CB Radio CB Problems in Volvo

[stacysum]

Hey I am having some similar problems with my CB. It's a Galaxy 959. I'm a company driver and used to be in a Freightliner. The CB worked like a champ and I had no problems. Even had a 5pill linear amp and talked half way across the country while trucking. Well the Freightliner bit the dust and I got stuck in a brand new Volvo VN780. The CB sounds like crap and comes out of the radio speakers with the radio off and the amp off. So there's no way I would even be able to use the amp right now. There's a lot of RF interference. The antenna is a Wilson 2000 Trucker and is grounded to the door with a perch and everything else is grounded as well. I'm guessing that the interference is coming from all the computers in the truck. Does anyone know how to stop all this interference?

 

[Mike]

A good noise filter would stop engine and accessory noise from coming into the CB, not sure about noise like you are talking about.

 

[stacysum]

Thanks. I'll have to give that a try. I think they sell those noise filters for around $20. Not sure what to do about my voice bleeding over into the radio speakers though.

 

[Mike]

Yeah, that last part leaves me clueless. I have never dealt with that before.

If you get by this place often, check out Clay's Radio Shop in Gordon, TX (just west of the D/FW area on Interstate 20)
CB Radios including Motorcycle Intercom Systems

You might even call them and get some suggestions, but if you get by there, might be worth your while to let them check it out. They have a noise filter that that make and install inside the radio, that works much better than anything you can buy over the counter. I have dealt with this shop for years.

 

[veenstra]

Volvo's do not have a proper ground which is your problem.
Get a Bird Perch which replaces one of the bolts in the mirror bracket and connect your own antenna to it, or find a groundless antenna. Best groundless antenna I know is made by Wilson about $60 bucks.

Noise bleeding into your radio is often caused by water that has got in-between the antenna base and the mount. Take it apart, dry it out and apply some lock tight to seal it up.

 

[outlaw]

Yeah, that last part leaves me clueless. I have never dealt with that before.

If you get by this place often, check out Clay's Radio Shop in Gordon, TX (just west of the D/FW area on Interstate 20)
CB Radios including Motorcycle Intercom Systems

You might even call them and get some suggestions, but if you get by there, might be worth your while to let them check it out. They have a noise filter that that make and install inside the radio, that works much better than anything you can buy over the counter. I have dealt with this shop for years.

gonna send my 99 to clay this weekend - man i hope they're good -- i've done a bunch of cosmetic stuff to this radio and now i need them to get inside and make it sound like it looks -- i'll try and post a couple pics when it's done if anyone is interested -- they also have info on their website about getting static out of radios - pretty interesting - you made me feel alot better by saying you have used them for years and like em i've seen em several blacklists

 

[outlaw]

Yeah, that last part leaves me clueless. I have never dealt with that before.

If you get by this place often, check out Clay's Radio Shop in Gordon, TX (just west of the D/FW area on Interstate 20)
CB Radios including Motorcycle Intercom Systems

You might even call them and get some suggestions, but if you get by there, might be worth your while to let them check it out. They have a noise filter that that make and install inside the radio, that works much better than anything you can buy over the counter. I have dealt with this shop for years.

glad to hear that you like 'em gonna send my 99 to clay this weekend

 

[diehard]

i drive a volvo too but havent had any problems with my radio. i have a cobra 29 ltd. i drove a 2000 kw that did that.it about drove me nuts. i changed trucks before i got it fixed.

 

[rebelyell]

grounds on volvos are crap 1st and foremost,if u wanna stop engine noise or r\f interference do this run a ground and a hot wire DIRECTLY FROM THE BATTERY,NOTHING ELSE,as well as your linear if u plan on running 1 in this truck...DO NOT USE A GROUND \ HOT FROM THE BATTERY FOR BOTH .....RUN SEPERATE ! u can get a noise filter if u want to spend the money but u shouldnt have to with this set up..U ALSO NEED TO RUN A GROUND TO YOUR ANTENNA,OR IT WILL NOT WORK CORRECTLY AS YOUR SWR,S WILL BE OFF....... TRY THIS AND IM SURE IT WILL HELP YOU,you also under any circumstance do not want to use factory coax IT IS TO SMALL ESPECIALLY IF U PLAN TO RUN HIGH POWER,IF YOU R THAT IS ALOT OF YOUR PROBLEM,THE COAX IS TOO CLOSE TO YOUR AM ANTENNA WIRE AND IT WILL "BLEED OVER " UNTILL U CHANGE IT,1 MORE THING IF U USE STORE BOUGHT COAX AND RUN IT YOURSELF DO NOT LOOP IT IN A CIRCLE RUN IT FROM END TO END ON THE DASH OF IT WILL CAUSE YOU PROBLEMS WITH FEEDBACK AND YOUR RADIO WILL SQUEEL LIKE A PIG,,,GOOD LUCK N LET ME KNOW HOW IT WORKS I THINK U WILL BE VERY HAPPY...P.S I HAD A T2000 AND TALKED BAREFOOT FROM ONTARIO CA T\A TO LAWRENCEBURG TN ON THE AM EVEN IN THE DAYTIME BELIEVE IT OR NOT SO I KNOW IT WORKS (50 WATTS)GALAXY 44 AGAIN GOOD LUCK LIL LADY A BE SAFE OUT THERE....

 

[Distant Thunder]

If you want to fix this with little trouble then try this. Get a 7 foot Wilson silver load antenna. Mount it to one of the grab handles on the back of the sleeper but make you you can put it right in the middle with maybe around 2 inches of the antenna sticking out above the cab. You can also remove the little plastic washers between the grab handle and the body of the sleeper for better ground. The silver load is a top load antenna and it receives and transmits off of the top of the antenna so you need just an inch or two above the sleeper. You need to get the best coax as you can afford because not all coax is the same. Goggle coax calculator and you can see it for your self. They all have what is called a velocity factor, basically what this will tell you is that the coax has a high factor it will not transmit all of your power and some cheap coax will cause you to loose as much as half of the radios power so get the good stuff. Run as much coax as you need to do a clean install as the 18 feet of coax legend is not true. Run a ground wire from the antenna mount down to your frame, somewhere that you can take sand paper and clean off all of the paint down to the metal. Once you have your ground wire connected then you must seal it with something to keep water out or it will rust quickly and you will lose ground.

Now with this setup you will have as much ground as possible and by mounting the antenna there you are using the truck and trailer to transmit. Basically with out getting to technical the signal will travel the length of the truck and trailer focusing it in one direction much as a beam antenna does on a base radio setup. What this does is make you talk very very well front to back and you will be shocked how far you will be able to get out with just a 30 watt radio. I have the same setup on a Volvo and with a Galaxy 88 i talk 60 to 70 miles every day with no ground noise at all.

Good luck and if i can help just let me know!

 

[Ccross26]

I am in a brand new 2018 volvo. I drive team we have have 113,584 miles. Its april 2018 got truck around nov dec last year. Cb just started acting up. No one can hear us but we hear others fine. Never had a far reach 1-2 miles. Cobra 29ltd nothing done to it and stock everything else in truck. Read another forum that volvo has a box behind ashtray and cb coax and radio attena and cell signal all hook to it. Well our cb worked one week and the next nothing. Bought a brand new radio ( thought final blew) and new radio same problem. We are gonna hook attena straight to cb and ground attena. Hope this helps any future readers. Sucks having this problem in a new truck.

 

[Ontario Outlaw]

Sell the Volvo. Keep the new radio. Buy a better truck. That should solve the CB issues

 

[Ccross26]

I tried to find a 7 foot silver wilson attenna. Where did you get yours? I seen some that had fiberglass bottoms then wips on top is it like that. I seen one that said 5 foot and one that said 10 but think it meant the base in inches idk. Also what is the best cable to use what did you use? Thanks

 

[Ccross26]

If you want to fix this with little trouble then try this. Get a 7 foot Wilson silver load antenna. Mount it to one of the grab handles on the back of the sleeper but make you you can put it right in the middle with maybe around 2 inches of the antenna sticking out above the cab. You can also remove the little plastic washers between the grab handle and the body of the sleeper for better ground. The silver load is a top load antenna and it receives and transmits off of the top of the antenna so you need just an inch or two above the sleeper. You need to get the best coax as you can afford because not all coax is the same. Goggle coax calculator and you can see it for your self. They all have what is called a velocity factor, basically what this will tell you is that the coax has a high factor it will not transmit all of your power and some cheap coax will cause you to loose as much as half of the radios power so get the good stuff. Run as much coax as you need to do a clean install as the 18 feet of coax legend is not true. Run a ground wire from the antenna mount down to your frame, somewhere that you can take sand paper and clean off all of the paint down to the metal. Once you have your ground wire connected then you must seal it with something to keep water out or it will rust quickly and you will lose ground.

Now with this setup you will have as much ground as possible and by mounting the antenna there you are using the truck and trailer to transmit. Basically with out getting to technical the signal will travel the length of the truck and trailer focusing it in one direction much as a beam antenna does on a base radio setup. What this does is make you talk very very well front to back and you will be shocked how far you will be able to get out with just a 30 watt radio. I have the same setup on a Volvo and with a Galaxy 88 i talk 60 to 70 miles every day with no ground noise at all.

Good luck and if i can help just let me know!

P