Rollin CBs - CB radio sales and service

Just want to jump in here and let everyone know that there is now a cb radio sales and service shop at your disposal. Either pm me here, email me at dean@rollincb.com, or call me on my cell 903-466-1750.


Here is a link to my sales thread on the forum:

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=191819


If you are looking for a set up for your rig, need to get your radio tuned up or upgraded, or just wanting to get some questions answered, shoot me a pm or an email.



I am a one-man shop that specializes mostly in repairs and upgrades. I do sell radios and accessories, but do not keep a large stock, that helps keep my overhead and your cost down.

I keep used radios, accessories, and repair components in stock. I do not keep a large stock of new radios, but can get just about any new cb radio or 10-meter radio at a moments notice from my distributors.

If you have a radio or buy a radio from eBay and want anything done to it, have it shipped to my door. I will do the work and have it in the mail to you as fast as I can. If you have one shipped to me, be sure to make a note of the serial number before it is packed.


I am working on getting a new supplier for faceplates and vinyl wraps for radios and amps. I plan to have some designed specifically for rigs that are in Broncos. The faceplates will be completely customizable. As soon as I build a Bronco radio, I will get it posted immediately.

I look forward to hearing from everyone and taking care of your communication needs!

What do you recommend for use when off-road to maximize range in woods and hills?

kayakersteve said:

What do you recommend for use when off-road to maximize range in woods and hills?

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Radios

In my opinion, and everyone has their own, I would suggest a Cobra 25 or 29. They are real rugged (can take a lot of abuse) and have great performance. The radio depends really on the space you have for installation. I would also so that most 10-meter radios, like Connex, Galaxy, Stryker, etc. do great in 18-wheelers, but I have never heard how they do in trail rigs.

I would stay away from the most modern Midlands. They can not take the bumping around. I had one in an 18-wheeler that went out within 100 miles, returned it and got another one, and it last only a week.

I am kind of reluctant to say one way or the other about the Galaxy CB radios, the 3-digit series (919, 929, 949, 959, 979). They are wonderful radios, but I do not know how they would take the bumping of the trails.

A great add-on for most radios is a PowerBand RFX-75. On the 25, it will modulate to 100 watts, and on a 29 it will modulate up to 125 watts. It is not an amplifier, it is a replacement driver and final section that mounts on the back of the radio.



Antennas

Your choice of antenna depends on what you want and how much power you are going to be putting out. If you are using a high power radio or an amplifier, you must have an antenna that has a handling wattage of at least double your output peak power.

For just talking barefoot:

A 102" stell whip is the most efficient and will get the best range. They are best when the vehicle is setting still. When you are moving, they will loose some of their efficiency, which will cut down the range.

Non-tunable (do not have to set SWR) Fiberglass stick antennas do great barefoot. The better brands are Francis, Firestick, Astatic, Procom, etc.

Tunable (have to have the SWR set) antennas are good too, especially if you are going to run over 125 watts of power. The better brands are Procom, Wilson, Monkey Made, Valor, Hustler, etc.


For the best range, you should use a conventional setup, one that you have to mount and that requires a ground plane (the base being properly grounded to the vehicle. Non-ground plane antennas are not bad, I just personally don't like them.

Also, stay away from magnetic mounts, unless it is a non-ground plane antenna and you just don't want to install an antenna. You usually will not see as good of a range with magnet mount antennas. Another reason I do not like magnet mount antenns is because the coax is permanently mounted. You have to dissasemble the antenna to change the coax


Coax

Make sure the coax you are using has a rating of at least 95% braided shielding. Also, be sure that it has a stranded center conductor, not a solid center. When a solid center conductor breaks, you are down till you get another coax. With a stranded center conductor, some strands can break when pinched, and still be efficiently operating, and they do not break as easily.




If you have anymore questions, please ask either here, pm me, email me, or give me a call.

Wow - Great info. Few more questions, though. My rig is topless and all fiberglass. I could figure out mounting the radio, but unsure where to mount antenna for range max with so little metal available>. Can the Cobras take a little moisture?

kayakersteve said:

Wow - Great info. Few more questions, though. My rig is topless and all fiberglass. I could figure out mounting the radio, but unsure where to mount antenna for range max with so little metal available>. Can the Cobras take a little moisture?

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I can do some research, but I think you should go a completely different route than just a regular open air mobile cb setup.

You really have two choices in my opinion for the antenna. A non-ground plane antenna (firestik makes a 36" and 48" kit), or you could try to add a ground plane kit to a conventional antenna. I am not sure if a ground plane kit will do the trick, since they are really intended to increase the ground plane effect (I would have to call my distributor to see if a ground plane kit can actually create a ground plane.)

I think your best bet on an antenna will be a non-ground plane antenna set up, since you do not have a metal body to create any ground plane at all.

If you do not have a ground plane for an antenna that requires one, your range will be limited to apx. 2 miles in the best conditions.

I personally have not used a non-ground plane antenna, nor have I ever had a request for one. But I believe it should be mounted the same as any other fiberglass whip antennas, mount it up high. If you have a roll cage, which I am just assuming you do, I would mount it to one of the roll bars.


Now, as far as a radio that will handle moisture, not too many electronics that are not water proof will handle being soaked.

I think you should go with a Cobra 25 or 29, and pick up a water proof marine compartment box to install it in. I am talking about the ones that you install a stereo in on a boat. They usually have a smoked or clear plexiglass hinged door on the front. You can mount a mic hanger in oustide of the box to hang the mic on when you are not in a high moisture situation, and if things get wet, put the mic in the box and close the lid.

Before purchasing the radio, I would check out dimensions of the water proof boxes, so you can be sure whatever radio you get will fit.

If you do go the route of the waterproof mounting box, and you have to drill out a hole to route the coax, be sure to caulk around it so no water will enter.

One last note, since you are going to be getting things wet, be sure to pick up some coax-seal, or some kind of rubber sealing tape, to water proof the coax connextions.


Well, as you can tell, I can keep going on and on, so I will stop now and let you digest this and ask some more questions.

Time for me to actually go to sleep. I will be back on later this afternoon when I wake up.

The ground antennas cant work off of the roll bar and be effective? This stuff is new to me.

kayakersteve said:

The ground antennas cant work off of the roll bar and be effective? This stuff is new to me.

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I shot you a pm with some more information on ground planes.

Everyone is new to two way communication at one time. You will never learn anything if you do not ask a lot of questions. Ask as many and as often as you like. I promise, you can not annoy me, I love to talk about this stuff!

Power Mic?

I have a CB that I bought many years ago that has a power mic. Can you tell me the advantages of this over a standard non-power? I am about to mount a CB in my rig and have several options to choose from.

Thanks

.94 OR - pm sent

kayakersteve said:

What do you recommend for use when off-road to maximize range in woods and hills?

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A "killer bee"

NYLES said:

A "killer bee"

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A 250W amp would do the trick on adding range. I would suggest no smaller than a 250, and no larger than a 500 unless you plan to upgrade the electrical system to put out enough amps.

Have any used stuff? I miss my old texas stars.

RustyShackelfor said:

Have any used stuff? I miss my old texas stars.

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I only have 1 used ready to go. It is a Messenger M250. I have more used amps, but all of them are waiting for parts.

I have 1 new for sale. It is a Palomar 250.

I sold my last Texas Star 2 weeks ago, it was a DX 500V.


I am in the process of building up my stock again, and amps will probably be the last to be purchased.

Even though I do not have but a couple in stock, I can order them at anytime. I had a couple of suppliers that stocked amps, but right now it looks like I only have 1 left, and they only stock Texas Star.

I will be looking around to find another supplier that carries more amps, such as Fat Boy, X-Force, Bullet Proof, etc. Until I find another supplier, I will only be able to pick up new Texas Star amps.

subscribing!

Also extra points in my book for liking the 102in whip!!!
Its what I run on my Sheriffs truck (for CB not police radio) and also my bronco

Subscribing as well.

I've nver really had much luck with CBs in m Bronco. I have had other 2way land mobles that work great though.

Can you tell us more about the PowerBand RFX-75 unit? How much will it att to the cost of the radio?

My rig is also topless so some sort of slid mount would be needed to remover the radio. In my case the CB would only be used on trail rides.

Thanks

Also, what is your opinion on the Cobra 75 WXST? Seems like the perfect set up for an open top vehicle.

broncokak - Sorry it took so long to reply. I thought this forum was like others, where when you start a thread, you are automatically subscribed to it. I was wrong, lol. I am now subscribed to it.



PowerBand RFX-75

The RFX-75 unit completely replaces the final section of the radio. It includes the RF driver and final output stages and low pass filter section from a Magnum 10 meter amateur radio. The transistors used in this unit are mosfet finals.


The radios that show the best results with the RFX-75 installed are Cobra and Unidens.

With a normal peak and tune, the Cobra 25 and 29 have a carrier (dead key) of 3 to 6 watts and modulate between 15 and 25 watts. Sometimes you will hear cb shops boasting more watts, which is usually an exageration since the stock final transistor is only a 25 watt transistor.

When the RFX-75 is installed on either a Cobra 25 or 29, the installer will set the carrier wattage (dead key) to aproximately 14 watts. On the Cobra 25 I have seen 90 to 100 watt output. On the Cobra 29 I have seen 100 to 125 watts.

As for cost, I charge $100 to install on a customer's radio. If someone buys a radio from me, I add $80 to the cost of the radio.

The reason it is cheaper to have one added to a radio that is being purchaed, is because I always try to give a little discount when more than one item is being purcahsed from me.



Cobra 75 WXST

I have not used a Cobra 75 for personal use, but I did repair one for a customer who was refered to me by Oatmeal from this forum (Thanks Oatmeal!) When I had it on the bench, I did a little investigation of it. Here were my thoughts:

advantages - It is compact. It is easy to remove the main unit for security. The modulation can be peaked, which allowed for 15 watts of modulated power. The weather channel is very nice. The channel can be locked in. The unit has a nice sounding audio section, when using an external speaker.

disadvantages - It is extremely small, so there is basically no upgrading to it. The internal speaker is so small, high pitched, and does not have the greatest sound quality. The handset is heavier than a mic, since all of the main parts are located in it.

In my opinion, it is a great unit for someone who just wants a basic setup to hear and be heard, and have the weather channel for out on the trails. I like it overall. I am thinking about buying one for to use in my 18-wheeler, since I only use it 6 days and am off for 2 days (all I have to do is take the handset out when I am off). Though, for my pickup truck, I will stick with a full size radio since I like my echoboard, noise toys, and my RFX-75.

Great info and thanks. I do like the ability to just unplug the mic and lock it in the glove box of the Covra 75. It would only be used on trail runs to long drives to events with the other rigs in site mostly.

Are there any hear issues with the RFX-75? Could one ne placed in a console ? What about dest and moisture...two big killers of electronics?

Thanks again for the info.

broncokak said:

Are there any hear issues with the RFX-75? Could one ne placed in a console ? What about dest and moisture...two big killers of electronics?

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I think heat would be a problem with the RFX-75 when it does not have air circulation around it. Yes, it does heat up, not burn-your-hand-hot, but I think it would be compounded by putting it in a tight spot with no air circulating around it.

I have seen another cb shop that has started adding 2 small project cooling fans to them (kinda like the ones in computers. I am planning on buying some cooling fans from an electronic supplier and start doing that also.

I have not heard of any major problems associated with dust and moisture. The top and bottom are ventilated. I understand your concern, since the trail rig in your picture is topless. Moisture would be the issue I would be most concerned with out of the two. If it gets wet inside and you're transmitting, you run the risk of shorting out a component or two inside.

As far as dust, since it is ventilated on the top and bottom, you could run down to an electric parts store, or even Wal-mart, and pick up some electical contact cleaner to spray it out every so often. The top and bottom vent plates are only held on by 2 screws and are very easy to remove, leaveing complete access to the pc board inside of the unit.

You can see the cooling vents in the image below. The top and bottom look exactly the same.

Ok, that sound good...might have a few more questions for you tho.