found cb shop...

The RF gain mod is only good if you have a kicker on your cb. I did mine because I have a palomar 225 in which I use the RF gain to control how many watts i am putting into my kicker for it to boost. an example is if somebody was real far away and couldn't hear me, then I turn my RF gain all the way up to reach him.

the RF gain mod would not be a good idea if you didn't have a kicker. before i had my kicker i used my RF gain by turning it up so i could hear weaker signals, which is what you will need to use it for, unless you get a kicker. I wouldn't do that unless you get an amp put on your cb. That's probably what they meant by saying it wasn't a good idea.

 

When your getting a peak and tune, their checking your audio modualation and frequency output. Your audio will mix with the freq. and go into an exciter which is the beginning of your xmit power. Finals are what the exciter go into and they are boosting the power to the rated power out. Bigger finals = more power out.

 

Your "RF Gain Knob" will have NO affect on someone far away hearing you better...If you turn it up all the way (which is where I leave mine set) you maybe able to hear them better tho...Now you maybe confusing the RF Gain Knob, with the Mic Gain or the Variable Power Knob, both of which may let someone farther off hear you better.

Going to larger finals will make the radio louder. And give you more power. Example would be, if you have a stock Cobra 29, it's probably DK'ing around 3w's, and swinging anywhere from 6w's to 12w's...If you get it P&T'ed and have the Mosfet finals put in, then you may see anywhere from a 25w to 40w swing out...(or more!) And that's without a Amp...

If the shop you went to, does not want to do the Mod, it's either because they have been in trouble with the FCC on doing those Mods, or maybe since doing some Mods to New radios, can void the warranty, maybe they just don't want to be responsible for the up-grade, if it frys the radio or they screw-up...I would find another shop...

 

Actually it will. my RF gain does not act like a normal RF gain knob. it has been modded to adjust how many watts i am pushing to my kicker, so yest it actually does make a difference on how far i am getting out. i have tested with other people on the radio just to make sure after i had it done.

 

Then you have the RF pot hooked into your dead key wattage. You would turn DOWN the wattage to keep from overdriving the amplifier, not up. At least, all of mine have had to turn down. I use about 1-2 watts deadkey to run my Texas Star 670. Driving it harder just makes it sound bad, probably runs hot.

 

well this might be a stupid question, but since you bring it up I have to ask. how hot should your kicker usually get? and also, you aren't putting any watts into it unless you are keying up and talking right?

I got my RF mod turned up most of the time and everybody says that it sounds good that way. The tech at the shop also said that I can leave it turned up and it wouldn't hurt anything so I haven't really messed with it, he said the same thing that you said, just to turn it down some if somebody says it sounds bad, but so far everybody says it sounds better and modulation is good when i keep it turned up. you know better than I do, so what you think?

 

Since you had your "RF Gain Knob" Modified, it is NO LONGER a RF Gain Knob...It is NOW a Variable Power Knob...The shop that did the Mod just used the "RF Gain" knob to install the Variable Power, since really the RF Gain is for the most part a use-less fetcher on the radio...

If you were to take the cover off your radio, you will probably find the old "RF Gain Knob" lying inside the radio, all taped-up in electrical tape, and turned all the way up for Max RF Gain...They usually leave the switch (or knob) hooked-up, then just place it back in the radio, in-case you later decide to have it hooked back up...

All the RF Gain does, is help bring in stations that are in a distance, so you can hear them better, when turned up...It has nothing what so ever to do with your transmiting...