Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:10:36 -0400
Reply-To: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: CB
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTimV+b-8BSMmWM9_KXzootY0Ra7nSgZcdztaem1E@mail.gmail.c om>
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At 11:10 AM 7/27/2010 Tuesday, Loren Busch wrote:
>Right after I bought my '90 Westy I installed a Cobra 75 (Google on that,
>lot of info out there), runs about $100 or less if you shop around.
>Everything in the handset/microphone. Only have to install a small junction
>box where the power, microphone and antenna come together. Later I
I've actually owned one of those, and gave it back because the
handset was so heavy (and the coiled cord, which has to carry RF
along with the rest, was very stiff). I'd been used to a full-size
Cobra unit (with electroluminescent panel backlight, no less...)
which was mounted on the vent cover forward of the gearshift on my
'84. After I lost the '84 I was looking for something for a Honda
that I owned for a $$$little$$$ while, and there's no room in a
modern sedan for much of anything. I ended up with small/plain
conventional Midland unit, cost about $50.
Now I have a Radio Shack unit which is obviously a Cobra in disguise,
and there's no room for it on the vent panel because of the automatic
transmission. I'm going nuts (very slowly) trying to figure a place
for it. I'd like to put it on the overhead, but I don't really want
little bolts sticking out of the roof! Might get there, though. In
the meantime, it lies mostly on the floor between the front seats
along with sundry other 12v stuff that will eventually have a formal
home, I hope. I've got a small speaker taped (silicone tape to the
rescue) into the hole in the driver's headrest. Just now trying it
behind the driver's seat -- conceivable (because I only ever operate
on 19 plus one other channel, plus WX stuff) but not likely.
On the '84 I had a RS folding gutter-mount antenna that I could fold
from the driving position. Very happy with it since my use is
strictly short-range, but they don't make it any more. Now I have a
larger magnetic mount on the roof, feeding in through the driver's
door as the other did. It works great and if I go under something
too low it falls over instead of smashing. If it comes off the roof
the tip (vinyl cap) could drag on the ground, but that's normally a
low-speed event in parking garage etc. Not like my friend in '70 who
mounted a 108' whip with full spring mount on the roof of his
full-size sedan, and had to remember to dodge the traffic lights. He
didn't always remember, and the Pensacola police were not entirely
happy with him.
Things I insist on -- channel 19 switch, and working channel retained
when switched off (preferably when power disconnected, but I don't
insist). WX reception.
Very nice indeed -- present rig will constantly listen for WX alerts
and sound an alarm that persists until I turn on the WX reception and
listen. It also automagically seeks a working WX channel, though you
can manually tune them as well. It has a little red light on the
panel that lights to show that it's receiving a WX channel and
listening for alerts.
Nice -- EL panel backlighting. Just don't spill Coke on it or it
will die around the edges. Built-in SWR meter.
Completely useless in my experience: Cobra "Sound Tracker"
misfeature. It's a voice companding scheme that's fortunately
switchable -- my present rig doesn't have it. It drops background
noise but then makes incoming traffic unbearable screechy and painful
to listen to. No idea what it sounds like outgoing, but incoming is dreadful.
Possibly useful hint -- the pleasant way to listen to CB is through
one side of a headset. You can hear easily at reasonable volume, and
it doesn't bother the PAX. I don't know whether I invented this but
I was doing it 2-3 years before I heard a trucker saying "we used to
laugh but now we all do it..." The '84 Westy was so noisy that I had
headsets rigged for intercom between the front seats. The new one's
quieter, but a long trip with frequent conversation is still a strain
on the voice box.
Side note -- I keep a basic Midland mini-rig with mag-mount antenna
and lighter plug to lend to another vehicle I'm traveling
with. Aside from small size and drop-dead simplicity, a feature of
the little Midlands is that they have plenty of audio power for the
built-in speaker. If I could satisfy myself with one of those my
mounting problems would be much less.
Yours,
David