First Contact and Thank you

[Bored_Technician]

Hi all,
I have many fond memories of my dad tinkering with CB equipment in the early 90s. A good friend of mine recently let me have a Uniden pc78 Elite that he was going to get rid of (Came with a cobra mag mount antenna around 4 ft tall). I was instantly hooked on the idea of trying to make contact. Just the right amount of nostalgia and problem solving to really pique my interest.

I instantly started reading as much info as possible on the web to learn the basics and see if anyone is even using CB radio anymore. Obviously things aren't the same as the were 30 years ago, but it sounds like there are still hobbyists around.


As I searched for various pieces of information, this forum came up in a lot of my searches. I ended up just staying here and reading various threads for hours. I have learned a lot, but I still have MUCH MUCH more to learn. So, the thank you is for all the regular posters who share their knowledge on this forum.

Here's my experience so far:


I tried setting up in my shed with the mag mount on a big metal patio table, but I could only rx weather.
So today I decided to go mobile.

And it worked! I was able to make my first contact on CB. I spoke with a semi receiving center around 2 miles away from my vehicle. I also finally heard some of the annoying noise on 19 you guys have been talking about (tuned in just in time to hear some very filthy, racist language).

As I drove around today I was able to hear someone broadcasting in Oklahoma (pretty darn far away) and someone from Texas (Super far away from me)
I realize that may not be very exciting to you pros, but I was thrilled that I could receive anything, let alone from 900 miles away.
Anyway I doubt I have enough power for anyone to hear me back, but it made my day.


Next up: Learning how to make a big dipole antenna for my shed (looking at this guide Simple CB Base Station Antenna)

There's no wiring diagram in that page, but it looks like one wire connects to the jack, and the other wire connects to the base of the jack.

Not sure if I can use an old extension cord I have lying around for the copper. It's stranded and insulated. Does the copper need to be solid and bare for this project?

Unfortunately my home has a lot of trees around it and I'm in a low spot, so my dreams of a sweet base in my shed might be dead before they ever take off.

Otherwise my only other goal is saving up for an SSB capable unit, as it seems much hobbyist chatter is on sideband.

Again thanks for all the help and I look forward to learning more!

 

[K6GBW]

All of us that started with CB radio way back when..we get it. It's a fun hobby. Be warned, it may lead you to other things, such as GMRS or Ham. But even if you decide to just stay on CB it can be lots of fun. The dipole is a very basic and easy antenna to make. It only takes a bit of wire, a center insulator and some coax to make it work. If you have high trees that may be a real advantage. You can throw some paracord over a branch up high and pull the dipole up into the tree. If you can get it 25 or thirty feet high that would really good. Then you pull the wire ends out to the sides to create a kind of inverted V shaped antenna. You can look up inverted V dipole and find lots of instructions on how to make them. Just buy a center insulator from a ham shop or eBay to make your life easier.

Another option, is to spend a few bucks on a base antenna. The Solarcon A99 is a good antenna at a fair price. It radiates at a lower angle and is better for local contacts. But the dipole is great too.

Welcome to radio!

 

[KANE4109]

Welcome in here!

I am fortunate to live in an area where there appears to be a fairly good number of operators that maintain contact EVEN in solar minimum periods. Every night ..... 8 pm.... they roll call and chat for a while.......

But I do remember back to my first radio.... after Christmas 1976. My wife got it for me because her dad had gone ape over CB in the preceding 2 years. I was still in college, we were married, couldn't afford much... but she got me the JC Penney Pinto 23 channel and a trunk lip antenna for the car. We were in an 2nd story apartment in Dallas just 2 blocks from Hwy 75 North at Fitzhugh. All I had was a (barely) 1 amp power supply.... and I just rigged up a simple wire dipole so that I could at least LISTEN to the traffic going on at all times of the day.

It will probably never be quite like that again..... where every third car you SAW had an antenna on it.... but as long as we have a few people coming in.... maybe we can stretch it out a bit.

I did not see that you mentioned it... if you did.... I missed it... but be sure to get at least an SWR meter to tune the various home brew antennas you make. Get one and become good with it.

That A99 is a great idea.... but so is the inverted V. You say you have trees... if you can get an inverted V WAYYYYY up there.... it will do really well too.

Always enjoy your radio time!!!!

 

[bharvey2]

CB and shortwave is what started my radio junkie lifestyle many moons ago. My folks got my brother and I a 23 channel CB for Christmas. I think we started off with a mobile antenna on a gutter and a car battery for fuel. We built or first base station antenna out of some fiberglass poles and braided wire. CB was pretty popular in those days and contacts were plentiful. I lost interest in CB stuff 30-40 years ago as the activity started changing. I still turn one on every once in a while to see what's going on in my area but it is nothing like it was in years past. I can still hear the channel 6 chatter when the band is good but it is usually quiet. A lot depends on location though. Some areas are really busy while other aren't. Sounds like you might be in a good area.

As far as antennas go, you can certainly fabricate your own. With regard to your specific question about zip or extension cord, you could make a dipole out of cord but keep a few things in mind: Most CB antennas are oriented vertically. While you can orient a wire dipole for CB horizontally, it will reduce the signal somewhat. Should you decide try you hand at a wire antenna, stranded vs solid won't pose much difference with regard to signal but stranded is far more flexible. Insulated vs bare won't have a large effect either. One item of importance: The length of an antenna is much more forgiving when receiving than when transmitting. A good starting point for each leg of your dipole would be about 108" long. (one length connects to the center conductor of your coax and the other length to your braided or shield conductor.)
A few inches in antenna length one way or another can render the antenna unusable for transmitting. Also the antenna's proximity to other objects and to the ground can have an influence.


In any case, educate yourself as best you can on antennas. They are the heart of any good radio station. Also, as noted above, get your self a decent SWR meter suitable for CB (1-30mhz should work) It'll probably be the first of many tools you obtain for setting up your station. Above all, enjoy yourself. The hobby can be fun.

 

[Bored_Technician]

Thanks for responses! I appreciate all the advice.

As far as SWR meters, there is one built into my Uniden. Is that sufficient for now? Or are built in ones like that not considered very accurate. It's been showing my mag mount at about 1.5 so I've been running it.

I'm assuming the cheap 30 dollar SWR meters on Amazon are junk lol.

Anyway I have some parts coming and I can't wait to try hoisting my dipole into some different trees and seeing what I get. There is an opening in the trees by my house, so I'm hoping with proper orientation of my dipole I can sort of "aim" it out of the opening. Maybe they don't work that way at all , I'm still learning.

Anyway thanks again for the welcome.

 

[bharvey2]

Like most anything, the "you get what you pay for" adage applies to Amazon SWR meters as well. I'd guess the $30 SWR meters are about on par with the built in meter of your radio. With regard to your wire dipole antenna, yes they are a bit directional (off of the broadsides of the antenna, not the tips of the wires) One item of note: keep the coax feedline perpendicular to the length of the antenna for at least 9ft or so. Having it close to one of the antenna elements can cause you some grief in getting the antenna to behave properly.

 

[KANE4109]

Thanks for responses! I appreciate all the advice.

As far as SWR meters, there is one built into my Uniden. Is that sufficient for now? Or are built in ones like that not considered very accurate. It's been showing my mag mount at about 1.5 so I've been running it.

I'm assuming the cheap 30 dollar SWR meters on Amazon are junk lol.

Anyway I have some parts coming and I can't wait to try hoisting my dipole into some different trees and seeing what I get. There is an opening in the trees by my house, so I'm hoping with proper orientation of my dipole I can sort of "aim" it out of the opening. Maybe they don't work that way at all , I'm still learning.

Anyway thanks again for the welcome.

Just to discuss an alternative possibility that is really accurate.... BUT..... there CAN be a learning curve involved!!!!! (But it can be done! My middle "radio nut" son is not a "radio technical" person at all... and just by watching some YouTube videos he figured it out without my help at all!!!)

There is a piece of gear you can get on Amazon even..... called a Nano VNA. It is capable of displaying SO MANY things about antennas and feedlines that MOST OF US WILL never need!!!!!

BUT..... It is really good (in my opinion) on showing SWR... NOT just at one spot....but across a whole BAND.
There are MANY videos on YouTube that show you how to "cookbook" your way into measuring SWR.

By "cookbooking" ... I mean that you don't really have to understand the science behind what you are doing..... but if you push on these few things..... you will get the SWR curve AND learn how to INTERPRET it.

Again, when you FIRST look at them.... they can be very busy looking.... and seem overwhelming. But... the FIRST thing to learn is to shut off all the traces you DONT need and learn to set up for SWR.... and it gets to be "easy to do".

You MAY NOT WANT to go to this extreme.... it just might be handy to know that it is available.

Especially when it is only $49 which is NOT a lot more than the inexpensive SWR meters.

https://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-10KHz-1-5Ghz-Analyzer-Measuring-Parameters/dp/B0B4PPLFMS/ref=asc_df_B0B4PPLFMS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=693071814379&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14574055751809469311&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027816&hvtargid=pla-1933215158867&psc=1&mcid=b7f8ff2c30cc3ef696516f4b69d8831d&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6PGxBhCVARIsAIumnWaSMbtvD_WdYiwAjxmRa5Qlhz3DulajWAy35SAsLc2IRG6n0GT4cBcaAtneEALw_wcB

Also here is a link for a fairly good video on using it...

There are many good videos on there that may work better for you. Just search for "using a Nano VNA" and you will find a bunch of them.
If you have questions, I'd be happy to answer what I can.

Bob

 

[Bored_Technician]

I didn't really want to start a new thread so I hope it's ok I bump this one.

I finally built my dipole antenna. I was very pleased that it had a low (under 1.5 on my built in meter) SWR. It was nice to solder a project again. It's been a while but it came back real easy. The smell really hit me with some nostalgia lol.

Now I just need to get it up high I have found a lot of ham radio videos about hanging antennas in trees. Gonna use those for inspiration.

You guys ever try sloping a dipole? Would that be good to get out of an opening in the trees? Like if I slope it towards the opening?

I have been trying to read up on it, but if anyone has experience with it, I would gladly listen.

Thanks for your help everyone.