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Getting Into CB Radio
- Thread starter DreadPirate
- Start date
Keep the golden screwdrivers OUT of your radio.
Get a radio that you can adjust the deadkey on.
Then DROP the deadkey to 1 watt.
Then buy an RM Italy KL203P amp. You can get them for less than $100 online.
Run your 1 watt radio into the amp and you'll get between 80 and 100 watts out of it.
Do NOT run more than 1 watt into the amp or you'll fry it pretty fast.
These KL203P amps are only about the size of a cigarette pack, but they WORK!
http://www.rmitaly.com/index.php/en/products/amplifier/item/740-kl-203-p/740-kl-203-p
Get a radio that you can adjust the deadkey on.
Then DROP the deadkey to 1 watt.
Then buy an RM Italy KL203P amp. You can get them for less than $100 online.
Run your 1 watt radio into the amp and you'll get between 80 and 100 watts out of it.
Do NOT run more than 1 watt into the amp or you'll fry it pretty fast.
These KL203P amps are only about the size of a cigarette pack, but they WORK!
http://www.rmitaly.com/index.php/en/products/amplifier/item/740-kl-203-p/740-kl-203-p
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Yea, I believe the Golden Screwdriver had them for sale. I did not ask about them but one of his customers said he had one and was happy. Don't know that it came from the GS but rather that is what he had.
That is the problem, finding a shop that can be trusted to do right and give good advise. Can't find any club's or groups in the area and asked here for any shop recommendations and got crickets.............
That is the problem, finding a shop that can be trusted to do right and give good advise. Can't find any club's or groups in the area and asked here for any shop recommendations and got crickets.............
Every CB shop I've ever been to has been about like every gun store I've been to. You better wear some hip waders because the BS can get pretty deep.
I just used google and youtube to learn the CB stuff. Get a meter that shows power and SWR and you can do all the stuff yourself. Many CBs have adjustable pots inside for power. Cranking them wide open, or clipping legs on resistors might make the radio "swing" more, or show more power on the meter, but they will make the radio sound like CRAP.
They only way to get good sounding, clean power is an amp. If you get a low-drive amp be sure to turn your dead key down or you'll fry the amp. Like I said, the KL203P really is the best bang for the buck. It gives you around 100 watts with a 1 watt dead key, which is plenty of power in a mobile.
I used cb's in place of a radar detector in the past. I also may have antagonized a trucker or two .
I sometimes put a CB radio in my vehicle for a load road trip. I usually take it out afterward.
I've used old 23- channel units, cheap Midland new ones, and the Cobra 29 LTD classic. I've had an assortment of antennas over the years. A base-loaded magnet mount works OK for me, as long as I tune it for low SWR.
Today very few people chat on them. Not even truckers, unless there's an accident or bad weather or something.
I used to call out bear alerts for others, but rarely would I hear a warning from anybody else.
I've used old 23- channel units, cheap Midland new ones, and the Cobra 29 LTD classic. I've had an assortment of antennas over the years. A base-loaded magnet mount works OK for me, as long as I tune it for low SWR.
Today very few people chat on them. Not even truckers, unless there's an accident or bad weather or something.
I used to call out bear alerts for others, but rarely would I hear a warning from anybody else.
Yea, I have been looking at lots of stuff on the internet and coming up with lots of questions. Test equipment can get pricey and some of it may not be accurate bit may work for my level of knowledge.
10-4 on antagonizing truckers. Sometimes do that myself just to get them talking and I just sit back and listen....
B&B hobby shop in Snellville/Grayson for many years Wayne (owner?) was/is top-notch CB tuner for 35+ years, Call and ask. Good guy.
I love SSB CB radio
Thanks for the heads up. I may reach out and see if he is interested in talking to a new guy. I heard that SSB is where you find a lot of traffic so that is why I bought that radio. I am told that the mag-mount antennas were good but can't get the SWR's down so a recommendation for the Sirio Antenna came and I see good reviews so even though it is 3 times the price with the mag-mount option I bought it. Will know in a day or two if it is really better. It is certainly taller.
Well the Sirio Antenna I think was worth the price. I could hear all kinds of radio traffic Friday and Saturday on LSB. It is one tall antenna at right around 7 feet. SWR's out of the box were very low, much lower than I could get with the K30 or Lil Wil. I still need to adjust to get them really low. Out of the box it was below 1.0 on channel 1 and under 1.2 on channel 40. When I went to make adjustments I found that I could not cut the antenna with my side cutters like I could with the other two antennas. It is much thicker at the base.
