CB Problem

[AfterBurner]

Installed my cobra cb about 3 weeks ago and can't seem to transmit. I get good reception; can hear people but can't talk back. After about one truck length, i can't be heard. Any ideas?

Forrest

 

[Brand-X]

Check your ground on antena if you have one mounted that way also make sure the match is good if the match was bad or the ground not good you could have burnt a final . If your antena checks out good have the radio tested . . ( you could try it in a diffrent rig that you know is working... George

 

[Philip]

Find a local; CB shop and have them check the SWR's. I bet your real high.



Do not go by the built in trash SWR meter that some cb's have from the factory.

 

[BHenn]

Afterburner,



Small world, I am in Colo Springs also. I have an SWR meter that you are more than welcome to borrow. Just let me know.....



Brent

 

[AfterBurner]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll play with it to see what i can come up with.

Forrest

 

[Pawpaw]

Well then, here's some info that will help.



http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs.htm



Bob

 

[Rhinohd]

Check the small things first... Like, is your RF and Mic Gain turned up? If you have them turned down no one will hear you...

 

[Pawpaw]

The "RF Gain" knob only works on receive. It does nothing for transmit power.



Good tip on the "Mic Gain" though, if he has one.



Bob

 

[dmhollister]

Find a local; CB shop and have them check the SWR's.

A good local CB shop is Bob's Electronics His number is 635-9435. Good guy and does excellent work. His runs the business out of his garage off of chelton near layton truck equipment. I have had great luck with anything he has worked on or sold me. Doug

 

[AfterBurner]

That's quite a webpage, Pawpaw, thanks for the link. I think i'll Bob's electronics to get an expert on it, thanks for the # Doug. I don't have a mike gain, its the basic cobra, but have thought about trying one of those power mics, but i'll try the cb shop first.

thanks for the help

Forrest

 

[OL RATLR]

That's quite a webpage, Pawpaw, thanks for the link. I think i'll Bob's electronics to get an expert on it, thanks for the # Doug. I don't have a mike gain, its the basic cobra, but have thought about trying one of those power mics, but i'll try the cb shop first.

thanks for the help

Forrest

Do all the tips suggested above. I don't know what Cobra radio you have

but you can pick up a Cobra 29 less than a $100 and have a pretty good radio and new at that.

 

[Philip]

you can pick up a Cobra 29 less than a $100 and have a pretty good radio and new at that.

:-laf :-laf



Yea it could be like the one I have in a brief case as a back up. The recieve quality is very poor. The recieve sound is very tinny. The stock speaker is junk out of the box. The sound doesn't improve with a externial speaker eather.



I now use a Uniden PC78 Elite. It has a lot better recieve. The sound is much better than the 29 classic. They both get out the same. This was in the same truck with the same antenna with a 1:2 ratio.



The thing I do like about a cobra is they bounce good at 60 MPH when you throw then out the window. I did that many years ago with a model 19. The 29 I have isn't much better than that final blowing POS 19 I threw out the window.

 

[bmoeller]

:-laf :-laf

The sound doesn't improve with a external speaker either.

With the right speaker it does. A lot of the external speakers are junk, too. The Cobra speaker I bought is. Have it turned all of the way up, and can't hear real good. I just unplugged it. I mainly bought it for the talkback feature. Waste of money. :-{}

Never had an issue with the receive side on any of the 29s I have gotten over the years. A good antenna setup is key, as with any radio. A quality mic helps a bunch, too.

The Cobra 18 and 19 radios are junk. The 25s aren't much better, but they do have the mic and RF gain switches. As long as it doesn't have the weather band anyhow.

DON'T buy a radio without a RF gain switch. A squelch switch alone can't get the job done.

 

[OL RATLR]

:-laf :-laf



Yea it could be like the one I have in a brief case as a back up. The recieve quality is very poor. The recieve sound is very tinny. The stock speaker is junk out of the box. The sound doesn't improve with a externial speaker eather.



I now use a Uniden PC78 Elite. It has a lot better recieve. The sound is much better than the 29 classic. They both get out the same. This was in the same truck with the same antenna with a 1:2 ratio.



The thing I do like about a cobra is they bounce good at 60 MPH when you throw then out the window. I did that many years ago with a model 19. The 29 I have isn't much better than that final blowing POS 19 I threw out the window.

A radio is like anything else you play with you have to tune it and understand how it works and set your SWR and have the proper antenna

to have it send and receive properly.



Also I ran a Cobra 29 for years coast to coast with no problems. Is it going to perform like

a $400 radio no at least not without a lot of work. Currently running a

souped up Galaxy 33 HML with a Wilson 2000 antenna Thats my story and I am sticking to it. :-{}

 

[Philip]

A radio is like anything else you play with you have to tune it and understand how it works and set your SWR and have the proper antenna

to have it send and receive properly.

That 29 was peaked and tuned by the shop I bought it from. I had a new antenna installed by the same shop at the same time. SWR's were set properly by them and I have checked it every so often with my meter to confirm the antenna has not gone bad or anything has changed.



I also complained to the shop I bought it from. All they said was well you bought a Cobra. #@$%!



So from my experiences with a 29 classic recieve quality. If I walked by a table full of them that had a sign that said "Free to good home". I would leave empty handed.



I have a Midland 23 channel in the garage that has better recieve sound and squelch control than that 29 has.



If anyone wants to hear the difference between a Undien PC78 recieve and a Cobra 29 LTD Classic recieve. If your going to be in my area. I can hook both up in the same vehicle with the same antenna and show you the difference. Just send me a PM and we can get together.





Ok I am done with my Cobra rant. :-laf :-laf