iMONITOR
Silent Key
I didn't say they're not, but 2m HAM radios, without a repeater, are only good for a couple miles.
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CB Radios with SSB
- Thread starter N2PFS
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I didn't say they're not, but 2m HAM radios, without a repeater, are only good for a couple miles.
iMONITOR
Silent Key
That would be impossible to guess, as there are way too many variables, and unknowns.
Things like how high, what is in the area, tall buildings, trees, wide open spaces, etc? What would/could you use for an antenna?
Not true at all. 2-meter simplex has great range and I typically talk up to about 20 miles with only 10-15 watts and an omni.
Ham radio range
I have a portable transceiver that covers the ham band from 2 meters through 160 meters that runs up to 100 watts on 12 volts. I have talked to Europe with it as well as through local repeaters. Even the best SSB cb I had couldn't reach more than 25 to 30 miles with a good gain antenna on my house roof. A couple of years ago during a disaster simulation, using a commercial grade EFJ 5100 on 2 meters at 5 watts, I had noise free conversations without a repeater for a distance of 15 miles.
I have a portable transceiver that covers the ham band from 2 meters through 160 meters that runs up to 100 watts on 12 volts. I have talked to Europe with it as well as through local repeaters. Even the best SSB cb I had couldn't reach more than 25 to 30 miles with a good gain antenna on my house roof. A couple of years ago during a disaster simulation, using a commercial grade EFJ 5100 on 2 meters at 5 watts, I had noise free conversations without a repeater for a distance of 15 miles.
iMONITOR
Silent Key
I'm going by what numerous HAMS have told me what their experiences were.
TheSpaceMann
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That depends on how high up you are, and what kind of an antenna you will be using! Someone said that Trump used to be on CB in Manhattan in the '70s, but he had a big antenna way up on a high rise building!
if someone use powerline your are screwed up.
Because most newer hams don't go any further than 2 meters. It fits their needs/wants. The amateur bands cover way more than 2 meters and most ham radios, including the HF variety, run off of 12VDC. Sky-wave propagation is much better on the lower ham frequencies than it is on CB too. CB has it's place though. I still have one set up and enjoy talking on it from time to time. I'm a ham, but not a ham-snob.
Hey, CB was my roots. :wink:The President Grant II looks pretty cool, I may just have to get one of those.
prcguy
Member
From my house with a 17ft tall 2m antenna and 50w I saturate everything within about 50mi around and over 100mi in some directions on 2m simplex. When I go camping in our local desert I put up a small 4 element Yagi on the camper and have always been able to talk back to friends in my neighborhood 125mi away over two mountain ranges.
Those are every day experiences and the distances I get on 2m simplex are much farther than I could ever get on CB, AM or SSB.
prcguy
Those are every day experiences and the distances I get on 2m simplex are much farther than I could ever get on CB, AM or SSB.
prcguy
KC4RAF
Member
Other frequencies that CB can not do are:
12 - 17 meters which is good 'day' time frequencies,
20 meters open 'day' and 'night',
40 meters open at 'night',
80 meters open at 'night' and many consider it best, ~ 1k miles or so.
These are not set in stone, but you get the idea. 80 meters with just a few watts gets way out.
For emergency traffic, I'll settle for the amateur bands any time. CB has it's place; road condition, weather, family, (if you can ignore the load mouths and vulgar language sometimes being transmitted), etc.
Some CBers say what about when the power's out? Ham radios, many of which will operate from 12 volt auto batteries.
Just as prcguy posted, he can hit his neighborhood 125 miles away with 2 meters.
Amateur radio is by far better for emergency use, and CB can be of help too, just not as far
12 - 17 meters which is good 'day' time frequencies,
20 meters open 'day' and 'night',
40 meters open at 'night',
80 meters open at 'night' and many consider it best, ~ 1k miles or so.
These are not set in stone, but you get the idea. 80 meters with just a few watts gets way out.
For emergency traffic, I'll settle for the amateur bands any time. CB has it's place; road condition, weather, family, (if you can ignore the load mouths and vulgar language sometimes being transmitted), etc.
Some CBers say what about when the power's out? Ham radios, many of which will operate from 12 volt auto batteries.
Just as prcguy posted, he can hit his neighborhood 125 miles away with 2 meters.
Amateur radio is by far better for emergency use, and CB can be of help too, just not as far
K7MH
Member
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- May 15, 2014
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Once when I was mobile in Montana, I ran into another ham at a rest stop. We talked on 2 meters simplex until he was out of range from me. We were east of the Rockies so it was all flat land. We both had average mobile rigs (about 35 to 50 watts) and nothing special for antennas. We kept track of the distance between us and it was somewhere between 10 and 15 miles before we couldn't hear each other. I just don't remember the exact distance anymore.
BTW it is not HAM but just ham radio. No need to capitalize it. It is not an acronym nor an initialization of anything. Not even a proper noun.
TheSpaceMann
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I remember reaching stations late at night that were over 100 miles away ground wave on 11 meters! Of course my base antenna was a big 5/8 wave mounted high up in the air!!
my stock SR-995HP with a Willson 2000 mounted in my truck will talk 70 miles on 11 meter SSB every day of the week all day long heading one direction, AM as well, and FM was also successful but only tried it once.
going in the other direction it goes 20 miles reliably because of the terrain I have to go across
sloop
Member
Sesselk, if I am not mistaken, the SR-995HP is a 70 watt 10 meter amateur radio. I guess that by 'stock' you mean that you do not have an amplifier, not that you are runniing a ham radio that was (illegially) modified to run on CB frequencies. Try to get those distances on a 'real' CB running 12 watts (4 watts am). I do agree that there is a place for both CB and ham. Each has their place in communications.
Yeah the Stryker 955 is a great radio, I have one mounted just above my steering wheel on the dash of my big truck. It will do 10, 11, and 12 meters, has great noise cancelling feathers, has the ability for the clarifier to track transmit and receive together, you just push a button for that. Also has a great capability to adjust the control panel light brightness allowing night or day use. This radio has everything that we use to modify older SSB radios for, years ago.
It does 65 watts output on my Bird Watt Meter, and even looks good, the best of both CB and Ham, no need to keep them separate.
Jay in the Great Mojave Desert
It does 65 watts output on my Bird Watt Meter, and even looks good, the best of both CB and Ham, no need to keep them separate.
Jay in the Great Mojave Desert
actually it puts out 17W AM carrier and 83W SSB PEP 98W AM PEP
I can still do 10 to 15 miles with a Cobra 29 to base stationnow that i got my base antenna up higher I can talk to the base from about 30 to 70 miles in all directions with a few dead spots...I have mountains in my way going in almost all directions, but can shoot between em to go 70 to 80 miles base to mobile sometimes when conditions are good...have a friend about 60 miles away and I can talk to him from my mobile to his base easily every day
KB7MIB
Member
IMO Stryker is the only way to go nowdays. A simple conversion and proper tune, you'll be blistering the airwaves...Strykers are excellent on receive and transmit.. Toss in the echo and roger beep and, what more could ya ask for....
thats a big 10-4 - the SSB is rock solid on this radio as well with no drift at all...I set the clarifier and never had to touch it again
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