've got a 29ltd, and when I took it into a cb shop for a peak and tune, the guy told me that he charges $25 for a p&t PER TRANSMIT AND RECEIVE. For a total of $50.
I figured he was about to cheat me.
However, he suggested a power conversion, as he called it. He said a p&t would run the output up to 25 watts.
But, a conversion would bump it up to 40. And since it was $40, I took the chance.
Now, I get better reception if my rf gain is turned all the way up. But, I squelch out all the static. So I'm happy with that.
As far as putting out, I've gotten responses from drivers as far off as 10 miles. All said it sounded good.
This radio has an antenna light that lights up if there is a problem. I ended up having to go to a mega cable, versus a standard cable that comes with the truck, for that light to stop blinking.
As of right now, no complaints. And I've had this radio since before 2000. Had the conversion done in 2001.

 

Can you actually buy an out of the box CB that puts out 250-1k watts? Or do you need a linear or something. Thanks for the info

 

Absolutely not. There has never been a CB made that can do this. What you can get is an export radio than can be converted to have the CB band that will do much higher wattage than a standard CB radio. I have a Galaxy DX-48T that I use as a base-station. It's an export that has been converted to run the CB band as well as the ohter bands. It dead-keys at 30 watts and swings to 180 watts.

That's just one example. There are many export radios that will swing to a couple hundred watts. I've never heard one that will go more the 300 or 400 watts. I think that's one of the Connex radios.

 

Lots of questions to follow your questions.
1. Tune receiver are you going to use a signal generator?
2. Tuning transmit are you going to use a System monitor O scope or a freq counter and a bird watt meter?
3. Are you going to use antenna analyzer to tune antenna system from the by first tuning the antenna then checking the coax for proper length?
4. Hourly rate will be up to over head.
5. If your dealing with truck drivers very few will leave there radios with you as they may not get back threw that area for some time. Most want on the spot repair.
6. I know when i was over the road i very seldom trusted a mobile repair man it kind of gives the illusion of fly by night. Most prefer a building and the closer to a truck stop the better.

Use your best judgment i had a shop for a couple of years but got tired of having to fix the butchers mistakes and having drivers tell me so and so said they needed this and that and i didn't know what i was talking about because i told them the truth and the bird watt meter showed them the truth about there so called hopped up radios that were tested on a dosey swingamatic. so good luck to you and i hope it works out for you but good test equipment is pricey and you have to pay for it some way. 25000 for a test set is a bunch to put out for a CB shop but i wouldn't open one with out a good System monitor to rely on and it does it all. The one i use now is 5 years old and does a fine job but the new ones will do so much more but i still can't afford the 45000 for that one.

 

I'll start with a short list of equip compliment.
I have (4) IFR service monitors (mostly service call carried),
a Marconi 2955/57( bench),
(2) (HP 8920b w/latest upgrades & firmware(bench),
(3)Marconi modulation meters(bench),
several bird 43's & 4 Bird 4304's( I think that's the # for the single slug units)
3 or 4 Telewaves,
a couple older HP analog scopes, a couple newer Tektronix digitals.
I don't keep a portable antenna analyzer but I do have a few return loss bridges which I keep on the bench mostly.
I take a specific one into the field when I need to for tuning duplexers, combiners, isolators/circulators, some swept antenna measurements etc.
I only take the one because I don't want to subject the others to damage or mistuning.
They really don't travel well.
I keep the calibration kit handy & use it every so often for a reality check.

As indicated, I haven't purchased a stand-alone ant analyzer yet.
Up to now I haven't needed one due the RL bridges I keep handy.
I had considered & may well yet obtain an Anritsu Station Master in lieu of a cheap CB or Ham type ant analyzer.
However, we're talking a couple grand used.
Come to think of it, the Anritsu's might not even go that low in freq.
I may still opt for one of the el cheapos in the Ham market.

As to the methodology, Since co-phasing harnesses are supposed to be odd quarter wavelengths long per side, I would probably remove the antenna from one side, short that end & sweep / tune the other antenna.

Shorting the one end should give an open condition at the splitter.
If it doesn't, the coax is the wrong length & needs changed/modified.

Whichever ant analyzer I pick up should give me an indication of the RLC involved so I'll know if the point of resonance is where the best swr is or if I need to look at grounding etc.

If they don't show RLC, I guess I'll pick up a noise bridge.

Well, my shop overhead is already covered by commercial accounts.
I would need to create a mobile shop & the question remains; Would it pay to offer such?
Would drivers invest in their radio & antenna systems enough to make it worth both our whiles?
As it stands, my intent is to make at least $50 p/hr.
I doubt that most radio or antenna repairs will take more than a half hour.
Those that might take longer, will be announced beforehand.
Antenna work can be a bit more time consuming when you do it right.
Again, a warning will be presented if I see a problem.

On the spot is not hard to do unless it's a really strange problem like intermittants or antenna related.
UPS runs all over the place as well as FEDEX.
I ship & receive commercial gear all over the world as it is.

A good parts stock isn't expensive.
Just need to figure out what's in the newer radios for main parts.

I'll have to count this as a nay to the mobile shop idea.
Despite that the main shop won't be that far away, it's not easily accessible to class 8 trucks because I don't have the parking for more than a couple.

Yes, I understand. Been there, done that, got the hat, t-shirt, jacket & key chain.

Well, my gear is all paid for with the exception of an antenna analyzer & perhaps a new service monitor to cover the P25 & FDMA/TDMA public safety radios I'm about to dig into. I'm thinking Aeroflex or maybe Motorola/General Dynamics here.

Yeah it's pricey but deals can be had & the work is out there to justify it.

Thanks for offering your opinion.