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Simple base station

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jambo101

Newbie
Joined
Jun 7, 2017
Messages
1
Location
Montreal
Moving to a location next to busy interstate and would like to monitor CB radio, Am looking for a simple plug in model that will sit on a desk, any one have a model i should be looking for?

Thanks
 

SpugEddy

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Oct 4, 2015
Messages
437
Location
Camden County South Jersey
If you're real close to the highway and not looking to
spend much, this is what I would do;
Either a used Cobra 142GTL radio. You can get them, fairly, cheap on eBay
They're a nice radio and don't need a separate power supply.
OR
A used Realistic Navaho TRC-490 TRC-431
These also can be found cheap on eBay. I had the TRC-30A (23 channel) and loved it
I got the TRC-490 after that and loved it so much that I still have it somewhere.

These are not power house, nor highly sought after radios. I only suggest them
based on cost and having built-in power supplies. I know there were more with
built-in supplies but I can't think of them off the top of my head.

Also, all that is based on wanting to keep your budget LOW!
If you have money to spend, HANDS DOWN Cobra 2000 GTL
(one of the most highly sought after CB's still)
 

Blackswan73

Active Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
1,385
Location
Central Indiana
All the Cobra 2000 is, is a Cobra 148 with a built in power supply and some fancy external meters. Also, the Washington and Robin 520 is the same radio as the 2000. My advise would be to get a Bearcat 980, and a cheap 3 amp power supply.
 

KC3ECJ

Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2015
Messages
506
All the Cobra 2000 is, is a Cobra 148 with a built in power supply and some fancy external meters. Also, the Washington and Robin 520 is the same radio as the 2000. My advise would be to get a Bearcat 980, and a cheap 3 amp power supply.

3 amps is not sufficient to transmitt a with a 980. Tried it with a pyramid 5 amp, not enough. Play it safe and have at least 10 amps.
 

Blackswan73

Active Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
1,385
Location
Central Indiana
All any solid state base is is a mobile and a power supply in a single cabinet. In fact, one of my favorite"base" radios was a Robyn SX12 module with a Ranger 3500 slid into it.
 

sdeeter19555

Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2012
Messages
126
Location
Reading, PA
Dang, buy a used Cobra 29 and a used 10A power supply, throw a wire antenna up and enjoy.

That's as cheap as you are going to get. No need for a base radio...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
 

Nutes

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 6, 2015
Messages
111
Location
Ohio
SpaceMan and others on here are all good advice and they really helped me set up my base station a year or so ago. I bought a used Navaho TRC 433 on Ebay for about 60.00. It is in real good shape and had been cleaned up and had no dents, scratches etc. I hooked that sucker up to a homemade Copper Tubing Antenna on my roof and I am able to monitor CB action clearly from 7-10 miles and communicate to about 6. Otherwise, buying a new cheap Cobra at Walmart and then running it to a power supply is probably your next best option. "In my humble opinion".
 

k8krh

Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2009
Messages
381
Just buy a RATSHACK plug in on ebay, if your just monitoring use a 102 inch whip put it on a garbage can lid, that's all you need.
DOCTOR/CEF 795
 

TheStonerGuy

Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2017
Messages
11
Simple Base Station

If your goal is to just monitor (receive) channel 19, Midland had a 76-300 (Cobra has one very similar) which has all 40ch. (AM only). You can pick them up used on EBAY for about $40, and if you're not going to transmit, just get a back-of-the-rig antenna, and you'll be all set.

Otherwise, search Ebay for a used Radio Shack 40ch walkie-talkie - TheStonerGuy
 

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