Can you help a mom out, please?

[721HACKSAW]

I would just like to say that CB can be loads of fun but.....there is a lot of patience involved also. Here in the Bluegrass there are only 2 or 3 channels that the locals talk on and there is a lot of "dead air" time because of summer time activities. The truckers are always active on 19 but they only stay in range for a short time. It's great to get younger people involved with this hobby but it does take time and money. Don't get discouraged when it seems that you can't find someone willing to talk to, my grand pa used to say, "CB is a lot more listening than talking".

[Century21]

Just let me know. It is not going anywhere. It would be a pleasure to help. And I to found out about the convicts. I have a 55 gallon tank. They took it over. Only fish left surviving beside's them is a rope fish thats about 14 inches long. When the last few convicts die, Im re-doing the tank, and filling it with neons and other small none aggressive fish. Im half tempter to take them convicts out to the koi pond in front, lol.
And welcome to the forum little semi guy. You will have fun learning and reading here.

[Foxhunter]

Hi and welcome, I think you found a good place to start by visting the CBRT Forum. Excellent decision and glad to see your posting for your son. There are a few basic areas to have a very basic yet complete station. Although there are many other accessories and station elaborations, the following would be a good "checklist" of things to start with. I've inserted direct weblinks below most items, please visit them.

RADIO
Either of the following two radios would be a decent choice for a young man, would hold their value and perform well. Both are of good quality and each have different "really cool colored" LED lighting which a young guy would seriously love. They will look really neat at night if he turns off the room lights! Aside from the 40 CB channels each also have seven NOAA weather (WX) channels so that he can keep tabs on the weather or see if he might have a "snow day" off from school etc!

Cobra 29 WX NW ST
This one will change face plate colors from silver to black and glow with green lights

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Uniden PC78Elite
This one will have the lights and knobs glow a digital orange color looking cool
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POWER SUPPLY
This will be the second important need, it is a 12-volt power supply. My suggestion is to get an "all-in-one" mobile cb-to-base station power supply and speaker base unit combo. The entire all-in-one unit can be bought for nearly the same price as a new 12-volt power supply costs alone! About $40. It will keep everything together neatly and clean.

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COAX CABLE
He'll need a length of CB coax cable, very similar to the coax cable hooked to your cable TV but instead made for CB. The type best for him will probably be a length of "RG8X" (also called "Mini-8" on some websites or stores). Very plentiful/available and fairly inexpensive, as it is so common. Get a length long enough to reach up to where the antenna will be located, overestimate slightly to be sure.

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ANTENNA
Probably either of the following two common CB base station antennas, an Solorcon A99 or a Solorcon Imax-2000. Either can be had between $75--$100

Solorcon A99
Basic base antenna, about 18-ft tall and made of fiberglass.

Solorcon Imax 2000
Similar base antenna but a little better and about 24-ft tall. Also made of fiberglass



TV ANTENNA MAST PIPE
This is the same exact pipe used to mount a Television antenna to a chimney or roof. I will link to the Radio Shack and Home Depot websites for this one, as they also can be found at most "home center" hardware stores like Home Depot for half the price as Radio Shack. Normally you need one or two 5-ft lengths totalling either 5-ft or 10-ft, just enough to get the CB antenna up above the roofline and other objects in the yard or area. About $8--$16 total.

Home Depot Antenna Mast
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Radio Shack Antenna Mast
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Mounting the antenna is where you need someone "handy". Anyone who could mount a Television antenna for you could do the same for a CB antenna, it is nearly the same. As with a TV antenna, you may need a couple odd clamps or other means to attach it to the chimney or side of the building etc----someone who is even mildly handy could figure a way to mount it securely. Just like with a television antenna, you want it up securely enough so that it won't blow down in a windstorm.



ONE FINAL HINT

After the antenna itself is installed, the coax cable will run down from the antenna and into the house somewhere at an entry point you select. Wherever that entry point might be, you need to form what is called a "drip loop"----which is a small loop that goes "down then back up again" to allow any rain water to drip down off the cable and away from the point of entry. This way water will not flow down the cable right into the house, directly into the back of the radio! Not only would that get things all wet, it could damage or destroy the radio.

DRIP LOOP
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Make sure maybe you visit one of our CBRT Forum Sponsors and give them the list of things (whatever you decide on) you want and they would surely give you a complete package from start to finish.

Good Luck
Foxhunter

[linx]

Hi, guys. This is SemiBoy. Thx for helping my mom out, I cant wait to start cbing.

Hey bud! Welcome to CBRT. I think you may be the youngest member on here.

Another reason to keep this place PG-13 or lower guys. Keep in mind a lot of folks have kids, and there are even children on here.

Enjoy the site man.

[linx]

LOL Foxhunter.
I like that power supply deal. Believe it or not, that's the first time I've seen one like that.

[SemiBoysMom]

You all are absolutely amazing, truly. The wealth of information you've all shared so far, has been very enlightening, to say the least. When I came on forum, I honestly thought that all I needed to do was buy a base model, and plug it in, and voila...CB radio! Naive, to say the least, but I guess we all have to start somewhere, right? Looks like this will be a learning process for not only my son, but myself, as well.

A couple questions & comments:

Q1- Although we've not used it since we bought the house 7+ years ago, we have a tv antenna that is approximately 30 feet high, that is unused due to our having satellite. It's quite the tower. I had asked hubby to take it down, but with the usual that we all face, life's busyness got in the way...so it still stands. Originally, we had our satellites anchored to it, but long story short, they are no longer anchored there. DTV has switched from two dishes, to one, which ultimately had to be anchored on the roof. The unused tv antenna is considerably over the roof-line by 5-10 feet, and it is anchored in the ground. Could we anchor the CB antenna onto the tv antenna? I wouldn't think there would be interference as the tv antenna is not used. If we could anchor it there, it would give a lot of height to the CB antenna...which is a good thing, right? Also, if we could anchor it there, we'd be able to feed the coax down the antenna itself, much as we've done with the coax for the satellite, and feed it in through the same access.

Q2- If we do run the coax into the house via the same porthole (for lack of a better word) as the coax for the satellite, is there going to be interference caused because of the lines being so close? Say, interference with CB reception, from the dish? Or on the dish from the CB?

Thank you so much Foxhunter, not only for the info, but also for the pics. I am pretty mechanically inclined, but pictures are always a bonus!! It's kind of funny, regarding the "drip loop". We have a sizeable fish tank, and one of the things that you need to do when setting it up, is make a "drip loop" with all your power cords, for obvious reasons. I honestly never would have thought about it with the CB...I'm curious now as to whether the satellite coax is done in same manner!


Century...I'm still waiting for a reply to a PM, but if I don't hear anything, I will be contacting you! Either way, I want to thank you again for your very generous offer. I am most humbled by it.

[Century21]

Im sorry semiboysmom I have not seen a Pm from you. But If you want i will pm you so all you have to do is reply. Tell you what. Ill pm now.

[Turbo-T]

POWER SUPPLY
This will be the second important need, it is a 12-volt power supply. My suggestion is to get an "all-in-one" mobile cb-to-base station power supply and speaker base unit combo. The entire all-in-one unit can be bought for nearly the same price as a new 12-volt power supply costs alone! About $40. It will keep everything together neatly and clean.

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HEY!!!....where do you get one of those all-in-one jobbies?

[Bozo]

I think that a base radio may be the answer to your question about just getting a radio and plugging it in. All the radios that people have suggested to you are for mobiles. It is ok to use as a mobile, but I would get a base station radio if I was you. If you are going to go the cheaper route, then it would be good to go the mobile route. That way you get a decent radio. I would get a Imax 2000 base antenna for him though.

All the previous advise from others is great! These guys are super cool. Tell your son to have fun with his new radio! :r&r:

If you could post a picture of your antenna that you are talking about that you want to use as a base for the antenna. I think that would help.

[SemiBoysMom]

The antenna actually projects closer to 15-20 feet above the roof line, it would seem. Here are a couple pics...hoping they won't be too large...I was being lazy, and didn't resize the. =oP

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Okay...the pics are too big, so the above are the direct links to the pictures. HTH!

[Bozo]

Did you get this notification via email?

[TaterR]

That tower looks real good. If you would like to remove the other antennas and put the new CB antenna on top in the clear by itself, I would like to acquire the one off to the side and possibly the other one as well. I will pay the shipping charges.

[Foxhunter]

POWER SUPPLY
This will be the second important need, it is a 12-volt power supply. My suggestion is to get an "all-in-one" mobile cb-to-base station power supply and speaker base unit combo. The entire all-in-one unit can be bought for nearly the same price as a new 12-volt power supply costs alone! About $40. It will keep everything together neatly and clean.

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HEY!!!....where do you get one of those all-in-one jobbies?

TurboT-----I'm not sure which of our CBRT Forum Sponsors carry them. I know that two area CB shops near me do carry them. Both charge $40+ tax. As said, if you were to go to Radio Shack or even buy a Pyramid 5A power supply, you would spend about the same for the power supply alone! Although I do not own one of these, it is a good idea and an excellent alternative idea for someone wanting to use a mobile radio in a base station environment. Again it has a built-in power supply, a built-in external speaker, a SWR meter even. It has the SO-239 coax connector in the rear of the unit for easy hook-up and of course an AC cord to simply plug directly into the wall. Not for everyone, but it is a solid relatively inexpensive idea for someone intending on using a mobile radio at home. It keeps the station desk nice and neat without the separate wires and cords all over the place as is often the case. I'd wonder if anyone knows if one of our Sponsors carry them? At that price, it's very hard to beat. Really, many traditional base station radios are just this----a mobile radio stuck in a base cabinet with a power supply, nothing more. Not all, but many.


Bozo is right, really a base station rig would be simplest and best in the end. A bit out of her intended price range perhaps (I don't know), but maybe she would make an exception and "combine" the gift with a future upcoming birthday to give him a really decent one.


Sometimes I wonder if you do "save" that much, by getting everything all together for trying to use a mobile radio at the house. Sometimes I do think it would be easier just to get the radio intended for home use, the base station radio. There are some nice units to be had that's for sure. There also can be some nice deals on used base radios, but I find it's a bit tricky getting one from an unknown seller, such as from on Ebay. I've found out myself, some of the older ones need work, hardly work, or don't work at all-----and the very first thing you end up doing with them is dropping them off at a repair shop. It depends. There are guys out there who will guarantee a working radio however, and many shops even will sell a used rig that they have got in a trade-in, and will have gone over it before putting it up for sale----to be sure it's in good operating condition.


To SemiBoysMom----haha yes, if you are familiar with fish tank installations, they do teach you the same drip loop principle! It's a matter of safety. Many evenly moderately experienced guys will forget that one detail, and find out eventually why it's so important. It's part of the NEC electrical codes for commercial and residential wiring too. Be sure to remember to check the cable installation of your satellite TV provider, to see if they installed the loops for you.


No problem posting the pics and they say sometimes they are worth a 1000 words. The items I suggested are by no means the absolute best or highest quality, but of good quality at the very least. The two radios I posted, few would dispute they would be good choices. They can be found on sale and sometimes even have manufacturer rebates. Just some well-meaning suggestions and there are other possible choices you could make, aside from them.


I was something like him at that age, my Father driving a big rig semi at the time too. He worked alot and I would think of him with every truck I saw. I played with all the Tonka trucks and Hot Wheels and eventually grew into operating heavy equipment machinery, tri-axle dump trucks, heavy wrecker roll-backs and then the full-size over-the-road rigs. I remember clearly getting my first radio and it was a Realistic Channel 14 CB walkie-talkie. I stayed up late at night listening to people talking and could only hear the biggest stations talking Spanish. I used to "talk back" to them thinking they could hear me, but of course now I realize it was only my imagination as my little radio was so small. I would talk to my Dad on it sometimes as he drove off to work in the early mornings in his '65 Ford Falcon Sedan Delivery. Thought it was great, my radio with a range of 1/2 mile or so!


Anyway that tower looks ideal and the young man is lucky to have that for his first station! I would use that in a heartbeat no hesitation. Looking at that, he's going to have a decent station and his location near the highway will be ideal. He definitely will be heard. Not having good radio range is often a big disappointment to a newcomer, enough even to discourage many from continuing. That tower will tip the odds in his favor. What kind of "TV" antennas are those anyway? They don't look like the type I've typically seen. Keep us posted as to how things go, I'm sure many will be interested and be glad to offer advice.


Foxhunter 351 NJ

[SemiBoysMom]

I played with all the Tonka trucks and Hot Wheels and eventually grew into operating heavy equipment machinery, tri-axle dump trucks, heavy wrecker roll-backs and then the full-size over-the-road rigs.

That is my son to a T! I couldn't begin to guess how many Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars he has...if I had to guess I would put it in the range of 1500 - 2000. He LOVES them...and coupled with Legos, he enjoys hours of make-believe...not to mention imagination! He also has quite a few Tonkas, as well. Some passed down from my hubby to him. Heaven knows they have had many a mile put on their tires, hauling sand in SemiBoy's sandbox! Incidentally, he did NOT want Dad to build him a sandbox...it HAD to be a tractor tire. LOL!!

Thought it was great, my radio with a range of 1/2 mile or so!

Ah yes, that's how he feels about his 2-ways. Occasionally, he and some of his friends (one of the friends has an identical set) will take them out and they run around the village we live in, jaw-jacking back and forth on them. He always has one on in scan mode, "just in case" someone calls.

What kind of "TV" antennas are those anyway? They don't look like the type I've typically seen.

Beats me! The kind that came with the house? LOL!! Seriously...no clue.

Keep us posted as to how things go, I'm sure many will be interested and be glad to offer advice.

Will do! And again, thanks a million for your help! Appreciated far beyond which I can convey.


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[Foxhunter]

You're Welcome !


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[black_dog106]

Hi, guys. This is SemiBoy. Thx for helping my mom out, I cant wait to start cbing.

Hello SemiBoy: You have a PM coming your way....David

[209 first class]

one note on the sweet looking power supplies... i had one, it has a 2.5 amp fuse and i assume a 2.5 amp supply. a modified radio would blow the fuse on the swing.(normal 4 watt deadkey, 14 watt swing radio) so i put in a 5 amp fuse(smarty pants) and guess what happened ? the power supply blew. it looks great, although the speaker sounded terrible. so, i do not remember the brand i had, if you buy one ,be sure there is an amp rating on the box or the unit. if it isnt listed (like all other power supplies) it may be substandard for the job. id go with a radioshack ect 5 amp and be finished with it knowing nothing will be lacking. 209

[SemiBoysMom]

At this stage in the game, due to the proximity of my neighbor to the north, I will wait to get an amp. I don't want to scare the lady who lives to the north of me, by accidentally bleeding over onto her tv, or such. She's 86...I don't want to be responsible for her not making it to 87, IYKWIM!!

Willkeep that in mind, tho, when we (hopefully) move back to the country.

[Turbo-T]

now i know that if it aint a galaxy or a connex then it is junk.

There's other good radios besides Connex's and Galaxy's. Cobra does make good radios but they also make a few crap ones too. Your 18 WX is/was one of them.

At this stage in the game, due to the proximity of my neighbor to the north, I will wait to get an amp.

Why do you need one?

[MoJo]

Since I live in Central Illinois, Ill keep a ear out for you guys....good luck in your adventure. I was probably about his age when i got my first CB radio. Ive got a cobra 90LTD i think it is. It was my first radio. its a base station radio, so there is no other power supplies needed, it will plug directly into the wall. You could use something like this and use a 102 inch stainless steel whip for the antenna. you would have to have some type of ground plane for that and of course something to mount that on to get it up in the air. This could all be picked up very reasonable. If i would have seen your post earlier, I would have tried to connect with you. I have this stuff laying around and would have offered it up to you.

I hope your able to get the kid up and going.

Pat

Hey QD if you can get her the antenna have an old 23 channel Navaho we can get the little guy 10-8 with...

[Circuit Breaker]

At this stage in the game, due to the proximity of my neighbor to the north, I will wait to get an amp.

Why do you need one?

True that.

[SemiBoysMom]

Well, SemiBoy is thrilled! His radio arrived today!! Even though we haven't an antenna yet, he insisted on plugging the mic in, and the radio into the power source. He's desperately hoping to hear someone...anyone! Until we get the antenna, and I work up the courage to climb up there and bracket it up there, he'll be familiarizing himself with it plenty, I suspect! Lord love a duck, you've no idea how thrilled this child is!

And to the person who has been so kind and generous...you know who you are...thank you from the bottom of this mommy's heart. {{{Hugs}}}

[Foxhunter]

Even though we haven't an antenna yet, he insisted on plugging the mic in, and the radio into the power source. . . .

Hey maybe you know or maybe not, but just in case wanted to mention----out of eagerness don't let anyone get tempted to key the microphone while there isn't any antenna hooked up. It'll harm the radio.

[SemiBoysMom]

I don't know what that means, keying the mic.

[Foxhunter]

I don't know what that means, keying the mic.

Oh ok, it means do not press the microphone talk switch (key) at any time there isn't an antenna hooked up to the radio, period. It can damage the final transistor in the radio among other things.

Basically it will present a maximum or "infinite" SWR to the radio and harm it. A radio always needs an antenna hooked up to it or a special testing unit called a "dummy load". It was basically a well-meaning suggestion to not push the microphone switch until everything is in place and the station is actually set up and you're ready to play ball.

Foxhunter