I just got around to attaching headset on my 3/4 helmet and using music and CB radio....have the HD shortie antennas. Anyone else using their CB radio? Anything else I need to know before keying up and talking?

Thanks in advance.

 

I use mine all the time (08 UC-long antennas). Supposedly HD has matched the short antennas to the radio so I would say you are good to go. Even if they are not matched (i.e. good SWR) as good as they should be, as long as you don't recite the Gettysburg address you shouldn't have any problems. Don't expect it to hear or talk very far, 1 to 2 miles max depending on conditions....just hard to get good performance out of a CB on a motorcycle.

 

Barbara: I obviously have the short antennas and they work great. They work as good as the ones I had on my 06 Ultra. The only other thing you need to do is set the squelch. The owners manual explains how to do that. Once it is set you generally don't need to do it again.

Mike

 

Thanks for the replies.....was going to start a search for stock antennas, but good to hear the shorties work.

Have the squelch set at 3 bars. Only issue I have is that the volume on the XM radio via stock radio is at full volume? Is this the norm? Wasn't that way before headset plug-in and CB adjustments.

 

I've found the radio doesn't play very well through the head set in the helmet. I play the radio through the speakers and the CB & intercom through the helmet head set.

 

It is easy to check the SWR, a 1:1 match is more efficient and the CB will perform better. However if you are not over a 2, I would not be overly concerned. 3 or worse is a problem and hard on the 11 meter transceiver. You simply cut the stainless steel antenna's back about a 1/4 inch increment at a time or lenghten it until the SWR meter reads 1:1. Most time it is shortening.
Fiberglass antenna's are more problematic! They have cheap antenna tuners for CB/antenna matching, easy to use! The CB will perform better with a tuned rather than with a mismatched antenna.

Of course you can slip you a little ol 500 watt linear HF amplifier in the trunk and talk way down the road but the FCC kinda frowns on it...


http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Maco-91-Cb-H...item19bb8d98b7

They have cheap SWR/tuner combinations for sale at a lot of truck stops. That is a good way to find out what works, ask a trucker. I use this one and only use the factory 4 watt CB barefoot!

 

Mike: Think I'll go that route also. Did realize I had my Fader on left speaker headset...no wonder I only got half a song!! I did have to set my XM volume before switching to CB mode.

Have a truck stop nearby...think I'll mosey over and have a chat..think they're on Ch 17 here. Geesh, hope they won't think I'm looking for a date!

 

I use my CB quite a bit, but only when riding with others...we BS a lot going down the road, so getting out there is a non-issue with me....I only care about get 1/2 mile out....we set our squlech fairly high, so to block out other unwanted traffic over the radio....
as for sound, there is no subsitute for good speakers....J&M make a good set, I also use the CB microphone a lot and use the fairing speakers to hear both CB and radio....

 

If they do I have complete confidence in you that you will put them in their place.

 

lol....