CB

[jwillone]

Any thoughts about OEM CB vs Bike MP3 advanced CB?
09 gl1800 Motor Trike:Shrug:

 

[hbrogan57]

I have the OEM CB and have been quite content with it.

Any thoughts about OEM CB vs Bike MP3 advanced CB?
09 gl1800 Motor Trike:Shrug:

 

[phil1945]

i HAVE A BIKE MP3 CB AND ALTHOUGH IT TRANSMITS VERY STRONG MY GROUP I RIDE WITH HATES IT BECAUSE IT IS TOO LOUD MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN UP THE VOLUME ON THEIR CB IN ORDER TO HEAR THE OEM GUYS WITH OUT GETTING BLASTED FROM ME...I HAVE TRIED THE REPROGRAMMING THAT PETE FROM MP3 SUGGUSTES WILL LOWER THE VOLUME BUT IT DOSENT WORK..ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO TALK TO PETE BY WAY OF PHONE AND THEIR OPPERATION IS NEVER OPEN TO VISIT FOR HANDS ON TECH HELP..HE ANSWERS SOME EMAIL AND I HAVE SEEN HIM POST ON THIS SITE,OTHER THAN THAT HIS TECH HELP IS NEARLY NON EXHISTENT

 

[jtilmon]

We have MP3 for a year now and it works fine. The people we ride with says that it sound great and we can hear others in our group great. I recommend the MP3 vs the OEM CB because of the price difference. Ordered it from Wingstuff and a friend in our Goldwing group who is great with electronics on the Wings installed for me. Hope this helps.

 

[phil1945]

I would be interested to know what your fellow riders have their volume set to and also what volume do you have to set to in order to hear them..Is your bike a 2012...mine is a 2012 and the volume tops out at the number 20...thanks

 

[Mgammon]

I have OEM CB, but changed out the antennas to 2' Firestik II tune tips .. Works 100%
better and you can tweak your SWR down to about 1.2:1. By putting the loaded coil at
the top of the antenna instead of in the middle like OEM, you get a lot more performance
out of the OEM .. I normally run my CB volume at about 10 and squelch at 10-12. Also,
Sierra Electronics have some new Shark 2' antenna's that look good, are pencil thin and
come with a fold down mount .. Cost is about $60 ea, which is half what you pay for the
OEM antenna ... They also come tuned for the GW and have checked these and SWR
was less than 1.5:1 ...

 

[FRR]

I have an OEM CB and have no problems with it but a friend of mine who purchased a 2006 Wing had a OEM installed at purchase and has continual problems. When he transmits his transmission is garbled at best. He took the bike back to the dealer and was told that it was not necessary to "trim" the antenna.. He took it to another Honda dealer and got the same response. It appears that dealers have few folks that understand the sound systems incorporated in their bikes. After suffering with this issue for 6 years he took it to a sound specialty business in Western Ky and after a few hours was able to determine the issue. No matter what your dealers tell you, it is necessary to check your unit with an SWR meter if you are having issues with your unit.

 

[jwillone]

Thanks for the tips. I ordered OEM because my local dealer got me cb and ant. cheaper than bike mp3 cb.

 

[Mgammon]

You got that right FRR ... You SWR IS NOT TUNED at the factory, and dealers have no
clue as to how to do it .. I would be willing to bet 9 out of 10 OEM antennas are out of
spec when you get your bike .. Don't ask your dealer, as some one who knows how to
tune the antenna .. It will clear up 99% of noise, distortion, squealing, bad reception and
transmission and eventually, will end up blowing the final power transistors in your radio.
If you are ever close by my place, stop in, will be glad to tune it for you FREE but you
are going to have to take the seat off and put it back on ... ) ..

 

[SMSgt]

I have OEM CB, but changed out the antennas to 2' Firestik II tune tips .. Works 100%
better and you can tweak your SWR down to about 1.2:1. By putting the loaded coil at
the top of the antenna instead of in the middle like OEM, you get a lot more performance
out of the OEM .. I normally run my CB volume at about 10 and squelch at 10-12. Also,
Sierra Electronics have some new Shark 2' antenna's that look good, are pencil thin and
come with a fold down mount .. Cost is about $60 ea, which is half what you pay for the
OEM antenna ... They also come tuned for the GW and have checked these and SWR
was less than 1.5:1 ...

Did you just screw the antennas out and screw the Fire Sitcks into the same place or was it more complicated than that?
Thanks
Kent

 

[Gold Rush]

You got that right FRR ... You SWR IS NOT TUNED at the factory, and dealers have no
clue as to how to do it .. I would be willing to bet 9 out of 10 OEM antennas are out of
spec when you get your bike .. Don't ask your dealer, as some one who knows how to
tune the antenna .. It will clear up 99% of noise, distortion, squealing, bad reception and
transmission and eventually, will end up blowing the final power transistors in your radio.
If you are ever close by my place, stop in, will be glad to tune it for you FREE but you
are going to have to take the seat off and put it back on ... ) ..

I sure won't argue the point of aftermarket antennas because I've never tried them and expect they work very well..

As for the OEM whips being "out of spec" I'd have to say NOT. I've personally checked several of them and all are within spec. Some did take a slight tweak to peak it out but were already so close that the tune did nothing to improve performance. I use my whips as flagpoles also so I don't think I'll be changing to fiberglass... For those interested the Sierra's sound interesting though. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Mgammon]

Kent, No, it is not that easy ... The OEM mount is a 8mm thread and the
Firestik are different thread, std 3/8/24 .. Soooooo .. what you will need
to do is go to Sierra Electronics and get their fold over converter which
has 8mm thread, has the fold over capability and you can screw the
Firestik into that mount ... Do be advised that this mount has had some
failures at high speed (80mph) because of the wind resistance of the
Firestik II ... But I had mine on for 3 years until some kids thought it
would be funny and snapped them both off in the parking lot .. I am now
back on OEM, but my next pair will be the Sierra Shark 2' which has the
foldover with the kit .. They are $60 each which is going to be about the
same price as the Sierra Foldover with Firestik II antenna .. Better to go
with the Shark ..

Gold Rush: You have been luckly with the OEM's then .. Been doing these
installs and tweaks about 15 years and have found only a few that did not
need trimming to tweak it down under 1.5:1 ... Anything over 1.5 and you
start to loose performance quickly .. Anything over 1.8 and it starts getting
dangerous to your radio ... What I normally shoot for on a tweak is 1.2:1 or
less ... Of course 1:1 is best but almost impossible .. almost ...

 

[jfingalls]

Mgammon, your explanation is right on! Thanks for the education, I/we really appreciate it.

 

[Mgammon]

You are very welcome .. Have about 43 year in the Communications field, both in the
Navy and as a contractor working with Navy Communications .. Have been doing CB
installs, tunes, etc since about way back when or so on bikes .. Started CB in the 60's
when CB was on 4/5 channels which were crystal controlled ... showing my age a bit ...
My specialty started on Yamaha Venture and then migrated over to the GW and then
cruisers and anyone else who wanted communications between bike ... Just love to
do it and love to help my fellow riders who want to do it or upgrade what the have ..

So, you are very welcome and if you have any questions, email me, stop in and see
me, whatever .. Be more than happy to help you if I can ...

 

[John Luciano]

My first was a Goset communicator , advanced to a Lafayette he 20 D then the Sonar F'S 23, everyone was running Browning Eagles & Courrier 23. Breaker Breaker, breaker By :laugh:

 

[Mgammon]

My first one was a White Face Johnson which had 6 channels best I can remember. When to Golden Eagle with D-104 for years.. Now I am running
a Eagle 2000 with D-104 .. It is a plugged 10 meter which give it a lot ...
Had a Siltronix for many years .. Tube type Hog with GUTS .. hahaha ..