Hello, my 1st CB, supernoob, I hate that but I have to start somewhere. Anyway, I bought an Ltd 29 Army, a little Wil antenna and a linear amp 100 HL (wattage 60 low 150 high). I need to drop my wattage down to 1.5 watts. If I hook up a meter and turn VR4 to the right till I hit 1.5 will I be done. Also should I wire up a DC fan to the power switch for the amp. I know nothing except what I've been voraciously readind lately. I'm not a tech and am hesitant to take anything in to one with all the horror stories I read, I'm sure it's not all that bad but who do you trust? I want to get the best reception also. I appologize for the long thread and thank all of you in advance for the help you have provided in my readings and to this thread. Thanks.
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CB set up
- Thread starter EtchaSketch
- Start date
Your radio setup is only as powerful as your antenna. Your antenna dictates how well you transmit and how well you receive.
Okay Office888, let me see if I understand. I have a 300 watt antenna (wilson little wil) in the middle of a crew cab roof with the tip of the antenna at 10 feet. I have a linear amp rated at half the antenna rating. Your answer leads me to believe that a 5000 watt wilson with the same set up will out-perform the 300 watt antenna both transmitting and receiving, if so I'll be upgrading my antenna choice. Any advise on my other concerns is
EtchaSketch,
Your conclusion is just a little bit off. If the only diffrence between two antennas is their power handling ability, then there will be no difference in performance, only in the power handling ability. The one with the higher power rating isn't going to receive any better than the one with the lower power rating. If both are fed the same amount of power, and that power is less than the lower rating, then there's no difference in transmitting performance either. That antenna with the higher power rating can't 'magically' increase the amount of power it's fed, it'll only handle more of that power before being over loaded. (The only 'magic' involved with antennas is in the advertising!)
- 'Doc
Your conclusion is just a little bit off. If the only diffrence between two antennas is their power handling ability, then there will be no difference in performance, only in the power handling ability. The one with the higher power rating isn't going to receive any better than the one with the lower power rating. If both are fed the same amount of power, and that power is less than the lower rating, then there's no difference in transmitting performance either. That antenna with the higher power rating can't 'magically' increase the amount of power it's fed, it'll only handle more of that power before being over loaded. (The only 'magic' involved with antennas is in the advertising!)
- 'Doc
And to add to that the reason that say a Wilson 1000 or 5000 are better has nothing to do with the wattage rating. It has to do with the construction of the antenna and the length of the stinger. The taller antenna will outperform a shorter cheaper antenna.
As far as your radio, there is no VR pot in a Cobra 29 that adjusts the dead key. This must be done by adding a cap and resistor, sometimes you need to change the value of the resistor several times to get the proper dead key.
Next time you buy a new radio get it from a shop that does good work. And then tell them you plan on running an amp and you either want a variable power mod done or have them set the dead key when they tune the radio before they ship it to you.
At this point you will have to have a tech adjust the radio for you so you get the proper dead key for that small amp.
This is the article I read, I do not have good transmission but good reception - FixYa, Towards the bootom of the article is the information about the blue resistor VR4; I looked at mine and I have one and its adjustable. I really appreciate all the help from you but now I'm more confused. I better back up before I make another bad decision. Learning the hard way hurts my wallet. Thanks to all of you and the great info. I also appologize, it looks like I may have posted this in the wrong section. I'll learn, be patient with me, jeeez I sound like a headache.
As stated, the wattage rating just has to do with the durability of the components used. The W1000 and W5000 are actually the same exact antenna for instance. The W5000 just uses thicker wire in the coil than the W1000.
Antennas are TUNED for transmission. A "perfect" antenna for 11m CB band is 102 inches. A straight piece of metal, 102 inches tall. This is your best performer for a mobile application. You need a solid mount for it, I do not advise using a magnet mount.
Now, antennas that are SHORTER THAN 102" still CAN work on 11m CB band...they work by adding INDUCTANCE. At the bottom of a base loaded antenna, like the W5000/W1000/W500/Lil' Wilson, there's a thick plastic cap. Underneath the cap is a coil of wire.
The coil of wire adds INDUCTANCE to the antenna thus lengthening it electrically, but allowing you to use a shorter stinger (the metal whip portion).
As you can guess, there are disadvantages. For one, loaded antennas are more complex than a 1/4 wave resonant 102" whip. That coil is one more thing to break, or fall out of tune. Two, you lose wattage to heat. Antennas shorter than 1/4 wave (102") will produce dB of LOSS. You Lil Wilson is only probably about 30% efficient. So 100w into it, you get maybe 30 watts that are actually radiated. They are also LESS SENSITIVE to received signals. A bigger piece of metal picks up weak signals easier.
So there's your radio theory 101 lesson for today.
In short, if you want a cheap magnet mount antenna that works : Get a Wilson W1000.
If you want maximum performance, buy a 102" whip and mount it in a Hustler C32 ball mount with a 6" spring heavy-duty.
Thanks, Office888 great info for a biginner. Looks like I'll be reading lot of posts before going any farther.
yah them coils are useless and cant talk
thats why you see them big suburbans an van with 102 whips talking on the bowl
thats why you see them big suburbans an van with 102 whips talking on the bowl
Thanks for that post, it is very helpful.
I am getting ready to install my radio in the truck at work and was going to use one of my Wilson's...I very well might go the 102 route.
Good to see you Doc, it has been many moons since I have been on the board with any regularity...I think Charger had just left the board back then...
Still got the red 50's Chevy pickup?
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