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What weather band radio to get ?

D

danny Benavidez

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Texas
I'v been wishing to get a weather band car-radio into my jeep. But I can only find PYLE and DUEL units. But both of them do not have any good review on amazon.com and the two from JENSEN are over $250

Or maybe I'll get a CB instead but i've heard that some of us are now using VHF radios. Both can come with weather band.

http://www.amazon.com/PLMR19W-FM-MP...ectronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1338175636&sr=1-3-fkmr0

http://www.amazon.com/Jensen-Heavy-...5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1338175636&sr=1-5

https://www.cobra.com/detail/75-wx-...-radio-with-soundtracker-and-noaa-weather.cfm

Does anyone here have one that your happy with ?
 
I have both a Cobra 29 and a Midland CB with the weather channels, with a good antenna both get very good results.
In our area two or three channels are available...pick the clearest one....
 
My Dual from wal_mart has been good to me for 3-4 years now. The first one died due to being filled with gear oil in a rollover.
 
Go get yourself an amateur radio technician license(costs about $15, good for ten years) and a 2m ham radio. You'll have a high quality short range communication device and weather band access. IIRC, there are 35 questions on the tech test. All the questions and answers can be found online, or you can buy study guides.

CB radios are generally of much lower quality than HAM radios, and are AM which results in lower audio quality than a 2m VHF unit. CB's are also limited by the FCC to 4 watts(IIRC) of output power whereas a standard 2m mobile ham unit is 50-100 watts of output power(IIRC, a licensed tech can run up to 1500 watts, though it would be overkill 99% of the time).

Incidentally, NASA used 2m VHF ham radios to speak with the space shuttle the last time it was up. ;)
 
Personally I would get a cb with weather band and forget about combining weather and head unit. I'm this close to pulling the trigger on a new Kenwood excelon unit - HD radio, sat ready, Bluetooth, and android control, too tempting. Wonder if it lives up to the hype.
 
N8N_99xj said:
Personally I would get a cb with weather band and forget about combining weather and head unit. I'm this close to pulling the trigger on a new Kenwood excelon unit - HD radio, sat ready, Bluetooth, and android control, too tempting. Wonder if it lives up to the hype.
Click to expand...

A cobra 29 with weather channels will get you all the reception you need. With a good antenna you will hear the weather channels just as good as any radio out there. Cb is more commonly used on the trails. ****

Don't by that kenwood. By the Pioneer 9400 or 80rs. Better quality durability and sound. Pulled a pioneer that didn't have bluetooth(that I never had a problem with) and put it my kenwood 945 and had to pull it after about two months. It was overheating and burned up the bluetooth board. I had to add a 4" fan to it to keep it from overheating but it was too late. Pulled it and replaced it with a pioneer 9400 and sounds and performs worlds better. Have had not a single problem with Pioneers for close to 15 years and 13 decks in different cars.

EDIT - If you know it's "taboo advise," then why give it? FCC laws may be capricious and silly, but the fines for violating them are hefty (I think "footwarmer" tix run something like $10-$25K!)

And, since I didn't catch this on my own, I've got to take more official notice that I usually would...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Third rig that I have run a cheapy cobra with the weatherband. I have a k40 whip and get great coverage. Its cheap and has dual use. Saved my butt numerous times while traveling between Green Bay and Indianapolis.
 
favaguitars said:
A cobra 29 with weather channels will get you all the reception you need. With a good antenna you will hear the weather channels just as good as any radio out there. Cb is more commonly used on the trails. ****

Don't by that kenwood. By the Pioneer 9400 or 80rs. Better quality durability and sound. Pulled a pioneer that didn't have bluetooth(that I never had a problem with) and put it my kenwood 945 and had to pull it after about two months. It was overheating and burned up the bluetooth board. I had to add a 4" fan to it to keep it from overheating but it was too late. Pulled it and replaced it with a pioneer 9400 and sounds and performs worlds better. Have had not a single problem with Pioneers for close to 15 years and 13 decks in different cars.

EDIT - If you know it's "taboo advise," then why give it? FCC laws may be capricious and silly, but the fines for violating them are hefty (I think "footwarmer" tix run something like $10-$25K!)

And, since I didn't catch this on my own, I've got to take more official notice that I usually would...
Click to expand...


I'm assuming that 5-90 removed some bad advice, so I'll post the relevant FCC regs.

§ 95.410 (CB Rule 10) How much power may I use?

(a) Your CB station transmitter power output must not exceed the following values under any conditions:

[SIZE=-1]AM (A3)—4 watts (carrier power) SSB—12 watts (peak envelope power)
[/SIZE]
(b) If you need more information about the power rule, see the technical rules in subpart E of part 95.
(c) Use of a transmitter which has carrier or peak envelope power in excess of that authorized voids your authority to operate the station.
Click to expand...

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/tex...&view=text&node=47:5.0.1.1.5.4.144.10&idno=47

§ 95.411 (CB Rule 11) May I use power amplifiers?

(a) You may not attach the following items (power amplifiers) to your certificated CB transmitter in any way:
(1) External radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers (sometimes called linears or linear amplifiers); or
(2) Any other devices which, when used with a radio transmitter as a signal source, are capable of amplifying the signal.
(b) There are no exceptions to this rule and use of a power amplifier voids your authority to operate the station.
(c) The FCC will presume you have used a linear or other external RF power amplifier if—
(1) It is in your possession or on your premises; and
(2) There is other evidence that you have operated your CB station with more power than allowed by CB Rule 10, §95.410.
(d) Paragraph (c) of this section does not apply if you hold a license in another radio service which allows you to operate an external RF power amplifier.
[48 FR 24894, June 3, 1983, as amended at 63 FR 36610, July 7, 1998]
Click to expand...

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/tex...&view=text&node=47:5.0.1.1.5.4.144.11&idno=47

§ 95.421 (CB Rule 21) What are the penalties for violating these rules?

(a) If the FCC finds that you have willfully or repeatedly violated the Communications Act or the FCC Rules, you may have to pay as much as $10,000 for each violation, up to a total of $75,000. (See section 503(b) of the Communications Act.)
(b) If the FCC finds that you have violated any section of the Communications Act or the FCC Rules, you may be ordered to stop whatever action caused the violation. (See section 312(b) of the Communications Act.)
(c) If a Federal court finds that you have willfully and knowingly violated any FCC Rule, you may be fined up to $500 for each day you committed the violation. (See section 502 of the Communications Act.)
(d) If a Federal court finds that you have willfully and knowingly violated any provision of the Communications Act, you may be fined up to $10,000 or you may be imprisoned for one year, or both. (See section 501 of the Communications Act.)
[48 FR 24894, June 3, 1983, as amended at 57 FR 40343, Sept. 3, 1992]
Click to expand...

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/tex...&view=text&node=47:5.0.1.1.5.4.145.21&idno=47
 
favaguitars said:
A cobra 29 with weather channels will get you all the reception you need. With a good antenna you will hear the weather channels just as good as any radio out there. Cb is more commonly used on the trails. ****

Don't by that kenwood. By the Pioneer 9400 or 80rs. Better quality durability and sound. Pulled a pioneer that didn't have bluetooth(that I never had a problem with) and put it my kenwood 945 and had to pull it after about two months. It was overheating and burned up the bluetooth board. I had to add a 4" fan to it to keep it from overheating but it was too late. Pulled it and replaced it with a pioneer 9400 and sounds and performs worlds better. Have had not a single problem with Pioneers for close to 15 years and 13 decks in different cars.

EDIT - If you know it's "taboo advise," then why give it? FCC laws may be capricious and silly, but the fines for violating them are hefty (I think "footwarmer" tix run something like $10-$25K!)

And, since I didn't catch this on my own, I've got to take more official notice that I usually would...
Click to expand...

I really, really don't want to threadjack this but I am interested in what model you used. I'm starting another thread, mind sharing? (I'd PM but this may be of interest to others.)

here's the new thread, out of respect to the OP

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?p=245675681
 
BTW the Cobra 29 is what I have as well, never had a problem getting weather reception although my setup is pretty crappy. Be aware that whenever it is powered on even if the power knob is turned off, it'll be looking for weather alerts and will beep loudly at you if there is one present to let you know to flip over to weather band and see what's up. That's good but you should be aware of this; I have one in my pickup truck on a cig lighter plug and you should remember to unplug it otherwise it'll run the battery dead over a week or so of disuse. If you have it hardwired to the battery as is common for CBs you should really have a power relay in there so it's only active when "acc" feed is active otherwise you'll have the same problem.
 
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