I was reading up on this and may get one. I was wondering if anyone has one and if so, what kind of antenna would work best. Thanks.

[Edited by Goober on 11-10-2000 at 07:10 AM]

I love mine. It takes all the problem of where to mount the CB away. It works well, has the weather channels also, and I teamed it with a Lil' Wil magnetic antenna. Performance is as good as a CB will get you.

Thanks Gerald, what kind of range do you get with your setup and where do you mount your antenna? I don't have anything on the roof right now so I guess the center would be best? Also, do know of a good antenna that is like a fold down( not permanently) like for pulling into a garage.(Hope that makes sense)

Goob,

As for clearing ceilings and such, either get a quick disconnect, or a stainless steel whip that you can bend over in an arc. You don't want to bend or scrape fiberglass antennas. Someone might have a mount that hinges and folds at the base, but I haven't seen one. Either way, you'd have to get out of the truck to do it. I like the quick disconnect on my Firestik. It takes two seconds to take off and put on, and I just throw the antenna in the back.

Hope this helps.

Range with a CB always depends on line of sight and other factors. I've gotten out several miles while on an Interstate.

The Lil' Wil has a 3ft whip that inserts into the magnetic base. I simply remove the whip unless I am going on a trip or trailrun. With my lift and large tires, the base and my HiLift jack and roof racks just barely clear under my garage door, but it still fits in the garage. Click on my truck in my signature and I believe one or two of the pictures you can see the antenna above my rear hatch.

Last question, I swear LOL. I have seen the CB for about $125, is that good or bad? I just want to make sure it is worth it before getting it. Thanks again.

Goober...that's about what I paid for mine. It might be a bit high but not by much. I'd say get it....not only is it a good CB but the install is a snap. Two bolts and two wires and you're off. Easy by all means. I'd say get it.

Jeff,
Alf Enterprises has them NIB for $95.00 and refurbished to $75.00 click here http://www.alfenterprises.com/cobra_75wxst_classic_weatherband_cb_rad.htm

This is about as good as it will get. Bill's 2way used to have the refurbished model for $65.00, but they don't last very long and the NIB is $98.00. These two dealers I have found to have the best prices on the net. Hope this helps

[Edited by Ray Lobato on 11-10-2000 at 05:26 PM]

I love my Cobra 75 WX ST! Like Gerald mentioned it solves the where to put it question. This is the main reason I got mine. I hang it from my rear view mirror with a clip I bought at a truckstop for $1. I got the CB for $95 w/ free shipping online. I can't find the website anymore though. I would say your best bet is the website that Ray mentioned.

Gee, I finally found the HAM/CB forum (as if it wasn't here the whole time). I've got about 55 questions to ask. Most should be easy to answer. Does any one use single-side-band any more? Is it worth my while to buy one or would I be alone and off-frequency for the rest of my life?

Peter,

SSB isn't used much for offroading, as most poeple have basic inexpensive CB radios, that are AM only. A few folks have them (AM/SSB) , but unless your whole group is SSB equipped, you;re stuck using your expensive radio only in AM mode. Obviously the range of SSB is superior and it is almost a necessity if you wheel in Mexico, as the AM channels down there are way too busy. Unfortinately ( or very fortunately if your'e a ham) we're currently near the peak of Sunspot Cycle 23, a solar phenomenon that occurs about every 11 -12 years, and the bands are all "wide open" with heavy "skip" much of the daylight hours, making all channels, AM or SSB, very busy and noisy.

Don't hesitate to ask any radio questions you have as there are several folks here that are pretty knowledgeable and will likely be able to help you.

Hey, so are those sunspots why my CB reception is pretty bad right now? I have a good CB, and great antenna, all tuned correctly and looked over by a pro. I still get high static on many channels. Darn sun!

14-15 years ago I spent a lot of hours "on the air" with my old "Shakespeer Big Stick" , am/ssb and 2 police scanners all on at the same time.(That's what happens when you work a night shift in L.A.) I read a number of books and asked a lot of questions, but what little knowledge I had at the time I've forgotten.

You say most off-roaders stick to the basics. What is the general line of site distance I can expect from a "basic"? For some reason I remember 10 miles but, that seems awfully far.
Is it easy to get a novice FCC Radio License?

I went to a/the F.C.C. website, no help. (That site is as big a mess as this election)

Hey, thanks I've got alot more shopping and updating to do before I buy what I actually need.

(I suppose I can get by for a while on one of my old 23 ch.,if I could just figure out where I "hid" them so many years ago)

Peter,

Your question about CB range: Naturally. the distance all depends on many things. Terrain is a big one, obviously high point to high point 10 -20 miles is possible, even further. Basicly if you can see a point, you can probably talk to it. Conversely, if you can't see it, whether its because of terrain, distance, or the like, then you probably will have difficulty talking between units. Then there are the less predictable variables: band conditions, either very bad: high static noise, or too good: too many competing signals. Also, the physical set up of the equipment on both ends. Antenna and it's location, the radios themselves, and the static produced by the vehicle itself can all be big factors. We don't count on more than a couple of miles for communicating while offroading.

As for the question about an FCC license, I assume you're talking about Amateur (Ham) Radio. Forget the FCC website, there are hundreds of Ham sites, but go to the ARRL (Amateur Radio Relay League) website: http://www.arrl.org. The ARRL is the major national organization that the majority of us hams belong to. Their site has lots of info on licensing etc.

You can take classes if you want, but you can also just go to Radio Shack and get Gordon West's Technician Class license preparation manual, and study that. Be sure to get the "New 4th Ed.", as the testing system and question pools have recently been revamped , so you need that ed. You can study the manual, and probably be ready to take the test in a week or so, without too much trouble. This will give you voice privileges on the ham bands above 50Mhz. That includes the very popular 2 meter band, where there are literally hundreds of mountain top FM repeaters that you can use to communicate very long distances. The Exams are given locally in almost every area. by Volunteer Examining (VE) teams. The cost is about $7. I can help refer you to a club that gives exams in your area if your interested, wehen your ready. Also see Ricks excellent article here on the website: "Exploring Ham Radio" listed on the Home Page.