CB in Europe vs N. America

[599]

This is a question for the DX'ers or more seasoned operators out there:

I've been checking out different cb forums for quite a while and also listening on the band and i find that cb ( including un-authorized out of band usage above ch. 40 ) is much more evolved in Europe compared to N. America.

They are doing all sorts of activities there: IOTA, POTA, SOTA,SSTV and digital modes, special events, they have "DX clubs" just to name a few.

And i've always wondered why isn't any of that happening here in N. America ??
Even during the higher part of the solar cycle i've never heard a SOTA,IOTA or any activity in these lines from over here...

Propagation conditions are about the same from what i have observed at both locations and they have sporadic "E" like we do here in summer.

So what gives ?

 

[BloodandRoses]

I think Europe uses FM not really sure..

 

[599]

I think Europe uses FM not really sure..

Yes, among other modes too.

 

[weirdtolkienishfig]

FCC allows only AM and SSB I believe.

 

[599]

FCC allows only AM and SSB I believe.

Yes,indeed here in north America.

 

[TheSpaceMann]

Many in Europe belong to 11 meter DX groups. They can also buy radios that are not sold here (ex. President Grant 2). You can sometimes listen to them on FM here in the USA!!

 

[N4KVE]

Years ago when I was a kid, & lived in Montreal, when there were only 23 channels, my friends, & I would use 27.340 MHz, because of all the skip interference on the 23 channels. Now that freq is between ch 33,& 34, But there weren’t 40 channels back then. My call was XM52-6057. Used to drive up to Westmount Lookout to talk to NY State.

 

[TheSpaceMann]

Part of the European FM citizens band is above the 40 channel US citizens band, in an area that is referred to as the "Freeband".

 

[kf4eyr]

http://fldx.org/site/11m-call-frequencies-and-operating.php\

 

[599]

This is a question for the DX'ers or more seasoned operators out there:

I've been checking out different cb forums for quite a while and also listening on the band and i find that cb ( including un-authorized out of band usage above ch. 40 ) is much more evolved in Europe compared to N. America.

They are doing all sorts of activities there: IOTA, POTA, SOTA,SSTV and digital modes, special events, they have "DX clubs" just to name a few.

And i've always wondered why isn't any of that happening here in N. America ??
Even during the higher part of the solar cycle i've never heard a SOTA,IOTA or any activity in these lines from over here...

Propagation conditions are about the same from what i have observed at both locations and they have sporadic "E" like we do here in summer.

So what gives ?

Nobody seems to have an answer ??

I just find it strange that over here in NA,other than regular chit-chat and the wavin' hands on 38 lsb and the bah-bah-bah's on ch. 6 am nothing interesting is happening compared to what the Europeans do.

I could only guess that over here people get bored more quickly of the cb band and tend to move on up to getting the licence for the ham bands ?
cb'ers in europe tend more to emulate the hams in their activities on 11m instead of upgrading for the ham bands. Maybe the ham licence is less accessible and more difficult to obtain over there who knows ? maybe that could be the reason ?

 

[TheSpaceMann]

Nobody seems to have an answer ??

I just find it strange that over here in NA,other than regular chit-chat and the wavin' hands on 38 lsb and the bah-bah-bah's on ch. 6 am nothing interesting is happening compared to what the Europeans do.

I could only guess that over here people get bored more quickly of the cb band and tend to move on up to getting the licence for the ham bands ?
cb'ers in europe tend more to emulate the hams in their activities on 11m instead of upgrading for the ham bands. Maybe the ham licence is less accessible and more difficult to obtain over there who knows ? maybe that could be the reason ?

It depends on where you are! I'm some areas there is still a good amount of local CB activity. In other areas, it's quiet.

 

[weirdtolkienishfig]

I dunno, I can hear the UHF/VHF/HF ham bands, not much interesting happens there either. Bunch of old dudes talking about painting the shed and their blood pressure meds. And their radios of course.

 

[N4GIX]

I dunno, I can hear the UHF/VHF/HF ham bands, not much interesting happens there either. Bunch of old dudes talking about painting the shed and their blood pressure meds. And their radios of course.

Huh? No discussion of hemorrhoids or gall bladder surgery? How boring! :lol:

 

[DJ11DLN]

Huh? No discussion of hemorrhoids or gall bladder surgery? How boring! :lol:

LOL that brought back a memory bomb! I haven't had a functional CB in 30 years or bothered with it in even longer but I still recall 2 local older guys who would get into heated Ford vs Chevy arguments every Friday night, probably after imbibing a few fermented beverages. It used to get pretty hilarious.

 

[N4KVE]

local older guys who would get into heated Ford vs Chevy arguments.

Still happens to this day, but now it's on Facebook.

 

[599]

Thanks for all the humour guys but that ain't what this post is about.

 

[FiveFilter]

What do Europeans use the CB band for? What does anybody do with any bands in any modern country? I could see a lot more RF activity happening if it weren't for the Internet and modern, cheap long-distance cell and hardline phone service. But, there IS the Internet and cheap long-distance phone service. So...?

Personally, I use the CB for the one thing that other devices can't: getting and giving highway information in my immediate driving vicinity to those other truckers who still use it. Now, that's a real service.

 

[TheSpaceMann]

What do Europeans use the CB band for? What does anybody do with any bands in any modern country? I could see a lot more RF activity happening if it weren't for the Internet and modern, cheap long-distance cell and hardline phone service. But, there IS the Internet and cheap long-distance phone service. So...?

Personally, I use the CB for the one thing that other devices can't: getting and giving highway information in my immediate driving vicinity to those other truckers who still use it. Now, that's a real service.

My friends in Europe tell me that there is quite a bit of yapping and chit chat on 11 meters there. It seems that more locals actually view it as a hobby there, sort of like the way things were in the US back in the '70s and '80s. Also, a lot of them seem to be using the internet based HamSphere site, which is open to anyone and doesn't require any kind of a license to use. ( Ham Radio for your PC and Smartphone - HamSphere® ) And, there is a lot of illegal "Freebanding" there as well... www.FreeBanding.co.uk

 

[Hans13]

Thanks for that HamSphere link. It looks interesting.

 

[TheSpaceMann]

Thanks for that HamSphere link. It looks interesting.

No problem! It's basically a virtual ham and CB radio connected via computer..