Starter CB Radio

Start cheap. Uniden and Cobra both have radios that sell for under $40 at Amazon and Walmart. A CB is not really needed anymore. It comes in handy to talk to the guardhouse or dispatcher at some shippers/receivers, and a cheap radio hooked to the stock truck antenna system will work fine for that.

If you find that you don't mind the idiots with the splatter boxes with max echo on their insanely loud "roger beep" repeatedly telling the world that they ain't got no panties on, then go ahead and spend the money on a "better" setup.

 

Don't forget the CB rambos such as these two comical goons WARNING STRONG LANGUAGE NOT WORK SAFE NOT KID SAFE VIEW AT YOU AND YOUR CHILDRENS OWN RISK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evTaKFxJxj4

 

I don't talk to guard shacks or dispatch, but I did just put a uniden 880 (on sale $79.99 at loves) in my truck for weather. It is also nice to be able to communicate with another driver if he is having a truck/trailer issues. I don't run mine all the time.

 

The Galaxy 3 digit radios are very good too. I have a DX 959, and it works very well. I took it to DTB in Carlisle and he realigned it and peaked it up nicely, without any hacking, bs "swing" mods or removing the modulation limiter. Now it deadkeys about 9 watts and swings about 32 with loud, crystal clear audio.

 

The 29 has more than just the SWR meter and Delta tune. It also has better noise suppression circuitry than the 25.

Whichever radio you choose, consider a good noise-canceling microphone such as the 636L or RK-56.

Choose your radio shop wisely. If the 'tech' goes into it and starts clipping things grab your radio and run. He doesn't know what he is doing.

As for antennas, yes they are the key element in any system. Steel vs. fiberglass: If you are going to run a high amount of power then yes, go with a steel antenna, otherwise a GOOD 'glass antenna will serve you well. What's a good one? I've always liked the older Wilson power sticks. Francis makes a decent antenna. I've never really liked the Firestiks but that's just my opinion. Avoid no-name antennas and don't overlook the coax!

 

I have a cobra 148 gtl st that's been peaked an tuned an it's a pos. it was tuned and peaked before i got it. I don't know if the guy fried it before he gave it to me or what the deal is but I can't hardly turn my dynamike up or I get terrible squeal feedback. Most of the time I don't even know if it's getting out at all. I don't want to dump money in it cause for what it would cost to fix it I could buy a new cb. What do shops charge you to look at a radio and tell you if it's junk or not?

 

If you can find a decent cb shop it should be free to put on the bench.

 

Move the mike away from the speaker. See if that doesn't help with the feedback. You might have to move your speaker. Also keep in mind, the 148 is a ssb radio. Your switch is going to have to be in the am position.Not in USB or LSB.

 

The 148 ST isn't one of Cobra's better models. Pretty much the entire SoundTracker series was a bust. I have two 148STs and they just don't compare to the older 148s. The STs were cheaply built and that ST circuitry was a joke unless you were talking to another ST radio. Not to mention that if you tried to open them up for frequency they had a most peculiar frequency pattern. Many skips and repeats. They would slide about 12-15kc on the clarifier, but so would the older 148s if you did it properly.