CB Radio help..

[mosovich]

I've searched and chased a lot of leads, but have now answers.. I'm a total newbie, but want to be prepared, not be a burden when I get with a group at some time or another to ride..

So, I'm thinking the one thing I need more than "modifications" is a CB radio so I can communicate.. I want something small, (hand held?) that doesn't take up a lot of room, my truck is my DD, not just a weekend driver..

Any help is GREATLY appreciated as I know nothing..


Thanks...:bowdown:

 

[Inyo_man]

There are many options to choose from...
I've worked with the mob in the link below and they were very helpful

http://www.rightchannelradios.com/

If this is your first purchase, be sure to read up on the subject of antennas and ground planes.
Good Luck

 

[Black Dog]

I like the Cobra 75 WX ST for exactly the criteria you are looking for. It is basically two parts: number one is the actual transceiver that you install under your seat or somewhere out of the way (they say not under the hood) and the second is the hand held unit with speaker and microphone and controls and stuff. Just add an antenna and you're set.

 

[Hilldweller]

I like the Cobra 75 WX ST for exactly the criteria you are looking for. It is basically two parts: number one is the actual transceiver that you install under your seat or somewhere out of the way (they say not under the hood) and the second is the hand held unit with speaker and microphone and controls and stuff. Just add an antenna and you're set.

X2

I've used these a couple of times.
I mounted a remote speaker last time too.

 

[Martinjmpr]

I use the Midland 75-822. Great thing about it is no installation required. It's designed to work as either a hand held or a vehicle mounted unit. I've never used mine in hand held mode but have used it for about 5 years in my vehicles.

Only "installation" is plugging it in to the cigarette lighter and then connecting the antenna (which can be a mag mount.) The entire unit is held in the mike, including the 7 channel WX band.

Under $100 at Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_4lpzmpz1vr_b

 

[deserteagle56]

I like the Cobra 75 WX ST for exactly the criteria you are looking for. It is basically two parts: number one is the actual transceiver that you install under your seat or somewhere out of the way (they say not under the hood) and the second is the hand held unit with speaker and microphone and controls and stuff. Just add an antenna and you're set.

I surely hope the build quality of these went up in the last few years. I bought one not long after they first came out. It quit working right after the warranty expired. Thinking that was just bad luck with one unit, and really liking the compact size in my small rig, I went ahead and bought another one. It also quit right after the warranty ran out. So I made room for a big, heavy full-size Uniden and it's worked for years without a problem. As has a Cobra 148GTL in one of my other rigs - 30+ years and counting on that one.

 

[Martinjmpr]

My Midland has worked fine since I got it in 2007. Now, having said that, I only put it in the vehicle when I go on a trip where I'll need it. My guess is that over the past 5 years it's seen a total of may 40 days of use.

 

[Erik N]

Cueing the HAM radio crowd, to make you painfully aware that you can't bounce a CB transmission off the moon...

 

[Black Dog]

Cueing the HAM radio crowd, to make you painfully aware that you can't bounce a CB transmission off the moon...

General class ham here, studying for Extra. There is a lot of crap on CB and ham blows it away any day, but having a two meter FM radio and a CB just makes sense, like carrying an extra fan belt and a spare tire. I carry an FRS radio too. Not everybody you are on the trail with has a ham license, and some times you might be out of range of any repeaters or other people who happen to be on the exact frequency as you, but are in range of a rancher or trucker or someone. Given the choice, I'll use my Icom V8000 2m rig before I use the CB.

 

[Hilldweller]

I had a Midland hand-held and several Cobra hand-helds. The Cobras worked until the antenna connections got buggered; you could open the sets up and fix them a few times but they'd die eventually.
The Midland was junk.

The Cobra 75 remote thingie I had worked pretty well but the handset portion would get HOT if I used it for extended periods; it would then shut itself off for a while.

Note about the hand-helds; I used them on motorcycles. I covered them with a variety of clever wraps when the weather got bad but they were certainly abused. With a good mount, a groundplane kit, good ground, and 4' Firestick antenna, I was able to transmit 15-20 miles in good old flat Florida.

 

[theksmith]

i'll second the Midland 75-822 as a great compact unit...

i don't recommend them for open-top or doorless vehicles as they aren't loud enough in that situation. for that, the Cobra 75WXST has the Midland beat since you can do an external speaker, but i've seen several of those units fail in my local club so i wouldn't personally get one.

keep in mind that all legal CB's are limited to 4 watts output, so a bigger one isn't better necessarily... though some larger units do offer little extra features.

 

[WSS]

Here are my old school radios in a new (ish) Tuffy console:

It also has a master (starter) kill switch. With the lock, I feel comfortable leaving out once in a while.