CtSeaRay

Yeah I'm not planning on talking big radio and shoot skip with it I'm just looking to have as a utility radio that doesn't take up a lot of landscape.

larry0071

I run the Uniden Pro 520XL. It puts out a true 3.4 watts stock, is a metal cased unit, has RF gain (you want this feature!), and can be opened up and "peaked and tuned". Mine puts out 8.8 watts dead mic and 19 watts peak after peak and tune (cost of $45, but almost triples the power) at a CB shop. For the money and the small size, it has no peer. The next model down is $20 cheaper but drops the RF gain.... I would not recommend it.

I run a professional level cable, not a cheap china Amazon cable, and a 4' Firestick that when it dies will be replaced with a much better Wilson 2000. Yesterday I was talking to my brother in law who was just about 2 miles away and we could communicate fine, but with some noise for sure at that distance. At a mile it sounds like we are sitting beside each other. Don't buy the cheap $9 antenna cable, go have a real CB shop custom make you a 18' or 20' cable with US made heavy insulated cable and good quality connectors. Often if you buy the cable, they will walk out and adjust your SWR for free with that cable.

With RF gain you can have the volume up, no squelch filter applied, and use the RF gain to turn down the hiss until you barely hear it. Now if a distant radio talks, it will break through loud and as clear as it can while a radio with just squelch would be hard filtered and not allow you catch those distant/weak transmissions. Any professional radio will have the RF gain control, and there is a reason. Once you have this feature in a radio you will look down on any radio that does not have it.

I couldn't recommend this unit enough.
https://www.amazon.com/Uniden-PRO520.../dp/B00004VXNI

duluthjk

I have one in my JK. It works great for short range communication on trail rides and on the highway if you get spread out beyond FRC range. I have it all in my JK, FRS, CB and HAM so I am covered for anything.

CtSeaRay

Before you buy a firestick which I like very much, for this application you might want to look at a :

http://www.wilsonantenna.com/product...ss-whip-black/

It comes with a 5 year warranty and made for rugged terrain use and bendable, more so than the Firestick.

https://youtu.be/6IMcqS8luZg

larry0071

5 year warranty? See the description below that I copied from your link.

305-483

Wilson 3' Silver Load FGT Series Fiberglass Whip, Black



Wilson's "Tunable Tip" Allows for Fine Tuning SWR and Resonant Frequency
3/8" Diameter Fiberglass Rod Construction
Standard 3/8" x 24 Chromed Brass Ferrule
Fully Linear Top Loaded Maximum Transfer of Power
18-Gauge Silver Plated Copper Wire to Provide Higher Efficiency
Unique Ground Lead to Help Insure Reduced Static Ignition Interference
Static Reducing Weather Cap
Black PVC Protective Weather Covering
Limited One-Year Warranty

jchappies

either will work, just make sure your mounting location are grounded well and with any CB antenna get one long enough to be at least 1/3 over the roof line (these are top load antennas)

JK-jeepit

I had one for about a year and never was happy with it. sound was muffled but with an external speaker it was ok which defeats the purpose of the compactness of the radio. It finally died just over a year old. Worse radio I've own.

I said I'd never own another CB and would just stay with HAM and FRS/GMRS radios, but some trail rides required one so I now have the Uniden PRO520XL mounted above the rear view mirror via the Rugged Ridge CB radio mount.
setup was $61 and works so much better then the Cobra 75.
I would never recommend that radio. I know most people like it so this is just one of the few reviews against it.

Cheers.

Machoo

Did you have it tuned correctly? Sounds like that might have been an issue. Mine is going on two years trouble free. Love it

JK-jeepit

sure did... maybe my problem is that I compare all my radios against HAM radios..
the Uniden PRO520XL compares fairly well against the HAM radios in sound and use.. and for $40 it's hard to beat for a CB radio.

my SWR meter is a MFJ-259B which allows me to tune all ranges of the freq band.. my jeep is also setup for HAM with RF ground straps, etc... so as for a review this one is all based off the radio.

I probably just got a lemon...

Machoo

Yeah tough when comparing it to HAM too since that is so much nicer. Once you get used to a nicer product it's hard to go backwards.