Beginners Guide to CB Radio , Everything You Need and What to Buy
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ต.ค. 2024
- #cbradio #beginners
This video is a Beginners Guide To CB Radio , and I'll tell you all the things a beginner needs to know about CB Radio for getting started . I'll also tell you the RIGHT radio equipment you should buy (Links below) , and what equipment you need to stay away from.
This video is Part 1 of a series , more parts will follow in the future . Don't forget to check out the links below.
Links below are for QUALITY CB products for beginners :
Cobra 29 LTD Classic AM/FM CB Radio - amzn.to/4dalaoK
Cobra 29LX CB Radio - amzn.to/3xNp5Yy
Uniden PC78LTX CB Radio - amzn.to/3vRYOrG
Uniden BEARCAT 880 CB Radio - amzn.to/3Wb8nfU
Uniden BEARCAT 980 SSB CB Radio - amzn.to/4aMsZiU
President McKinley II FCC AM/FM/SSB CB Radio - amzn.to/3xJqZJU
Pyramid PS14KX 12 Amp Power Supply - amzn.to/49M0m4b
Antron A-99 CB Base Station Antenna - amzn.to/49LUtEg
IMAX 2000 Base Station Antenna - amzn.to/3U8SunE
Wilson 5000 Mobile CB Antenna - amzn.to/3wdQ3YR
100 feet of RG-8X Coax - amzn.to/4da8eQ4
Astatic 302-10005 D104M6B Amplified CB Microphone - amzn.to/3wbk3ob
Astatic PDC1 100 Watt SWR Meter - amzn.to/49OZ88v
==================================================================
Raccoon's Radio Ranch Store - www.redbubble....
CLICK HERE To Shop For CB Radio Equipment - amzn.to/3IQ919R
Raccoon on Facebook - / 733078494271993
Wow, you sparked so many memories. I can hear my grandfather on the CB. We would pick up 20-60 fleet CBs from businesses, well let’s just say I spent many weekends with a soldering gun in my hand, get what I’m saying. Pre cell phone four of us moved from new England to Florida and installed CBs to stay together.
I also had my ham radio license at the age of 8, 1980!
Grandfather always had the biggest tower in town on his property, radio stations, local fire/police and others all rented space on it. Thanks for the flashback, good memories of different times😀
You're welcome Peter, and I'm glad you liked it . Thanks for watching the video .
Thank you to everyone that showed up for the premiere of this video . I appreciate you watching the video , and enjoyed talking with all of you ... it was a lot of fun .
I wasn’t here for the release, but I enjoyed it and learned something. Thank you.
Thank you. I scored a cobra cb years back st a yard sale for 20 bucks.I recalled it was s good brand since my dad had 1 when I was a kid. Grabbed it. Now I am looking to make a base station and had NO idea where to even begin. This was a huge help!
Thank you as a returning cb user I appreciate the information
You're vert welcome Henry . I'm glad you liked the video .
Although I prefer older radios, I like the Cobra 29LTD classic more than any other new radio, due to it's looks and actual physical knobs and switches and knobs. Also it has no menus at all. Most decent radios come with built in SWR meters, but if you want an external one, one I don't recommend is the MFJ. They make a lot of ham stuff, and I have yet to see anything they make that works properly. There is a saying in the ham community that MFJ stands for Mighty Fine Junk, and after plenty of experience with it, I find that hard to disagree with. For a base antenna I like the Antron 99, though I have had even better luck with a 102" mobile whip and 4" spring mounted to the wooden fascia of my house vertically with part of a mobile mirror mount bracket, and a 106" piece of heavy gauge wire attached to the mounting bracket and run along the fascia board horizontally. This creates a dipole, and it is perfectly balanced. It can be fine tuned by varying the length of the wire by an inch or two. I get perfect SWR on channel 20 with that setup, but it does require a bit of fabrication. The A99 is fine for a total beginner. CB is a hobby, and once you get into it and learn more, you will be able to build a lot of your own stuff and maybe even work on you own radios, if they are the type that can be worked on. For mobile use I prefer a Wilson 1000 mounted right in the middle of my cars roof, but that will cause problems going through drive throughs, which is where I get most of my food. The Little Will and K30 work well, but if you mount any antenna on the trunk lid, it will be directional to some degree. If you use drive throughs, that's just something you have to deal with. You probably won't even notice it.
One word of caution. Many accidents have been caused by people texting on their "stupid phones" while driving. Please don't get too carried away playing with your CB while driving. That's another thing I like about the old style radios with knobs and switches and no menus. They are not nearly as distracting.
If you are going to use a 12V mobile radio at home, you will need a 12V power supply. Having been a ham for several decades I have a lot of them. For 4 watt AM CB use it does not need to be complicated. For CB use, I like the 5 amp Pyramid PS-9KX regulated power supply with a cigarette lighter type outlet. It has plenty of power for CB use, and it is easy for me to unplug the CB from my car, bring it into the house, plug it in, and connect the antenna to it. You won't need an expensive 30 amp plus ham power supply for CB. www.rightchannelradios.com/products/5-amp-power-supply-with-cigarette-outlet
Cobra 29 is the way to go one of the best receives of all the radios out there even the 10 m export radios.. the noise blinker really cuts out all the static.. I've got an astatic noise canceling microphone on mine.. I'm driving a Texas Star 125 watt modulator and I've got a Wilson 500 magna mout antenna on the roof.. I've been at the CB radio since a kid in 1971... I also own a discontinued Cobra 148 GTL sideband radio all tricked out with a swing kit that allows me to run an amp and upper channels above channel 40 the radio itself does 2 watt dead carrier swinging up to 36 peak Watts & again the best clearest receive of all the radios I've heard.... Hey run a four pill amp with the Cobra 148...
MFJ has awesome products. Useful.
I enjoyed your video. I am not really a "beginner" but have recently gotten back into CB's after a 40+ year hiatus and I've forgotten most everything. A suggestion for future videos "For Beginners" could be to explain some of the features that you list for each of these CB's, like what each feature is (e.g. RF Gain Control, Delta Tune Control, ANL/Noise Blanker, etc), what each feature does, why it's important/not important/relevant etc. I know I would find it helpful. Thanks for your videos and keep up the good work!
Ralph , I'm glad you liked the video , and thank you for watching it . This video is only Part 1 of a series of videos to help beginners to CB radio . So keep an eye out for more in the near future .
Old reliable can always be upgraded with a final amp and a les com frequency expansion board. It's a good foundation that can be expanded.
You're 100% right David
I've been on the CB radio since I was a kid in 1971.. my recommendation nowadays for a CB radio would be to get a cobra 29
It has a noise blanker.. which cuts out engine static and other noises much better than the typical automatic noise limiter.. it also has a built-in SWR meter so you can tune your antenna without buying a separate meter.. it also has one of the best receives on the market nice and clear... Second choice would be the Cobra 25 LTD which has the noise blanker but does not have the built-in SWR meter so you would have to buy a separate meter and a jumper cable... I would eventually buy a aftermarket microphone like "astatic" brand noise cancelling microphone... For a magnetic Mount antenna I would go with the Wilson 500 or Wilson 1000... If you really need or desire a shorter antenna Wilson makes the"little will". Which has a shorter height but does not transmit quite as far... So that's my recommendation with all my experience hopefully I'll talk to you out there 10-4
You'll notice that in some of my videos that I've mentioned the Cobra 29 LTD Classic multiple times , and refer to it as "Ole Reliable" . They're definitely a GREAT radio .
@@RaccoonsRadioRanch are you the raccoon CB radio repair guy originally from Connecticut?
@@glenmones713 No , that's not me .
Right now its the best time to buy all the mess what's going on in case communications be cut off so be prepared and thank you
I agree 100%
"They" will jam all amateur frequencies as part of that communications cut off. But I agree be prepared with radios in all bands. It's a great time to be on 38 LSB and I can get reliable cross-country contacts daily in Arizona from the East coast. Talked to Montreal (2200 miles) two days ago, Jamaica (2400 miles) last week, and Tokyo (5777 miles) a few months ago from my truck with my Lincoln 2+. Not much luck on AM though. I highly recommend people watching Raccoon's video to get a high power SSB CB and give yourself a number and location and come join us in making friendly long distance radio contacts. 566 Arizona
Raccoon is , and always has been "227 South Central NY" . I shoot skip all the time . Come talk to me on the airwaves sometime .
@@RaccoonsRadioRanch Sure will, I've tried to reach you several times on 12 AM, but I haven't hit good AM conditions yet and I listen for you when I'm on 37, 38, or 39 LSB. Work cuts into my radio time and if I could I would be on it for hours every day. I did make a good contact with 1123 Florida on 12 while trying to reach you and I believe she was only on 4 watts. I can reliably talk to Florida, Carolinas, and Georgia and have good luck getting Ontario, Canada. NY comes in less regularly but it will come. In the past few days I've tried to talk to Australia and Mexico City but couldn't get in through the traffic. Thanks
I'm surprised you didn't list the President Andy II FCC. I have one of these compact little gems and think it would definitely fit into your criteria of "not two complicated, but with a decent number of useable features." The 2 amp USB charging port and WX channel are handy features. Plus it's only $90. There is certainly a large selection of radios and antennas out there. I'm glad there are guys like you providing us with no BS info that can be used to make a choice. I really thought this was a well researched, well edited and entertaining video. Thanks for all of your effort!
I probably should have listed the President Andy II , and the President Thomas . I don't know why , but for some reason they slipped my mind ... and I love President equipment .
If you live in Canada on the west coast. A SSB capable CB is a must for a first CB AM only rigs are useless here since general CB use in my surrounding area is completely nonexistent.
Could you do a video explaining what the different things like srw and gain and all that actually are and mean?
Thanks for an informative video! Very helpful and I’ll likely be shopping for my own set up very soon
You're very welcome , I'm glad you liked it . Thank you for the kind words , and I hope that it was helpful enough for you to find the right equipment you'll need to get started . Good luck on your new adventure .
I believe as a Base antenna the ANtron A99 is a must but for a CB Radio I recommend the President MC Kinley II becauuse if you pay that extra for SSB you will not need another SSB radio in the future! Also to pay extra for a Sirio Gain Master instead of the Solarcon Antron A99 is also a better choice.
I think everyone should have an Antron 99 or an IMAX 2000 at least for a back up in case of an emergency , because they're an easy to assemble and mount 3 section antenna . Definitely great for any emergency situation .
Hey thanks for this, really helpful. I just wanted a few tips, think you answered them all.
I'm glad this video was able to help you out . If you have any other questions feel free to ask , and I'll do my best to answer them for you . If I can't answer them for you , I'm sure someone else here would be able to help you out . Thanks for watching the video .
I getting back into it after 40 plus years. I would like a radio with;
* AM/FM
* Auto-Scan
willing to pay more for a quality radio.
Suggestions?
Right now im looking at the President Walker
Nice video. BTW I bought one of your worst 5 radios. Cobra 19 IV. I connected it to my Wilson 1000. I had a 2 hours trip home and a good part was on I-40. Worked just fine. I even got some guy in Utah on Ch 30. Conditions were jumping. I almost wanted to stop and reconnect my Lincoln II+ but i stayed with the Cobra till I got home. I am going to post this on on of my FB CB groups. I am sure there will be people on there saying get the Anytone 6666. They always do and it never fails
I think the radios in that list are like anything else you buy new (or used) . No matter what you buy , every once and awhile you get a lemon . But with some products , sometimes you find more lemons than you do the good stuff . No matter what we buy , it's always a gamble . I had a Cobra 19 DXII years ago that was a great little radio for me , but a lot of other people complain about those too . I rolled the dice when I bought it , and I got lucky . Glad to hear you got lucky with your Cobra too .
@@RaccoonsRadioRanchI am trying to get deals on FB then I intend to flip them as long as they work and don't need to be worked on.
@@michaelrocker9000 that's a good plan , and there's nothing wrong with that .
@@RaccoonsRadioRanch I need to pick your brain on something i had never seen before. Who made a 3 piece fiberglass antenna for Radio Shack. I know most of them were made by other companies just like their radios. This one looks like the Amtron 99 with the tuning rings.
You always need a good SWaRZ meter to see how many SWaRZ.
when you get to many they clog up your coax then you have to empty them out or buy a new radio.
To empty them out take the covers of the radio and undo all the little black screws.
tip the radio upside down and shake out the SWaRZ.
Then you can put the little black screws back in.
Make sure they are tight to prevent SWaRZ leekage.
Now you are set to go.
I don't call it SWaRZ ... I call it SWaR . Or should I say , I call it SWR , not SWR's , like it's suppose to be ... lol
@@RaccoonsRadioRanch SWR then , I will keep that in mind 🙂
I'm just trying to get my set going again, I had nothing but tuning issues with the Imax 2000. I was running a Maco 5/8 absolutely love the Maco. However I'm in a place with a very difficult situation for an antenna unfortunately. I have my radio (Kenwood TS570D) and my swr meter is an old Kenwood AT200. With a Kenwood MC60 mic.
The only hold back it the antenna.
Charles , why don't you check out the "PROTON PT99 Base Station Antenna" by Procomm ? I have a friend that uses one and it works real good for him , and it's discreet like an IMAX 2000 ... here's a link so you can check it out :
www.walcottradio.com/procomm-proton-pt99-base-station-cb-radio-antenna-p-1894.html?kw=&cpn=17285352718
Build a Doublet. Cheap, and effective.
@RaccoonsRadioRanch I should explain my situation, the house is a side by side bi-leve, with basically a non existing yard. So any chance of a tower or mast isn't going to happen here lol. I had a Maco 5/8 at my old place and loved it. I have bought a Wilson 500 , just trying to figure out a way to mount it and add a massive grounding setup.
The Wilson is a mobile antenna. Great for a vehicle, not good for a base. Building a Dipole, and tack it vertical on an exterior wall and you will have a lot better performance over a mobile antenna. And, it is cheap and easy to build. @@charlesb7831
Bro love your videos but you need to tone the volume down on your effect, it’s way to load compared to your voice, literally made me jump
Sorry about that .
Possum here…great show…
Awesome video racoon sorry I'm late
That's alright Steve ... better late , than never . I'm glad you liked the video .
Thank you! For the intro easy explanation 👍🏻 would U.S. Radio work for Europe?
I believe that the frequencies for the CB band in Europe are different than the frequencies we use in America . Maybe someone in Europe could answer this better than I can .
Do you always have to use swr meter to program the antana it's what I heard any info would be awesome.
Yes , you must always use an SWR meter to tune your antenna ... both mobile & base antennas . It's how you see how high the SWR is . If you don't use a meter you won't know how high your SWR is , and you could end up burning up your radio if your SWR is too high.
@@RaccoonsRadioRanch just want to say thank you because there are so many videos but not all the info on how to really do it the right way.
What do you feel is the best and clearest cb out of the box
The Cobra 29 LTD Classic.
Out of curiosity, why did you exclude handhelds?
I haven't been around a CB since I was really young in my dads old 70's chevy. But recently got the itch to put one in my car before our next road trip. I liked idea of a handheld I can use separate from the car, especially for the weather bands. But are they not as reliable or as strong? or just more complicated to get going right?
I excluded the hand held CBs because the selection of them isn't as big as it used to be, there are only a few of them out there to choose from . And the other reason is because they don't get out very far .
@@RaccoonsRadioRanch ah understood, thank you. I was looking a President Randy II at one point for my first CB, and planned on using a magnetic antenna while in the car. But ended up with the Bill 2 mostly due to the price difference between them.
Do your CB radio suggestions include the use of FM in addition to AM?
Sorry Jen , I'm usually pretty quick to reply to comments , but I just saw this now . Anyway , I have always recommended that beginners buy a CB that has AM & SSB in them , that way you have more options of getting a hold of someone in an emergency . With that said , I would also make the same recommendation for a CB that has AM & FM in it ... and for the same reason . The more modes & channels your radios have , the better .
Nice video bro thank you!
You're welcome , and thank you for watching the video.
do i still need an SWR meter if the radio has one built in? confused about this.
You can check your SWR by using the internal SWR meter on your radio ... and it should do ok . But if you want a more accurate reading then you should buy an external SWR meter .
Never trust internal swr meter, use external one to set your antenna up
was given a 148 gtl it powers on but I get no sound . the meter does not move much at all and when I key the mike the little transmit lite does not light up
Sounds like maybe the mic isn't a good match for that radio , or you might have an electrolytic capacitor or two that popped ... or even possibly 1 or 2 finals might have burned out . I'd send it to a good radio tech and have it checked out . Since the 148 was given to you , the cost of fixing it would probably still be cheaper than buying another 148 , and they're a good radio ... definitely worth saving . Good luck with your project Mark .
How can a smartphone be used as a CB radio if there is no internet connection available (e.g. with which additional hardware equipment or adapter/converter)?
I'm not sure if it would be possible or not ... or why anyone would want to use a cell phone as a CB . Just get a CB radio , and if you're concerned about antennas , just get a small hand held CB radio . If you're not concerned about antennas , then get a regular CB setup in your home ... it can be run off a car battery if you lose power .
I'm going to have to search through your videos do you understand all of this because it seems kind of confusing
I understand it , but I've been involved with radio for over 40 years . I started with the CB as a kid in 1978 . I didn't learn much of the technical stuff at that point because I was just a kid . But learned the basics , as well as proper procedure when talking on the radio . But as I grew older in the 80s and 90s , until present day , I've learned more about the technical side of the radio hobby , both the CB and Ham Radio . And now I'm starting to learn about working on the radios with test equipment . No matter how long you're in the radio hobby , there's always something new to learn ... if you want to . Or you can just stop at whatever point you want . That's one of the things that makes radio so much fun .
Seems to me like you should at least touch on what to do if the SWR is too far off. Like do you cut the wire or add more, or replace the antenna, or what ?
You're right , I'll make another video that focus' just on SWR's .
About the only thing I'm hearing on CB is a lot of garbage skip coming in from folks probably using a lot of illegal power. In many cases, they're just saying stupid stuff. Very little local traffic. Is this all there is to CB?
In my area , I hear skip and local traffic . But it can vary from one area to another. Depending on how populated your area is , and whether you're in town , or out in the country . The town I live in has about 25,000 people living in it . So there is still local activity here ... on both the CB and Ham radio .
What's the price of the CB radios
If you're asking about the President McKinley ... they are now making a President McKinley II , which is AM/FM and Sideband ... and you can find one for around $220 . Here's a link to a shop that "I am not in any way affiliated with" , but I've shopped there numerous times and they're very good to deal with .
www.bellscb.com/products/cbradios/president/Mckinley_II.htm
👍👍😎
I'm glad you liked it , thanks for watching the video .
Sorry I missed but I'm so far beyond beginner that it was not relevant for me best of luck Racoon.
😎😎😎
Yaesu ft-891 with a MARS mod
This is a "Beginners Guide To CB Radio" ... not Ham Radio. I'm not going to advise my viewers to buy radios that are illegal to use on the CB band ... which the Yaesu FT-891 is.
@@RaccoonsRadioRanch giddy up
Lol, no SSB? Good call, the less the better.
I've always highly recommended people to get a SSB radio . But I also believe in making things as easy as possible for people that are just beginning at something . I'm also a musician . I've played the drums & guitar since the early 80s , and that's how I start beginners out when I'm teaching them how to play as well , as simple as I can .
I still dont understand what half of that stuff means, or know HOW to really USE it
Mine is doo doo
what kind of equipment are you using ??
Comment
buy a sideband radio 1st off. (you will thank us later)
as stated why waste money on something that will go to the dump!
None of the radios in this video would end up in the dump .
Johnson Paul Davis Jeffrey Thompson Jeffrey