(Part 3) Best products from r/cbradio

I have that same amp and yes you need to keep the input below 4 watts with 1-2 being optimal. Any more than that will burn up the misfits very fast. It depends on your peak and tune some shops always put in a swing kit and then peak it. While others just peak it out. You can definitely do the Mod yourself just take your time with it

http://cbradiomagazine.com/March%202007/Cobra%2029%20LTD%20Super%20Modulation%20Modification.htm

It cost me $3 to do mine. If your unsure if it has swing kit installed buy a decent watt meter and test it. You’ll want one anyway if your running an amp to be sure it’s putting out the correct wattage.


Workman HP201S SWR/Power Meter for CB Radio 5 50 250 1000 Watts https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002KN8W5A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_CE.UBb5GS9SMS

If your asking if you can run this amp all the time without turning it off. The answer is yes but you’ll piss off people when your close to the and key up. I’d suggest having it where you can turn it off and on as needed. I velcroed mine to the top of the CB it’s crazy small,

I ran 8 gage wire directly from the battery to the amp with a 30 amp inline fuse.

Your SWR should not change with an amp. However, if you have an inferior antenna to the 102 in whip your SWR can increase if your wattage is not escaping properly. As always anything above 3:0:0 needs to be retuned or another antenna is in order to keep from burning out your finals.

If your dead key is at 2 watts now whistle into the mike while keying if it swings from the 2 watts to 7-15 watts you probably already got a swing kit in the CB. Anyway if that’s the case your good to go,

Also, be sure to get good coax RG213 or RG58. Do not get mini and if you can get the 213. Be sure to mount the antenna properly for best results directly to the body of the vehicle as high as you can get it. Drill right into the metal for proper ground. Get a 102 whip.

Look at my posts for pics and post on how to properly install this kind of setup. You can also watch me shoot skip on this amp.

If you do it right you’ll be able to talk all over the place with this setup local 40+ miles, and skip across America.

Originally i bought one of these workman horns that is just designed to plug into the pa jack, no amp necessary:

https://www.amazon.com/Workman-Speaker-Horn-Black-Plug/dp/B074WCH6DZ/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=cb+pa+horn&qid=1575082395&sr=8-5

But it wasnt really very loud, and i had to turn my volume all the way up to get much of anything out of it. thats why i added the amp board with a volume control. then i would just leave my volume where it normally was, and use the board volume to set the pa speaker.

i wired 12v ignition power to the amp board so its only on when the key is on, and then i cut the horn cord where i wanted the board to go and wired the +/- from the radio to the input and the +/- to the speaker to the output. i only used one channel because 15 watts is all the horn could handle, but if you got a louder horn you could bridge the outputs and use all 30 watts. if i get my radio volume up too high it overloads the little amp and gets a little garbled, so you might not be able to do what im doing if you keep the volume up high normally. it just depend on the radio. this isnt really a professional solution, its more of a an amateur workaround for the fact that a lot of cbs have weak pa circuits. I just figured I'd weigh in since the question wasn't getting many responses.

you might just want to try a horn only first and see if your radio is loud enough without the amp.

Edit: There are a lot of misconceptions about the PA function on CB radios. I think a lot of people imagine themselves yelling at idiots on the highway, but they dont really have the power for that out of the box. If you just plug a speaker into the jack like they're designed, they're loud enough for someone standing in the immediate vicinity of the car to hear when the motor is off. Rigged up like mine with an extra 15-30 watts, you can talk to pedestrians in your immediate vicinity with the motor on. If you want a good loud horn that can get another driver's attention, you'll need at least 100 watts. If you're that's more what you're after, you'll need something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Vixen-Horns-VXS9118-Address-Speaker/dp/B015QG2HDA/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=100+watt+amplified+horn&qid=1575085291&s=automotive&sr=1-1

paired with something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/BOSS-Audio-CE102-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B0077IA57Q/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=100+watt+12v+amplifier+mono&qid=1575085431&s=automotive&sr=1-8

And you'll want the PA jack plugged into the "high input".

I'd get a cobra 29 Ltd and a 4' firestik 2 with a good bracket and coax. That's what I run in my pickup. I get 4 to 5 miles with it. I have it on a 96 f150 with a hood mount.

Depending on where you mount it, you may want a longer antenna, maybe a mid load. But firestik has always served me well, and the 2 has an easy to tune tip, for a moderate price. And the 29 Ltd has a built in meter that works well enough to tune without having to go buy an external one.

Cobra 29LTD Professional CB Radio - Instant Channel 9, 4 Watt Output, Full 40 Channels, SWR Calibration https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006JPF3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_UbiPCbZA96AM6

Firestik 4ft Firestik ® II FS Series Tunable Tip CB Antenna 900 Watts Red - Firestik FS-4RD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SB6SDE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_OciPCbM9XH2JY

FireStik Antenna Company K8R9 9ft. W/pl259 & Firering Conn https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000X39TFG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_sdiPCb7S2T3HN

In all honesty, battery powered CBs are pretty useless. Especially when used with the "rubber duck" antennas they are supplied with. If you want the best bang for your buck and still use a cheap handheld, I'd suggest buying an antenna as well.

I have a handheld that I use in my truck, but I am powering it through the 12v adapter, and I'm using a mag-mount antenna in lieu of the cheap one that came with it. Works awesome now that I'm not on batteries and a crap antenna.

Here is what I am using...

Radio-
Uniden PRO401HH 40 Channel Handheld CB Radio https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N43KM5S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_r6pYAbPK612JG

Antenna-
K40 K-30 35" 300 Watts Stainless Steel Magnet Mount CB Antenna https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H2W270/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_96pYAbQZP45SH

Antenna adapter-
BNC To SO-239 Adapter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JT3J7W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_o9pYAb9X29WAH

I am 100% certain that the antenna connector on the radio is a female PL-259 connector. Example

I am also 95% sure that the connector on your coax is a male TNC connector. Example

I see in the manual it says it's a SO-239, so I just did a little Google search and found this: "Typically, the SO-239 (UHF Female/UHF Jack) is installed ON THE RADIO, and the PL-259 (UHF Male/UHF Plug) is installed ON THE CABLE. The two "mate" and are collectively known as a UHF Connection."

So, technically it is a SO-239. But what you're looking for is a PL-259, which mates with the SO-239. I've always heard it called a female PL-259, but I guess that's not technically what it's called. But, again, regardless of that, you're looking for a PL-259 (male) to TNC (female) so that you can plug your male TNC connector on the end of your coax into the SO-239 on your radio, which accepts a connection from a male PL-259. Something like this.

Pyle Megaphone Speaker PA Bullhorn - with Built-in Siren 50 Watts & Adjustable Volume Control - Ideal for Football, Baseball, Hockey, Cheerleading Fans & Coaches or for Safety Drills - PMP53IN https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007A99G4U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AdZvCbGX5WNEG

Just get this. I'd bet there's a way to add a voice changer in line for your PA.

Those are great, however, with them being ham radios, a license is required by law to talk on them.

Having said that though, it's only illegal if the fcc catches you using them.

Considering your price range and use, you'd be better suited getting these.

You would still technically be required to purchase a gmrs radio license, however, since these are set up more like generic walkie talkies, they would be easier to use than the one you mentioned.

NOTE###

I am not recommending that you violate the law. I'm simply giving you facts. Do with those facts what you will.

Astatic cable

Stakehole mount

102" Whip

My personal favorite hand mic

Glad I asked before even making the purchase then...

With a fiberglass antenna, can I easily remove the antenna and store it in the car without having to retune it every time I put it back into the mount?

Also..

what things will I need to buy to make it all work? There seems to be a lot of small things..

• Cobra CB Radio
  
  
• Firestik Antenna
  
• Coaxial cable
  
• Firestik stud
  
• Antenna Spring
  
  -Mount to car. Does the hole size matter? I keep finding hole sizes of 5/8", and the studs being 1/2"...
  
  Is that all I will need?
  

yea, that PA horn should work fine, no specs tho.

amazon sells a nice Pyle PA horn that tops out at 25 watts audio output

https://www.amazon.com/PSP8-Weather-5-Inch-Trumpet-Speaker/dp/B001D0LMG2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491712270&sr=8-1&keywords=cb+PA+horn

Roof mounts are available, it uses a standard SO-239 mount so you can use the Wilson mount or another brand. I'd recommend the Wilson mount, since it has a washer and O-ring that matches the 5k coil and gives a nice seamless appearance.

Wilson 880-909091B W1000 Series Roof Top Mount Assembly https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006U3HWPC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_tjhxzb3TNTRNE

President Johnson II, $129 on amazon right now and its been a great radio.

President Electronics Johnson II USA Ham AM Transceiver CB Radio, 40 Channels AM, 12/24V, Up/Down Channel Selector, Volume Adjustment and ON/OFF, Manual Squelch and ASC, Multi-functions LCD Display https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ITR33FE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AErKDb03P0G8Z

Okay this is what I did. I purchased this plug: http://amzn.to/2AooZYE, and then wired it into a 12v wall wart also found on Amazon here: http://amzn.to/2B3ctKk. If you have any questions just let me know I am more than willing to help you out!

Standard T-connector very common in two way radio.

https://www.amazon.com/AOER-Connector-TM-G707A-IC-F1010-IC-F1610/dp/B00ZF2H006

Or MFJ makes nice cables. I have an MFJ-5512 I think that I used in my install recently.

Ehh. Tough one.

Make a big base plate with socket for mast to plug into. Roll a boulder or two on it to hold it down.

Use a real CB antenna with radials (Sirio 827 with the high wind ring kit). Not having a "ground" won't matter as much with an antenna like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Sirio-Antenna-827-26-4-28-4-Tunable/dp/B009GWINLG

(Ignore the wrong pic, Seller Kings is a legit dealer. I bought mine off Amazon from them)

(Also note the ring kit sold by them)

​

Run coax over to the antenna from the trailer, unhook coax and slip it outside when storms roll up.

I attached a 10ft section of Rohn 25 tower to a baseplate welded into an old tractor rim, buried it 1ft down in hard clay soil and poured a bunch of gravel into the rim. Hooked my Sirio 827 to this rig and rocked 11m CB skip all over.

I now have another section of Rohn tower added, a 17ft 2m antenna on top, and a 40m wire dipole antenna just below it. I unhook coax and slide it out a PVC tube on my shack whenever storms threaten out here on the wide open plains. I'd rather the antenna and tower take a hit at a safe distance than my shack.

Anything can be hit by lightning. Cars on rubber tires, you name it (see YT videos). My friend had a metal roof on a chicken coop struck randomly. The rest of the coop was completely made from wood. It pushed out nails and tossed some a couple feet away. Chickens were fine.