CB Radio

[fergo27]

I'm considering purchasing a Cobra C75WXST CB radio, using a non-grounded antenna. Any pros or cons for this unit would be greatly appreciated!

[Petro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fergo27 I'm considering purchasing a Cobra C75WXST CB radio, using a non-grounded antenna. Any pros or cons for this unit would be greatly appreciated!

I am using this unit along with the antenna that came on the coach. I am very happy with it. I had the same radio on a previous coach and it worked well on that.

Don

[swamphog]

I have to agree with Petro on the radio, Cobras are one of the best ones in the market, as a retired professional driver, right now I'm looking to go with a K-40 antenna myself.

[fergo27]

Don,

Thanks for your info. Good to know it works for you.

[fergo27]

Swamphog,

Thanks for your info also.

[THutch]

fergo27

Just in case you didn't know, you should be pre-wired (along with the antenna on the roof), for a CB radio. The wiring should be in a plastic bag, stuffed behind the carpeting up underneath the dash to the left of the steering column.

Winne tries to make things easy!

[fun time]

So, if this unit does not require a grounded antenna, does that mean you could use a window mount antenna and obtain satisfactory results or similar to one that is grounded? I have been using a window antenna for several years and the results are OK but not great. If I understand the OP correctly my window antenna would work with this new Cobra unit, right? Do you still have to match the antenna with this unit? Can someone tell me how much this Cobra unit sells for?
THanks

[swamphog]

The Uniden & the Cobra at one time merge together, the two radios are the same, same features too, the Cobra was the higher price one because of the name, now I don't know if they are still together today as it was in the 70's, & I wouldn't be afraid to purchase ( Uniden) one today. Myself, I have one of each, reverb & echco box, peaked out & both have upper & lower bands with some other items added, one on a Wilson antenna, the other a broken antenna ( K-40).
I have a old Winne and will be mounting a aluminum bracket ,( cauking with clear caulk) since there is a old cb coax wire there, I will be drilling in the same place and remove the old wire to run a new CB wire. I like the upper / lower bands because of the "traffic" ( alot of people using the same channel on the radio) also skip channels. I, myself won't purchase a CB with a weather station, not saying its a bad ideal as the AM/FM radios can provide that info.
There are better radios out there besides these two, but "for the money these are the best". You are able to find great deals at truck stops, ( AKA travel plaza) there you will see all the items you could/ wish/ want/ & need to operate a radio, one more thing I would say, & that would be purchasing an external speaker, if you mount the CB under the dash you will have a problem hearing it, if you mount the CB by your head you will have a headache if its close to your ear, the CB unit can mounted anywhere (with the saftly of your view and operation of the vehical, such as brakes) the external speaker may be put any place you desire as long as it dose not obstruct your view.There are many sizes to the external speaker and you may chose to have a echeo speaker or a normal external speaker. The hand mike that comes with the CB radio can be replace with a 12 V battery operated hand mike, that also can give you some more power in the unit. The mike holder that comes with it can be replace with other(s), one that just swings (very noticable on semis) or magnet ones. As the grounding the antenna, it is grounded to the radio, the radio is then grounded to the chassie by the ground wire or the metal box of the radio. For tunning the antenna to the radio there are serval ways, but its best if you just take it to a CB repair shop or a truck stop, some "travel plazas" have places that rents a small area to people that repairs them.They will come out to the vehical to work on it. upon purchasing the antenna, there two to choice from, fiber glass or steel, the steel can be "match" to your radio by using a allen wrench and sliding the atenna up & down till you have peak performance, as for the fiber glass one, this is tricky as you "cut" the antenna to match the radio, either way, you can match it by watching your meter on the radio, to much being "cut" on the fiber glass will be a total lost & needs to be replace, as for steel ones well there not to popular with drivers. When I purchase my Winne I had a magnet mount on a little platform , on a strong windy day, ( you shouldn't be out driving) the magnet can come off and swing back n forth scrapping the side of your coach. there are many types of radios and antennas out there ,depending on your use, how much you want to spend, the size from small to large, and what they have on it. I never oprated my tractors with out one as you never know about a back up ( traffic jam) around the cornor and stopping a 40 ton truck on a dime just don't work. I keep my Squch down low to limit the noise and my RF up, this gives me enough power to hear a few miles ahead about anything i need to be Alert about. & not hearing all the rubbish on the radio. Today the older "hand" (drivers) really don't listen to the CB that much for that reason, I will also be using one in my Rv,but keeping the volume low. an oldie but a goodie. My radios are old but works. hope this help you, as it refreshed my mind.

[azloafer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by THutch fergo27 Just in case you didn't know, you should be pre-wired (along with the antenna on the roof), for a CB radio. The wiring should be in a plastic bag, stuffed behind the carpeting up underneath the dash to the left of the steering column. Winne tries to make things easy!

Are we supposed to have a CB antenna? I thought we were just
pre-wired for the power supply. I thought that the short antenna was for the regular radio. ??? Joe

[UFO Pilot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by azloafer Are we supposed to have a CB antenna? I thought we were just pre-wired for the power supply. I thought that the short antenna was for the regular radio. ??? Joe

That is what I found on my Winne. Power and ground but no antenna or coax. I used a Firestik NGP antenna and a side mount. I was able to run the coax behind the cabinet paneling and then down behind the "A" post trim and under the dash.

[azloafer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wthomas1 That is what I found on my Winne. Power and ground but no antenna or coax. I used a Firestik NGP antenna and a side mount. I was able to run the coax behind the cabinet paneling and then down behind the "A" post trim and under the dash.

Where/how did you run the antenna wire out to the antenna? I was considering a mirror mount but can't figure out how to make it neat looking. Joe

[HD4Mark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by azloafer Where/how did you run the antenna wire out to the antenna? I was considering a mirror mount but can't figure out how to make it neat looking. Joe

Joe,
I found a CB coax under the dash of our Vectra next to the steering column, left side in a plastic bag. It looks like a factory job. So I looked up the specs on your Itasca 2008 Itasca Latitude Specifications and under CAB AREA & DRIVER CONVENIENCES sure enough it says CB radio prep. Ours is connected to an antenna next to the air horns right over the drivers head. It may not have come with the antenna but we bought it "new to us" so the previous owner may have connected it.

I would take a look or have someone look to see if there is already a wire there before running a new one.

[swamphog]

Joe, your '08 is prep for a CB. Thanks HD4MARK for putting the Winnebago site up.
If you have the coax in the CB PREP bag you will need to locate the end of other end of the coax to mount the antenna, but again and I doubt it, may be connected to the radio antenna, remeber in the '70's the Dodge Class C radio's were "AM/FM/CB all in one turn the radio on you loose the Cb, turn the CB on loose the radio, all connected to one antenna, to see if you are lucky enought to have this, lay the CB on the floor hook up the right wires for the power ( postive & ground) plug in all wires ( postive, ground and antenna) turn on the radio "BUT DO NOT KEY THE MIKE" if you hear other folks on the radio your in luck,then you can key the mike and ask for a radio check, any responce you get like "check is in the mail" its working, you may have to move the channel to higher numbers or lower numbers to find someone, (as radios are not that popular anymore) if not and you may be to far away from the highway, see if someone in the "hood" has a radio or a walkey talkey ( not FRS) and will turn it on, can be a home base unit or a car unit, just be on the same channel, As HD4Mark said in his post his is mounted next to the air horns. You may want to read my earler post also for other hints about radios and speakers, hope this helps

[TXiceman]

Having a good antenna mounted high is the key to having a good CB. CB (11 m band) is basically line of sight communication. The small roof mounted antennas furnished by the manufacturers are generally not very good antennas. You would do better to get a 2 to 3' long Fire Stix NGP (No Ground Plane) antennas and mount it on a side mount bracket with about 1/2 of the antenna above the roof line of the RV.

The Thru-the-glass antennas can work, but be sure you get a decent antenna. The cheapies from Camping World and Wally World are really a pretty poor antenna.

I carry an old 40 channel radio in my truck and a magnetic mount antenna for when I might need a CB. It has not been hooked up for 2 years now. Most of what you hear is a bunch of trucks cussing about 4-wheelers in their way.

Ken