Hello CB forum,
I have a new radio set up in my pick up truck and I'm running a linear for the first time ever. I have a Wilson 5000 magnet mount that's been trimmed and centered on the optimal ground plane etc... (It's been set up by a ham radio shop fellow I'm friends with that's into really advanced stuff I can't talk about without sounding dumb cause it's above my pay grade). The radio is a galaxy 99v2 that's been peaked and meticulously tuned, It will do 11 meters but my antenna is matched to 10 meters. My linear is a older used texas star 500 watt linear. He showed me the finals have red markings on them which means they are an older better generation than the new regulated stuff I'm told.
I know that in a mobile unit how far I can broadcast is going to very all the time based on the terrain, but when I'm at my house I'm in an optimal location on a very high ridge pretty much at the crest, there's just sky all around me and I'm at 2900+ feet in elevation, little town of cool ridge wv. I'm curious how far one can broadcast from a location like that on 500 watts in your all's opinion? AM and SSB
Also curious if there's any forum members who think they are close enough to talk to me?
Thanks for your input.
Interesting side note. I used to run a 102" whip on the roof of my '13 silverado but I was forced to go to an antenna with a coil in it for this 2017 silverado cause the metallurgy is either way to ****ty or the sheet metal is way to thin for a good ground plane for a natural 1/4 wave antenna. Best swr we could get out of it was 1.7
I have a new radio set up in my pick up truck and I'm running a linear for the first time ever. I have a Wilson 5000 magnet mount that's been trimmed and centered on the optimal ground plane etc... (It's been set up by a ham radio shop fellow I'm friends with that's into really advanced stuff I can't talk about without sounding dumb cause it's above my pay grade). The radio is a galaxy 99v2 that's been peaked and meticulously tuned, It will do 11 meters but my antenna is matched to 10 meters. My linear is a older used texas star 500 watt linear. He showed me the finals have red markings on them which means they are an older better generation than the new regulated stuff I'm told.
I know that in a mobile unit how far I can broadcast is going to very all the time based on the terrain, but when I'm at my house I'm in an optimal location on a very high ridge pretty much at the crest, there's just sky all around me and I'm at 2900+ feet in elevation, little town of cool ridge wv. I'm curious how far one can broadcast from a location like that on 500 watts in your all's opinion? AM and SSB
Also curious if there's any forum members who think they are close enough to talk to me?
Thanks for your input.
Interesting side note. I used to run a 102" whip on the roof of my '13 silverado but I was forced to go to an antenna with a coil in it for this 2017 silverado cause the metallurgy is either way to ****ty or the sheet metal is way to thin for a good ground plane for a natural 1/4 wave antenna. Best swr we could get out of it was 1.7