cobra 29LTDCHR question

I use an external speaker, I just think it makes it easier to hear.(15$ online)

You'll get better recieve with a dedicated coax and antenna btw.

 

Do you have a sister? Lol

On a serious note, if he gets a truck that someone else has driven, chances are pretty good that either the coax or the power wires to hook it up will have been cut. I swear, drivers need to be shown a pair of wire cutters and then smacked on the knuckles while telling them, "NO!", in a very firm manner.

If everything is intact, antennas included, he can probably just get by with plugging it in and turning it on. If the antenna light doesn't come on, he's golden.

He can learn more about radios as he goes.

 

Most the trucks have a stock antenna system to use, however depending on the truck, some are better than others, from my experience Volvos work well, Kenworth T680 ( new models) work well and the Freightliner Cascadias dont work well at all ( new models) as you can probably tell by the numerous threads on this forum and the problems encountered by most. Good choice on the radio purchase, I have the same radio ( one of my many) and it works great stock out of the box so your husband may want to resist the temptation to pay for a peak and tune and just use it as is, once he gets a good antenna system set up another aftermarket purchase he may want to consider would be a good noise canceling microphone like an Astatic 636 or Ranger sra198 and both can be bought for around 30 bucks on Amazon or Ebay, just a suggestion, the stock mic should work fine.

 

Swr meter would be good.

If the coax is junk or not will determine if you need a new antenna setup. Either way it's not hard you just have to know if the antenna and coax are good to go.

Start by hooking it all up and aim for a swr below 1.5 on channel 1 and 40. Look up videos on YouTube on dialing in your swr. It's super easy.

IF you can't get a good swr then just run your own coax and antenna, stock coax is usually junk.

 

He should take the Volvo, but he will probably need a new antenna. Their stock ones are awful. But leave the passenger side antenna on, that's also the fm antenna.

 

Keep getting two red lights when i try to cal what should i do

 

Are you using the built in meter?

If your swr is good don't worry about it. My antenna light comes and goes but it always transmits.