CB radio's anyone?

Wes Tausend wrote:

SoCalDesertRider wrote:

I wouldn't fool around with that clamp-on doo-hickey. Just drill the hole and be done with it. You can plug it with a plastic plug or rubber grommet when you're ready to sell the truck.

102" whips, when used with the stud mount and heavy duty spring, which makes them 108-109" long, exactly the 1/4 wave length of the 11 meter band, and mounted anywhere they can get a descent ground plane, usually give a nice wide, flat bandwidth for operating safely on many channels above and below the 40 channel CB band, even with an amp. The recieve and transmit signal strength of the 102 is usually also excellent, if the radio is at all descent.

A well-mounted 102 and a good mic can turn a cheap-o mud duck radio into an acceptable communicator, and turn a good radio into a real talkin' machine. :)

SoCal,

I'll keep in mind that the wrap-around chain clamp may not work as well as it did before. It probably mounted better than you are imagining on the old solid bumper, since it nearly embedded itself in the metal and would not move even if kicked with a foot. As of now I am reluctant to mount it purposely looser to protect the clear-coat and have it probably move around besides.

I do need a higher quality radio and should probably measure signal strength in a radius around the truck. My hope is that advances in tech will provide a cleaner, quieter monitor. SSB would be a bonus in this department, from what it sounds.

Thanks again.

Wes
...

I'm not sure how good the Cobra 148GTL's are these days, but back in the day, they were truly great radios, at a very affordable price. With a little minor tuning, they had great modulation and it was easy to set them up with 'funny' channels too. Their recieve was quieter than many radios, but still sensitive to hear weak signals. They had pretty good 'garbage rejection'.

Most radio techs knew how to tweak up and and add channels to a 148, back then. If you can find an old 148, from mid-90's or earlier, you'll have a great radio.

If you don't want the SSB, then a Cobra 29LTD, or Uniden PC76XL (clone of the 29), is an excellent 40 channel AM-only radio, likely the best ever made. These radios are super loud on the air, with minor tuning, and can be modded with 'funny' channels easily too. The 29's don't have nearly as good garbage rejection as the 148's.

You certainly can't go wrong with a vintage 148 or 29, and a 102" whip! :)