mullinax95
Well-Known Member
Go here and you might find some more info: http://forums.radioreference.com/cb-radio-forum/
Cb?
- Thread starter Sully1190
- Start date
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I always take a CB when I go on an out of state road trip.
Nice to have in an emergency, and nice to know what might be ahead of you, from the folks coming the other way.
I picked up a 1977 Midland 40 ch with onboard SWR calibration (arguably THE iconic CB from the era) for $10 at a yard sale in 1989. My 73 Sat came with an RCA 23 ch!!
I agree the language and courtesy on ch 19 has gone WAY downhill.
I'd advise having a pre-agreed upon list of channels to use, that aren't common, and a plan to switch to "the next" channel without broadcasting what that channel is.
Of course you lose the "info" on ch 19 doing that, but it's there if you want it.
Nice to have in an emergency, and nice to know what might be ahead of you, from the folks coming the other way.
I picked up a 1977 Midland 40 ch with onboard SWR calibration (arguably THE iconic CB from the era) for $10 at a yard sale in 1989. My 73 Sat came with an RCA 23 ch!!
I agree the language and courtesy on ch 19 has gone WAY downhill.
I'd advise having a pre-agreed upon list of channels to use, that aren't common, and a plan to switch to "the next" channel without broadcasting what that channel is.
Of course you lose the "info" on ch 19 doing that, but it's there if you want it.
What I like about the CB holds true even from the time of its inception. You actually don't have to have any power. You can talk over a 5K station with 2 watts........if your antenna is higher. When I lived in Macon, I had an Antron 99 about 200' in a pine tree on very high ground. I could key down on Plug Nickle and he had a single tube Black Cat 5K amp. People in South Macon could still hear him, though. May he RIP. I can remember bein over there when he was runnin that thing in the dead of winter and we were wipin sweat off from the heat that thing put off. The tube in it was probablt 6" tall and 8" in diameter. He could shut South Macon down when he wanted to. I like the old small single tube modulators. I had a Black Cat JB12 years ago that dead keyed 1/2 a watt and swung 80. That was a talkin little unit.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Frankie
Member #9641
True, but I already have the phones. I would need to buy 12 cb's to make the change, and we'd STILL need the phones.
But this thread ain't about YOU. lol
Frankie
Member #9641
Well, I understand that, I just don't understand the logic of buying into 1950's technology 60 years later. If there has been a vast improvement in anything in our lives, it's communications, and if you do your homework, the cost is minimal, if any on some plans.
I had a CB back in the late 60's early 70's. It was fun.
I had a CB back in the late 60's early 70's. It was fun.
Sully1190
Look. It's a Gold Duster.
The irony of this post, in this forum, is just too much
The answer is: because it's fun.
Bigdummy
Not a Nova
ESP47
Well-Known Member
10-4 Bandit....keep on driving and keep them beavers smiling.
abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
a cb used to be a big thing around here in the 80's and early 90's. probably before that too. we all had them in out vehicles. since the cell phone came on the scene the cb died.
Frankie
Member #9641
Well if that's the case, what's the reason for the question "Thoughts?" in the OP? :scratch:
Sully1190
Look. It's a Gold Duster.
*shrug* Just seeing if anybody else was doing, or if I was going to get crucified for it, etc. I wanted the opinions. It's good to know it's alot of trash, and about the sun-storms and their effects. Information like that is why I asked ^^ But as for why to use it over cellphones: It's more convenient, and it's more fun.
cross_thread72
Tattooed white trash
I've got a peaked,tuned and converted galaxy in my pickup, it's kind of passé and redneck and my neighbors complain about the antenna on my truck but it's saved me a fortune in speeding tickets. I really don't really care what they think, and it's really fun to hear other "rednecks" ask you're talking from where!? On what?!?
mullinax95
Well-Known Member
Oh the FCC would have loved you guys lol
Hey....... easy with the word redneck you might hurt someones/my feelings.
It's called a hobby. You know things you like to collect, or do that might cost a little extra but you enjoy doing it. Sure everyone has phones now days but that doesnt mean you have to use them all the time. Try telling a HAM radio enthusiast that he needs to use the phone instead. Better live life while can fellows.
cross_thread72
Tattooed white trash
My sincere apologies mullinax, I was quoting my neighbors. I tried to explain to them I'm just plain old white trash, "rednecks" are far more sophisticated than guys like me.
mullinax95
Well-Known Member
Ok I'll let you slide just the one time ...lol
I've always wanted a CB but never could figure out how to use one without a big antenna. I park my truck in the garage with a 8ft door and my truck is one of those that wouldn't look good with an antenna.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
If you REALLY want an effective antenna, there are all sorts of ways around the problem. You can build a "quick" connect mount under the bumper, some mobile home guys have hydraulic/ electric, etc raising devices.
Here's my home-built mount for my old amateur "screwdriver" antenna. These got their name because they used a B&D rechargable screwdriver motor at the base to change the antenna loading. You could tune from 10M all the way down to 80M inside the rig. With an "add on" coil you could work 160M
Examples of amateur band "screwdriver" antennas:
[ame="http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1252&bih=606&q=screwdriver+antenna&oq=screwdriver+antenna&gs_l=img.3..0j0i24l9.2515.5678.0.5827.19.10.0.9.9.0.144.1111.2j8.10.0...0.0...1ac.meXLPwPk4pU"]screwdriver antenna - Google Search[/ame]
This mount, although difficult to see, has a great BIG hydraulic hose coupler (works like an air coupler) to quickly disconnect the antenna. And yeh....I've forgotten to a couple 'o times
Frankie
Member #9641
Do any of you guys remember when you had to have an FCC license to operate a CB? They discontinued CB licenses in 1976 or 77. Prior to that, if you were stopped and had a CB radio in the car, you were supposed to have an FCC license for it. My call sign was KBJT5218.
As I recall, the law stated that if the CB radio was powered by the car's battery, you had to have a license to use it. I always supposed that to me that a CB that was self contained didn't require an operators license, but back then, I never saw a self contained CB.
As I recall, the law stated that if the CB radio was powered by the car's battery, you had to have a license to use it. I always supposed that to me that a CB that was self contained didn't require an operators license, but back then, I never saw a self contained CB.
cross_thread72
Tattooed white trash
If antenna height is your main concern you could always go the deflection route. I set my nephews truck up with an antenna that does not stick up above the roof line. Of course it's hard mounted and some guys aren't hip on screw holes, but it works. You can get antennas as short as 3' that have tunable tips for getting the SWR in the sweet spot, or you can visit your favorite local truck stop (the mall as we call it in some parts of Texas) and get a bargain basement "pre-tuned" antenna that the internals are wound for a favorable SWR ratio on channel 19, from experience they're scary high when your channels are in the basement and acceptable in some of the higher channels. Build a nice ground system for it and the chassis becomes part of the antenna, and the radio waves deflect off the sheet metal on the roof and you'll be a member of the rollin' radio show. One of the best parts is, if you don't like the looks of it all it takes is a 1/2" wrench to remove the mast, you can go from breaker breaker to stealth mode in 45 seconds.
ramcharger
Dismember
Another option is GMRS. One license fee, no test and it covers everyone related to you within reason. The only downside is little kids squaking on the low power blister pack GMRS radios, but you can filter that out using CTCSS codes. They can hear you (who cares) but they can't break into your conversation without the code. Not impossible but far beyond most little rug rats abilities. Technically, they should have a license to even be on GMRS freqs, but most FRS radios include them. You would be allowed 50 watts FM mobile and a good radio runs about 200 bucks. The sound quality is far, far superior to CB, but forget about a late night skip session on top of a mountain.
OR.... just get a book and study a bit and get your ham license (a whole 10 bucks for the test). You'd be allowed on the 2 meter band and depending on repeater availibility, 90 miles is a depenadable cakewalk with a 20 watt radio. You can even get on linked repeaters and talk state to state. The limit is 1500 watts, but you DON"T want to do that from your car for mulitple reasons. A good mobile 50 watt dual band (440 and 2m) would run about 200 bucks including tax.
BTW, The gov can't just flip the switch and kill radio, you can bet your bottom dollar they can kill all cell phone use. Your cell phone is a GPS tracking device too.
Just food for thought.
KD0NTS
WQNH201 GMRS
OR.... just get a book and study a bit and get your ham license (a whole 10 bucks for the test). You'd be allowed on the 2 meter band and depending on repeater availibility, 90 miles is a depenadable cakewalk with a 20 watt radio. You can even get on linked repeaters and talk state to state. The limit is 1500 watts, but you DON"T want to do that from your car for mulitple reasons. A good mobile 50 watt dual band (440 and 2m) would run about 200 bucks including tax.
BTW, The gov can't just flip the switch and kill radio, you can bet your bottom dollar they can kill all cell phone use. Your cell phone is a GPS tracking device too.
Just food for thought.
KD0NTS
WQNH201 GMRS
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Not quite. The only thing that was exempt were what fell under part 15, IE low power, less than so much power. Handheld, used to be called "walkie talkies" that ran less than (my memory is shakey) 500 milliwatts, or 1/2 watt
I also don't remember for certain, but I don't believe an unlicensed, low power unit was supposed to communicate with a licensed system. There was also for time, a limit on transmit time, 5 minutes, I think.
There is probably someone on the www who has posted the "old" FCC CB regulations.
The Class D CB so called "eleven meters" was once an amateur radio band, and earlier equipment had the "11M" position on the gear. The old Heathkit DX-100 transmitter is one such piece, ran a pair of 6146's modulated by a pair of 807's for a nominal output of 100 watts
http://www.ohio.edu/people/postr/bapix/DX100.htm
as did the marvelous Collins 75A-4 receiver................(and boy do I wish I had mine back!!!!)
http://www.w1vd.com/Collins75A4.html
I first got licensed in high school in about 1964 or 5, and there were MANY hams (I prefer amateurs) who STILL held a grudge against losing the 11M band to CB which was enacted around '59.
When I was at Treasure Island, going to the electronics technician "A" school there in 68--69, we had a GREAT amateur station, K6NCG:
http://www.qsl.net/k6ncg/
http://www.ussstoddard.org/k6ncg.htm
First tower I ever climbed was this 120 footer: This photo was taken long before I got there but it looked about the same:
Anyhow, one time I came in with a friend, and here were the "nuts" in the hamshack ON CB ILLEGALLY with our little Johnson transmitter. Probably this very one..............
You must bear in mind that first.............
ANY violation, even speeding is a VERY serious deal on a military base and THIS would have been a federal felony!!!!
Not only that, but all ETs were required to be approved for top secret clearance if needed, as for example, being assigned to cripto gear somewhere, etc. I never needed a clearance for what I did, but I had to be qualified, just the same. A violation like this would have blown that big time!!!
So this thing was not "type approved" for CB use, it ran too much power, it was VFO (variable frequency) controlled, and THAT means it drifted all over hell, AND there was a big major FCC monitoring station near San Francisco.
Frankie
Member #9641
Didn't you have a post of pics taken on an 1100 foot tower, or something like that a few months ago?
HotLines
Realist - Free Thinker
Yeah, there's nothing like an old Dodge Dart with Georgia tags, sporting reversed shackles, Crager SS wheels, vinyl stripes and a CB antenna 10-4 good buddy Yaaaw Hoooooooo
mullinax95
Well-Known Member
Thanks guys... food for thought.
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