Looking to upgrade from my cobra 29

First things first have you ensured you have a low SWR from your antenna? 1.5:1 is what you want, 2.0:1 is ok, anything higher than 2.1:1 reduces transmit efficiency.

If this checks good, the next step would be an amp. Since you say your radio does 80 watts (presuming you must have an RFX75) then you'll want to ensure whatever amp you buy can handle the amount of power the radio is doing.

If you want to stick with an all in one unit, a Connex 4300-300, if you can find one, would most certainly fit the bill.

 

How far are you wanting to try to get out?

Most mobile CB's have a range of 5 miles, reliably. The trees, mountains, skip conditions, etc will also determine how far your signal travels.

 

43/300 is a great radio,abit pricey for the performance
but its been around a good while.

Many havent been impressed with the 4600,then again some like them so ...?

 

GASP look at the size of the finals .....

I run several VHF radios that run around 100 watts FM and they an't kidding when they say the heat sink gets HOT.....
SO I installed a 12 v fan to blow air on it. What a diffrence in how hot they get ...
very cheap insurance for extending the life of your radio .....

 

What's the "riff raff" you refer to? Are you trying to be the biggest dog at the truck stop? The one that can key up and lock down the channel?

 

Always attempt to get the best SWR you can, which is 1.1:1. Any higher results is a loss of efficiency. At 1.5:1 SWR means a 3% loss of efficiency. Is it noticeable, probably not, but you should strive for a 1.1:1 match.