CB install help (1 Viewer)

[nmt252355]

I own a Cobra 19 Ultra III CB. I know a very basic model, and I have read both very good and very poor reviews of the model. My antenna was dead (i.e. jacketing gone and coated in rust) when I bought my LC so it's never worked. I am thinking of purchasing a Cobra magnetic antenna for my roof cage.

any thoughts. I know some folks may give the "save your money and buy a better radio" but I have to do this on a very tight budget...i.e. use what I already have and spend very little.


thanks in advance.

 

[wkramsay]

Nothing wrong with a magnetic antenna. it is much easier to install and can be removed easily to help hide the fact you have a radio in the car. Once tuned they work as well as any other type, and you don't have to drill any holes.

 

[sl33p3]

yeah SWR meter is your friend no matter which route you go, antenna tuning for CB is key and EVERYONE will thank you. i recommend a good quality mount and coax (and doesn't cost a bunch to get it either). a good connection there can make a mediocre antenna and a olllld radio sound beautiful... for cb

mag mount will eat paint eventually if its left on surface w or w/out the antenna installed on it. (vibration, debris,= bad news) fyi if that is any concern, guessing not for cage? if you are going to remove it a lot and not have it on much, mag mount is pretty convenient. you could also just unscrew your antenna when you aren't using it (i have a solid mount but only have my stick on when i need it)

i'd worry very little about your old radio, assuming it works at all, unless it doesn't have features you want. i have a firestik mount on my uniden and it sounds very good, but i tuned the antenna (it is a tunable 4' fiberglass stick from firestik too). out of the box was NOT ideal for my mount and location. everyone's will be different from vehicle to vehicle, etc.

my .0002$, hth, good luck

 

[nmt252355]

what is a SWR meter? how much do they cost? Where can I buy one...or can I head down to the local truck stop and see if they can tuen it for me.

 

[rusty_tlc]

An SWR meter measures how well your antenna is matched to the out-put of your radio. If there is a local 4X4 club near you someone probably has a meter and will be more than happy yo help you tune your radio. If not hit the truck stop.

As sl33p3 said I'd go for a spring mount and something like the Firestick. Mag mounts tend to fall off at the worst possible time when you are off road.

 

[sl33p3]

yup, dan got it of course. sorry i take the lingo for granted. here's more info if you want to geek out Wiki SWR (scroll down to "practical implications") a truck stop will likely have something they can use, or if you have a local cb shop, they will likely offer a service as well. well worth it, i think the local cb place here charges 10$ for a tune on your rig. i paid 5$ for my cb meter at a hamfest swapmeet... new is ~20$ iirc but i could be off.

fyi a swr meter plugs into the antenna line on the back of your radio, so you need that plug accessible. goes from Radio<--->Antenna to Radio<--<SWR meter>-->Antenna and measures the efficiency of the power being transmitted to your antenna, then once you are tuned you take out the meter, really only have to do it once unless you change some physical hardware in your system. since SWR is dependent on frequency most will tune your cb to lowest SWR at ch20.

hth

-john