Wood Electronics — Local services in Cranberry Township

Pros:

-Jim is the first shop that offers services without a BS story. He knows, as I do, that you can’t get massive wattage gains from a peak and tune. I’ve been to a handful of shops, and all the others would tell me they could make my radio push 50 watts. Even if that were true, that’s not enough to be noticeably louder or transmit further. Read up on how wattage affects transmit range in CB radios, and you’ll see what I mean.

-not a hack shop. Jim’s “peak and tune” service simply optimizes what your radio does. No cutting resistors out or removing other parts. I had a different shop do this to one of my radios (I didn’t realize it at the time) and the thing would talk too loud and bleed onto other channels... ended up scrapping that radio. I didn’t know back then that you’re not supposed to hack parts off the board.

-reasonable prices. I was expecting accessories to be far more expensive, as this is a brick and mortar shop.

-variety. There are many things to choose from, and most of them are accessories I’d use. I like the antenna and mounting choices.

-makes his own coax and it’s actually good. I’m getting less than 1.5:1 SWR with a 9’ coax. I tested it along with a “peaked and tuned” cobra 29 I bought from there. I had a friend help me by trading places with me so I could listen and talk on both radios I have. One in my car (my older galaxy 979 with a Wilson magnet mount), and the cobra with the new coax ( installed in my Pete).His coax and “tweak and peak” make a noticeable difference in clarity compared to a cobra out of the box. I was transmitting and listening clearly, even with the front of my car parked almost touching the front of my Pete. No splatter or feedback. I then drove a little over a mile away, while having a back and forth conversation with my friend on my other radio. Same clarity.

Cons:

-we have different tastes in microphones, but that is subjective, so it’s not really a complaint. Just had to have at least one con to contrast the “pros” section of my review.

Overall: I like the prices and choices. I need at least one more radio, so I’ll get...

First impressions are everything!

I have been in radio for over 30 years, I've owned hundreds of radio's, I have met thousands of people and talked around the world. I don't think I have ever delt with such a ignorant, condescending, unprofessional person in my life, from the first words out of his mouth " what do you want"! With in a few seconds he was trying to debate me about radio operation and FCC guide lines for Amature radio HF bands and telling me I don't know what the hell I am talking about.

With a quick search of google I found he is a licensed ham radio operator also, but he doesn't have HF privileges, which is probably why he is not educated on HF practice. Stick to the C.B. business because people like you give Amateur radio a bad name! It could be possible he could be the greatest service tech around but with the attitude and demonor and the lack of professionalism, I wouldn't let him change batteries in my flashlight. Don't waste your time going there! That's no way to treat a customer or how you operate...

I would not buy anything off the shelf, it’s pricey. I’m a pilot car and my mic went bad on a load, so we stopped on 79 and I ran over to buy another mic. He pulled out a regular astatic mic with no packaging and charged me $85 dollars. Wasn’t sure the going rate. Only found out later they cost less than half that. Still a little bitter about that situation lol.

Edit for response: it takes a 5 second google search to see they’re $31. Standard astatic, standard cord. Also you literally told me as you were scribbling out the receipt that if I had any warranty issues I could send it astatic for warranty, so why say something...