RE: CB Radio

["Tony Urban" <turban@domain.elided>]

> Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 18:05:38 -0500
> From: ldupliss@domain.elided
> Subject: CB radio
>
> Greeting:
> I know this has been covered somewhere in the past, I just can't find it.
> Any how, the time has come to buy a cb.  Where does one go to purchase a
> decent one (Wal-mart, Sam's, HIFI Buys, mail order???)?  Are there any
> <snip>
> Skip

Skip and Digesters,

As was previously mentioned, Copper Electronics is a great place to shop for
a CB.  I've bought my previous 3 CB's and antennas from them.  It's a great
place to deal with.

My most recent CB was the Cobra 79WXST.  It was featured a couple of months
back in Petersen's 4WOR.  It's basically an "all-in-one" handheld unit.  It
comes complete with 40 channel, weather, scan, etc.      The 79WXST remote
unit fits very nicely in my center console.  My only complaint is that the
audio is a little "tinny" but you can plug in a remote speaker.

I've also owned a Uniden Grant XL.  It's considered the 'cadillac' of CB's.
It comes with just about everything built in.  Unfortunately, it's *very*
large and I had problems mounting it.  It's suprisingly difficult with the
AC blower unit!  I also owned another Cobra.  I don't remember what model it
was but it had a front-firing speaker and weather channels.  It worked quite
well.

As for an antenna, I've owned both a K40 mag-mount and a Wilson 500
mag-mount.  I don't have any real preferences.  Both are 48" (I think) and
they'd hold on in a hurricane!  Spend the extra $20 and buy a SWR meter to
check your antenna.  It can make a big difference in your transmitting
range.

I mostly use my CB on the highway to ferret out state troopers, so range is
important to me.  I typically find that I can receive signals from 10+ miles
away on open highway driving with a good, matched antenna.

Tony