Dead Key and Swing- Cobra 29 wxnwst

[Brett Dean]

Ok, so I reinstalled my 29 and I was checking the radio and noticed that key-up (dead key?) is at about 6, and when I talk it may go to 7 or 8 at the most, and on some higher channels no swing at all when I talk.

I have a 4' FireStik FireFly (Solid hood hinge mount, up by the window), swr at 1 and 40 are maybe 1.1, and 19 at 1.3 - I'm using the radio swr meter. Fire Ring cable, the radio is grounded at my seat post, and antenna mount to my hood with extra ground cable.

I'm I missing something here, is this normal? Or maybe the radio meter isn't telling me everything, and I need to run the radio through better meters for better results?

 

[543_Dallas]

A better meter will give you the same results. Maybe a different reading but you won't talk any further.

Don't worry about the different readings on different channels when connected to an antenna, especially a mobile antenna. The only time you should expect to see the same wattage on all channels is when you're connected to a dummy load. There have been a lot of radios tuned improperly because someone did it on an antenna. The swr may be the same on 1 and 40 but the impedance and reactance are different. That's not a problem to worry about just a fact of life.

 

[tba02]

Lot's of folks have issues with the fire ring connection too.

 

[9C1Driver]

Do you know what has been done to the radio as far as tune/alignment/swing kit? That said try a better meter, one that's a peak reading meter. In the end don't expect stellar performance from a soundtracker radio, they didn't earn the nickname soundcrapper for nothing.

 

[543_Dallas]

I don't buy into the sound tracker gimmick but never had an issue getting a 25/29 with it to perform.

 

[9C1Driver]

They were made by Maxon for Cobra, the overall quality is just down and they were ok talkers at best. Now if you wanted to have one really worked over then yea one would probably really bark like an older Uniden built Philipines version.

 

[543_Dallas]

They were made by Maxon for Cobra, the overall quality is just down and they were ok talkers at best. Now if you wanted to have one really worked over then yea one would probably really bark like an older Uniden built Philipines version.

I hear that a lot. The Philippine radios do seem to have been built better but as far as bark certain years of the China radios bark louder with less work.