Cheap Comms - Baofeng Radios

[brutal]

Make sure your radio output is in line with the expected input of the amp. If you are over/under driving the amp, it won't be happy, and won't play nice.

It's actually working OK and is one of 3 or 4 low power amps I picked up cheap many many years ago off ebay for the travel crew. All theirs have rolled over and died, mine lives on. I do have an SWR meter and have the antenna tuned well, so I expect that helps keep it from frying.

Now my dilemma is thanks to you, I ordered a DB25 truck radio. I hate to ditch my CB because a few of us still run them, but am not looking forward to running another cable or affixing another antenna mount to my truck.

[thedave1164]

It's actually working OK and is one of 3 or 4 low power amps I picked up cheap many many years ago off ebay for the travel crew. All theirs have rolled over and died, mine lives on. I do have an SWR meter and have the antenna tuned well, so I expect that helps keep it from frying.

Now my dilemma is thanks to you, I ordered a DB25 truck radio. I hate to ditch my CB because a few of us still run them, but am not looking forward to running another cable or affixing another antenna mount to my truck.

You might be able to reuse your cable and mount, post some pics of the connector for the radio end and the connector at the mount end

[brutal]

You might be able to reuse your cable and mount, post some pics of the connector for the radio end and the connector at the mount end

It's a PL259 on the radio end and a ring mount on the antenna side.

[Grant H.]

It's a PL259 on the radio end and a ring mount on the antenna side.

That's what I get for not reading the next page before responding...

When you say "ring mount" does it look like this?

That is a standard NMO mount, and MANY vehicle antennas for lots of different bands can be had for that mount (very, very common). You can also get them built into a magnetic mount that has a cable attached, so it is removable.

[brutal]

That's what I get for not reading the next page before responding...

When you say "ring mount" does it look like this?

That is a standard NMO mount, and MANY vehicle antennas for lots of different bands can be had for that mount (very, very common). You can also get them built into a magnetic mount that has a cable attached, so it is removable.

More like this:



Of course, I ordered the radio with an antenna (7900D), and it has a PL259 base.

[Grant H.]

It's actually working OK and is one of 3 or 4 low power amps I picked up cheap many many years ago off ebay for the travel crew. All theirs have rolled over and died, mine lives on. I do have an SWR meter and have the antenna tuned well, so I expect that helps keep it from frying.

Now my dilemma is thanks to you, I ordered a DB25 truck radio. I hate to ditch my CB because a few of us still run them, but am not looking forward to running another cable or affixing another antenna mount to my truck.

I have been described, by friends that I hang out with, as the "crack dealer that gives out the first rock free..." specifically referring to my firearms and technology hobbies that get expensive...

Yes, having your antenna tuned will significantly help with protecting the life of your amp.

I also agree with Dave, you may be able to re-use your cable run and antenna mount. I have all kinds of RF adapters in my pile of random parts. Most CB's use PL-259 connectors and I have some adapters for that to N.