Also known as: 29 LX, Cobra 29LX
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The Cobra 29 LX is the classic Cobra 29 trucker radio wearing a modern face: the same full-size chassis and transmit audio the 29 line built fifty years of reputation on, plus NOAA weather channels with emergency alerts, a selectable 4-color LCD, built-in SWR calibration, and — on current stock — AM/FM dual mode now that FM on CB is legal.1 Street price runs around $150–190.
Key takeaways The 29 with weather channels and a modern display. Classic 29-series RF and mic audio, NOAA alerts, 4-color LCD, SWR calibration, Radio Check diagnostics. AM/FM on the current revision — older AM-only stock still circulates, so check the box. No Bluetooth — that’s the 29 LX MAX (~$220). No license needed — CB is licensed by rule (Part 95D). ~$150–190; the 29 LTD Classic is the same radio minus weather for ~$60 less. Full rankings: best CB radios.
Overview
The 29 LX exists because the 29 LTD Classic is deliberately frozen in time. Cobra took the proven 29 platform — the radio every truck stop and CB shop in America knows how to tune and repair — and gave it the things a 1970s design never had: a backlit LCD you can set to blue, red, green, or amber to match a modern dash, NOAA weather reception with alert wake-up, auto-scan, and a Radio Check diagnostic mode that reports battery voltage, RF output, and antenna condition without extra test gear.
After the FCC legalized FM on CB in 2021, Cobra refreshed the line with AM/FM dual mode. That matters at the parts counter: older AM-only 29 LX units are still in the channel, so if FM matters to you, confirm the revision before checkout. On the air, AM remains what truckers on channel 19 actually use; FM is quieter for local chatter between radios that both have it.
One thing the 29 LX does not have: Bluetooth. Cobra’s naming invites the mistake — Bluetooth lives on the older 29 LX BT (now leftover/eBay stock) and the current 29 LX MAX (~$220, app pairing and hands-free calling). If a listing implies the plain LX pairs with your phone, it’s wrong.
License note: none needed. CB is “licensed by rule” under FCC Part 95D — no exam, no fee. Legal power is 4 W carrier on AM/FM.
Modes & features
- 40 channels, 26.965–27.405 MHz; 4 W AM/FM (FM on current revision).
- NOAA weather channels + emergency alerts — the headline feature over the 29 LTD, and genuinely useful on the road.
- SWR calibration built in — tune your antenna (the single biggest factor in CB performance; see SWR) without a separate meter.
- RF gain, Dynamike mic gain, PA output, instant channel 9, auto-scan, Radio Check diagnostics, 4-color selectable LCD with dimmer.
- Full-size mobile chassis, 12 V DC — measure your dash space before buying; this is a big radio by modern pickup-interior standards.
The trade-offs are the honest ones: you’re paying roughly $60 over a 29 LTD Classic for the display, weather, and diagnostics on what is otherwise the same transmitter and receiver, the stock mic is merely adequate (power-mic upgrades are a whole aftermarket), and the footprint fights modern interiors. If dash space is the problem, the Cobra 75 All Road puts the whole radio in a handset.
GopherTrunk alternative
Here’s the honest version: GopherTrunk is not the tool for CB. CB lives at 27 MHz AM/SSB — below an RTL-SDR’s native VHF tuning range unless you use direct-sampling mode or an upconverter, and analog AM/SSB voice is outside GopherTrunk’s trunking and digital-decode focus. If you just want to listen to channel 19 before buying, a scanner that covers CB or an HF-capable SDR does that; our scanner frequencies reference has the full 40-channel list. To talk, you need a real CB like this one.
Who it’s for
- Buy the 29 LX if you want the traditional trucker 29 with weather alerts, a readable modern display, and built-in SWR tuning. View on Amazon →
- Buy the 29 LTD Classic instead to save ~$60 if you don’t need weather channels, or the Bearcat 880FM for the best display and built-in SWR metering in the mid-size class.
- Skip it if you want SSB range — the President McKinley II or Bearcat 980SSB are the sideband rigs. Full rankings: best CB radios.
Sources
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Cobra 29 LX product page — Cobra Electronics, on the AM/FM refresh, NOAA weather with alerts, 4-color LCD, SWR calibration, and Radio Check diagnostics. ↩
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a license for the Cobra 29 LX?
No. CB is licensed by rule under FCC Part 95D — no exam, no fee, no paperwork. The legal limits are 4 watts carrier on AM/FM (12 W PEP on SSB radios, which the 29 LX is not). Just install it, tune the antenna, and talk.
Does the Cobra 29 LX have Bluetooth?
No — the plain 29 LX has no Bluetooth. Cobra put Bluetooth on the older 29 LX BT (now mostly leftover and eBay stock) and on the current 29 LX MAX, which runs around $220 and adds app pairing and hands-free calling. If Bluetooth matters, buy the LX MAX, not the LX.
Does the Cobra 29 LX do FM?
Current production does — the 29 line was refreshed with AM/FM dual mode after the FCC legalized FM on CB in 2021. Older AM-only 29 LX stock is still in the retail channel, so check the box or listing before buying if FM matters to you.
What's the difference between the Cobra 29 LX and the 29 LTD Classic?
Same core radio. The LX adds NOAA weather channels with alerts, a selectable 4-color LCD, and Radio Check diagnostics for roughly $50–60 more. The LTD Classic keeps the analog needle meter and classic layout at around $105–140. If you don’t need weather channels, the LTD is the better value.
What's the range of the Cobra 29 LX?
Like every legal 4-watt CB, figure a few miles vehicle-to-vehicle — terrain and, above all, antenna quality and SWR tuning matter far more than the radio. The built-in SWR calibration helps you get that tuning right without a separate meter.