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307 (307)
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2001 - 8:46 pm: | 
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Several times I have been asked the question .....What does dial - a - watt mean? Well actually it means right what it says it is , dial the watts.... When you purchase a Cobra radio or an equivalent type radio that has a fixed power output there is one big problem you will have down the road . When you decide to run a little extra help on the side (a box) the radio will have to be tuned into the box . Do not let any CB shop tell you the same old story that the box has to be matched to the radio , in fact it is quite the opposite , the radio has to be matched to the box and there are NO adjustments in most cases in the box . So....A simple solution to the problem has been around since the beginning of time . Dial-A-Watt is a quick and simple way to add a variable power control to the radio . This control will actually set the power level out of the radio anywhere from 1/2 of a watt to full power (depending on who and how it is put in the radio). There are two types of dial-a-watt installations , the first is to use a set of switches and resistors to let the operator "select" the proper wattage and the most common is to use a "pot" that lets the operator "dial" the wattage . The benefit of using a pot is that the wattage can be adjusted from 0 (or close to it) to full power without any breaks in power. When a box is hooked up the operator can simply adjust the pot or select the proper switch setting to give him the best input . If later down the road you decide to get a different box , the radio will not have to be matched because you can simply adjust the dial-a-watt for the best input . One way of telling if you have reached the best input is to talk to someone and ask them if you sound overdriven or not...if so just drop the dial-a-watt to a lower setting and you will be fine..... |
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