CB Radio Basics

M J · November 20, 2006

Alright. I saw a good deal on a ball mount and CB antenna, so i bought it, and i want to get into the whole CB scene...i have a few basic (aka dumb) questions:

1) when you have the cb radio hooked up and ready to go, do the messages you receieve get sounded through a speaker you mount in the cab or through your car audio speakers? (can you do either?

and if both are possible, what's standard?)

2) for the PA system, is this a good level speaker (if this even is the right thing for a PA speaker):

link to ebay auction

3) is this a good entry level CB radio/PA system unit?

not to sound like an a-hole, but please dont speculate if you respond, be knowledgeable!

ZZ327 · November 20, 2006

Incoming messages come in on the CBs own speakers. You probably can hook it up to your pickup or truck speakers, but ive never seen one set up that way

M J · November 20, 2006

oh along side the answers to my questions, could someone link me to a site or ebay auction with good quality speakers for a CB radio

mmmikkke · November 20, 2006

Metra's GMRC-02 uses a relay on the in-dash receiver's left front speaker output to interrupt the program material and replace it with the chime sound, when the databus calls for chime.

I think you are looking for something similar, you seem to want to be able to interrupt your normal music and replace it with the output from the cb's speaker when something other than static is coming through from the cb, depending on the setting of the squelch control.

I don't know of any "adaptor" that will do that but there might be one out there. The functioning of the Metra GMRC-02 proves it would be pretty simple to do. Anybody know of cb adaptor that does this?

And Mike, this is a forum.

All posts are welcome, however small or relevant the contribution. It's a forum.

When a post doesn't interest you, stop reading it.

M J · November 20, 2006

All posts are welcome, however small or relevant the contribution. It's a forum.

When a post doesn't interest you, stop reading it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what i meant by what i said was i dont want someone to say "oh yeah my cousin bought this and this, and its great!" and just be saying it without knowledge, and id go out and buy it and find out its a piece of crap, explaining why his cousin threw the radio out of his truck on US-1 in anger

i think it be easier - and cheaper - to get a mounted speaker, but im afraid it will be to cluttered looking in the truck....if anyone has pictures of their setup, that be awesome

mmmikkke · November 20, 2006

Some cb's have a front-mounted speaker to help with this issue. Check my "view vehicles", my setup is in there. Cobra 18WXSTII, I think. Front mounted speaker.

2000WHITEGMC · November 21, 2006

Your best bet is to go to a decent size truck stop. Ask if anyone works on CBs in the area. They will be able to peak and tune, explain what you need, sell you it and maybe even hook it up. Unless there is a lot of interior noise in your truck you do not really need an external speaker. Also in the truck stop there is probably a glass display case with any external speakers, mics (I prefer the Turner Roadking), and swr meters. Good luck.

Mr. Smith · November 24, 2006

Alright. I saw a good deal on a ball mount and CB antenna, so i bought it, and i want to get into the whole CB scene...i have a few basic (aka dumb) questions:

1) when you have the cb radio hooked up and ready to go, do the messages you receieve get sounded through a speaker you mount in the cab or through your car audio speakers? (can you do either?

and if both are possible, what's standard?)

2) for the PA system, is this a good level speaker (if this even is the right thing for a PA speaker):

link to ebay auction

3) is this a good entry level CB radio/PA system unit?

not to sound like an a-hole, but please dont speculate if you respond, be knowledgeable!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Midland is a decent radio but that looks like a real low end unit. I would stay away from a ball mount antenna. I would go with a good top loaded antenna. You can pick up a decent top loader at a truck stop for less than 30 bucks.

I have a Galaxy 959 with twin 48" top load antennas. On a good night I can talk to Texas (with proper help ) all 250 watts worth.

Make sure you have proper grounds and your SWR is checked and adjusted.

mbcomp · November 29, 2006

Metra's GMRC-02 uses a relay on the in-dash receiver's left front speaker output to interrupt the program material and replace it with the chime sound, when the databus calls for chime.

I think you are looking for something similar, you seem to want to be able to interrupt your normal music and replace it with the output from the cb's speaker when something other than static is coming through from the cb, depending on the setting of the squelch control.

I don't know of any "adaptor" that will do that but there might be one out there. The functioning of the Metra GMRC-02 proves it would be pretty simple to do. Anybody know of cb adaptor that does this?

And Mike, this is a forum.

All posts are welcome, however small or relevant the contribution. It's a forum.

When a post doesn't interest you, stop reading it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not to go away fro mhis question but mmmike, could you tell me how you got your CB hooked up is that fully custom or did you have it installed by a shop ?

mmmikkke · November 29, 2006

Metra's GMRC-02 uses a relay on the in-dash receiver's left front speaker output to interrupt the program material and replace it with the chime sound, when the databus calls for chime.

I think you are looking for something similar, you seem to want to be able to interrupt your normal music and replace it with the output from the cb's speaker when something other than static is coming through from the cb, depending on the setting of the squelch control.

I don't know of any "adaptor" that will do that but there might be one out there. The functioning of the Metra GMRC-02 proves it would be pretty simple to do. Anybody know of cb adaptor that does this?

And Mike, this is a forum.

All posts are welcome, however small or relevant the contribution. It's a forum.

When a post doesn't interest you, stop reading it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not to go away fro mhis question but mmmike, could you tell me how you got your CB hooked up is that fully custom or did you have it installed by a shop ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I did it. The kit was a Metra 99-2003 which lets you put 2 din radios in the double-din slot. I had to do some fine plastic filing to widen the 2nd opening for the cb radio, and I had to relocate the antenna connector off the back of the cb radio, email for details.