Break One Nine

[OzarkMtnDaredevil]

Does anyone still use the ol' CB radio? They're anywhere from cheap to free these days, it seems. Unlike the new televisions that the govt is trying to make us 'buy', CBs can't be regulated. Lots of trash talk on there, I know, but, in the near future? What's your 20?

[Sarah]

Yes. In the old enclave, on the App Trail, the local Mennonite rescue company monitors channel nine, and 19, and rents hand-helds to hikers. 20 is VA Route 7 between Leesburg and Berryville, on the range.

In this enclave, we have pretty much gone to our own nextel system with tower, but there is a number one can dial that works like CB. Once dialed, one puts it on speaker, and PTTs. Great for SAR.

BTW, if you like CB, and are also ham, the old FEMA program is making a comeback too. Unlike the ham program, one can get second hand equipment and serve that way. One requirement for them is that they also support CB.

Sarah

[OzarkMtnDaredevil]

10-4 Sarah. You know what I'm talking about. It's an option for short distance comms that I think is too often overlooked.

[homesteadingnky]

"Breaker breaker 19, how 'bout that OzarkMtnDaredevil, got your ears on goodbuddy?"

Yeah, funny you should mention CB's. I've been considering getting some put in our vehicles and a base station for the house. You're right in a real emergency, cell phones and land lines could both be down for a long time. We have hand held radios that we use but they don't get near the distance that a CB does.

Well, "keep your nose between the ditches and the smokey out of your britches, or keep your rubber down and your metal up, or ....., catch ya on the flip flop. I'm buggin out for now!"

[Florida_boy]

The requirements for a Ham radio ticket are so easy now why not just got for that ? There's no code needed any more. A Tech lic. will get on the air with 2 meters and you'll have better distance than with a CB.

KE4VBB

[wy0mn]

While CB is not my first choice, being a HAM, I still must defend it.

2m frequencies will not carry farther than CB unless... there is a reliable repeater tower within range, or you have some wierd atmospherics such as tropospheric ducting, or you use moon bounce, or satellite (OSCAR).
For local comms both 2m & CB are 'line of sight' frequencies, usually limited to about 23 miles or thereabouts, from you to the horizon.
OSCAR's & lunar bounce will take your signal beyond the horizon; usually SO far beyond it that its useless for local emergency traffic.
Tropospheric conditions cannot be relied upon & are unpredictibly directional, perhaps in the WRONG direction.
During an emergency local repeaters probably WILL be locked using CTCSS codes so that only 'official' sanctioned use is possible. (Remember they will most likely be on backup power). Most repeaters are privately owned yet publically used. I've seen one 'dirty' HAM blocked from a repeater, they gave the code to everyone but him.

So yes CB has its place. If anyone is seriously interested in learning radio propogation & electronics HAM is definately for them. Conversely if a person wants to use CB lingo & trashy talk... HAM is definately not for them; they will quickly find no one to speak to on the HAM bands.

Lex

[12vman]

OMD..
You're gonna have to pump it up sometime. I can talk down there.. 8)

I hang out on either 35 or 24 when the skip is running. Unit 108.. In the Buckeye.. ;)

I use my cb alot around here. Me and some of my neighbors keep in touch about every day. I also use the frs radios. They're cool too..
~Don

[12vman]

Lex..
You would love my location! I can talk low band to 3 surrounding states with 4 watts into a ground plane.. (30' off the ground)

I have 30' of tower setting on a skid to insulate it from the ground. I have it guyed with nylon rope to a few trees. I have 120 ground radials around the base of the tower at a length of 37'. I matched the "Tower" to the ground radials with a gamma match. I got a 2 v.s.w.r. with the tower. I talked with it for a while and decided to install an Antron at the top and ran 9913 to it. Let me tell ya.. That combination works!! Ground wave city! My elevation is at 2270' which is around 200' above average.. 8)
~Don

[wy0mn]

One of the best economy setups I've run was a mirror mount on an 8' ground rod with 40m radials. I worked much of the US on 30m (10 megahertz) with 3w of power, but it was CW aka Morse code.
Over 6500ft in elevation here.
I'm setting up towers for the wind gennys and a Comet CHA250B, no radial vertical. That antenna will work for CB as well as the HF ham bands, just flip an antenna switch between the rigs.
With the wind/ice/snow we have, a horizontal antenna isn't practical. The first year here I lost a wire dipole & a rigid dipole to these weather conditions. Add to that the fact that we have NO trees, and two species of eagles... I don't want them perching on anything!
Since I'll be off-grid (two miles beyond grid access) I'll have to tune & tweak everything as much as possible to maximize low power operation.
Rigs are IC707, Cobra 148GTL, & Uniden 2m.
"MudSlinger307", used to drive a concrete truck.

The view from my remote property a few weeks ago, it ain't changed...lol.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/wy0mn/mars.jpg

Lex

[OzarkMtnDaredevil]

Lex, Don, please.
You guys don't know how much I appreciate your advice. I really do. But, "My 2m dipole unit tower with 2 v.s.w.r. sideband broke my 40m radials because a eagle landed on my 800 ohm horizontal wire" doesn't mean anything to me. :-[
msta999 and I have a new thread started and we're both very interested in learning. You guys could be a great help if you would speak english. Comprende? *8)
I look forward to picking your brains. *:)

[johnjmw]

Hi ya all!
Mmm CB? I still have my 148 GTL and a SBE land command Base. Use to love talking sideband skip from time to time. I still want to try an antenna I saw in the ARRL handbook years ago. A horizontal full wave loop antenna. An magazine article I read referred to the design but used multiple full wave lengths. In theory the signal was reflected by the earth and bounced off the stratosphere to give consistent 100 to 200 mile radius transmission. The only thing not mentioned was what kinda power you needed to use to make the bounce.

12V which freq are Low band? and is it a Ham freq?

[12vman]

"12V which freq are Low band? and is it a Ham freq?"

I was talking about 11 meters.. 27 mHz. CB frequencies..

[johnjmw]

Ok,
I knew a couple of guys who use to talk on 10meter and I thought a couple lower. I had an antron and loved it too. I never had any extra radial on the ground though. That could definitely add some reflected signal.