uniden pro 510xl and a rat shack antenna

[theguysaid038]

So I was on a 100 mile trip to tucson from phoenix, az

I was on I 10 east, and doing.. 80 in a 65 till a semi moved to the left lane (2 lane highway)

so... I followed him for a good 5..10 mins.. he didnt have the attention of moving back when he clearly *should have* ie plenty of space...no other semis.

so I turned on my cb, (too much static, not perfectly tuned...) called him out and asked if he could move to the right lane.

Surprised, he said "no can do bud" (at this point, there was another semi and i cant pass him)

I told him "these @$$holes are tailgating me, please move" and a few seconds later he moved, stunned and surprised I passed him as fast as I can, I said "thanks man!" he came back to the left blocking all the people using me as their radar detector.

This is the first tme CB has ever been useful for me, the 20 dollars I spent on this setup is finally paying off!

[chriskohtc]

LoL.. That's funny!

Feel bad for the rest of the guys behind you though. Heh.

[cooljay]

Edit: Didn't read the full thread title. Defiantly upgrade to a better antenna and with the static you said you were getting I'm betting your SWR is high, don't use the CB till you get your SWR checked/a better antenna other wise you'll blow the final and only be able to listen but not transmit.

[fire65]

And why do you drive with it off?

[srtga]

Here in Ga. I never see big trucks hogging the left lane.

You should probably get a SWR meter and get your antenna set up properly. You'll enjoy it a lot more.

[Stealth Stalker]

Here in Ga. I never see big trucks hogging the left lane.

I see it in every state I travel, even in "left lane for passing only" law states. It's become a major problem in the last few years as gas prices have soared. The truckers don't want to ever use their brakes or downshift, and then have to burn the gas to accelerate again. But they also don't want to accelerate enough to pass anyone either. So when the come up on the arse of another truck, they just move to the left lane until they two trucks are neck and neck for a couple of miles, then slides back into the right lane again eventually. But the fukkers never had any intention of passing anyone, and they don't give a rat's arse if they are blocking traffic in the left lane. All the selfish bastards care about is not having to use their brakes or accelerator.

I love truckers, and I always gave them a LOT of leeway on the road, but I'm really tired of this new leap-frog bullshyte they are playing, and would love to be jacking them up over it.

[srtga]

About the only time I see a big truck in the L lane they either have the hammer down or are passing. I'm not sure if LEOs are strict about it or what. This is on I-16 which has mostly container trucks running out of the Savannah port.

I did have 2 empty log trucks running rabbit for me @ 85-90 mph the other day Those guys were FLYING!

Neither had their ears on because they were getting a lot of traffic.

Oh yea SS, when are you going to make those "swirl stickers"? I think it's a cool idea!

[theguysaid038]

Yea, thanks guys.

I will try to get a wilson or something, and I did try to tune with a swr meter.. (I had instructions and everything.. I failed...)

I drive it off because:

1. I am not speeding. when I speed I turn it on. ie i turn it off when I know i will be driving PSL for a while ... when a semi hogs the left.

2. like cooljay said, I dont want to blow my final. (fuse?)

thanks for the input guys. =)

[supercowpowers]

Yea, thanks guys.

I will try to get a wilson or something, and I did try to tune with a swr meter.. (I had instructions and everything.. I failed...)

I drive it off because:

1. I am not speeding. when I speed I turn it on. ie i turn it off when I know i will be driving PSL for a while ... when a semi hogs the left.

2. like cooljay said, I dont want to blow my final. (fuse?)

thanks for the input guys. =)

"The final" is just a transistor that amplifies your signal before it goes to the antenna. If the SWR is too high, too much of the energy you're trying to transmit comes back to the final and gets it hot. Too much heat over time (not a lot if the SWR is real bad) makes the magic smoke come out.*

Did you fail the tuning due to lack of understanding the instructions or you just couldn't get the SWR low enough? In any case, I high recommend a Little Wil. It's about the perfect intersection of price, performance & size for most people.

* "magic smoke" is the stuff they put in all electronic components. When the smoke comes out, they don't work anymore.