Cobra 18 WX ST II 40-Channels Base CB Radio - Answered Questions & Fixed issues
Can i peak and tune a cobra 18wx st
technically , yes legally , no. besides this is a false statement. A radio is already tuned when you get it by the factory. now the true part is the it should be tuned to specs otherwise you are possiably interferring with other operators on the amature bands 4 watts is max and 95% mod will give you plenty of swing.
No power to cb
first thing is to make sure the power leads to your CB are hooked up. The black wire from the back of your CB need to go directly to the car battery "minus" "-" or to a metal screw which is actually touching metal not plastic. The red wire needs to go through a fuse. Sometimes there are inline fuses, that is to say built into the red wire that you can remove and check. If not the the red wire should go to a wire that is coming from your cars electrical fuse box. Using a multimeter to check voltages, set it to read DC and to be able to read at least 20 volts. attach the black lead of your meter to the same screw or point where the black wire from your CB is at. Next if your red CB wire has an inline fuse remove it. we will test it in a minute. Now where you have removed the fuse, with the fuse out touch the red lead of your meter to the red wire of your CB but the half that goes the opposite direction of your CB. Is there 12 volts there? oops turn on your ignition and test again. you should have 12 volt reading on your meter, or close to that. If so that means you have power up to the fuse. Turn your ignition switch back off. Now set the meter to read ohms or if you have a buzzer symbol, set it to that. Now touch the red and black leads of your meter together, note what happens. something should happen, meter goes to almost zero and probably makes a tone, if you have it set for buzzer. Now touch the leads to the fuse while it is laying on a table. One lead to one side the other lead to the other side. Doesn't matter which lead goes where. You should see or hear the same thing you just did a second ago. If so then the fuse is good. Put it back in the red wire where it belongs. make sure both ends are snug when you fit it in and tighten up.Try your radio again with the ignition on. does it work? It should if what I said checks out. If not then you will need someone to look at your radio internally for a bad solder joint where the red wire comes in or even a bad switch. If you have made the check I suggest and you don't see anything on the meter when you check for voltage. set the meter for DC voltage, touch the leads up to your car battery just to see if the setting is right on your meter and it does work. If it does then continue on. You will need to do this: touch the red wire of your meter to your cars battery "+". You might need a longer wire to attach to the red lead to be able to reach the battery, because I want you to touch the black lead to the black CB wire at the point where it hooks to your car. Do you see 12 volts now? If not the black wire connection where it makes contact with the screw is not really grounded. Find another ground and try it again until it works. If that all checks out and the radio still doesn't work we are in trouble. The basis of this is that the red wire has to end up making a connection to the car battery "+" one way or another and the black lead of your radio needs to go to the car Battery "-". If your red wire has an inline fuse you could just run the wire directly to your battery "+" and the black wire to your battery "-" It will work if the fuse is good and your radio works. If not then your radio needs help. The drawback of running the wires like that are , would be the radio would not go off and on with the ignition switch. woopie!
There isn't enough audio, how can I turn it
install a computer "Amplified" speaker to EXT SPKR. The computer speakers run off 12 volts. Most do--then crank it up loud as you want. If output is not loud...go to Defcom radio mods.
What is the DW button/switch
It is dual watch. you can set it to have two channels monitored. like ch 1 and ch 13 it will flip between those two channels. but if you use say 6, 19, 26 along with another ch it will stay on the channel with the most noise. and you would have to turn up the squelch to compensate.
I want to know what
VR2 is the modulation adjustment. I can't remember which way you turn it to get more modulation. It's usually to the left.
Hook up a watt meter. Turn it one way, and check it. If it is up a lot you got it. If its lower just turn it the other way.
Put a jumper in place of the diode at D21 which will increase voltage to the final and give you a little bit more. not much more you can do to this radio. It's the worst radio Cobra ever made. I wouldn't waste my time. I would use that one as a door stop and go get a cobra 29. You will see more out of it.
When I key the mike, the cb goes to channel 9
It has automatic channel 19/9. make sure its off. Other then that, if it is off, and its going to 9, then there is probably something wrong with it. That's the worst radio cobra ever made. I don't know why they still make it.
I bought this from a buddy of mine then my other
First, this is the worst radio Cobra ever made. I don't know why they still make it. Its horrible.
You probably have got a bad mic, or a break in a wire in the mic cord. With out a properly functioning mic, the radio will not go into receive mode. Thus you will have no sound.
I wouldn't waste money on a new mic for that radio. Instead save a little more money and get a cobra 29. its a much better radio. Also, if you haven't, when you get the cobra 29, read the part about SWR in the manual.
You must tune the antenna. If you do not, you will destroy the radio over time.
Will not transmit.
if this radio is new, return it. Its garbage. Its the worst CB cobra ever made, and one of the most hated.
Still people should hear you. Have you calibrated your antenna for best SWR?
Look in your manual. Read the section on SWR. The antenna needs to be
tuned, or your RF energy is not going out of the antenna, and being
reflected back into the radio. That's bad.
And its "Coax" Not co-aux.
Can hear people talking to me but they cannot hear
if this radio is new, return it. Its garbage. Its the worst CB cobra ever made, and one of the most hated.
Still people should hear you. Have you calibrated your antenna for best SWR?
Look in your manual. Read the section on SWR. The antenna needs to be tuned, or your RF energy is not going out of the antenna, and being reflected back into the radio. That's bad.
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