Cobra 75 WX ST CB Radio

The 75 WX ST is a little different to your average CB radio in that it is super compact with a remote mount unit and most of the components are in the actual microphone.

It’s ideal for those where space is limited and they want something that is quite discrete. Just put the connector box under the front seat, under the dash, in the trunk etc. All you then have actually showing in your vehicle is the handheld part of the unit which you can easily tuck away when you want.

This connector box literally has the power lead, mic connection and an optional extension speaker connection (more about that in a minute) and that’s it! Everything else, all the controls, are in the palm of your hand contained within the microphone.

SoundTracker Noise Reduction – This is Cobra’s proprietary noise reduction system. It works like you’d expect a noise limiter / noise blanker to work on other radios with the added benefit that this circuitry works on transmit too to clean up the outgoing signal. They they claim will cut up to 90% of noise. I’m not so sure it is that significant but still a handy feature to have.

The WX in the model name refers to Weather Stations. The unit provides you with 7 x NOAA Weather channels plus 3 x International ones.

You can also display frequencies instead of channels (5 digit display) but, let’s face it, on a 40 channel AM CB that has set channels this is of limited use really.

What’s Great

If you like and want a compact CB then you’ll love how Cobra have managed it. The mic is a little bigger than a standard microphone but they’ve packed a lot in there so it isn’t surprising.

What you will like is that you can control everything from the palm of your hand. You can lock the controls so you don’t have to worry about touching the channel change while the mic is up to your face while you talk.

Dual watch is a handy feature. You can monitor two channels at once. Set the squelch and anything that breaks through that level will be heard on either of the two channels. If you haven’t used this feature before you’ll soon wonder how you coped without it before.

What’s Not So Great      

For me, the aspect that the most people will have issue with is the location of speaker. Don’t get me wrong, it’s really cool that they’ve managed to get all those components and a speaker into the microphone.

If your hearing isn’t great or use a noisier than average vehicle you might find the volume doesn’t go as loud as you’d like. You then have an issue as you move the mic around because the sound is going to go in the wrong direction. If you are driving you are going to be doing other things with the mic in your hand such as changing gear if you are using a stick shift etc.

So, for consistent volume you’ll perhaps want to consider using an external speaker which kind of negates the fact it’s a compact unit and you have something else to mount.

Also, there are a lot of things to see on that small display. If your eyesight is no longer as keen as it once was then you might not find it the easiest to see.

For those of you that like to peak and tune your radios to get that extra bit of power out then you are out of luck with the 75 WXST. It’s probably just as well because with the risk of overheating mentioned above then the latest thing you want is the output transistor getting even hotter.

Verdict / Bottom Line

If space is at a premium and you are looking for a radio like this then you’ll find the Cobra 75 WX ST does the job.

It’s a CB Radio that has proved very popular with off-roaders and with good reason. They put their vehicles and equipment through a lot so you know this radio must be good.

As mentioned above you might well want to plug in an extension speaker which then takes away some of the space-saving benefits of a CB like this. However, that still doesn’t need to be mounted in an easy-to-reach position like a full-size radio would so you still have benefits. Also, it’s worth trying the radio on its own first because you might well find the volume is fine for you.

Performance-wise this Cobra works as well as many other basic radios out of the box. Just remember you are paying a premium for its compact features so you could save money by getting a more traditional mounting CB radio if space isn’t an issue.

If you are someone that is drawn to the compact size and like the idea of all of the controls in the mic then you won’t be disappointed by the radio.

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