installing the new Cobra 29 50th anniversary radio

[boomer58]

Hello everyone, I am new to this site. I used to have CB radio's back in the 70's but got away from them for 30 some years. I stopped in a radio shop in Iowa a couple of years ago and here we go again. I bought a Uniden PC 78 and a wilson 5000 mag mount antenna. It worked ok but never seemed to be what I would have called better than mediocre. I stopped by the store on a trip out west and for 25 bucks the kid ( tech ) came out and set the SWR for me. He was talking to all the truckers and the radio sounded pretty good. All of the truckers were on the other side of the highway about 1/2 mile away. Anyways I had the radio in my pickup and then on a recent trip it blew a fuse and I tried another one and it blew also. The radio shop said it was a shunt and it would cost 40 bucks to fix it plus shipping both ways. I ended up buying a new Cobra 29 anniversary model. I am wondering about wiring the radio. Should I run a wire direct from the battery, with a fuse link and also a ground wire to the frame of the truck ? Also can I set the SWR by using the meter that is built in to the radio ? I did not get the radio Peaked and Tuned as I did on the first radio as I really was not sure what this did. I am hoping to have better luck with this radio as I have a trip planned in a few weeks and am looking forward to using it. Also is it difficult and expensive to install an amplifier on this radio ? Thanks for any advice you can give me, Ed

[yMidnite]

I will try and answer some of your questions. One thing that caught my eye was that you needed a shunt, I am not a tech so I found this definition:
3.Electricity. A low-resistance connection between two points in an electric circuit that forms an alternative path for a portion of the current. Also called bypass.
Sounds to me that your old radio was hacked or he was not going to "fixi" it, but more of make it work. Not really relevant since you bought a new radio (but if someone that knows more about repair work wants to educate me, please do).

For your new radio:
-Yes run the power directly to the battery.
-The ground should be to solid metal with a bare surface (frame).
-I would not be overly worried about putting in an extra fuse for just the radio (with in 6 - 12 inches of the battery), it won't hurt to do it.
-If you do put in the extra fuse, use a fuse and holder not a fusible link (easier to replace)
-You "can" adjust the SWR by the meter on the radio, but I do not trust radio meters. Again, someone with more tech experience can tell me if I am wrong on this radio, is this meter better because of the processor?
-Adding a linear (amplifier) is almost plug and play. Most will need your DK (dead key) less than 2 watts. I do not see where that radio has a controllable RF Power (not RF Gain, this is for receive), so you will need this modified (I recommend a shop)
-Do a search on here for wiring the linear. I think I told how mine was wired in my journal.

I think I answered all your questions.

[Tobin]

If you run direct to the battery, be sure to put a fuse very near the battery terminal in case a wire chafes and the fuse will blow... If you put a fuse too far away and the wire chafes beyond the fuse, the radio will be arcing negative and positve and can fry the radio.

A relay will be handy to shutoff the radio when the in=gnition is off. I am not so sure how to put that in the line but it will prevent battery drain especially in cooler climates by shutting of powerto the radio....

A direct battery connection and chasis ground will most likely be the best setup as it helps to filter out a bit more noise... or so I've been told... If I think of anything else I will get back to you.....