C.B. picking up???

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jon_k

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Greetings all,

Today I did some much needed work on the coax for my Austin Spectra mobile rig. I smashed the BNC connector accidently so decided to solder on a PL-259 connector. I then grabbed a PL-259 to BNC converter and slapped my scanner on.

Immediately I began hearing things on CB like I never have before. I've had the CB frequencies coded in all along but only once in a blue moon would I hear a blip before hearing it fade out.

Today it seemed like amateur radio field day but on CB! People from cost to cost were on every channel talking. Not a dead frequency out there. I heard Missouri, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Nevada among others. I was totally blown away by the event.

Has a sun spot developed that made this possible? I know my soldering wasn't that good!

Anyone have a link to a site that shows current and developing sunspots?
 

w0fg

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Solar conditions are still very poor, but it's not unusual for there to be an occasional band opening on the upper bands, particularly for stateside signal. Doesn't take much of an opening for signals within 1000 miles or so. You probably had a shorted coax and cured it by replacing the connector.

Here's one site for propagation info: http://www.hamradio-online.com/propagation.html
 

Bill_White

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k8tmk

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Did you check the new connector with an ohmmeter? What else did you do other than replace the connector?
Here's one possiblility. The 10-meter amateur band is right next to the CB band. Depending upon the IF (intermediate frequency) used in your receiver, you might be receiving images. Images are caused by "improper" mixing in the receiver. Perhaps the problem has always been there, but you had not noticed it before. The 10-meter band has been relatively "dead" for quite some time now, but due to Field Day being such a large and popular event, amateur radio operators probably used the band the best they could to get away from the congestion on the other bands.
In short, if you didn't do anything other than replace a connector, chances are everything is okay. Your receiving amateur radio on the CB band was probably due to the inherant design of your receiver. (Before you through stones at me, I am not implying that there is anything wrong with your receiver.) Perhaps you won't notice it again until next year's Field Day (late June).

Randy, K8TMK
 

w0fg

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The OP didn't say he was receiving amateur signals, just that the band was as busy as Field Day, which is very commonplace on CB when the band is open. Folks who are new to HF, and get into it during the low point of the solar cycle are often amazed at band openings. New CB'ers who started during the bottom of the cycle are thrilled at first when they start hearing distant signals. Then, when the cycle peaks, the grow disgusted with the amount of interference and pitch their radios. And then the whole thing repeats itself. It's been happening every cycle since the 27 Mhz band was turned over to CB in the early 60s.
 

jon_k

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As poster above said, this wasn't during field day I witnessed this. I witnessed this yesterday. I was remarking the C.B. traffic was as heavy as field day.

I did correct a short in the coax, as I had crushed or otherwise damaged the inner insulator previously when it had a BNC connector.

This was all picked up by my BC246T. My only TX radios right now just cover 2m and 70cm. And my license class doesn't give me much on HF anyways. With the magic of HF revealed to me more than once, I have all intentions to upgrade my license so I can start working HF. HF is some of the most amazing part of radio spectrum I've witnessed. Too bad everyone on C.B. was acting a fool for it to be truly enjoyable for someone participating (and not much fun listening.) I didn't get to listen for long without someone starting harmful interference to start screwing up the C.B. qso's. I think I'll skip the whole CB stage and just get my general license and leave it at that. ;-)
 
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kb2vxa

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"Too bad everyone on C.B. was acting a fool for it to be truly enjoyable for someone participating."

Typical CB which is why I'm a ham enjoying band openings among other things. To coin a phrase; "Hams have the best frequencies and they're legal."
 

N1SQB

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kb2vxa;843046 "Typical CB which is why I'm a ham enjoying band openings among other things. To coin a phrase; "Hams have the best frequencies and they're legal."[/QUOTE said:
Im enjoying the band openings as well. However, to be fair in the discussion, I can sadly say I've heard more than one nasty little hornary cuss on the "LEGAL" bands. Yeah, CB is an anything goes band but there a quite a few "Licensed" Ham folks that should not be!

Manny
 
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jon_k

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Im enjoying the band openings as well. However, to be fair in the discussion, I can sadly say I've heard more than one nasty little hornary cuss on the "LEGAL" bands. Yeah, CB is an anything goes band but there a quite a few "Licensed" Ham folks that should not be!

Manny

I believe if the FCC had more funding (they've gotten less, and less, and less as more has been distributed to "other" projects) then they could put out enforcements against these people.

However, despite the infractions on amateur HF -- I don't think it's too often you hear "GAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" over some QSO's where people are just being an ass and trying to stomp on others. People do it on 2 meters plenty but hopefully not as much on amateur HF. That "GAHHHHHHHHH" crap was what was going on the C.B. opening I was listening to. Was screwing my ability to get peoples locations.

Happy I don't own a CB radio. ;-)
 
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