I DON'T Want To Mess With CB Shops, So...

I'm pretty good with tech and learning how to do whatever I need to do to make something work, work better, and when I'm mad I know how to make them never work again. That said, I'd like to know if anyone here has some strong knowledge about CB radios and maybe even the model of truck I am using, that could answer my questions:

My Setup: 2013 International Prostar Eagle Midland 9001z CB One Wilson 2000 CB Antenna, screwed into the built in factory antenna mount on driver's mirror One Black-covered antenna with a cap labeled DIESEL

1) Why do I hear my window motors (and God knows what other 'noise') thru my (built-in truck) CB speaker if I turn my squelch all the way down?

2) Some drivers echo pretty bad when they're talking, making me want to just shut the radio off. Is there anything I can do to fix it?

3) Aside from tuning the CB using the instructions I've found of being between 1-1.5 on the SWR meter, are there any other ways I can improve reception quality and broadcast distance?

I can answer #2 for you.

It is how the other driver has their echo set. The only way to stop that is to turn off your radio or, if you can find the idiot, slap him upside the head and tell them to adjust it down to a level where they could be understood.

As far as the noise you get while running your windows, there is whats called a filter that is placed on a wire somewhere. I am not sure where, maybe on the power wire?

The noise filter goes on the hot wire from the alternator...but noise coming thru your speaker usually means you have a bad ground...probably that "Put it here just for you" spear mount. We always run a common ground from the truck frame...then you KNOW your grounded. If your antennae isn't truly grounded, you can key your mic at the wrong time, and blow the finals in your radio...making it a very expensive, very poor, probably will float, boat anchor.....

Any tips you could provide in tracing the current ground for my antennae for possible rerouting or regrounding? I'd gladly do that if I haven't toasted these finals yet... :/

While dealing with eletrical noises is usually easy to take care of but not so easy in the case of a big truck. Starcar mentioned the truck can grounding to the frame.....that one problem and will solve a host of issues but the main issue is shielding. Due to cost and weight issues the insulation that needs to be put on electronic components in the truck is almost non existent. The truest way to remove all the noises from a CB radio is to have a completely isolated cb system. That means using nothing that came with the truck. Run wires Straight to the battery for power and ground. Don't ground the negative wire to the truck. Use the negative battery post.

Get your own coaxe. Antenna wire. Usually the R--58 coaxe will be shielded enough to keep out bleed over from outside electrical sources. This is where a grounding strap from the cab to the frame comes in.

Spend the money for a decent antenna. It really does make a difference. I know that you want to avoid cb shops and save money but trust me that unless you know exactly what your doing it can take an act of God to get good grounding on an antenna. The good cb shops know tricks and have the know how to getting a good ground. Besides with the wrong setup you will get tons of reflective radio transmission off the cab of your truck and you have to get that down to a minimum. That's done during the setting of the SWR's.

Now for God sakes stay away for low end trash radios. Not worth it. If you want a reasonably priced CB and does well in a truck get a peaked and tuned Cobra 29. Good solid radio and steady preformance and affordable price.

My radios usually cost 4 to 5 times the cost of what drivers are willing to spend On A Good radio. Mostly in the $400 to $800 dollars range. But a Corba 29 will be good enough for the average radio user.

The echo you hear is set by the drivers that have echo boards in their radio. The problem is very few people know how to set echo and reverb on the radio. What may sound good on your talk back speaker may not sound worth a damn to everyone else. The transceiver or cb radio is an amp of sorts. Got to remember that whatever you sound like it's amplifies 4 to 5 times as much to everyone else. The proper way to set echo and revert is to set it so you can barely hear it in your talk back speaker. To everyone else it will be alot more than you can hear.

In closing the phrase "You get what you pay for" holds true when talking about CB Radios. More money means better preformance.

Guy...you know your stuff !!!! And I agree..but some companies don't like you wirin' stuff...so best to check. Guy, you run single side band .or Ham ??? I can't remember...

Guy...you know your stuff !!!! And I agree..but some companies don't like you wirin' stuff...so best to check. Guy, you run single side band .or Ham ??? I can't remember...

Righting now only using a normal General Lee that pushes 45 watts. Only have "A through E bands on it. Sold my Galaxy 98. I miss the interal 200 watt kicker it had built in from the factory. It has a clear carrier signal than the old Galaxy 99's. I want to get its big brother that is also a General Lee but pushes 105 watts and cost over $400.

General Lee and the Connex brand radios are made by Ranger. Good solid radios but more expensive than most drivers really need.

Even my small General Lee will cover up a truck stop. What I key up the mic I want E.F. Hunton to stop talking and listen. Anyone remember the old E.F. Hunton commercials? "When EF Hunton talks people listen".