Your thoughts on CB radios??

[funkingonutz]

Im thinking about purchasing a Cobra CB radio for my truck, and i wanted some opinions about them before i buy. Whats the best one? Whats the worst one?
I found one at the local radio shack for 129.99
Then at Wal-mart for 40.00 (looked real cheap and it was small)

And lastly, wich CB radio would you guys recommend (whats not the best one, but at the same time is not a piece of poop)

 

[Jspafford]

I have the $40 cobra job from wal-mart. It doesn't pick up well.

 

[Muddycowboy]

cobra 29 LTD or 25 LTD, that's the base models you can get more options if you want. look at corba's web site. but dont buy a cb from wal-mart or radio shack they are all low end cb's and are junk. buy from a cb shop or directly from cobra, you can also pick one up at a truck stop for about the same price as a shop.

here's some links

cobra 29

cobra 25

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I have the Wal-Mart one in my F-150. I guesstimate about a 3-4 mile range, with a single 3' Firestick antenea. I need to track down a SWR meter so I can tune the antenea yet, and find somebody I know with a CB to figure out exactly how far it will reach.

 

[4x4junkie]

Stay away from Radio Shack... While some of their radios do work decent, all their shit is grossly overpriced. Not familiar with the Wal-Mart one, but I don't think I've seen anyone have anything real good to say about it.

As said, truck stops and local CB shops can yield some nice radios without too much coin.
A good inexpensive radio is the Uniden PRO-510XL. It's also nice & small compared to some others.

Do get a good antenna for it though (and a SWR meter for tuning it). The antenna will make or break any radio's performance, cheap or expensive (just like with stereo speakers, spending a ton of dough on the unit itself is worthless if you then hook it up to some cheapy crap speakers, yet a cheap POS unit can still sound quite good through decent speakers).

 

[hihoslvr]

what 4x4 junkie just said was right on, but let me add: alot of truck stops are overpriced too, it's like buying candy at the movies, captive audience ya know. I've got 2 Unidens, one of those cheapo's that my dad bought about 20 years ago, and still works. I get it in the pickup with a magnetic atenae so it's easily stachable, outta sight outta mind. Anyway, I also drove long haul for awhile, and bought a real nice Bearcat (Uniden) for about $120.00, and had that hooked up to dual Firesticks. The great thing about that one is, it has a weather band, real nice if yer in tornado country... anyway check online too (Bearcat warehouse). And let me warn you, there is A LOT of garbage on the airwaves around those truck stops, so getcher virgin ears ready!

 

[skippy]

i've got a cobra 25 thats 20+ years on the job and still going.do get a good antenna,you won't regret it.

mine has been in numerous vehicles and is indispensible for helping with atlantas traffic wrecks and backups.fun to argue with truckers too.

 

[flyingbrick]

Another thing that helps is spending the money and getting a good mic like an Astatic, makes a world of difference i can tell when i run with my dad he has an Astatic Noise Canceling Microphone in his highway tractor on one radio, and a factory cobra mic on his other radio, i can easily tell which is which.

 

[funkingonutz]

can anyone give me some websites to buy a cobra radio, cobra themselves does'nt sell them derictly from thier website, and i dont want to buy one off of e-bay!!

 

[4x4junkie]

In the past, this place was always pretty good (haven't bought anything from there real recently though)