CB DX is a blast!

[VA3WEX]

Am having great fun with CB DX. Spend a very pleasant afternoon today and made 4 DX contacts on 36, 37, and 38 LSB in the course of a couple of hours. Finding it's quite challenging; rather like a noisy restaurant where there are a number of conversations going on at the same time, some people's voices are louder than others, and it's a bit chaotic and difficult to follow any one conversation. But you listen, and get the rhythm, and call out; it's quite a treat when you hear someone saying your number and "waving hello"!

My radio setup is a Sirio Performer 5000 on a magmount, with the coax coming in the rear passenger window and over to the the passenger seat, sunvisor, and rearview mirror, to a President McKinley radio perched on the dash behind the steering wheel. Power from a cig plug. I work "immobile mobile", i.e. I park the car in some parking lot at high point in town, fairly far away from power lines, and with a good view to the horizon. (Oh, and access to a bathroom nearby is a bonus!) I have a couple of these "sweet spots" that I like now.

I've been a ham for two years, doing all QRP, either POTA or just portable operating. Too cold and snowy here to that now. Was unsuccessful in getting an attic antenna to work, and a magmounted multiband ham antenna turned out to be a giant pain. But the Sirio is a great antenna, making CB (and 10m when I feel so inclined) very easy to do from a nice warm car. So CB is now my "winter radio hobby" and ham my "summer radio hobby".

 

[spongella]

So true, 11m is very exciting these days to listen to.

 

[Ensnared]

Yes, with the exception of the seventies, during the oil embargo, it has been a grand adventure.

To this very day, I hear folks trashing CB. A friend of mine was wanting to get into the action. Therefore, I recommended a bloke in Lubbock, Texas. I looked at his web page and saw that he carried the the usual brands of CBs.

However, when my friend went to this buffoon, he started trashing CB stating that nobody listens. I promptly corrected him.

So, I recommended a radio installation business in Houston, Texas. We drove down. I quickly noticed that this River Oaks business was a shadow of its past. They used to work on high end luxury vehicles.

Unfortunately, I encountered yet another "control freak" who insisted CB was dead. I might add that both of these folks commented on the audio debauchery they heard. I asked one of them if he was a Priest.

Then, I launched into my speech. I told them I enjoyed the lack of rules, craziness, lewd behavior, and nastiness that comes with listening to the CB. In my opinion, many HAM operators could benefit from Anafranil.

Rule-oriented behavior disgusts me.

CB has so many applications. I have encountered countless occasions when truckers helped me get around blocked interstates and other obstacles. Then, we have the humor, some corny, some crude. So what.

Let me let Dale Watson sing a song about one of the most bizarre CB stories of all.

At least CB is not boring. Most of the HAM radio transmissions I have been subjected to involve talking about antenna height, weather conditions, coax, DMR, etc.

Thanks for letting me share my opinion.

10-4

 

[dave3825]

I still have a bunch of stuff from back in the day. 2 Cobra 2000 base stations, 7 148GTL'S, 2 Superstar 3900's and a Ranger Rci 2950. Antron 99, Shakespeare big stick and just recently found out the name of an antenna thats been in the garage rafters since the mid 80's

 

[slowmover]

Am having great fun with CB DX. Spend a very pleasant afternoon today and made 4 DX contacts on 36, 37, and 38 LSB in the course of a couple of hours. Finding it's quite challenging; rather like a noisy restaurant where there are a number of conversations going on at the same time, some people's voices are louder than others, and it's a bit chaotic and difficult to follow any one conversation. But you listen, and get the rhythm, and call out; it's quite a treat when you hear someone saying your number and "waving hello"!

My radio setup is a Sirio Performer 5000 on a magmount, with the coax coming in the rear passenger window and over to the the passenger seat, sunvisor, and rearview mirror, to a President McKinley radio perched on the dash behind the steering wheel. Power from a cig plug. I work "immobile mobile", i.e. I park the car in some parking lot at high point in town, fairly far away from power lines, and with a good view to the horizon. (Oh, and access to a bathroom nearby is a bonus!) I have a couple of these "sweet spots" that I like now.

I've been a ham for two years, doing all QRP, either POTA or just portable operating. Too cold and snowy here to that now. Was unsuccessful in getting an attic antenna to work, and a magmounted multiband ham antenna turned out to be a giant pain. But the Sirio is a great antenna, making CB (and 10m when I feel so inclined) very easy to do from a nice warm car. So CB is now my "winter radio hobby" and ham my "summer radio hobby".

I recently posted experience in two threads not required to know the answer: permanent power connection.

Same basic radio set-up otherwise.
Two different vehicles.

Plenty happens while underway.
Not just the quiet of engine-off QSO.

Skip is quite an impressive feller these days.
All growed up.

.

 

[W2JEL]

Yes, with the exception of the seventies, during the oil embargo, it has been a grand adventure.

To this very day, I hear folks trashing CB. A friend of mine was wanting to get into the action. Therefore, I recommended a bloke in Lubbock, Texas. I looked at his web page and saw that he carried the the usual brands of CBs.

However, when my friend went to this buffoon, he started trashing CB stating that nobody listens. I promptly corrected him.

So, I recommended a radio installation business in Houston, Texas. We drove down. I quickly noticed that this River Oaks business was a shadow of its past. They used to work on high end luxury vehicles.

Unfortunately, I encountered yet another "control freak" who insisted CB was dead. I might add that both of these folks commented on the audio debauchery they heard. I asked one of them if he was a Priest.

Then, I launched into my speech. I told them I enjoyed the lack of rules, craziness, lewd behavior, and nastiness that comes with listening to the CB. In my opinion, many HAM operators could benefit from Anafranil.

Rule-oriented behavior disgusts me.

CB has so many applications. I have encountered countless occasions when truckers helped me get around blocked interstates and other obstacles. Then, we have the humor, some corny, some crude. So what.

Let me let Dale Watson sing a song about one of the most bizarre CB stories of all.

At least CB is not boring. Most of the HAM radio transmissions I have been subjected to involve talking about antenna height, weather conditions, coax, DMR, etc.

Thanks for letting me share my opinion.

10-4

You forgot about medical ailments .

 

[MindenJoe]

I’m a ham operator and I love when the 11 meter band opens up. It can be like the Wild West of the airwaves when it gets busy, but I’ll just change to a different channel if there is some clown messing up a frequency. My ham buddy friend is amazed that I have talked to Australia with a CB. In the past year I have made contact with 44 of the states. I live in the west and the past few months it seems that all I can pick up is the eastern states. A lot of nice operators I have chatted with. I suspect that quite a few operators on 11 meter sideband are also hams. I recently bought a Uniden Bearcat 980 SSB to use with my home built dipole. Strictly stock with no tinkering inside the radio and I get great reports. It doesn’t take much power to talk skip when conditions are right.

 

[slowmover]

You forgot about medical ailments .

That’s Advanced Ticket.

 

[VA3WEX]

...I might add that both of these folks commented on the audio debauchery they heard. I asked one of them if he was a Priest. ...

Funny enough you mention that, I have a friend who is a Priest and he was big into CB as a teen in the 80s. Have been trying to get him back into it. He still has his radio, just have to convince him to dig it up! I've heard some swear words, but nothing I'd characterize as "debauchery"--so far, anyway! All that being said, it is better to avoid swearing although it is now so common that the "shock factor" is gone.

I've been pleasantly surprised that 90%+ of people are such pleasant, decent, operators. They guys on The Superbowl are their own thing, and even at that I still commend them for sticking to Channel 6 (well, except for the splatter). All this good behaviour, and with no giant government stick hanging over people forcing them to! Restores my faith in humanity, actually.

 

[dave3825]

it is better to avoid swearing

Lol. I will be send my kid to college in no time...

 

[krokus]

Lol. I will be send my kid to college in no time...


View attachment 134423

Where did you get the pic of my living room?

 

[p1879]

There are many vehement detractors of CB who have not tuned across the CB Band in 30 years. I have heard angry Hams expounding on how the allocation area was "stolen" from Licensed Amateurs; when asked if they ever use the commodious and mainly unused 1.5+MHz of the allocated 10 M band the answer is always negative.

Someone here on RR once said that it is a big positive to have the 11m band untamed and fun--like a RF containment area, confining hobbyists, shenanigans, cb road traffic, Superbowl, rural communties, etc., to a like place, with remarkable interoperability potential if needed in some presently unimaginable scenario.

My boat failed to start once, back in a narrow cove on a lake. I did have a Cobra 148 GTL and the Shakespeare Marine CB antenna though. Calling out on Ch. 19, a gentlemanly trucker pulled over while he still had my signal, and made a phone call to my friends, who soon showed up to tow me in.

It seems that rural Puerto Rico could have benefited from some 11m use when they had the long term communication disruption from the hurricane that isolated so many communities. Some home made dipole kits, and a 12v battery with a decent 11m radio could have been advantageous.

11M--Radio for the people.

 

[slowmover]

There are many vehement detractors of CB who have not tuned across the CB Band in 30 years. I have heard angry Hams expounding on how the allocation area was "stolen" from Licensed Amateurs; when asked if they ever use the commodious and mainly unused 1.5+MHz of the allocated 10 M band the answer is always negative.

Someone here on RR once said that it is a big positive to have the 11m band untamed and fun--like a RF containment area, confining hobbyists, shenanigans, cb road traffic, Superbowl, rural communties, etc., to a like place, with remarkable interoperability potential if needed in some presently unimaginable scenario.

My boat failed to start once, back in a narrow cove on a lake. I did have a Cobra 148 GTL and the Shakespeare Marine CB antenna though. Calling out on Ch. 19, a gentlemanly trucker pulled over while he still had my signal, and made a phone call to my friends, who soon showed up to tow me in.

It seems that rural Puerto Rico could have benefited from some 11m use when they had the long term communication disruption from the hurricane that isolated so many communities. Some home made dipole kits, and a 12v battery with a decent 11m radio could have been advantageous.

11M--Radio for the people.

Outstanding post, brother.

.

 

[spongella]

If you venture above the US CB band you'll find lots of DX. 27.4 - 27.8 MHz can be pretty busy when the band's open. On 27.700 megs you might even copy some SSTV. Been a ham for 40+ years but am enjoying monitoring 11m these days.

 

[krokus]

It seems that rural Puerto Rico could have benefited from some 11m use when they had the long term communication disruption from the hurricane that isolated so many communities. Some home made dipole kits, and a 12v battery with a decent 11m radio could have been advantageous.

Add a Harbor Freight solar setup, and you have something reasonably reliable. (Or equivalent other brand, for non-US locations.)

 

[p1879]

About 1990, a former UGA football player named "Pop", who had a huge peanut farm in Venezuela, ran a 11M net about daily on 27.420 LSB. It was called the "Satellite Net". Venezuela, and Colombia have excellent 11M propagation conditions into the SE US States almost daily during favorable cycles. The two areas are somehow in a 11m radio sweetspot situation. Pop would work dozens of stations back stateside each day.

Many DXers are to be heard on 27.555 USB, English Calling Channel and 27.455 USB.--Spanish calling channel. They make contact and QSY to another frequency to converse, and most real hobbyists don't operate over about 27.8 MHz so there is no griping from the neighbors.

The Aussies have (had?) a calling channel as well, might be hot this summer!

Most US English traffic on DX across USA is in LSB, and Spanish prevalent in USB. But most international DXers are using USB. Anything goes though, am, ssb and fm dxing is not uncommon either on 11m.

FM may be more commonly used down in the 26.XXX region below CB channel 1 .

 

[racefan0020]

on subject, yet off subject. I have found a way to enjoy DXing. WebSDR, is the way if all you want to do is receive. It is a way to listen to DX from different perspectives. Right now, I can go out into my car and find and try to talk to stations far away. That is totally fun and have done it many times. Back in the '90's, I made contact with a station in Siberia, on my Cobra 2000, stock, with a Big Stick antenna, Totally Cool. I live in a different part of York County, PA now and haven't yet figured out how to put up an Antenna that won't interfere with my Discone for my scanners. So, receive only is my alternative for indoors. SDR is the answer. And it's great for seeing what is being heard anywhere in the world.

 

[slowmover]

Past few weeks I’ve been stuck with what is pretty well a receive-only antenna in the latest big truck (Freightliner Cascadia Evo).

The factory-standard infamous HIRSCHMANN Thin-Film Antenna glued to the backside of the composite-body above the windshield header.

45W don’t mean bupkis.

Nevertheless, a well-aligned GALAXY 86V plus coax transceiver filter has had me intrigued with what comes across the DSP-integrated external speaker.

It can be aggravating to wish to know local conditions when life’s losers have parked themselves on AM-19 during heavy Skip, but ability to filter extraneous noise sure makes a difference in trying to focus on one’s road conditions.

Better the set-up, the more to play around with. Skip is an impediment to those not prepared to try and deal with it.

.

 

[CDX951]

Past few weeks I’ve been stuck with what is pretty well a receive-only antenna in the latest big truck (Freightliner Cascadia Evo).

The factory-standard infamous HIRSCHMANN Thin-Film Antenna glued to the backside of the composite-body above the windshield header.

45W don’t mean bupkis.
View attachment 134692
Nevertheless, a well-aligned GALAXY 86V plus coax transceiver filter has had me intrigued with what comes across the DSP-integrated external speaker.

It can be aggravating to wish to know local conditions when life’s losers have parked themselves on AM-19 during heavy Skip, but ability to filter extraneous noise sure makes a difference in trying to focus on one’s road conditions.

Better the set-up, the more to play around with. Skip is an impediment to those not prepared to try and deal with it.

.

The amazing thing about that factory "antenna system" is, when hooked up to an antenna analyzer, it produces somewhat decent readings! It won't blow up you're radio, but it's still a "if you can see 'em, you can talk to them" antenna!
The factory antenna system on the new Volvo I'm in is, at least, usable. Biggest problem is the whips and antenna mounts aren't very sturdy and will break easily. I use my own antenna, but I try not to whack the passenger side antenna because if you bust that one.......no AM/FM! Gotta have tunes!
I've been having some fun with the radio during this skip cycle. Best results have come in the freeband area. I don't have enough "fire in the wire" to even bother with the "SSB Superbowl"! Had a nice 15-20 minute QSO yesterday on 27.455LSB with an operator on Prince Edward Island by the name of John whilst I was steaming across the Ohio Pike on the way to the house. It seems we were both running the same radio, Anytone 5555NII! His station sounded great and he returned the flowers regarding my mudduck mobile! Really helps pass the time! Have also had good luck on 26.805FM. First time I have tried FM and it's kinda cool.

JD

 

[slowmover]

The amazing thing about that factory "antenna system" is, when hooked up to an antenna analyzer, it produces somewhat decent readings! It won't blow up you're radio, but it's still a "if you can see 'em, you can talk to them" antenna!
The factory antenna system on the new Volvo I'm in is, at least, usable. Biggest problem is the whips and antenna mounts aren't very sturdy and will break easily. I use my own antenna, but I try not to whack the passenger side antenna because if you bust that one.......no AM/FM! Gotta have tunes!
I've been having some fun with the radio during this skip cycle. Best results have come in the freeband area. I don't have enough "fire in the wire" to even bother with the "SSB Superbowl"! Had a nice 15-20 minute QSO yesterday on 27.455LSB with an operator on Prince Edward Island by the name of John whilst I was steaming across the Ohio Pike on the way to the house. It seems we were both running the same radio, Anytone 5555NII! His station sounded great and he returned the flowers regarding my mudduck mobile! Really helps pass the time! Have also had good luck on 26.805FM. First time I have tried FM and it's kinda cool.

JD

The problem in DX is those that use AM-19:
The Travellers Channel.

More than three-dozen other channels exist.

.