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CB Help...

Discussion in 'Audio & Video' started by LonghornTaco, Feb 25, 2009.

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  1. Feb 25, 2009 at 8:41 PM
    #1
    LonghornTaco

    #1
    LonghornTaco [OP] Can you pass the bailout please?

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    3" ToyTec coilover lift on Bilstein 5100s, Total Chaos UCAs, ToyTec diff drop, Scangauge II, 4D MagLite mounted on the drivers seat, Painted engine cover, Painted calipers (red), Painted skid plate (red) Valentine 1 radar detector hard wired, Damplifier Pro on the floor, back wall and doors, Luxury Liner Pro on the floor and doors, Kenwood DNX8120, 2 Pioneer TS-SW1041D 10" shallow mount subs, 2 Pioneer PRS-D4200F 1200W amps, Mr Marv sub enclosure, Hybrid Audio Clarus 6.5" components in the front doors, Alpine 5.25" coaxials in the rear doors, A.R.E. LSII fiberglass tonneau cover, All Pro bumper, All Pro sliders, Wet Okole seat covers, Sockmonkey Mountain badges, PIAA 510 SMR Driving Lights, Warn M8000 Winch, Bud Built skids
    I'm starting to look into a CB setup for my truck, but I know NOTHING about them. What kind of features should I look for? Power, channels, etc... I'd prefer not to have a handheld unit, rather something a little more classic:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I've read about features like bluetooth, NOAA, PA and lots more, but I don't know what of these are actually useful.

    Thanks!
     
    LonghornTaco, Feb 25, 2009
    #1
  2. Feb 25, 2009 at 8:44 PM
    #2
    HerNameIsLucy

    #2
    HerNameIsLucy I miss Lucy. :-(

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    I'm a "purist" when it comes to CB. I have an old Uniden. It's a CB radio. No bells, no whistles, no toys. It'll put a crystal clear signal out to people using the expensive ones just as well as I get their signal (4W PEP is 4W PEP). And there's less to go bad on it, been reliable for at least a dozen years and a half dozen vehicle swaps.
     
    HerNameIsLucy, Feb 25, 2009
    #2
  3. Feb 25, 2009 at 8:46 PM
    #3
    LonghornTaco

    #3
    LonghornTaco [OP] Can you pass the bailout please?

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    Who are the good vendors? Uniden, Cobra, someone else?

    And what is 4W PEP?
     
    LonghornTaco, Feb 25, 2009
    #3
  4. Feb 25, 2009 at 8:52 PM
    #4
    HerNameIsLucy

    #4
    HerNameIsLucy I miss Lucy. :-(

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    I prefer Uniden, they seem to be tuned right out of the box. But I have buddies with a bunch of different brands and most work very well.

    4W PEP is Four Watts Peak Envelope Power. It's the maximum power output at the antenna jack allowed by FCC law.
     
    HerNameIsLucy, Feb 25, 2009
    #4
  5. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:00 PM
    #5
    Ridgerunner

    #5
    Ridgerunner Well-Known Member

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    ..wow being a radio guy I am happy to see there's still a need for the old 27MHZ band! I was a CBer way back in the 70s when it WAS the thing. Lucy wil remember this-Midland base, Turner +3 desk mic, and an Avanti Astro Beam antenna:D was my base station growing up. You guys enjoy your rigs-if you need advice I'm here:)
     
    Ridgerunner, Feb 25, 2009
    #5
  6. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:04 PM
    #6
    HerNameIsLucy

    #6
    HerNameIsLucy I miss Lucy. :-(

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    Midland base unit! I still have one in the storage unit! I bought a "power mic" way back then I think from RS (not sure), had to solder my own plug on the end. Used to talk to people getting out of 2nd shift work from some factory in town. Late night chatting is still fun!
     
    HerNameIsLucy, Feb 25, 2009
    #6
  7. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:06 PM
    #7
    Sandfire

    #7
    Sandfire Well-Known Member

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    southwest midwest
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    Yeah, I used to work for an excavating company that had several large dirt scrapers; we all had CB's so we could talk to each other to pass the time. Some of the guys had the high dollar models that had been turned up to like 20 or 30 watts, these supposedly could get out clearly for about 15 miles although I never seen it work. There was this certain model of cheap uniden that you could get at a truck stop, etc. and it was as clear and seemed to get out as well as the modded out ones. Wish I could remember the exact model, I'd recomend it to ya.
     
    Sandfire, Feb 25, 2009
    #7
  8. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:09 PM
    #8
    LonghornTaco

    #8
    LonghornTaco [OP] Can you pass the bailout please?

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    so, when you say tuned up to 20-30 watts, you talking about going over the 4 watt PEP? So, essentially they're illegally powerful?
     
    LonghornTaco, Feb 25, 2009
    #8
  9. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:10 PM
    #9
    HerNameIsLucy

    #9
    HerNameIsLucy I miss Lucy. :-(

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    I just ran out to the truck...it's a Uniden PRO 510xl. Has three knobs, one switch and a mic jack on the front...and that's all. Old dependable!

    Here's one on ebay (hope ebay linking to an auction that isn't mine is OK): http://cgi.ebay.com/Uniden-PRO510XL-40-Channel-CB-Radio-Pro-510-510XL_W0QQitemZ380106387866QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCB_Radios?hash=item380106387866&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

    EDIT and a page of reviews for it: http://www.hat.net/gadgets/portable...cessories.cb_radios/uniden_pro510xl_cb_radio/
     
    This site contains affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.
    HerNameIsLucy, Feb 25, 2009
    #9
  10. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:15 PM
    #10
    Ridgerunner

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    Ridgerunner Well-Known Member

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    HA well you and I are about the same age-we went through it:) Oh man I would be up 'till 2am on a school nite with my radio buddys. I had to solder a 5 to 4 plug on that Turner too to fit the Midland:D man you bring back memories!:D
    [​IMG]
    this is close to my old base^^
    I never ran illegal power-my Midland put out 5.5 watts factory and the combination of the modulated power mic and the 7.sumpthin DB gain of my antenna, my voice punched up my power to around 20 watts...people said my carrier would jump up and down with my talking:D
     
    Ridgerunner, Feb 25, 2009
    #10
  11. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:19 PM
    #11
    dtrujillo63

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    dtrujillo63 Well-Known Member

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    dtrujillo63, Feb 25, 2009
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  12. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:20 PM
    #12
    HerNameIsLucy

    #12
    HerNameIsLucy I miss Lucy. :-(

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    RIP Lucy.
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    I get discouraged nowadays when I go on the air in the 27Mhz band. Always seems there's some jerk who thinks they're a DJ and have the right to tape down the key in front of their boom-box. Even CH9 is getting abused now. Bring back the license requirements!

    But yeah, those were the days huh. My father had a unit in one of those cast iron "removable" trays...with the spring contacts in bakelite insulators. Don't remember what brand his radio was but the thing weighed a ton, two tons with that removable mount on it!
     
    HerNameIsLucy, Feb 25, 2009
    #12
  13. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:22 PM
    #13
    HerNameIsLucy

    #13
    HerNameIsLucy I miss Lucy. :-(

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    HerNameIsLucy, Feb 25, 2009
    #13
  14. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:23 PM
    #14
    LonghornTaco

    #14
    LonghornTaco [OP] Can you pass the bailout please?

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    Thanks guys! What about antennas? I've heard good things about the Firestick and they aren't expensive at all. But what about mounting a 4' antenna on the corner of the rear bumper? Will that get good reception? I have a tonneau cover, so mounting in the bed rails really isn't an option.
     
    LonghornTaco, Feb 25, 2009
    #14
  15. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:29 PM
    #15
    HerNameIsLucy

    #15
    HerNameIsLucy I miss Lucy. :-(

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    Antennas prefer a real ground plane...so top dead center of the cab roof is the preferred mounting place. There's a lot of antennas out there that "simulate" a ground plane, they can be mounted anywhere but in my experience they don't get out as well.

    The rear bed corner would work fine. Just don't do what I see a lot of people do and mount it to the front corner of the bed...the cab will make that antenna very directional for receiving and soak up a lot of waves for transmitting.
     
    HerNameIsLucy, Feb 25, 2009
    #15
  16. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:33 PM
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    Ridgerunner

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    Ridgerunner Well-Known Member

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    ..maybe a "President"? That was the Caddy of CBs-anyways my pop had NO passion for radios much less cars-but he did have the heart to feed MY passion by buying the equipment:) thanks Dad!

    You know what I would LOVE to see someone do here? A ballspring mount on the rear quarterpanel-your "Firestik" would do very well on one of those setups...you have seen them on old cop cars and military-the Tacoma would sport one nicely! (sorry to hijak your thread)
     
    Ridgerunner, Feb 25, 2009
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  17. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:40 PM
    #17
    Ridgerunner

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    Ridgerunner Well-Known Member

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    +1 imagine your radio transmitting waves coming out from an antenna mounted topdeadcenter on your roof-using the truck body as its 'groundplane, those waves splay out 360* in omnidirectional pattern. Mounted on your rear bumper, they shoot across the truck body and off into that direction, but not so strongly behind the truck...and soforth
     
    Ridgerunner, Feb 25, 2009
    #17
  18. Feb 25, 2009 at 9:45 PM
    #18
    LonghornTaco

    #18
    LonghornTaco [OP] Can you pass the bailout please?

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    So, if it's on the top of the cab, does it matter how tall it is? And I completely understand the 360* line of sight on top of the cab, but realistically, how much "better" is this than the rear corner if the tip is higher than the cab?
     
    LonghornTaco, Feb 25, 2009
    #18
  19. Feb 26, 2009 at 5:08 AM
    #19
    HerNameIsLucy

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    HerNameIsLucy I miss Lucy. :-(

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    good reading here: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question490.htm
     
    HerNameIsLucy, Feb 26, 2009
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  20. Feb 26, 2009 at 4:33 PM
    #20
    RCBS

    #20
    RCBS How long you willing to tolerate this crap??

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    RCBS, Feb 26, 2009
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