Best CB to buy???

[Craig]

1060003

I'm looking for a CB to add to my YJ. I'm just wondering what's the best kind to buy and what features I should look for. I've heard Cobra's are the best. I used to have a portable CB that could be used hand held or plug into the jeep but it's died and I don't know if I can get the same power range as a normal in dash CB. Has anyone had any problems with certain brands...noise, breakdowns, ect?

edited by: Craig, Mar 16, 2003 - 10:20 AM[addsig]

 

[sillsmack]

1060018

I wuz wondering about that recently.

Are CB's really worth having anymore ?

What with FRS FM band radios going for $39.00 and all and lots of trails cell service is active.

~just thinking...

[addsig]

 

[MORGSTER]

1060019

You should get a lot of response to this one.
There are several radios to meet different requirements. For example, CB's used on the open road might want long-range that off-road crawling may not need.
Here's what I have used for years.
I originally had a Cobra25TD. (About $100.00? new) It is the classic Cobra under dash style, (Which I mounted inside my Master Rack center box, hidden and lockable) and I ran a four-foot antenna mounted to the 3rd break light. I don't use it for road trips, just trekking to the trails in a group and on the rocks. I had no problems communicating with others. I then changed to a Cobra 75WX ST all in 1 (It was a used gift)(About $129.00? new) The head unit mounts hidden up under the dash (Outta site outta mind) and all of the controls are in the microphone (Which hid inside the center box until needed) This unit also worked for my off-road needs and saved space for other toys. I then found a Uniden mini cb radio at the swap meet, used, for one dollar complete with the radio, mic, speaker and magnetic antenna. I was going to keep this one for a emergency, spare (The price was right) it worked so good, I sold the 75WX ST,(A little beer money) mounted the mini and have never looked back. One other change was the antenna. For daily driving I screwed a two-foot antenna into the mount (The four footer hit my garage door and was a pain) The two footer has also worked just fine for off road trails (I have the four footer strapped to my roll bar just in case I need it, never have)
Finally: The set up I have will not be for all, and for sure I can't reach CB'ers 10 miles away, but for off roading, for me, this is acceptable.
[addsig]

 

[MORGSTER]

1060023

Sillsmack:
We use the cb's every time we trail, for fun and safety.
They are also required at most organized events we attend. :-D [addsig]

 

[Tug-n-pull]

1060026

The best CB is a big question with about a million answers. As a Trucker I ran a Galaxy with a power mile and a 500 watt amp and could talk to you! I had about 550.00 bucks in it and was worth every penny on the road. It was no good for talking to the guy right in front of you cause it would talk to good.

I am currently running a Uniden 66 and it has the ability to talk for a good range and still is not to powerful to talk to the jeep next to you on the trail. I have a wopping 65.00 in the used radio and all the hook ups.

The Cobra name is well trusted and is a great radio. There are several good brands out there. Just get you a simple 40 ch. CB not the cheapest of the most expensive just a good radio and a good quality Antenna and mount for it and you are going to be good to go.

Great to know where the cops are o the road if you travel and do so above the speed limit. You can ask for help if you break down on the raod and do not have cell or cell service as is the case here in the mountains so often.

Do I have one? Yes
Is it worth the investment? Yes
Do You use it all the time. No just when I need it
Does it make groupe rideing more fun of off and on the road? Way more fun

Tug[addsig]

 

[exjay33]

1060055

Just go buy the cobra 75 it is very easy to hide and has the same power as any other off the shelf 11 meter radio you can buy, 90% of the radio is the antenna get yourself a wilson 1000 magnet put it in the back bumper that is all you will ever need. I am also a truck driver also have a ham ticket plus do alot of radio work you do not want too put an amp in your jeep if it has a computer because you will be buying a new computer.[addsig]

 

[far_right]

1060058

mine is some year or five old one that i got from my grandad = free= the best kind[addsig]

 

[jeepin_madness]

1060069

Depends on what you want and how much you intend to use it. You can get a very basic cheapy that will do the job for around $30 or if ya want all the bells and whistles you could spend as much as a few hundred. If your really only going to use it on the trail or just in emergency use then why spend hundreds? If your looking to get serious into it then go for it. Just remember you can always start out cheap and if you decide ya want more you can go for it later without very much loss on the initial buy. Cobra is a good brand. If you look inside alot of cb's the inner workings are mainly either cobra or uniden. They seem to make alot of the electronics for a good bit of the other manufacturers.

edited by: jeepin_madness, Mar 16, 2003 - 09:44 PM[addsig]

 

[Craig]

1060123

I'm just looking for a good all around CB that will scan the channels. I will be using it on the trails and for road trips. I'll be using a 4 foot antenna attached to my rear bumper/tire carrier that can be adjusted in height. I didn't know that you can't talk to people if you're too close to them with certain CB's. Does this have anything to do with the power rating? The place that I'm gonna buy from will boost the CB for me (it's illegal here...apparantly it can blow people's television sets), mabye I shouldn't do this if it's gonna affect me talking to people who are close on the trail. One problem that I had with my old CB was whenever I talked on it for some reason it would go through my stereo amplifier and I could hear it over my stereo. It didn't do this when I didn't have the amplifier. [addsig]

 

[Jeepster05]

1060128

I'm just now mounting my antenna and cb finally. I ended up mounting a ball mount on my loop bumper thing sideways and my cb on the front of my console but i haven't hooked it all up. the antenna cable they told me to buy at radio shack doesn't fit the ball mount :-x at least its all on there though thats been the big problem. I bought a ball mount and a flat mirror mount one when i first got it but lost them both somewhere in the garage so i headed over to radio shack and bought a new one. this morning i tried to hook up the antenna and the damn thing wouldn't fit. i went and bought a little male to female converter thing and the thing didn't fit in the mount jeez. All in all i've spent like 160 on an 80 cb errrgggg :-x [addsig]

 

[jeepin_madness]

1060194

I'm just looking for a good all around CB that will scan the channels. I will be using it on the trails and for road trips. I'll be using a 4 foot antenna attached to my rear bumper/tire carrier that can be adjusted in height. I didn't know that you can't talk to people if you're too close to them with certain CB's. Does this have anything to do with the power rating? The place that I'm gonna buy from will boost the CB for me (it's illegal here...apparantly it can blow people's television sets), mabye I shouldn't do this if it's gonna affect me talking to people who are close on the trail. One problem that I had with my old CB was whenever I talked on it for some reason it would go through my stereo amplifier and I could hear it over my stereo. It didn't do this when I didn't have the amplifier.

Yes it is possible to overshoot another station by running too much power and yes it is very illegal. Do yourself and everyone else a favor and stay legal, you don't need a couple hundred watts to talk across town. Yes also a radio can bleed into a stereo. Its real bad with amps but can also happen with poor connections as well if your run too much power. As far as blowing up TV's.. never heard of this. Im a ham radio operator myself and run a couple hundred watts on the ham bands(Where it is legal) with no effect on the TV

edited by: jeepin_madness, Mar 17, 2003 - 01:56 PM[addsig]

 

[Bullet3600]

1060294

When I drove trailers I used a Galaxie 73 which is a 10 meter ham radio converted to a CB. The conversion is simple and most shops do it, It has 100's of channels and plenty of power and toys. Add a nice Texas Star kicker and Wilson 1000 antenae then you'll be able to talk to anyone anywhere. :-D [addsig]