On Wed, 06 Oct 2004 17:55:10 -0700, Frank Gilliland
wrote:

On Wed, 06 Oct 2004 15:07:47 -0400, Alex
wrote in :

I'm off to get me a new radio. I'm trading in the cobra 19 dx III for
a cobra 29 ltd classic. I'm hoping you have some tips for me when I
return. I'm not saying I am going to mess with the inside cause i am
still a little afraid to do that, but if there are some pots to turn
that are foolprrof then i will appreciate any input. I'm so excited
cause I really didn't want the 19 dx III to start with. I didn't have
the money, but I just couldn't wait. I hope I'm making a good choice.
I asked around and several said it was a good choice. Any info you can
give me would be great about this radio


Here's the best advice I can give: If it works, don't **** with it!
The 29 LTD is a very decent radio. Please keep it that way.

Thanks for that. I do get tempted though, but am not gonna touch it.

Some will suggest tweaking VR-this or VR-that, but avoid the
temptation. You may notice an improvement, but it's usually at the
expense of something you don't notice. For example, if you tweak up
the modulation pot, you will certainly increase your audio. But the
pot is set at the factory for 90 to 97% modulation, which is just
dandy. Turn it up and you run the risk of overmodulation, an effect
you can hear when someone bleeds over onto adjacent channels. It can
also cause interference to your neighbor's boob-tube. The frequent
modification of "snipping the limiter" has the same effect. Another
reason to avoid tweaks: People like to turn the power pot to get an
extra couple watts. Now I already pointed out that a couple extra
watts isn't going to make any noticable difference. But if you -do-
tweak the power you must also tweak the modulation to match the new
carrier or your modulation drops and your audio gets quieter instead
of louder. And after that you must compensate for the increased power
consumption by the radio, assuming the heat-sinks for the power
transistors are capable of the increased power. If not, you could fry
your driver or final and your radio goes to the shop. Another tweak is
to the voltage regulator, but that can change the voltage regulation
of the PLL (frequency circuit) and send your radio transmitting
anywhere but where you want. Etc, etc.

Okay, for a newbie not much of that makes sense, but I get where your
coming from.

CB radio is a plug-n-play concept. If you want to start tweaking
transmitters, look into getting a ham license. They are cheap, the
test is unbelievably easy (you get to memorize the questions before
the test!), and there are lots of hams that are more than willing to
help you get started with the hobby.

Gotcha.

Anyway, back to your new radio. First, get an external speaker. Not a
horn speaker, but one you can use inside the vehicle. Even an old car
stereo speaker will work. There are two speaker jacks on the rear of
the radio: PA and EXT. Use the EXT jack. You will notice a =-BIG-=
improvement in sound quality over the cheap little speakers that
usually come inside stock radios.

Next, find a good place to mount it. Try to mount it on, or as close
as possible to, the chassis or dash. Run the negative power lead to
the closest point that contacts the chassis -- the closer the better,
and cut the lead as short as possible. If you can mount it directly to
the chassis (like the transmission hump or under the dash), run the
negative lead to the mounting bracket. Or, as an alternative, run both
power leads to your power source and run a third wire (again, as short
as possible) from a screw on the back of the radio to the vehicle
chassis/dash. Make sure all connections are good, clean and tight.

Let me know when you get ready to install the antenna and coax.

I have an antenna now, magnet mount 36" base loaded. I've adjusted the
SWR with a external meter. With this antenna the best i could get was
2 SWR. I'm sure most of my problems are from the antenna. It's a $20
antenna from the truckstop. and I have dont all I can do with it. It's
mounted in the center, but some advised put it about 6-12inches from
the windshield.

By problems I mean I'm not getting anything coming in clearly, all
kinds of static. I had the Gain to max, so that might have been just a
distant signal (like I said I'm still playing with the controls) I'm a
newbie who feels that i should be able to hear everyone at all times.
( right now I am just enjoying listening) When I set the gain lower I
hear nothing ( could be just noone around ) It's not like I live in a
town where alot of action goes on, so I think that is just my paranoia
thinking that my radio is not working right.

I know how to operate squelch, but on my other radio cobra 19 dxIII
thats all I had to worry about . Now, with the squelch all the way
down I don't even get the hissing sound unless I turn up the gain a
pretty good bit, and then thats when I get those weak signals coming
in. When someone is transmitting on the meter bottom line is signal,
it stays between 1-3, more towards 1.5- 2 lots of static, but as soon
as someone comes in clear it jumps up 3 or further ( I'm assuming they
are closer ) which I like so much. *LOL*

So my theory, as a newbie, My radio is fine, and I'm not gonna open
the case. I'm just getting over anxious, and my antenna is not one of
the best, and just hoping that with a better antenna those weak
signals that i am hearing will come in much better with a better
antenna. Because of everything I have read the one thing thats keep
sticking out in my mind is that the cheapest of radios can be all that
you need as long as you dont go cheap on the antenna.

I'm broke right now, and just hoping when I get the wilson 1000
magnet mount it will get better. I'd like to go for the little will,
because it's not so dang long but not sure if it will get out as good
as the 1000. The reason is the radio is on my van, and with the 62"
wilson 1000 I want even be able to pull under my carpot without it
scraping the ceiling. I wish I knew how to install one that wasn't a
magnet mount, and maybe I could put it on the back side of the van,
and drop it down a little, and I hate to have to pay someone to
install a antenna. I'm just kind of bummed out right now.