Cobra 25 Or 75

[aggiejeep]

ok so i cant deciede on witch of the 2 i want

pros for 25: pa hook up, will never forget it

pros for 75: easy handheld design, can take out easy for sercurity

and whats a good lenth for an attenah(sp), i would like to keep it just a tad above my roof line

[red rcok]

maybe just me, only been up for a bit but all that red is making my eyes blur

[JackMac4]

ok so i cant deciede on witch of the 2 i want

pros for 25: pa hook up, will never forget it

pros for 75: easy handheld design, can take out easy for sercurity

and whats a good lenth for an attenah(sp), i would like to keep it just a tad above my roof line

It's all personal preference. I like the 75 for now - but will probably upgrade to a better unit down the road. The antenna height depends on the mounting location. In general a 4ft antenna should put you above the roof line and a 3ft will keep you under -- but again it depends on where you're mounting it.

As far as you comparison, I don't see why a PA is a pro? I never have a use for a PA. If they can't hear me on the CB then they aren't going to hear me on a PA. Most people who have CBs that have a PA don't even hook up a PA speakers, because a PA is really not needed -- especially on the trail.

[aggiejeep]

As far as you comparison, I don't see why a PA is a pro? I never have a use for a PA. If they can't hear me on the CB then they aren't going to hear me on a PA. Most people who have CBs that have a PA don't even hook up a PA speakers, because a PA is really not needed -- especially on the trail.

i want the pa incase i need to talk to my spotter, plus theyre fun to mess with people

[aggiejeep]

Cobra 19 - $35 at walmart, small, cheap enough not to care and has PA should you want it.

have you used one before?

[Goose]

plus theyre fun to mess with people

Hey, at least you're honest about that part! That was the first thing that came to my mind when you mentioned a PA. :rotflmao1:

[aggiejeep]

Hey, at least you're honest about that part! That was the first thing that came to my mind when you mentioned a PA. :rotflmao1:

my buddie has one in his YJ and we do the cop siren all the time to mess with people:rotflmao1: (and it will never grow old)

[aggiejeep]

its also good for "hey buddy the lights green" or my wife's favorite "nice rrrs"

:rotflmao2: :clap:

:driving: :cursing: :)

[Grkmf3]

how do you tune the antenna?

[montejeep01]

cobra 25 by far much better than the 75. peak and tune by a good cb shop the 25 can put out 12 watts. cobra 75 nothing can be done to get it above the 4 watt. easy to install the 25. forget the cobra 18 and 19. unless price is the main reason.

[aggiejeep]

cobra 25 by far much better than the 75. peak and tune by a good cb shop the 25 can put out 12 watts. cobra 75 nothing can be done to get it above the 4 watt. easy to install the 25. forget the cobra 18 and 19. unless price is the main reason.

price isnt really a factor. i would go with the 29 if it was just a tad smaller (have one lieing around here somewhere) but 25 seems just as good

[RubiconOrdie]

how do you tune the antenna?

Here you go, a ton of info to assimilate.

http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs.htm

[greasemonkey85]

go with the 29, much better unit than the 25 in my opinion. i peaked and tuned one, plus changed the transformer, and it keys at 5 watts and swings to about 25 watts. smoe of ou might not know a whole lot about cbs but they aren t that hard. personally i run a connex 4300hp and it puts out 90 watts, but it is also a ham radio that i talk to people all over the world. you must have a ham license for this, and could get into big trouble with the fcc. just last week i was talking skip to texas. it also comes with a $350 price tag. for a 4x4 simple cb the 29 or 25 is just fine. also look into galaxy and some unidens, but the unidens are the same boards as the cobras.

[aggiejeep]

well i'll admit i'm compeletly dumb about cb radios or ham radios for that matter, i just always heard cobra was the best.

all i'm really looking for is a good cb to have on the trails and also to talk to truckers and my friends with cb (grew up in small town). the pa is just something to have to mess around with

montejeep01 cobra 25 by far much better than the 75. peak and tune by a good cb shop the 25 can put out 12 watts. cobra 75 nothing can be done to get it above the 4 watt. easy to install the 25. forget the cobra 18 and 19. unless price is the main reason.

have you personal used the cobra 25?

[montejeep01]

yes i have a cobra 25nwltd and love thie little thing. paid about 100 bucks and worth every pennny. use it as a back up to my two big radios.

[fourwheelingbigbubba]

Going to radioshack to pick up a 102" whip today, hope it looks good on the ole' JK...if you're going to get a radio get one that has the built in SWR

[montejeep01]

be careful with the 102 whip. may mess with your swr's and make sure when on trail you secure it or it will beat the heck out of your jeep. also you will pick up other on the channel your on that you normally wouldn't.

[RubiconOrdie]

Built in SWR is not as accurate as an SWR meter.

[greasemonkey85]

exactly! don t go by the swr meter in the radio, it is worth less! you need to get one, radio shack has them for about $10, the best cb tool you can get and need! you can have any size radio, but if your swrs are high i garauntee that a little piece of junk will transmit and recieve better! i personally like the 29 over the 25. basically they are the same radios, but the 25 is more of the stripped model. and not that cobras are bad radios (by all means better than some) but there is much better out there than the cobras, they are by for the "best radio"


and also the 102" whip is actually one of the better antenneas, IF setup properly. your whole vehicle is a ground field. the bigger the antenna and the higher you can get the better it is going to be. but on a side note it, every antenna has a use and purpose. the fiberglass antennas are wrapped with a 102" of copper wire. the are smaller scales of a full size 102". the use different wave lengths. it is so hard to explain. sorry if if i confused any of you.

[fourwheelingbigbubba]

Well I got the 102" whip and the Cobra 29 Nightwatch and I can pickup people in Central Michigan, Pennsylvania, Mississippii, and Georgia but I can't talk to them...I should have saved my money and got an amateur radio and applied for a license...Anyone else have problems finding people that can hear you...I live about 15 miles from downtown Birmingham...Thanks

[greasemonkey85]

what you are getting is called skip. it is when the radio waves bounce off the ionasphere. it is like pool, you bounce the ball (radio waves) off the walls (atmosphere). most of the time you can here them but can t talk back. it just has to do with the weather. cloudy, and rainy days are usually the best beacause there is more to bounce off of. i get into that in this past summer was the best in quite a few years! i was talking to people in tenessee, kentucky, all around that area everyday. sometimes you could pick up the midwest. but your setup has to be at peak performance. ground, ground, ground! that is the best thing you can do. the guy that does my cb work (major stuff) has a bronco II and he has ground straps to all the doors, hatch, and hood. and then a modified 102" whip (has a big coil in the middle). he runs a connex 3300hp that makes 80 watts, and then runs a fatboy 1000 linear amplifier. he can be heard all over the country and his handle is "2 watt willy" like i said in the post above, your WHOLE car is the antenna!

[fourwheelingbigbubba]

You say that a guy was running a connex 3300hp that makes 80 watts?! Was this a citizens band radio? If it was I thought the max they could have was 4 watts. Is there anyway you can take them to a cb shop to get them tuned to peak at more power? Do you know any tricks you can do besides grounding them better? I haven't even hooked it up to my Jeep yet, I just have the antennae lying vertical beside the house, and as a matter of fact it was rainy and cloudy today; i'm going to do a search on some stuff you mentioned...Thanks, Bubba

[fourwheelingbigbubba]

Wow that's an expensive radio! I bet that 10 meter is worth it though.

[montejeep01]

yeah bubba, ten meter defiantly worth it. my galaxy 95t2 dead keys at 70 and max is 230 watts. my connex 4300 hp dead keys at 35 and max at 120 watts. so if i need to be heard i just turn the power up. and we all know more power is good. problem with the big radio is even hooked up to battery the week alternator wont keep up to charge the battery.

[greasemonkey85]

yeah, i know some stuff to do to the cobra 29. but my connexs i take to the cb guy. yes the fcc regulates the power output to 5 watts, most radios come through with 4. it all depends on how you test the output, most antennas are 50 ohms, you can either put more or less ohms (can t remember which) and make it look like it is actually making way more power. cobras, unidens, and some galaxys are a transistor powered. the connexs, rangers, bigger galaxies, magnums, strykers, and other 10 meters have what are called pills, which is what is used in a linear amplifier. the bigger radios also have a power gain and you can adjust the peak power it makes, and also another adjustment to set the key. swing is modulation, and modulation is power. you want a key up power of about 5 to 50 watts. then when you talk your voice changes to modulation which makes the meter move to your peak power. if you have a meter, key the mike and see where it is, then say "hhhhheeeelllllloooooo" you can watch the meter really move. to run a linear you must run a "dead key" of 2 to 3 watts. you can t have much key up power cause it will burn your linear up, but that is other equipment which takes a good radio, and setup to have.

[greasemonkey85]

also yes you are SUPPOST to have a ameuter licence to have a 10 meter radio. only use the cb frequenices if you do not. the fcc is listening and you can be traced and fined big dollars. i go through and listen every once in awhile. some frequencies you can hear morse code, others is just beeping, and even people from other parts of the world.

if you want to spend the money i suggest a connex 3300hp. they run about $200. a 4300 is about $350, and the 4600 turbo is about $500. but that one is a 2 pill and makes 300 plus watts.

other wise just get a cobra 29, have it peaked and tuned. should make a good 15 to 20 watts. then get a good noise cancelling mike. this will be a good setup!

the ametuer radios do take power! and they do get very hot! my connex 4300 made almost a 100 watts, and i could not talk on it more than one minute. i am trying to figure out how to put a small computer fan on it so it kicks on when i key the mike.

the 10 meter radio is used in on the ocean, and in avaition. so once again i highly reccomend not talking on the other channels.

[montejeep01]

hey greasemonkey, my 4300 i never turn my "rf power" knob up. unless i have to. always at lowest setting and stays pretty cool and can talk for long time. the computer fans with the gaurd on top ive seen done and are very low power consumptions. my 95t2 has a buiilt in fan and depends on power level and internal temp before the fan comes on. but leave it off and in the sun and it still comes on. i think the connex is a better built radio because of the adjustable echo. the big galaxy's have internal echo boards and not externally adjustable. turn your power down and see if runs cooler. maybe. let me know.

[greasemonkey85]

i keep it about half. i am talking about when i have it full power, when i talk skip. never know you might hear me, i go by tireguy, central pa.

[montejeep01]

my power is set at lowest setting but mic gain at highest as well as rf gain at high. im sure you have a good noise canceling mike so you should talk for hours of course the more power you put in those toshiba transistors the hotter the board gets. keep power no more than 1/4 and the echo no more than 1/4 and you should get seven to ten mile with a good antenna. i love the 4300 and wouldnt trade it for anyhing. but it sure is fun to tun the power all the way and make the little cb's on the trail melt.

[greasemonkey85]

yeah i like my 4300 too. i run the rk 56 noise cancel mike, the best in my opinion. i don t like the echo, i just tap it a little so i can get a little more modulation (what echo is made for!) the rf gain is not power or anything, it is a more fine tune for the scwelch. i have my mic gain half, power half most of the time. you only get 10 miles? i talk to a buddy everyday after work, and he works a good 20 miles from me (pretty flat terrain though). try turning your mic gain back and turn the power up a little more. it is up to you but i like a good strong signal, i can t stand some of these truckers who have the echo turned up too much and don t know how to keep the damn thing tuned. oh well.

[fourwheelingbigbubba]

Anyone reading this the PA feature what exactly does it do...I know it stands for public address but what does that mean?

[aggiejeep]

We used it to talk smack to people that were walking down the street- got in trouble way too many times with that thing:rotflmao1:

story of my life:yup:

[fourwheelingbigbubba]

You guys are giving me some ideas...LOL