Is CB radio dead on the west coast? Let's see your radios!

[boattail]

35 years ago our log truck radios worked for calling out our numbers pretty well. The current radios I'm using are hideous. Lucky for me our haul road stays the same with little traffic.

I think it's something with all the metal ( reach, headache rack) but run of the mill radios suck in a log truck.

 

[Flopsweat]

35 years ago our log truck radios worked for calling out our numbers pretty well. The current radios I'm using are hideous. Lucky for me our haul road stays the same with little traffic.

I think it's something with all the metal ( reach, headache rack) but run of the mill radios suck in a log truck.

Run of the mill. I "saw" what you did there.

 

[72scoutman]

At the ten mile coming up empty.



I have one in my pickup, not even sure what make or anything. Mainly keep it to hear the truck traffic on the rare occasion I'm in the woods on a week day. If it got stolen tonight I probably wouldnt notice for a few weeks.

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

The solar cycle is changing radio bands are starting to see more long distance propagation Makes it good and bad depending on what your trying to do with it

Is that the reason why there are lots of skips at certain times?

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

I know a lot of folks have jumped ship and gone to 10 meter, but let's talk about the good ole CB radio mounted in your personal vehicle or your own CMV. What are you packin! Feel free to post some pics. How long have you been around CB's? I'll start out with my experiences and newest set up. I'll avoid sharing what's in my employers rigs as they're just budget radios for communicating on and off highway as well as job sites with co-workers. As a child my first interactions were in family vehicles in the late 70's. They were pretty much used them for family convoy road trips. The airways were busy and the content was never dull. Sometimes for kicks we'd sneak out to the truck or car and talk smack to truckers just to get a reaction. In the early 90s we use to play CB tag in our pick up trucks around Newport and Toledo. As an adult I obtained my Class-A in 1999 and the CB came in handy for it's intended use but the chatter by this point was mostly disgruntled long haul drivers crying the blues about getting tickets, hours of operation regulations, and their horrible employers. Then there were base station lunatics trying to smash everybody within range. At this point I only turned it on when I wanted to get lane updates in traffic. 99% of the time it was turned off. Now, running log trucks or rock trucks it's a must have tool and that is what sparked my interest to put a radio back in my personal vehicle again. From what I'm experiencing these days, CB radio is pretty much dead on the west coast interstates but it's very active off road. My newest radio is a Cobra 29 LX Max that's been tuned and peaked. I run it with a tuned 4' Firestick II antenna and Fire Flex/Fire Ring coaxial kit. I have my antenna mounted above my front drivers side fender. I'm not blowing anybody's windows out but I'm pushing a conservative 25 watts. I purchased my radio last month direct from Cobra and the pertinent accessories from Amazon. I will be adding an external speaker this week.

Cobra 29 LX MAX

The 29 LX MAX offers the benefits of a Bluetooth® enabled smartphone right from a professional CB Radio. Shop quality Professional CB Radios at Cobra.com

www.cobra.com

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EARXF06?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000WCY7UU?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

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Thread resurrection. Are the new Cobras like the 29 you have pretty much the same analog finals like the original 29 LTD? Will they interrupt the computer systems like modern cars specifically prius hybrids?

 

[parallax]

Is that the reason why there are lots of skips at certain times?

We are starting the peak of the solar cycle, it all varies by frequency and time of day and it's not solid or easy to predict it just happens when it happens 20-30 MHZ seems more active on the west coast between 11 am and 5 pm there is a relationship between the sun being out and darkness as far as these higher frequencies. At night, lower frequencies are more active 3-14 mhz and may be due partly to noise interference from the sun

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

Back in 1986 when I was still in Torrance CA, I was able to connect from my my moms house using a 5/8 wave antenna all the way to Galveston, TX. He was hitting like 4-5 db with a huge modulation and thin but I can hear it very well without turning on my receiving preamp. He said he can hear me clear enough. I was using a Cobra 148 with a D104 lollipop. He sent me a card on the mail with his base station picture. He had a very nice 6 element focus beam with a sigma 4 standby antenna. A nice kenwood radio.
I just found my D104. I cant believe this is still here and 2 other gadgets. I dont have a home antenna here in the pacific northwest. But this is something that I need to consider like getting a two way radio again for emergency. Me and my wife had a motorola small walkie-talkie that I bought form costco. It was very handy for family use when in the grocery or something. It died after 5 years. I was thinking about buying one again since CB world is just right in Corvallis

 

[parallax]

Cb during the solar cycle is a love/ hate relationship.. I recently took a trip east and had a cb and a vhf radio in the car. I was on channel 17 , the travel channel some guy in Alabama yakking non- stop talking to whoever would respond and coming in at 7-9 DB I turned the squelch up to about 3/4 of the way so I didn't have to listen to him after about 30 minutes I just turned it off, as the skip was breaking thru my squelch occasionally and becoming annoying it would have only been useful for very short range communication at that point, it would be a safe bet he was running some kind of amplifier, totally illegal. ( like thousands of others on CB)

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

Are you familiar with the new cb radios?

 

[parallax]

Are you familiar with the new cb radios?

Me?……..nope……I have radio gear tuners etc. but no modern transceivers

 

[RVTECH]

Are you familiar with the new cb radios?

What is the main difference between 'new' CB radios and the 'older' ones?

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

Me?……..nope……I have radio gear tuners etc. but no modern transceivers

What is the main difference between 'new' CB radios and the 'older' ones?

I dont really know much about the new ones yet besides they cover all the frequencies that you need and wanted 10-11 meters. which includes the old 27... mhz channels. Alot of the new ones especially the President radio have a built in ready to unlock extra frequency and power up to 50+ watts. The FCC has allowed old CB users to use FM frequency now. I'm just like you guys an old school CB user and not much knowledge with the new trend but I read so many real interesting stuffs that we would like to get our hands on like some updated features. For example this President Lincoln is an advanced CB with built in roger beep, vox.. Yes the old VOX that we been raving for, SWR watt meter, close to 300 frequency, adjustable watt control from 2 to 47 watt right in front of your faceplate. By far the Lincoln is one of the most promising standard radios of today. Any information I passed along are not complete and I suggest you read the specs, reviews and all that so you have an idea.
With all these advance features there is one ingredient that I know these new radios will have a rough time matching the 100+% audio of the original cobra 2000 GTL, 142 GTL, and 148 GTL. But if youre use to radios like the old Superstar, Ranger, This is definitely a notch up.




The Lincoln II is an amateur 10 meter ham radio from President Electronics. This long awaited successor to the popular President Lincoln radio is packed with great features and even has a multi-color display!

Stored Frequencies

The President Lincoln has the ability to save up to 6 frequencies in memory for quick and easy access. To save a frequency (and the band) you just switch to that frequency in the band you want , hold down the memory button until the menu changes and select the memory location you want to save in. Switching in and out of memory mode is done with a single button press. Once in memory mode, you can switch through saved frequencies with the channel up and down buttons. When in memory mode your scan will scan only stored frequencies

Scanning

When not in memory mode, the scan function will cycle through all frequencies, stopping whenever it locates an active frequency. The programmable dual watch will cycle through two frequencies you set, rather than all the available frequencies.

Noise Filters

The Lincoln II has a few options for filtering out noise in addition to the normal squelch. They are all located on one button on the top left of the radio. Pressing this button will cycle through NB alone, NB/ANL, and both off. Holding down this button turns the hi-cut function on and off.

Echo

This radio does include an echo feature that can be adjusted with controls on the face of the radio. The Echo/Echo Set button on the face will switch the echo on and off when pressed and released quickly. Holding down the button will allow you set the echo delay and time.

Beeps

The roger beep and key beep are both controlled by the same button on the left of the face of the radio. Pressing and releasing the button quickly switches the Roger Beep on and off. Holding it in will turn the key beep on and (preferably) off. With the key beep on, the radio will beep every time a button is pressed.

Meters

The power and SWR meters on this radio are accessible through the INDIC button on the face. Pressing the button in while transmitting will allow you to select between power, SWR, or voltage.

Lincoln II Features:

• Version 3
• Rotary switch and Up/down channel selector
• VFO Mode (continuous scanning of 28.000 Mhz to 29.700 Mhz)
• Volume adjustment and ON/OFF
• RF Power
• Manual squelch and ASC
• Multi-functions LCD display
• Frequencies display
• S-meter
• Public Address
• Vox function (Hands free)
• ANL filter , NB and HI-CUT
• RF Gain / Mike gain
• Clarifier
• Channels and memories scan
• 6 Memories
• CTCSS (38 tones)
• DCS (104 codes)
• Dim
• MENU function key
• Beep Function
• Roger Beep
• Mode switch AM/FM/LSB/USB/CW
• Dual watch
• Key locking
• SWR (Power Reading /SWR)
• Preset 9/19
• TOT (Time Out Timer) adjustable
• Front microphone plug
• External loudspeaker jack
• two year factory warranty

In the box

• Lincoln II Amateur Radio
• Power cord with fuse
• 1 microphone and hanger
• 1 mounting bracket with fixing screws

 

[RVTECH]

For example this President Lincoln is an advanced CB

I am aware of some of the recent changes to the 11 meter CB frequency such as the new FM ability however the President radio you posted about is NOT a 'CB' - but is the 10 meter shortwave (HAM) frequency and requires a Technician class license to operate.

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

The only thing that I can tell you is whatever you need or want is totally up to you.

 

[Flopsweat]

I was thinking about resurrecting my CB radio, went looking for it and it seems I no longer have one. I'd buy another Midland, but it seems their CBs are made in China now. What's a good brand that's still made here? I found President and they look pretty good.

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

I'[m not sure if they are all china. As far as I remember my old 80's Cobra 148 was Taiwan. That was one heck of a radio.
If you just want a standard CB with good features, there are plenty of new Cobras, President, Uniden, Midland, Stryker so and so forth. It all depends in what you want and need. Here is a good site to go and theyre just right on Corvallis.
CB World
I actually bought a new President last year, I put a detachable francis whip on my pickup. I wanna get a magnamount antenna if in case I can use it on the prius.

 

[parallax]

My latest cb purchase was small enough to fit in the palm of my hand, i am able to stuff it in the tray above my climate control knobs,, at night i just pull it out and take it in to the garage, or if out traveling take it up to my hotel room, i dont want it attract a thief who would not hesitate to smash a $300.00 window for anything that they might find worth stealing.

 

[HiFi Magnetics]

If you dont mind me asking. What kind of radio?

 

[Flopsweat]

Look at this tiny thing:

President ADAMS Compact CB Radio with Large LCD Screen

Check out this President ADAMS at www.WalcottRadio.com

www.walcottradio.com

 

[parallax]

president bill 4 " long and less than 1" thick..