/diy/ - Do It Yourself

Neat.

Cobra 29 LTD Classics are a favorite of mine. They are a solid AM 40ch workhorse.

>>601437
A 2SC2999 and Schottky diodes can be installed in the receiver section to boost sensitivity and filtering.

A dipole is simple to make.

Get some two-wire lamp cord and cut it to 110". Then split it, giving you two 110" pieces. One is signal, one is ground. Trim them equally until your SWR is around 1.5.

You need to build a balun at the feedpoint of the dipole, since you are going from unbalanced 50 ohm coax to a balanced dipole.

The antenna should be hung horizontally, but an upside down "V" is okay too.

>>224862
Advantages?

They're excellent for boredom alleviation. Don't be afraid, key the mic and have a chat with someone. Don't be afraid to break into a conversation that you'd like to participation.

On the highway, they're better than a radar detector. Key the mic and ask for "traffic conditions" in the direction you're going. Some trucker will gladly let you know if there's a wreck ahead, construction, and where EVERY speed trap is at for the next 20 - 200 miles.

They're a redundant line of communications. In an emergency, you may not have cell phone service. Your CB is another line of defense towards getting help.

They're fun from a science perspective. There's a lot of science in RF theory...they're quite fun to tinker with too! CB is how I got into radios. They're cheap to buy, and easy to modify.

There's that feeling of success too when you make your first 500-600 mile contact with 4w with a less-than-ideal antenna.