Cobra 19 Ultra 6

Copied from another forum, but my post.

Radio: Cobra 19 Ultra 6
Antenna: 4' Firestik FS
Location: 2003 Tacoma Ext Cab 4WD
Power Filter: Workman NF-4 Bandit
External Speaker: 4" cheapo with noise filter and mute

Those of you with 1st gens know there's not a lot of space for a CB if you want to leave the stock double DIN radio intact. I spend a month or so looking for one that would fit in the lower trim area. I chose this location because this trim is easily replaced for $50 and under should I ever change my mind.

The general opinion is that the Cobra 19 Mini is a trash radio and there are definitely better options for not much more, but I could find no radio small enough to fit in the space shown, 1/4" larger in any direction and it would never fit. The Radioddity CS-47 is the only other option if you can deal with all the controls being on the handset.

For a while I struggled with a Cobra 29 LTD Classic and got it to work with a mount in the rear so it sits on the center console but can be swiveled back. Still too big and looked like Frankenstein, the 29 is going in the house as a home base station.

That being said, as a newbie I find this radio to be exactly what I need as an entry radio. You can pick one up online for as little as $55 or $70 in-store at Wal-mart. I even made my first radio check contact yesterday!

This radio appears to be a rebranded Cobra 19 mini with some improvements. It is also so new you won't find a proper manual for it online.

- Solid heat sink case - the entire body of the Ultra 6, like the mini, is made of metal and is one huge heat sink.
- ASQL - Automatic Squelch setting, I'm finding setting this around 5 gives the best noise filtering. The advantage of ASQL is it automatically turns itself off when a signal comes in, leaving the cabin quiet until a transmission is received.
- SQL - Using ASQL, I find turning this off completely gives more clear signals without losing more faint ones.
- Mhz Display - nice touch, it also shows RF gain settings, AM/FM
- Audible Roger Beep, Key Beep - turn on/off in menu
- VOX - both level and delay controls to activate without the PTT (off ATM)
- RF Gain - I found having the RF gain high and all squelch controls low seems to work (still fiddling with it and I do not know jack. )
- No engine noise - See below. The location is directly above the truck's ECU and was worried it may throw a lot of interference but it didn't. I'd previously tried a Cobra 29 LTD Classic and the engine noise was horrible. With the Bandit and ferrite cores I get ZERO engine noise.

As you can see here it fits into a very tight space and as mentioned it was a bit like putting socks on a rooster. It still sticks out more than I'd like but acceptable. As it is, although the bottom of the trim covers the speaker I could have easily ran with it without an external speaker. One of the complaints about this radio is poor audio, but it's definitely "good enough" without the external speaker. Don't even need a mike hanger, it goes right where you see it and doesn't get in the way.

I 3D printed the bezel.



Power is supplied by a fused direct to battery connection. The actual wire is heavily loomed in plastic loom but not taking any chances. Ground goes to frame under the trim piece.



I went ahead and used the Bandit NF-4 noise filter on the power to the radio, but probably didn't need it. The Ultra 6 has internal noise protection. If you mount the filter like this - be sure not to wrap the zip tie around the heater mechanisms (red arrow.) It is just wrapped around the heater vent.




The bumper mounted 4' Firestik. As for range, FireStik says 3-4 miles as opposed to 7-8 with a whip but I will find out. Setting up the Cobra 29 as a home station so I will test it myself.



Firestik mount, HD spring, mount grounded to frame. I suspected I didn't really need the SWR meter and I was correct - out of the box this antenna gives me SWR of under 1 across the band.




External 8 ohm 4" speaker - super cheap, mounts to the same trim piece as the radio. Not too much in the way for passengers (rare occasions LOL)



Overall I really like it for the investment, it works and played with it for a few hours yesterday. There are far better radios and antennas out there, but my first contact yesterday has me jazzed.

 

like everything about this other the the antenna placement, but I'm also the kind of guy whos hooked bumpers at the corners on stuff, and you mentioned a 4ft fire stick. a better spot would be just behind the cab. or along the hood line on the fender. but I've mounted in the past off the rear bumper but off the top to use the body lines to protect better the antenna

 

People still use CBs?

 

Only way it fits in the garage without ripping up the garage door seal, it's the only reason I got this one for a starter. A mag mount in the center of the hood would outperform it by miles, but those would hit too, being thinner, rip the seal even better. :-D

Behind the cab too tall, if it were mounted low enough that would put it too close to metal "walls" which is not great either.

The real downside of this mount (and antenna) is it radiates to the left and rear with reduced radiation front and right. So on the road I'm mostly communicating with people behind me or in the opposite lane. There are far better other choices, but I'm not leaving the Taco ungaraged and not getting out of the truck every time I pull in.

May upgrade to a hood mounted Wilson later, reserving my excuse to "buy more stuff."

 

I have a Predator antenna mounted at the top rear corner of the bed (rago rally flag mount) right above where youv'e got yours. I've found that the interference created by my cap occluding half the mast to the front disappears when outside of about 40 yards. You have less occlusion on the mast that I do, though the tip of my antenna sits much higher, (parking garages are the bane of my existence, and anyone in a hurry behind me as I disassemble the antenna) so I would assume you could also talk fairly freely forward outside very close range.

Ironically, its plugged into a Cobra 19 until I get around to wiring in a newer unit. That 19 Ultra 6 looks like a big upgrade to the old 19. they really do fit anywhere