CB RADIO QUESTION

[zouch]

and, where to mount?

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[SargeDiesel]

sure; there are even apps if you're into using your phone for everything.

point was, you don't need to take a class.
but if you can devote a Saturday to it, you might be able to do a HamCram with some local club where you study in the morning and take your test in the afternoon; that's about as quick/cheap/easy as it gets. it's not like you have to prove you can receive Morse Code anymore.

100% agreed, my local high school host the test every so often.

Just providing resources for those who need it... if you don't, then move on... I got your point.

 

[Mark75H]

The antenna really is the most important part. There's a guy in our local ham club who is an antenna guru. He likes to say the antenna is the real part, the rest of the gizmo is just accessories that help the antenna work.

Our club gives the exams once a month. We are very lucky to have a direct connection to the guy who is the head of the committee that selects the questions for the ham exams.

I'm sure it's possible for *some* people to just cram the morning before taking the ham Tech exam and pass it, but most people do better with the apps or online practice tests spending a little time each day for a couple of weeks before taking the tests. Another thing is that the ham General test is not that much harder than the Tech exam. Some questions even overlap between the 2. MANY people study for both and jump directly to a General class ham license.

As someone else pointed out earlier, there is a lot to the ham hobby, just like Jeeping. Having radio hardware without knowing what it can do or how to use it would be like owning a Jeep in your driveway without ever learning how to drive a car or truck. If you needed the vehicle in an emergency and didn't know how to drive it, it would be worthless. Radios are exactly the same regarding complexity of operation.

 

[Dusty Dude]

Yep— I could only use it for a limited time before it drained all four batteries and had to let them recharge, it dimmed the lights immediately even after getting a buddy at the shop to install the biggest alternator they had. As mentioned, his 5K tube base required 240 V. But when talking to a base in a distant land and being asked where I was… Southbound I-5 north of LA. , and getting Your Mobile ? ! like from Australia was priceless . ? Edit- heater not required when using, AC full blast in summer

There was one guy that I knew about who did the big power in Arizona. He used a 5K tube and had the antenna on the roof of his metal building. He used the call sign “OMA5000”. The OMA was short for “Official Mexican Agitator” because when he wanted to talk to his overseas friends, nobody close to him in Mexico could use the same channel ?

For a long time I used to talk on the sidebands for long distance. The speech processor really helped in that regard. It just took a little to get used to everybody sounding like the final battle with the Death Star in the original Star Wars movie

 

[2nd 392]

There was one guy that I knew about who did the big power in Arizona. He used a 5K tube and had the antenna on the roof of his metal building. He used the call sign “OMA5000”. The OMA was short for “Official Mexican Agitator” because when he wanted to talk to his overseas friends, nobody close to him in Mexico could use the same channel ?

For a long time I used to talk on the sidebands for long distance. The speech processor really helped in that regard. It just took a little to get used to everybody sounding like the final battle with the Death Star in the original Star Wars movie

Yep— the A-holes who relished in it with power to F with everyone including a base or two in most every town making the road channels worthless for conditions, updates, warnings, and bleeding over other channels is my reason for big power just to complete and be heard, we mostly ran our “company” channel, at no time was I stepped on within a reasonable distance, many of our drivers ran some power but only one with the same equipment ( 1KW Messinger). After I was told about being heard in Roseville from the top of the Grapevine we tried it when our schedule allowed…. successful, on an obscure one of our 800 channels but we could talk….. the next best talker was far from the next in power (7-750W), a 250 Falcon tube type also upgraded. Everyone thought he had Big Power. Edit— oh yeah- it also shut down the electronic ignitions of cars next to me. I noticed passing cars would suddenly fall back, experimented and keyed up, yep, they would buck then fall back, avoided, but used on A-holes with glee when no possibility of someone rear ending them. ?

 

[2nd 392]

and, where to mount?

Where’s the exterior pic ? Must have enough antennas to look like a tuna boat.

 

[Dusty Dude]

Yep— the A-holes who relished in it with power to F with everyone including a base or two in most every town making the road channels worthless for conditions, updates, warnings, and bleeding over other channels is my reason for big power just to complete and be heard, we mostly ran our “company” channel, at no time was I stepped on within a reasonable distance, many of our drivers ran some power but only one with the same equipment ( 1KW Messinger). After I was told about being heard in Roseville from the top of the Grapevine we tried it when our schedule allowed…. successful, on an obscure one of our 800 channels but we could talk….. the next best talker was far from the next in power (7-750W), a 250 Falcon tube type also upgraded. Everyone thought he had Big Power. Edit— oh yeah- it also shut down the electronic ignitions of cars next to me. I noticed passing cars would suddenly fall back, experimented and keyed up, yep, they would buck then fall back, avoided, but used on A-holes with glee when no possibility of someone rear ending them. ?

One of my college classmates was hired by Ford to fix that problem on their police cruisers! They couldn’t figure out why the cars would suddenly stall. The officers were questioned about what they were doing and what was going on when the cars would stall. One officer saw a truck driver key up his radio when he was accelerating past the truck on the freeway.

Was that you???

 

[2nd 392]

One of my college classmates was hired by Ford to fix that problem on their police cruisers! They couldn’t figure out why the cars would suddenly stall. The officers were questioned about what they were doing and what was going on when the cars would stall. One officer saw a truck driver key up his radio when he was accelerating past the truck on the freeway.

Was that you???

 

[2nd 392]

They couldn’t figure out why the cars would suddenly stall. One officer saw a truck driver key up his radio when he was accelerating past the truck on the freeway.

Was that you???

Musta been that driver’s 7 watt Cobra.

 

[Dusty Dude]

Musta been that driver’s 7 watt Cobra.

We had two groups in a power war for awhile. I was making a power box for a band that took a 220V input and split it out to 20 110V outlets. The 100 ft cable on the 220V input had a label of “4U” on the outer rubber coating. I cut the outer coating off that had the label on it , gave it to one of the guys in the power war, and told him we found a new high power cable to replace the wimpy RG8U antenna cable his friends were using. Both sides were scrambling to get this new antenna cable, and they were really mad when they found out it was all fake.

 

[2nd 392]

We had two groups in a power war for awhile. I was making a power box for a band that took a 220V input and split it out to 20 110V outlets. The 100 ft cable on the 220V input had a label of “4U” on the outer rubber coating. I cut the outer coating off that had the label on it , gave it to one of the guys in the power war, and told him we found a new high power cable to replace the wimpy RG8U antenna cable his friends were using. Both sides were scrambling to get this new antenna cable, and they were really mad when they found out it was all fake.

Rod got silver coax for mine, wasn’t cheap. BTW— ever seen antennas throwing flames ? Rod said Watch This and screwed a couple short firesticks on. Tesla would have been proud. Alas, he’s got the pic. Yes- beer was involved.

 

[Dusty Dude]

Rod got silver coax for mine, wasn’t cheap. BTW— ever seen antennas throwing flames ? Rod said Watch This and screwed a couple short firesticks on. Tesla would have been proud. Alas, he’s got the pic. Yes- beer was involved.

I would have loved to have seen that! Especially after a few beers…

 

[VKSheridan]

CB - Very limited distance (Very few still use CB although there are some)

GMRS - Can communicate for miles depending on topography, dependable and requires an FCC license although there is no test involved just a fee ($35 if I recall)

HAM - Large distances (nationwide or further) Requires a training, a test, and a fee. The ultimate in communication but not too many folks on the trail will be using it.

Some use all 3 or a combination

I run with GMRS/FRS radios and a CB in my rig to keep from being limited on the trail and the highway that got me there. The GMRS license is easy to get and cheap but if one sticks the more frequented FRS frequencies, they don’t need a license. Me personally, I recommend getting the license so you can use every radio and repeater available.

 

[Flybaby]

SparkleTooth said it all. Nothing beats HAM Radio for distance. Problem is people do not like to test to get the license. However, you can spend a couple of weeks studying and get your license. The National Association for Amateur Radio (AARL) has study guides and practice tests (Free) that make it quite easy. My 12-year-old grandson is studying for his test currently and I expect he will pass it on the first try. The fee is small, and the license must be renewed after five years. Ham radio is great if you are out in the forest or mountain areas. Home-made antennas costing about 20 dollars can be hoisted high on trees and the reception you get will amaze you. Best thing, transmission and reception distance. Worst thing, test. BaOfeng Radios in Arlington, South Dakota spec a small handheld radio (made in China) that are excellent for the money, about 60 dollars. Do not by the BaOfeng radios off of Amazon, they are not the same and do not have the same build specifications as the one spec'd by BaOfeng in the Dakotas. I have used a set up like I have described and was, as I stated earlier, amazed at the distance I was able to transmitt and receive with that inexpensive of a radio. It is a handheld so no car hook-up, outside of charging, and it can be operated with a headpiece also. Hope this helps a little.

 

[4a4c55]

the most common Ham radios in J**ps are most likely VHF/UHF pushing 50-60W on the rare occasion they’re used at High power; at 12V that’s drawing about 4-5 Amps.

Assuming 100% efficiency, and radios are never pefectly efficient. You'll find that most 50-watt VHF/UHF radios draw about ten amps when transmitting at full power.

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