Sparkys Cobra 29

Of course what we really need to understand here is that the "FCC guys" will NEVER see the radio....

In nearly 40 years of running highly modded radios and linear amps and "all the good toys" I have never even seen a "FCC guy" so I wouldn't give that a second thought.

The FCC doesn't give a #### about CB radio regardless what some people seem to think!

 

Get some mini 8 coax, or if you really want some good coax get some rg213 but you don't need anything that good or expensive really.

 

I second this, although Jolsen's company may have a policy against exports and linears, that may be the issue.

I'd say those 1.5' antennas are your biggest problem. Since antennas sit so low on a T600, I would just run one of Astatic antennas, preferably on the driver's side. The antennas need to be able to "see" each other to work well in a co-phase (two antenna) setup. Don't try running just one if you use that factory coax in the truck though, put both on if you do that. You're right about getting close to 1:1, the Astatic I mounted last week was at 1.2:1 first try with no trimming. I second the mini8/rg8x suggestion on the coax.

 

Yes Mini 8x is the better coax for a vehicle. RG-213 has a hicher loss than RG-8 or RG-8X. It is a Bad coax for the everyday CBer. The only reason any one runs it is because it's rated at 5000 watts. How many people are going to run that kind of power? And RG-8 is rated at 2000 watts. And it has less loss. So it's better for your lower power. This way more power goes out of the antenna. Now you need to get longer antennas. 1.5' are just to short to get anywhere. If you can get 4-5' antennas you should get pretty good range. I hate to say this but the Astatic linear load antennas are not what you think. They don't work as well as some fiberglass ones. And they cost much more. They don't like tree limbs. I think you need to forget about some of your radio ideas. Get a Good Cobra 29 or a Galaxy, Ranger, or something along those lines. And you'll have a radio from Sparky's that can get out everytime. I can get 15-20 miles or more all day long with just a radio and a SkipShooter 4.5' antenna. Just buy a good radio. Sparky's does sell great radios at great prices. And you should see the same with one. Just forget all of the add on items. You don't need TG or other the junk to get out. I've been on the radio since 1968. I can tune & peak. As well as do some repairs. I know something about radios. Not just what I heard drivers say. And you can always add a small amp for more range if needed. I've started driving a Big Truck in 1969.

 

Big m, I'm curious about your experience with the linear load antennas-I picked up two of the 3k versions for $20 because I had always been curious about the linear load (vs coil load) design. Like I said above, they receive well and seem to get out just fine. You might be right about them breaking, I actually owned a 1k version before and managed to break it off before I really got to test it. It was totally my fault, I had it on my pickup and hit a pretty solid tree limb while off-road with the main part of the antenna, not the whip. The bottom part definitely isn't flexible! Anyway, I'm just curious what your experience of the performance of this antenna is. I think we can agree that it will serve him better than the 1.5' antennas he has now.

 

As long as you stay off the HAM bands the FCC will not do much unless you cause problems. They will handle interference problems even as caused by a HAM they have been to places here localy in several cases that got out of hand.

The number of CBers her is so small right now that not much is going on.

 

They really work very well. But they break way to easy. So I think that they are a huge waste of money. But at $20 for two. That's a real deal. I would buy the two and run just 1 on the drivers door. Less trees that way. With some RG-8x coax. Because they don't get along with any tree. I had 3 of them killed by trees before I woke up to that fact. (And there is really no distance advantage running dual antennas). And I'd keep the other for a spare. As for the Coil design most are just way over priced. And don't give any more range than a non-coil type. I own many antennas. I would rather use a Francis than a high dollar Monkey made on a Big Truck for more then one reason. Price being one. No one steals Francis. But it will talk almost the same distance. It just won't handle the same power levels. I don't run a amp. So I see the Big Buck Antennas as a waste for myself. I've run a SP-3000 Coil type. The cheap kind sold in Truck Stops. And I did talk very well with it. Better than my Wilson 2000. At the price you paid I would keep running the 3k. And yes it will be 1,000 times better than a 1.5' antenna. They do get out real good. He will see many miles improvement. They may just die if whacked hard by trees.

 

I only bought two because I have my truck set up to run the am/fm antenna on the passenger door. I tried the cophase thing once, and wasn't impressed. I do like the look though, and the am/fm reception with a big antenna is incredible, particularly am. When I said "coil load," I meant pretty much any other loaded antenna, including top loaded fiberglass (I put Francis in its own category, since they're continuous load) I have, and will probably use until they rot, a couple of Everhardt sott 5' antennas, which are top-loaded, and they are better than anything else I've tried, Wilson 2k and 5k, Monkey Made, Firestick, Francis...I still haven't tried a Skipshooter (I think we talked about this before, a couple of months back) but it looks to be the closest thing to the sott on the market now. I guess I'm going to have to break down and try one sometime.

 

Yes co-phased do look very cool. I use to run a 102" SS whip on a ball mount & spring on my Freightliner Cabover. And it was the best AM/FM antenna I've ever seen. So I can understand what you mean by am/fm reception with a big antenna is incredible. A top load is always the best. Follow by center load, next bottom. I've never tried the scott. I had a couple of Everhardt's back in the 80's. They worked very good. With the price of your 3k I would by 6 of them.