CB Power Issues

[Dazrin]

I assume this is a problem internal to the CB and I will need to get a replacement unit but I want to see if anyone has a good solution for this before I throw good money after bad.

I have a new Cobra 18 WX STII CB that I purchased over a year ago (meaning the warranty is no longer good.) I installed it and went to turn it on and got nothing. So I double and triple checked all of the wires and everything checks out. (Wires direct from battery to CB with new, good, fuses installed. I took both power leads to the battery since I like to have it on when the truck is off sometimes, so no switched power to the radio.)

So, I pulled the CB for more intensive testing. It turns out that it will turn on IF I turn the radio on and then connect the ground. If I turn the radio off and then back on it doesn't do anything. If I connect the wires with the radio switched off, it doesn't do anything. It will only power up if the switch is on and then the ground is connected.

Obviously something is wrong with the unit. Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this short of getting a new radio?

Here are the options I see right now:

1. Get a new CB. Same unit since the front firing speaker is a must for installing it in the dash.
   
2. Put a switch on the ground wire to make it think the connection is new. I haven't tested but I suspect this will mean the memory is never going to be saved. Boo!
3. Get a HAM and bag the CB. I wish I could do this but the group I run with uses CBs exclusively so far. (I would take suggestions for cheap, single DIN units though (same form as this since the space is available) - maybe I can get some pressure on them to switch.)
4. ????

I am leaning towards #2 as a temporary measure and getting a replacement eventually.

 

[1911]

The only other thing I would suggest is looking at the connection of the mic to the radio - many of them have a disconnect that prevents power to the radio if the mic is not attached. Strange problem; good luck with it.

 

[Dazrin]

Thanks! I should have mentioned that, I did test it with the mic connected and disconnected, no change in behavior.

 

[Dazrin]

Just to close this out, there is obviously a problem with the radio but it does work fine as long as I connect the power after the radio is switched on. I stuck a small pushbutton switch in the hand throttle hole and it works as well as can be expected. The memory is useless but at least I can talk on the trail which is the point.

Sometime this summer I will get my Amateur radio license, a hand held BaoFeng, and a good mobile antenna mounted to my other YotaTeq antenna mount. Long term will be a good Yaesu or Kenwood mobile unit but that can wait.

 

[Skidoo]

I have that radio and it is the only single DIN I ever found. I think there are smaller ones that would fit but you would have to make a mount for it and use an external speaker.
There are some posts out on the net about cold solder joints on Cobra CBs, if you or a friend feel comfortable with a soldering iron open the unit up and follow the power wires and touch up the solder joints.
The circuit has some surface mount components so don't bridge them over with solder.
Got my ham license last Nov and really enjoying it, when you get into it you might find APRS interesting, some neat things you can do with it.