Shelf Radio that will walk and talk

If you realy want to get out an be heard when your keying up on that mic get you a kicker or some may call them a linear but they will make any radio get out, most of your trucking companys dont allow though because they put a little strain on the alternaters.

 

As mentioed a linear amp will put your signal out further. You can also have mods done on your radio such as a higher final transistor with a peak and tune by a reputable shop....this alone won't make your radio a monster but it will help the outgoing signal be stronger. Just so you know, linears are illegal to operate on the cb band and illegal to operate period unless you're a licensed ham operator.

There's also export radios such as Connex, General Lee, Stryker....they're also illegal to operate on 11 meters (CB band) and also illegal to operate unless you have a ham license but they'll usually get out a little louder than a mosfet output/peaked & tuned Cobra will. Most also incorporate echo and some (Galaxy 48T, Connex 4300-300) come with built in linears. They're nice because it gives you an "all in one" unit but you usually end up paying more for a lineared 10 meter as opposed to buying the radio and linear separate.

Another option is a single side band radio such as a Cobra 148 GTL. On the side bands you have a tendency to talk further but the other party you're trying to talk to must also have a side band radio. Otherwise a Cobra 148 GTL is legal to run and has the standard AM CB band.

HTH

 

Off the shelf and unmodified, none of the CB radios you can get off the store shelf will have more power than the Cobra 29 you already have. At best, the others will have the same power as yours (peak power. All will have a 4 watt carrier).

 

Get that 29 peaked and tuned..... Get a good Ant and have the SWR set. If that does not satisfy you upgrade to a radio with dual finals

 

i say do what everyone has said .
1st get a good antenna coax/mount system set up , if you dont already .
2nd get that 29 to a competent teck for a alignment and tune up .
3rd get a 2 or 4 pill amp . my montero has a 75 amp alternator on it and i run a texas star 500 with no problems .
if ya want ssb then get a new radio but still do step 1 and 3 .
a class AB biased amp is important for cleanest ssb use .

if you just want a new radio for am cb use a uniden is tough to beat . ssb on cb i like the galaxies . if you want an export the magnum 257 and the RCI 2950DX are very fine radios ! the magnum S-9 is about the best cb/trucker style IMO .

 

The cobra you have will perform as good as any regular non export 10 meter radio that has not been highly modified. BUT I find the galaxy radios to have more receive then the cobras and unidens.

 

I've owned lots of radios, Cobra 25's, 29's, and one 148gtl( my least favorite of all of them) unidens and a general lee, and my current rig a Galaxy99, of the regular radios I liked the cobra 29ltd with a connex(echo) board but about the most you'll get power wise out of a cobra is 12 watts peak. My general lee peaked at 54 watts, my galaxy will swing about the same. that being said, if you run an amp of any size( I run a texas star 667v) you MUST have your radio tuned down to between 2 and 4 watts or you'll burn up your amp( unless it's a high drive) My galaxy is set to 2 watts when I have the power dialed down as it goes to my amp, the amp powers it up to 700 watts on it's highest setting. I usually run on the lowest setting of around 200 watts..I only crank it up when I want to key over another radio( this is great for those drivers who just can't shut up!) but in the end, a cobra tuned and peaked,with an echo board and a good mic( astatic or road king) and an amp will give you plenty of power and that "big" radio sound. Also don't forget a quality antenna...the best radio in the world won't talk or hear well hooked to a cheap antenna, and in my opinion metal antennas are MUCH better than any fiberglass one...I've been running a Browning antenna for the last three years, and am fixing to upgrade to a predator 10k