radio recommendation

[Moleculo]

I recently got a new Uniden Grant LT and love it. They just recently stopped manufacturing them, but you can still find a few around. I think it might be one of the best CB's I've owned. The Texas Ranger TR-296 is supposed to be similiar in design so that may be a good choice. Another decent radio you can look at is the Galaxy 959.



For antennas, the sticks you mentioned will work fine. I use a 4' or 5' Firestik or Wilson (depending on my mood). With those stake pockets mounts, the antennas always seem to be cocked to to the side, but you can work on it to get it vertical. You could also look at a Magnet Mount Wilson 1000 or Wilson 5000 and put it right in the center of your cab. That looks good, and you still don't have to drill holes. The Magnet Mount antennas also come with the cable already hooked up so it's pretty trouble free.



Lastly, get a small SWR meter and a 3' cable jumper. You can get them for around $25. You will need to use that to tune your antenna properly before using the radio. Once youv'e done that you can take it out line and just use the radio and antenna. If you run into trouble with that, let us know.





Moleculo


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[74Medic]

hello all; this is my first post. I'm new to CB, and I'm looking for a setup for my new Ram 1500.



I've been doing a lot of reading on various setups, etc., but I thought some more experienced CBers could give me some more personal advice. I'm looking for a decent starter rig, something that I'm not going to want to change in a month though. I'll be using it mostly for listening, but knowing my big mouth, it'll only be so long until I get the nerve to start doing some talking, so I need something that will perform well on both ends. I will run 'barefoot' at first, but may decide to add some stuff later <img src=http://users.joplin.com/dutch64804/icon95.gif ALT=":jumpy"> At the same time, since I'm just testing the waters, I don't want to go crazy and spend a bunch of money. I'd even buy a used unit if I had the confidence that it would work when I got it!



I live in Canada, fortunately near the US border, but CB definitely isn't as popular here as in the US (any Canucks on here?) so range is a factor.



I don't want a big @#%$ whip or anything, and don't want to drill holes in my new truck. I was looking at a 4 foot Wilson or Firestik with a stake pocket mount. I would have liked the versatility of a magnet mount on the roof, but am too worried about damaging the paint; they just don't make paint to last like they used to.



Finally, do I need an external speaker, or is the one internal to most units adequate?



Thanks in advance!


</p>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p067.ezboard.com/bworldwidecbradioclub.showUserPublicProfile?gid=74medic>74Medic</A> at: 10/4/04 9:25 am

 

[Triple J]

I agree with the Wilson 1000 Magnetic mount. Probably the only antenna you'll ever need. I ran mine for several years with the stock coax and never had a problem. I later changed the coax to RG8X, even though it probably wasn't necessary. Great performance, looks good, can change from vehicle to vehicle quickly, very durable, can handle some power, good price, did I say great performance, receive and transmit. You'll be pleasantly surprised.



Welcome to the world of radio. The more you learn and experiment, the more you'll enjoy this great hobby!!



Triple J


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[Moleculo]

Cut a small piece of wax paper to put between the mag mount and the car surface to protect the paint. They also make Wilson 5000's for a regular stud mount that you could put in the stake pocket, as long as the coil's not too close to the cab.



Moleculo


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[Moleculo]

The Trucker 5000 is on a shaft. You could get a little longer shaft to get the coil above the cab if it was placed that close. If you put it on one of the back stake pockets, I wouldn't worry about it.



Moleculo


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[Moleculo]

That's wierd...I didn't see you're prior post until you just posted this one. Maybe I just missed it. The installer might have been too close to buildings and such when testing the SWR, if it checks out fine for you. Make sure you recalibrate the meter when you change frequencies. It's also possible that having the doors open caused a goofy reading, too.



As far as better reception goes, I think you'll find that the RX will vary with a number of factors: atmospheric conditions, surroundings, local interference, vehicle mechanical interference, etc. Also, different radios have better front ends than others. I would suggest that you just use it for a while to get a feel for how well it's working for you. BTW, you do have the squelch open, right?




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[Moleculo]

For maximum RX sensitivity, you'll want the RF Gain all the way up. But then you have to tolerate the white noise. The way you're doing it works also, but then you're going to cut out the weak, distant signals. It's just one of those things that you have decide what you're in the mood for when you turn the radio on.



Moleculo


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