Technical CB Radio Interference

Just got back from a road trip in the woody.
We tried to use CB radios and mine had problems.

we tried several radios in my car and they all did the same thing.
They worked fine without the engine running.
They worked fine when you first started the engine but after about 20min with the engine running the radio only broadcast and received a weird sound like a warning buzzer.

the engine is a Yblock with points distributor.
Could this be ignition interference? And if so what do I do about it?

 

could also be noise from the generator or alternator.

 

They used to put in RFI filters on the positive wire going to a the CB. Haven’t seen one in recent years, but haven’t been looking for one either.

 

Removing the generator belt may be a quick test to confirm if it's that or something else. If it isn't, I'd suspect ignition. (Ignition systems are proper nightmares when it comes to causing interference.)

 

If it is alternator/generator noise, you need to install a filter in the radio power supply line. If it is coming from the ignition, a condensor (capacitor) at the points will quieten it. These were commonly available at places like Radio Shack, etc.

 

Yep, noise coming in on the power wire. CB is AM, so they both suffer from the same electrical interference problems. You need to make sure your antenna is well grounded, as well as the radio. I used to hook mine directly to the battery, with filters in both lines.

Back when I was into trail riding in Jeeps, we’d run a separate lawnmower battery just for the CB, and we’d electrically isolate the antenna from the Jeep by mounting it on a block of wood. Didn’t always work if you had crappy plug wires or plugs.

 

Any truck stop on the interstate sells them. Pull in, have a Diablo sandwich and a Dr Pepper and take a look see on the radio aisle.

 

“You must be in a hell of a hurry”

 

Would this also work with an RC Cola and a Moon Pie?

 

Spiral wound graphite spark plug wires may help. Don't use solid core wires.

 

Untested, but likely fine.

Betchya ass on that boy!

 

Som Bitch

 

Probably the last great CB movie. the end of an era. A brief era albeit.

 

Radio Shack - sure miss them
Dan

 

This is where the quick and correct answers show a guy's age.
a quick search shows a few pages of noise suppressors to sort though. https://www.google.com/search?q=cb+...UzNTNqMGoxNagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Causes:
The generator or alternator is a prime one. As G-Son said, take the belt off and fire it up and that becomes a yes/no thing real quick.
Solid core wires rather than resistor wires will do it. So will non resistor plugs. If you get a pissed off look from the guy in the next lane at a stop light because your plug wires are screwing up his sound system there's the issue.

 

Old school CBers know that you have to have the right filter on your radios or when you pull the cat's tail, you'll be talking back through your car stereo. English Version: when you turn on the linear amplifier and talk on the CB, you'll get bleed over on your car radio if you don't have the correct filters on both radios. It was fun in the day to have a KW in the trunk and talk to the girls in the car beside you.

 

Another thing is what kind of radio is it. I haven’t bought anything but Galaxy and Cobra the last 30 or so years, and even then you knew to stay away from the $19.99 special. Had my best luck with export Galaxy’s that had been converted. At one time I had a 50 watt radio feeding a 600 Texas Star foot warmer, that thing could be heard from AL up to OH, and I’m not talking about skip talking. I had to take out the 600 though, couldn’t run it on high or it would shut off the lights on the truck and do screwy things to the computer, I was afraid I was gonna brick it somewhere.

 

Thanks for all the great advice.
A few more details.
The radio is a Uniden PC68LTX with a K40 antenna.
We also tried my friend’s portable Maxon and it did the same thing.

I addition to the CB problem my Cellphone and GoPro would stop charging at about the same time the radio would stop working. I had a power bank in the car so I charged my phone off of that it it wasn’t affected by the engine running when connected to the separate battery.

I’m going to try powering the CB from my portable jump pack/tire inflator so that it is isolated from the car.

 

Could be a voltage regulator issue. It might be allowing a short of some kind. With other things losing the ability to charge, I’d say hook a volt meter up and see what is happening when things stop working.

 

And song…
“Ah, breaker one-nine, this here's the Rubber Duck. You gotta copy on me, Pig Pen, c'mon? Ah, yeah, 10-4, Pig Pen, fer shure, fer shure. By golly, it's clean clear to Flag Town, c'mon. Yeah, that's a big 10-4 there, Pig Pen, yeah, we definitely got the front door, good buddy. Mercy sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy...”

 

The movie “Convoy” was ok not as good as Smokey and the Bandit Life seemed simpler then
Dan

 

They are a must for Bandit cars obviously. This one was in my 78 when I bought it.

But I prefer this look in the 77's. None of that LED display or 40 channel nonsense. Just 23 channels, a VU meter and a PA speaker under the hood so you can chat with the beavers on the sidewalk. Pontiac actually had these as factory options and the face plate for the storage area is still knocked off.

Breaker, Breaker, this here's the Bandit. Clevis, you got your ears on?

I never drilled holes in the roofs, I stuck a magnetic mount up there for show and used a splitter on the radio antennae in the windshield. You aren't gonna talk to anyone unless they are within a mile or so. Never had a problem with radio reception but then again these units didn't have a lot of power.

 

I’m on vacation next week so I’ll do some troubleshooting, also the car has a 3G alternator from a ‘95 mustang.

RE Smokey and the Bandit
My friend Racecar Ron and I took my airstream to the Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen about a week after Burt Reynolds died.
Saturday night I hung a bed sheet on the side of the trailer and we watched Smokey and the Bandit with my movie projector.
At some point I went to the cooler for another Coors and noticed a few people had brought over lawn chairs to watch with us.
By the end of the movie there had to be 100 people watching the movie with us and everyone applauded when the credits rolled and East Bound and Down started playing.

 

That is very cool! I would have been one of those in the audience.

 

“Daddy I want hush puppies……”

 

“What’s your handle son and ahhhh what’s your 20?”

“My name is Smokey Bear and I’m tail grabbing yo ass right now….”

 

We got no time for that crap!

 

@Bandit Billy

One of my favorites movies ever.

I think it’s one of yours too.

I think if you and I were to ever get together, we’d spend the first 15 minutes doing the lines from the movie!!!

“I’m gonna barbecue his ass in molasses”

 

You goin away till yer grey!