Your Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best CB Radio

[Mr. Bills]

New to this but Actually the AnyTone Smart CB Radio is a 10 meter unit that you will need to modify to operate within the CB range. Now this brings up a question that "if modified correctly why can't it function in both 10 and 11 meter (not at the same time of course, but it could) putting both Ham and CB in one unit with the flip of a switch?"

What you suggest would not be legal even with the appropriate ham radio license for transmitting on the 10 meter band because the modified radio would violate FCC regulations. Moreover, the two ham bands used 95+% by offroaders are the 70cm and 2m bands rather than the 10m band.

 

[Mr. Bills]

Now lets see some photos of your CB install . . .

I understand the all in one units can be a great option but I am fumble fingers, I am pretty sure I would be changing setting and stations all the time. . . .

Photos of my CB/ham radio installation are below. I use a Uniden Pro520XL CB and Kenwood TM-281A 2m ham on a Arizona Rocky Road mount, Teraflex tail light antenna brackets, Breedlove antenna mounts with quick disconnects (I am no longer using a spring with the CB antenna mount), 2' Firestik II and 4' Firestik Firefly CB antennas, various Larsen ham radio antennas.

The Cobra 75 WXST has a lock button that prevents fat fingers from inadvertently changing settings. When the lock is "on" the only controls still working are the power switch, volume, squelch and the transmit key. You wouldn't be able to change channels by mistake.

 

[CONJOB]

The Cobra 75 WXST has a lock button that prevents fat fingers from inadvertently changing settings. When the lock is "on" the only controls still working are the power switch, volume, squelch and the transmit key. You wouldn't be able to change channels by mistake.

I see, that is great info.

So you use different antenna for different purposes I take it. That antenna mount must be the standard for a Jeep I see them on plenty of Jeeps.

Thanks for the INFO

 

[CONJOB]

Photos of my CB/ham radio installation are below. I use a Uniden Pro520XL CB and Kenwood TM-281A 2m ham on a Arizona Rocky Road mount, Teraflex tail light antenna brackets, Breedlove antenna mounts with quick disconnects (I am no longer using a spring with the CB antenna mount), 2' Firestik II and 4' Firestik Firefly CB antennas, various Larsen ham radio antennas.

The Cobra 75 WXST has a lock button that prevents fat fingers from inadvertently changing settings. When the lock is "on" the only controls still working are the power switch, volume, squelch and the transmit key. You wouldn't be able to change channels by mistake.

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Are you located near Arcata CA I have been there, I love the Smith River up North of you

 

[Mr. Bills]

Are you located near Arcata CA I have been there, I love the Smith River up North of you

The photo was taken on the beach at the Samoa Dunes between Eureka and Arcata. I live inland.

 

[CONJOB]

Weaverville, CA the McCartneys lived around there for a long time. There a bunch of Clampers.

 

[Mr. Bills]

Yes there are.

 

[Thunderhead]

I’m probably the odd duck here, I have the Corba 29NW classic. I also just ran the coax wire using the OE wire hole for the break lights and mounted it on my spare tire carrier

 

[jazngab]

Looking to buying a cb radio and not sure if I have all the necessary parts and equipment. Can anyone tell me if I have everything I need in my cart or unnecessary things I don’t need?

 

[Mr. Bills]

You don't really need the spring.

 

[OlYellerTJ]

So it seems Wilson and firestik are the two main antennas. Is one better than the other?

I've got a 3" Firestik, the tip is not tunable but my SWR was <1.3 out of the box. It's plenty flexible without a spring. I bounce it off the pipes in the parking garage at work all the time, and off road I've really bent it without a problem.

 

[modernbeat]

The casing and tip on my 4' Firestik II with the tunable tip has been broken to pieces by parking garages. It usually hits one or two beams of the garage by two or three inches. The spring mount I'm using is too stiff, and the antenna is too rigid.

 

[Mr. Bills]

The casing and tip on my 4' Firestik II with the tunable tip has been broken to pieces by parking garages. It usually hits one or two beams of the garage by two or three inches. The spring mount I'm using is too stiff, and the antenna is too rigid.

A Firestik "Firefly" antenna may be a good option for you. I have a 4' Firefly and for a time it was used with a Firestik "medium" spring. I no longer use the spring.