Baystate Jeepers

Since there are a few threads out there re: CB Radios, I thought I would post up something Rob and I are experiencing recently.

We have the same Cobra CB's for about 3+ years now. We replaced our antenna's with Radio Shack versions but we cannot talk to each other now in our respective Jeeps. When I press the button on the mike, I get bars but Rob cannot hear me. When he depresses his mike, I hear his voice but it is lost in crackle and then from then on - no more transmit.

We did not tune our new antenna's - could this be the problem? What else should we check for? Loose connection somewhere? Bad coaxle cable? All outside connections are tight on the radios and antennas FYI.

Thanks for your help here! Getting tired of waving my arms at him hoping he'll look in his rear view mirror or honking my horn at him.

Too many years of marriage?

Well......... Radio Shack antennas........ need I say more?
Bad connections, bad coax, would be my first choices. Even with a bad tune, you should be able to hear at normal trail distances.
Are the antennas ones that need to be grounded? Some do, some don't.

jquader wrote:Too many years of marriage?

lol still on our honeymoon for past 29 years!

johnsxj wrote:Well......... Radio Shack antennas........ need I say more?
Bad connections, bad coax, would be my first choices. Even with a bad tune, you should be able to hear at normal trail distances.
Are the antennas ones that need to be grounded? Some do, some don't.

Thank you for info. Pretty sure they need to be grounded. We have now learned 2 things from you recenly John: Don't use Mapquest or buy Radio Shack products!

Do the radios have a "Mic Gain" control? If so, it may be turned all the way down.

Check the above first...

Since you both have the same setups you can try this...
First try swapping microphones and see if the problem switch's. If it does then there is a problem with a mic.
If the problems don't change then try swapping radio's from Jeep to Jeep and see if the problem moves. If it does then the radio is at likely at fault.
If still no change then it's probably an issue with the coax to/from the antenna, antenna mount or the antenna.

midniteryder wrote:lol still on our honeymoon for past 29 years!

(sexual smiles doing the nasty edited )

Come to find out, Carol was actually speaking into the cigarette lighter all this time.

Kurt wrote:Check the above first

You mock all you want...I've seen it happen more than once. It was pretty funny as both times it was me.

In all seriousness, when I had finished my cage, I could no longer mount the antenna on the rear fender well or a stick off the back of the cage. I have a magnet sticky thingy that I put on my hood which seems to work pretty well.


BTW, Angie and I are also on our "Perpetual Honeymoon".

I even asked if she'd "go out with me" again last weekend and she said YES!

I still laugh every time I see Lou
We were at Carnage, and John started down a hill when his antenna just fell off the back of his heep.
Lou got on the CB and called "Hey, John, your antenna just fell off"
I couldn't resist - I picked up my mike and hollered "Hey Lou - did you just call John - on the radio - to tell him his radio was broken?"

DDewar53 wrote:I still laugh every time I see Lou
We were at Carnage, and John started down a hill when his antenna just fell off the back of his heep.
Lou got on the CB and called "Hey, John, your antenna just fell off"
I couldn't resist - I picked up my mike and hollered "Hey Lou - did you just call John - on the radio - to tell him his radio was broken?"

It was great!!! I saw it fall in my mirror, so I stopped. Lou thought I actually heard him over the CB

Then there was my Canadian antenna..... lost my antenna in the woods up there so I cut a maple sapling, wrapped it in wire, zip tied to my mount, hooked it up, and it worked great The reception got even better after somebody stuck a marshmallow on the end

OMG I am dying reading this! Good information as well.

Chippawa Ray found out that I installed my new antenna incorrectly - I had the plastic washer up where the antenna screws into the antenna spring so he changed it up and put it down on the bottom where the coaxle wire comes through the mounting bracket . Once I get my Jeep back we will do the process of elimination as posted above. Again thanks for all your help.

Joe - WAS that a cigarette lighter? I thought that was the mike!

Widow Maker wrote:OMG I am dying reading this! Good information as well.

Chippawa Ray found out that I installed my new antenna incorrectly - I had the plastic washer up where the antenna screws into the antenna spring so he changed it up and put it down on the bottom where the coaxle wire comes through the mounting bracket . Once I get my Jeep back we will do the process of elimination as posted above. Again thanks for all your help.

Joe - WAS that a cigarette lighter? I thought that was the mike!

Dang! my lighter has bever worked woman!