Tweaking a cb.

[Discovery Pilot/Car Service]

It has been brought to my attention that I need to have my brand new out of the box cb tweaked.
Can anyone shed some light on this for me? My cb likes to channel jump, and according to the drivers, that I come in on there radio squealing. Any input would be greatly accepted.
Thanks,
Don

[Discovery Pilot/Car Service]

Should I be looking locally here in Orlando to get it tuned up?

[Discovery Pilot/Car Service]

It is a Cobra 18WX ST II, with a upgraded noise cancelling mic made by Cobra.

[GREEN HORNET PILOT CARS]

Don: The Cobra 18WX ST II is the same radio I used when I began piloting oversize. It is an Okay unit providing you have an excellent antenna (I prefer Wilson antennas). However, in my opinion, you will need to upgrade at some point in time, especially if you start doing a lot of lead work. I suggest you check out the Sparky's CB site very thoroughly and especially look at the Connex radios. They are spendy, but worth every penny and besides it never hurts to dream a little does it? We run a Connex 4300-400 in our flagship and believe me...it's loud & proud.

[ultimate transportation]

what is the website for sparkys ce i also have a corba

[West-Star Oversize Escort]

HaHaHa...Although I have to agree with David, Connex does build good radios. However, I have yet to find anyone to complain about not hearing my Texas Ranger TR-127. Don, you can find these in most TA Truck Stops, and even some Love's Travel Plazas for around 110.00 and some change. Then a nice final tune and peak from a good cb shop- these radios will easily do 45-50 watts barefoot without breaking the $200.00 mark all inclusive. Just my .02 cents. And of course...Im proud of ANYTHING Texas. And once again, in agreement, you cannot, i repeat, CANNOT go wrong with Wilson antennas, either magnet mount or permanent. For a good tx/rx , assuming you were to try a Ranger- Id go with a Wilson 1000 magnet mount. Hope this helps. Anyone else?

Westley

[GREEN HORNET PILOT CARS]

Westley: Your TR-127 is Loud & Proud, of that there is no doubt. Now in reference to Don's last question...Tweaking of your radio is not a must. However, if or when you start doing lead work on secondary two lane roads in mountainous territory you are going to need to be LOUD. Here in our part of the country, we often run a stretch of two lane that is busy with oversize loads running east and westbound called NM-9. Westley has run this strip and he can tell you that a good LOUD radio is required for the lead in order to be safe. For example, there are times when we pilot 26' wide loads down this stretch and the lead pilot needs to be 2 miles ahead of the load. Of course, you may not be coping with those conditions yet, but one day you may and that's why you should make it a top priority to get a "BIG RADIO" at some point.

[ultimate transportation]

How do you make the phone start to ring. l've been open for a couple months now and l see these trucks come threw my town but they don't have not pilots i don't wanna spend all this money to not get no calls i use 2000 crown vics used state patrol cars with the fullsize lightbars and push bummers for the signs and hight pole and it makes the traffic move out of the way thats for sure. im in iowa where we don't have to have permits or certified licenses

[Discovery Pilot/Car Service]

All the input is great. But WHY do cb's have to be tweaked? Spending more money is not a option right now.

[West-Star Oversize Escort]

Don- CB's require internal ''peaking and tuning" to reach optimum output levels. Why? Well, just like everything else in the world, our wonderful governmental watchdogs have managed to regulate, CB radio is " governed" by the FCC. The FCC mandates that a Citizens Band radio, ( read 11 meter radio) cannot have an out of the box output of greater than 4 watts. FOUR. Yeah. I remember playing with 5 watt walkie talkies as a kid. Now, in comparison, if I couldve had a five watt walkie as a kid, and now the Gov's say that I can only have 4 watts for work, that isnt fair, if you ask me. For arguments sake- we'll say you have a block stock Cobra 29. One of the most popular radios of all time, which used to put out 10-12 watts stock out of the box before 1974 or so...now have been castrated down to about 3.5-4 watts. A good CB tech can bring this radio to life, not only increasing deadkey output ( low modulation levels and what basically, puts your foot in the door, when theres alot of people talking.) but also increasing the modulation output or " swing". Where a stock radio might only deadkey 1 watt, and swing 4, he'll be able to bump that up to about 6-7 watts deadkey and 30-35 with a regular tune, or 50+ with a " SuperTune" which includes adding larger finals. I know this is alot of information, and alot of terms youre probably unfamiliar with, but its all things that you will soon come to know and understand. Rest assured. What you have to understand first off, is that there are alot of big radios out on the road. You will be faced with interference from conversations that are happening on the other side of the interstate, from the Flying J, or in front of or behind you. These people can and WILL cover your transmissions up with their talking, if you dont have enough " Punch" in your radio to get out on top of all the other talk. I'll offer a simple analogy before I shut up. If you have something IMPORTANT to say in a room full of people, you'd want to be heard. You might raise your voice, or even yell to insure that everyone you needed to hear what you had to say, would hear it. " Tweaking" your radio, is the equivelent. What you have to say, MUST be heard by the driver, and other escorts. Its not an option. Therefore you yell. Tweaking = Yelling. David can attest to my light set up, just as he has my radio. I have a saying that rings true in our line of work, that can be modified. My motto is : "Be Seen. Be Safe."
Same goes for your radio transmissions. " Be Heard, Be Safe." Hope this helps out. Sorry for being so long winded. Hope you are having a good Christmas, and wish you the best for the New Year!

Westley

[GREEN HORNET PILOT CARS]

As usual, Westley is exactly right. "Be heard and your drivers will thank you for it."