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Patrick JOhnson (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Posted on Friday, February 04, 2005 - 11:45 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I have very limited experience/knowledge about all of this...I will try to give my full situation and hope that some of you out there more technically inclined may help me out...

Have a Cobra 25LTD that is tweaked out, pushing somewhere around 18-19 watts. I would like to be able to communicate between my home and mobile which is roughly 10 miles birds flight. What I have is probably sufficient for perfect conditions, however I would like more power for clear communication. I will be hooking the cobra to a Ford F-350. I currently have it hooked up with a Radio Shack magnet mount antenna. I have one of the 8 foot steel whips from radio shack that I plan on hooking up. I'd love to have a 50-60 mile range if it can be done with an amplifier. I'm unsure of what I should do/get, and I'm unsure as to how I should hook it all up. How do you ground the whip antenna? How do you adjust your whip when hooked up to an swr?

A step by step with what you all think is the best amp for the job would grealy help.

Thanks,

Patrick


P.S.- currently looking at something like KLV-300P
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Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808

Post Number: 4751
Registered: 8-2002


Posted on Saturday, February 05, 2005 - 12:08 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Patrick,

Check out the LINK below.

http://www.copperelectronics.com/sunspot.html

If you are talking 10 miles now that is good.

The KL-300P would be a good little amp for you, BUT you will need to back your power down to around 2-1/2 to 3 watts dead key with it or it will go POOF!

Right now figure a GOOD day will be 20 to 25 miles or Less even with the KL300P.

If the Conditions are not there you are not going to talk no matter what.

Lon
Tech808
CEF808
N9OSN
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Patzerozero
Intermediate Member
Username: Patzerozero

Post Number: 416
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Saturday, February 05, 2005 - 10:28 am:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

the radio shack mag mount is THE weak link at the end of any setup with power! it's the AWFUL coax that they attach to it! it has NO shield to it practically, rf leaking everywhere-just a couple extra watts & it interfered with stereo, dashboard lites, windshield wipers & it picked up horrendous engine noise. i changed to a different magnet mount with user changeable coax, though it came with a super duty 95% double shield, and eliminated engine noise, even more then the magnum DC filter, no interference with the stereo whatsoever, nothing with lites or wipers either, and that's with over 800 watts.
with a grant xl and 100 dead key watts from a quality amp, my mobile has a range of 60+ miles, in daytime(no skip) noise THRU new york city to another mobile, 800 watts is like on the phone.
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Mikefromms
Intermediate Member
Username: Mikefromms

Post Number: 449
Registered: 6-2003
Posted on Sunday, February 13, 2005 - 6:33 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Not to mention a new paint job where the mag mount sat....(

mikefromms
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Patzerozero
Intermediate Member
Username: Patzerozero

Post Number: 467
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 3:37 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

it's on the roof, i can't see it from where i'm sitting

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