What’s the best mic for a cobra 29 classic ?

[Klint]

I am on my second cobra mic and now it wants to cut out on me while I’m talking. I can tell it’s in the button because I can wiggle it and get it to cut up. Not wanting a power mic, cb has been professionally tuned/peaked and don’t want the sqeeling. Thanks

 

[2NC995]

SRA158 is nice non-powered mic.

 

[TheRealPorkchop]

The best? The one you like the most, that’s the best.
The most popular? With the trucking crowd it’s the Astatic 636L, especially if talkback has been added in.

The best sounding? That depends on who is talking on it, you might sound good on a 636L, I might not. And we both might sound the same but ole Joe might say differently while listening to us talk. It’s a matter of opinion.

I rarely see bad switches in mics but I certainly see a bunch of broken wires, especially at the plug. Like elements, very rarely have I seen one go bad, maybe 1 out of 100?

 

[Handy Andy]

The typical Coffin style mic?

600 ohms Dynamic

So, only thing I could suggest - since you "Wiggle" the key and it's drops out just take the coffin back off and reheat the plunger - the contact "lugs" that are soldered wires and work the plunger to help reseat and with the wiping action - help clean off any residue to get the switch back in working order.

Don't use a lot of heat from the soldering iron - just touch the tip to "wet the solder" then work the plunger - that kind of action helps or accelerates - the discovery of the bad contact, realign the plunger to the wiper contacts - then you can use a light oil to relube the plunger to make the contacts last longer.

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[Shadetree Mechanic]

The 636 is my go to mic. But the D104m6b is a loud and clean MIC, without as much bass. The D104m6b will make any radio loud, but has the key switch problems. To me its not a big deal, I just open it up and give it a few squirts of deoxit and it is good to go. Deoxit would probably fix your current MIC problem too. Just give it a couple of squirts and hit the key about 50 times to work it in. WD40 works too in a pinch.

 

[2NC995]

I’m also very fond of the sound from a 636. They’re cheap, too. My only hesitation is that the output seems a little on the lean side. But they do not disappoint in quality.

 

[Klint]

The typical Coffin style mic?

600 ohms Dynamic

So, only thing I could suggest - since you "Wiggle" the key and it's drops out just take the coffin back off and reheat the plunger - the contact "lugs" that are soldered wires and work the plunger to help reseat and with the wiping action - help clean off any residue to get the switch back in working order.

Don't use a lot of heat from the soldering iron - just touch the tip to "wet the solder" then work the plunger - that kind of action helps or accelerates - the discovery of the bad contact, realign the plunger to the wiper contacts - then you can use a light oil to relube the plunger to make the contacts last longer.

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When i key the mic, i can see the carrier raise, but sometimes when i talk it wont modulate,nor can i hear myself on the talk back. Now if i unkey the mic and start over most of the time it works fine. I can also key the mic and move the button around alittle i get some static interference in it as if something is not making up good.

 

[Chevboy0167]

Get this stuff.

Amazon product ASIN B00006LVF1
Unplug mic, take cover off, spray a couple squirts in mic switch, replace cover and work the mic lever a few times. Plug back in and see if that takes care of static.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

When i key the mic, i can see the carrier raise, but sometimes when i talk it wont modulate,nor can i hear myself on the talk back. Now if i unkey the mic and start over most of the time it works fine. I can also key the mic and move the button around alittle i get some static interference in it as if something is not making up good.

You can probably make it work for a while if you un plug it and hit the key a bunch of times. It will tend to clean itself. That's the first thing I do when I get a used radio; flip all the switches and turn all the knobs multiple times to exercise them. Usually helps.

 

[Handy Andy]

Hmm...a good moment or two of disassembly and wash the case leaving the "Guts out of it, might show where the plunger meets the inside "strike" that area can get "gooped" up with dirt - as I suggested in another thread about a power mike and it's Paddle may not fully disengage or engage - causing the Batteries' life for it to be cut short.

This may be a similar condition - if you just grasp the mike with a Death-Grip - which can distort the plunger geometry - you can bend the spring and throw stopper from excessive force - well it does show it's "Gasping" for breath when you really hold onto that mike.

You might want to just "wash" the coffin and windscreen, then look in the plunger "seat" and paddle "key" for any binding or scraping or excessive wear and treat, sand, burnish, oil, or lube accordingly - it's not uncommon, but the Cobra "Coffin-style" mikes are not a plentiful as they once were...A lot of them are found in CB Shop junk bins and the headaches from the abuse the other mic's received from their former owners might be the only route you can take to rebuild your handset.

It may be worth looking into rebuilding, because some mic's - just the switch goes bad or the cord is cheap - but the Element may be worth saving if it has the same dimensions as well as similar or SLIGHTLY higher impedance - like 700 ohm Dynamics ones from the JC Penney line

 

[Slowmover]

I am on my second cobra mic and now it wants to cut out on me while I’m talking. I can tell it’s in the button because I can wiggle it and get it to cut up. Not wanting a power mic, cb has been professionally tuned/peaked and don’t want the sqeeling. Thanks

Hmm, best mike

Astatic M575
Palomar SL41
Turner 56
RF Limited 2018

(I’m kidding. These are no longer made. Great reps High prices)

Mikes ain’t expensive.

RK56
Astatic 636
SRA-198

Are all worth owning.
Primary or backup.

Several power mikes worth looking at, too.

Fund your retirement. Buy today.

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[Klint]

Thanks guys for your help. It’s just peculiar that the first mic that came with radio started doing that and that is why I have bought the second cobra mic hg-m73 this time. Seems to be having same issue. Just bought it 1st of feb this year. Maybe it’s something I’m doing to em.. lol what’s the chances it’s the radio doing that ?

 

[Klint]

I’ll tell y’all something else too, a good friend of mine has a cobra 29 lx for about a year now and his stock mic is cutting out as well. Mine is a 29 classic. I guess I’ll open it up and look into it a little later, we are getting ready for some bad weather over here in central Alabama.

 

[9C1Driver]

As you can see from all the suggestions there is no one right answer. It really depends on what mic matches up to your voice the best and what all has been done to your radio.

 

[Slowmover]

I’ll tell y’all something else too, a good friend of mine has a cobra 29 lx for about a year now and his stock mic is cutting out as well. Mine is a 29 classic. I guess I’ll open it up and look into it a little later, we are getting ready for some bad weather over here in central Alabama.

(You probably know this, but . . . )

In mobile use (confirmed with other truck drivers) a problem can be strain of cord against connector at radio face. Even to the radio connector internals.

Once I decide an aftermarket mike is my choice, converting the connector to right-angle such that the cord is leaving the radio towards the vehicle floor makes use of a Gearkeeper that much easier in preventing that strain.

Conversely, a mobile unit used as base “might” benefit from a longer cord.

In no event with either would I want to allow the cord at the mike to ever go right-angle.

A spring-style strain relief at mike base helps, but won’t prevent long-term problems.



Suspension of the mike cord makes either end strain-free.

(A few days ago added that ferrite. Now have to dig around and find some new mini-bungees bought several years ago to suspend that introduced strain).

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