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Base Station Setup Help

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CatfishKirk

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I am wanting to setup a base station cb radio at my house. I would like to keep both the cb and the antenna price under $100 each. What would be a good radio to get and a good antenna to get? I thought about getting a bigger mobile cb and using it as a base station using a plug converter and mounting a 102'' antenna to my house and using that but I didnt know if that would be good or not. Any advice would be helpful, Thanks.
 

gewecke

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I am wanting to setup a base station cb radio at my house. I would like to keep both the cb and the antenna price under $100 each. What would be a good radio to get and a good antenna to get? I thought about getting a bigger mobile cb and using it as a base station using a plug converter and mounting a 102'' antenna to my house and using that but I didnt know if that would be good or not. Any advice would be helpful, Thanks.


Save up more $$$ :)


73,
n9zas
 

KK4SYW

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I agree that the Antron99 is a good CB antenna. I bought mine within the last year and I beleive I paid a little under $100 including shipping. I really don't have a suggestion on what radio to buy, but I do use a mobile radio as a base and it works fine. You will just have to buy a power supply to supply the 12 VDC.
 
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KC4RAF

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Most brand name CBs

are good. Best bet is to check with friends and others who have a CB and ask what they feel about their radios', likes - don't like, etc. Myself, I like the Cobra radios. They're easy to set-up and price wise, not too expensive. Some times you can find a good by on eBay or garage sales. The antenna is what makes the radio work; so with the suggestion of the A99, it will put you on the air.
And as geweche posted, save up the dollars and buy a top of the line base with a 4 element V/H beam. The only draw back is, it'll take you a while to save up that kind of cash.
 

grogan

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Cobra 29 and Imax-2000 antenna coax and Small 12 Volt power supply is about the best way to go new and on a tight budget.. Don't forget to Ground equipment and Tune antenna. No and you can't get this fo 100.00 you need to save a little but it will be worth it.you will not get good results with a mobil whip. You can go alot cheaper but this set up will last for years sound good and you will be heard. The Cobra 29 is the most popular CB across America and it more trucks than any other radio. The Imax-2000 I n my opinion is better than the A-99 and can also be used on 10 meters.This antenna has also become the choice of many ham operators also it can be used on several bands with the use of a tuner. Be careful buying used. The Cobra comes in diffirent models from the new Model with a nice display and old school models available with chrome and black crome covers. Any 29 is a good radio.
good luck and have fun.
 

nonperson

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I read forum posts of folks using the 102" mobile whip as a base antenna with good results. One said it he / she couldn't tell the difference between the A99 and 102. If you do try the 102"whip you must make a ground plane for it to work right.
FWIW I have an A99 for a base antenna and a 102" whip on the truck. I can hear just about the same radio traffic on both but the A99 which is higher up receives noticeable better. A little apples to oranges comparison but that's what I've noticed on the two.
Check Craigslist out. I discovered some on selling used radios not too far away from me. So far I've bought two base station CB radios from him and some new coax.
 

CatfishKirk

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Thanks

everyone for the input. I think what I am going to do is go ahead and get a an a99 and a good cobra radio. I have a little converter I bought that you can plug a cigarette lighter plug into then plug it into a wall outlet. Any advice on what kind of a pole to mount the a99 on?
 

jhooten

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Fence top rail sections are 20' long and swaged on one end so you can stack them. Cheaper than tv mast sections and last longer. More than one they will need to be guyed One anchored at the bottom and with an eve mount about the middle has survived 50+ mph winds with an A99 on it here.
 

nonperson

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everyone for the input. I think what I am going to do is go ahead and get a an a99 and a good cobra radio. I have a little converter I bought that you can plug a cigarette lighter plug into then plug it into a wall outlet. Any advice on what kind of a pole to mount the a99 on?

How many amps can the converter put out?
 

LtDoc

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I have to agree, that 'converter' probably isn't going to handle the power required for transmitting. There's quite a bit of difference in the current needed for receiving and that needed for transmitting, usually 10 to 20 times as much. (That's amperes/amps, not voltage.) It's always 'better' to have more ability than not enough, meaning more current capacity than not enough current capacity. So, while there are limits, bigger is better. Then you get into how power supplies (converters) are rated. There are two ratings, ICS meaning Intermittent Current Supply, and CCS meaning Constant Current Supply. That ICS thingy is for very short surges, the CCS is what the thing can do all day long. The CCS rating is the biggy, the one you should pay attention to. Since that ICS rating is always larger than the CCS rating, advertisers like to use it in their ads (makes it sound like it'd do more than it really will). Expect to pay more than you did for that 'converter'.
- 'Doc
 

KC4RAF

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Output of the power supply

needs to meet or (best) to exceed the requirement of the transmitter/receiver. On a Cobra 148 gtl, the transmit needs roughly 2.2 amps (in AM mode). If you can do a Google search for your CB and look at the spec sheet, it'll tell you the output needed from your power supply. You need ~13.8 volts DC and not less than 5 amps output would be a starting point. HTH

BTW, the amps needed in receive mode will be less than that needed for transmitting.
 
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CatfishKirk

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Apr 3, 2012
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Central, Alabama
Thanks for the info. Its gonna cost $30-$50 for the power supply that I would need so i think I am just going to get a base station cb I can plug into the wall and use that. Seems to me to be the easiest and most cost effective method.
 
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