Getting back into CB radio

[CAvoyager1960]

My first post. Tried to find a "member introduction" but no luck. I've been into radio my whole life (I'm 64) Is there a way to add this to my profile?
Anyway, I'll stick to CB radio for now. I've been on/off for years (since the late 1970s) I also got very interested in ham radio (friend had an older bother with full blown "ham shack"... serious setup with multi-band homemade quad antenna on the roof... would love to talk about that later) Like everyone else in the 70s and 80s had fun on the mobile. Years later, I got a new Cobra SSB and built my own horizontal dipole (AARL antenna handbook), mounted it on a metal pole to the metal "porch" on my upstairs apartment. No power booster! Got contact from CA to Detroit, MI. They guy asked if I had a beam... nope, just a stock radio and home-made antenna. Something about the metal porch/stairs enhanced my signal (only to the East) Anyway, been recently playing with another old Cobra mobile (no SSB ) running off a new power supply and a mag mount antenna outside my window on a metal tool shed. Mostly just listening for now. Still interested in ham radio (actually studied years ago but then had too much fun on the SSB CB (lower 16 back then) I'm saving up for a new SSB radio (Galaxy looks good) and going to try and make a similar antenna. Don't laugh, but I got the old ARRL antenna handbook from the public library (remember those?) Recently got the same book online... blast from the past!
On a sidenote: trying to setup my son so he can contact me in emergency situations using CB (I realized if the solar activity causes issues, it' also likely to mess up 11 meter band) We are 3 mile away in the city. Have other ideas for that (may have to talk to a mod/admin about discussion stuff like that) Oh yea... love monitoring short wave too.

 

[slowmover]

Welcome!

Threads like these (linked) are addressed to those new & old, as is website on best practices.

Conditions are more difficult in which to operate today, so it pays bigly to start anew.

Gear:

Best Mobile 2025

A general: what should I recommend to friends who want high performance in Citizen Band? Let’s ballpark it at $500 entry. Will last longer than the time they own the automobile. Seatbelts, Concealed Carry, and CITIZEN BAND. This thread aimed at YOU, not the guy who knows even less. However...

forums.radioreference.com

CB/SW combo. Xiegu G90

To avoid hijacking another thread, and since at least two of us use the G90 for CB, we can talk about the G90 here, @sempai

forums.radioreference.com

Mobile Installation Practice:

KØBG.COM

A Web Site For Mobile Amateur Radio Operators

www.k0bg.com

Antenna posts (base station) can be here and elsewhere.

Base Antenna Basics...

What are the fundamental considerations for a base antenna? I'm kicking around the idea of putting up a base antenna. Just to get started I'll run my mobile unit and my "shack" will be my truck. I've read several threads regarding antennas and masts in different sub-forums. The information...

forums.radioreference.com

The attendant sub-forum on MOBILE INSTALLATION also recommended.

11-Meter can be “high performance” as never before.

The more you read around the sooner you’ll come closer to date. Some quite good contributors hereabouts.

.

 

[slowmover]

Worldwide Ground Plane in the Wild Wild West

"I got down"

forums.radioreference.com

It’s easy to get discouraged given:

1). We are in the midst of a strong solar cycle; and,

2). Inexpensive amplification has made Skip a bear in many ways.

Those of us who’ve been willing to tackle it have found success with the local comms we favor.

But there are Eeyores everywhere who’ll agree in order to dissuade that, “it’s gone and never coming back”.



That’s a choice.
Not a fact.

.

 

[MrSpock11A2B]

My first post. Tried to find a "member introduction" but no luck. I've been into radio my whole life (I'm 64) Is there a way to add this to my profile?
Anyway, I'll stick to CB radio for now. I've been on/off for years (since the late 1970s) I also got very interested in ham radio (friend had an older bother with full blown "ham shack"... serious setup with multi-band homemade quad antenna on the roof... would love to talk about that later) Like everyone else in the 70s and 80s had fun on the mobile. Years later, I got a new Cobra SSB and built my own horizontal dipole (AARL antenna handbook), mounted it on a metal pole to the metal "porch" on my upstairs apartment. No power booster! Got contact from CA to Detroit, MI. They guy asked if I had a beam... nope, just a stock radio and home-made antenna. Something about the metal porch/stairs enhanced my signal (only to the East) Anyway, been recently playing with another old Cobra mobile (no SSB ) running off a new power supply and a mag mount antenna outside my window on a metal tool shed. Mostly just listening for now. Still interested in ham radio (actually studied years ago but then had too much fun on the SSB CB (lower 16 back then) I'm saving up for a new SSB radio (Galaxy looks good) and going to try and make a similar antenna. Don't laugh, but I got the old ARRL antenna handbook from the public library (remember those?) Recently got the same book online... blast from the past!
On a sidenote: trying to setup my son so he can contact me in emergency situations using CB (I realized if the solar activity causes issues, it' also likely to mess up 11 meter band) We are 3 mile away in the city. Have other ideas for that (may have to talk to a mod/admin about discussion stuff like that) Oh yea... love monitoring short wave too.

Hi Voyager,

I just registered with the site myself and I'm soon to turn 66 so we grew up at the same time. CB was all the rage back then, but then it seemed to fade with the advent of cell phones. Now, everyone is hawking the wonders of GMRS. Well, I got back into CB about two years ago and it's still al lot of fun. The best thing that happened to me while searching for new equipment, is that I came across a website for a real radio store ( a one off, not a chain ) with a real radio guy working there. I explained I was looking to get back into radio for a SHTF scenario because I live in manhattan and my business is just on the the northern NYC line so i wanted a way to possibly contact home if the cell towers went down. This guy really put it in perspective. I asked about Ham, GMRS and CB. In a nutshell:

1) Ham is great, but you need to take an exam and get a license and it still relies on repeaters for extended range and they will probably be down in SHTF scenario despite what people say. Also, limited user base of about 850,000 Hams.

2) GMRS. No test, but still need license. DEFINITELY needs repeaters for any kind of range. These tales of 20, 30, 40 miles on a handheld in simplex line of sight communication without a repeater is BS. No repeater no real range. User base is even less than Ham with about 100,000 licensees. Best use for GMRS is within known groups like an off roader group where clear comms are desired, but great range is not required.

So, with HAM and GMRS in addition to SHTF scenario, if you'e on the road, looking for info or emergency contacts, who are you talking to? Not many people.

3) CB is pure line of sight, no repeaters and even though it is restricted to 4 watts, AM waves carry farther than FM ( although CB is now available in FM here as well ) and I have read numerous tests where a properly installed CB with a good antenna ( especially a 102 inch whip will outperform a GMRS in simplex mode ( no repeater ). Best of all, 3.5 million truckers still use CB daily and over 30 million CB radios have been sold. I would say there are probably 5 million or more regular CB users in the U.S. Here in the northeast we take cell coverage for granted. In some areas CB are still used regularly due to poor cell service. Some people like to get down them, but they are still great. My radio guy set me up with a President Richard Export radio. It's a Ham, but designed so that the CB band can be added. It gives you 12 watts on the reg channels, so no need for SSB. SSB is overrated in my opinion because the other guy needs to have an SSB radio as well or you can speak to him. Anyway, welcome to the site.

 

[krokus]

1) Ham is great, but you need to take an exam and get a license and it still relies on repeaters for extended range and they will probably be down in SHTF scenario despite what people say. Also, limited user base of about 850,000 Hams.

The repeaters are primarily for VHF & UHF, not HF. Yes, there are some repeaters on 10m, but not that many.

 

[mmckenna]

This guy really put it in perspective. I asked about Ham, GMRS and CB. In a nutshell:

Keep in mind that his "perspective" is that of a person whose livelihood depends on selling CB radios to people like yourself. Not exactly an unbiased opinion. Not an uncommon opinion, either.

Some slight modifications to his "nutshell" statement would make them more accurate:

1) Ham is great, but you need to take an exam and get a license and it still relies on repeaters for extended range and they will probably be down in SHTF scenario despite what people say. Also, limited user base of about 850,000 Hams.

No, it does not rely on repeaters. As mentioned above, the HF frequencies will allow reliable communications around the world to other hams without repeaters. VHF frequencies can reach quite a long way without repeaters, and do it reliably with the correct equipment and antennas. The wide choice of bands, modes, power levels, equipment and antennas results in their being a lot of options to tailor the setup to the exact needs. There is no one off the shelf solution that can be used to make comparisons or make blanket statements.

The license test is a big limitation for many.
There are a lot of hams, but not all of them are active, and not all of them are people that can be of much assistance in a "SHTF" scenario. It's a hobby radio service and expectations should be adjusted accordingly.

2) GMRS. No test, but still need license. DEFINITELY needs repeaters for any kind of range. These tales of 20, 30, 40 miles on a handheld in simplex line of sight communication without a repeater is BS. No repeater no real range. User base is even less than Ham with about 100,000 licensees. Best use for GMRS is within known groups like an off roader group where clear comms are desired, but great range is not required.

Clear line of sight on UHF is easy to do and getting 40 miles of range is not a challenge if the locations are right. I've had no problem getting 20 miles of range simplex in mobile to mobile environment. 50 watts with unlimited ERP helps a bit with range. Wide band FM makes the audio much easier to listen to compared to CB. With the higher frequencies, efficient antennas are much smaller and easier to mount with excellent performance. Noise levels are lower and one usually doesn't have to listen to distant traffic bouncing in from 1000 miles away. There is a good reason why four wheel drive users are adopting it. I've been using GMRS since the 1990's, and it's an underrated radio service.

Repeaters are not a given, and some are private. Users cannot just use which ever repeaters they want.
Less users, and options like CTCSS/DCS make random contacts difficult. It's not really a hobby radio service, but has started to become one. Absolutely not the right choice for making random contacts.

So, with HAM and GMRS in addition to SHTF scenario, if you'e on the road, looking for info or emergency contacts, who are you talking to? Not many people.

"SHTF" doesn't mean repeaters won't be available. Significant range can still be achieved reliably with simplex, and it doesn't necessarily rely on atmospheric conditions.
Amateur radio can be useful when on the road. Lots of established users, lots of established protocols.
GMRS, not so much for random contacts. But that's not what the radio service is intended for.

3) CB is pure line of sight,

No, not entirely. Long range CB contacts require specific atmospheric conditions to skip the radio waves off the upper layers of the atmosphere. Those conditions change often, and go through 7 year cycles. What works now may not in 15 minutes, next week, or next year. Without a really well thought out installation and using all the right components on both ends, range can be severely limited. Poor installations might give you a mile or two range. Better ones might give you 20 miles of reliable range. Much beyond that, it depends on location and atmospheric conditions.

no repeaters and even though it is restricted to 4 watts, AM waves carry farther than FM

Not really, mode doesn't impact range. There's a lot of variables, but the CB shop guy is mistaken here. Sounds like he's confusing AM broadcast radio and FM broadcast radio. Different bands, different performance, not a good apples to apples comparison.

( although CB is now available in FM here as well ) and I have read numerous tests where a properly installed CB with a good antenna ( especially a 102 inch whip will outperform a GMRS in simplex mode ( no repeater ).

Sometimes.
Problem is dealing with the noise level. There's a lot more noise on CB, and when "skip is rolling in", it can make short/medium range contacts difficult. High power stations can blanket the local guys and make communications difficult or impossible.

A 102" whip is bigger than many want to install on their vehicles. While they do work well, they need a substantial mount and lots of ground plane to work well. This is where the higher frequencies of amateur radio and GMRS can be beneficial. Easier to get an antenna with gain on a proper ground plane without an 8 foot long whip.

Best of all, 3.5 million truckers still use CB daily and over 30 million CB radios have been sold. I would say there are probably 5 million or more regular CB users in the U.S.

After running CB radios since the 1980's, you'll find a lot has changed.

You may hear truckers, but that can really vary on location and time of day. I found over the years that many truckers were keeping their radios off, or at least turned way down. There are still some that do use CB heavily, but I'd not rely on that in an emergency.

One of the big issues you'll run into with CB is that most users will not do a proper installation of the radio and antenna. They'll rely on a cigarette lighter plug and a cheap magnetic mount antenna, and will get no where near the range you are expecting. Remember, it's -two- way radio. You have to consider the radio installation on each end. One perfect radio/antenna setup isn't going to fix the issue with the other guys setup.

 

[kc2asb]

I asked about Ham, GMRS and CB. In a nutshell:
(SNIP)
So, with HAM and GMRS in addition to SHTF scenario, if you'e on the road, looking for info or emergency contacts, who are you talking to? Not many people.

3) CB is pure line of sight, no repeaters and even though it is restricted to 4 watts, AM waves carry farther than FM ( although CB is now available in FM here as well ) and I have read numerous tests where a properly installed CB with a good antenna ( especially a 102 inch whip will outperform a GMRS in simplex mode ( no repeater ). Best of all, 3.5 million truckers still use CB daily and over 30 million CB radios have been sold. I would say there are probably 5 million or more regular CB users in the U.S. Here in the northeast we take cell coverage for granted. In some areas CB are still used regularly due to poor cell service. Some people like to get down them, but they are still great. My radio guy set me up with a President Richard Export radio. It's a Ham, but designed so that the CB band can be added. It gives you 12 watts on the reg channels, so no need for SSB. SSB is overrated in my opinion because the other guy needs to have an SSB radio as well or you can speak to him. Anyway, welcome to the site.

Sure, CB is the easiest to get into with no license/testing required. That being said, in a SHTF scenario, having a radio for any of the three radio services puts you ahead of the curve Also. there are a lot of hams and GMRS users in the NYC area where the OP hails from. Many ham and GMRS repeaters have emergency back-up power and will be on the air in a SHTF scenario.

That being said, the OP just wants to be able to possibly reach his son in an emergency situation. CB is probably the best way to go and the OP can decide later if getting licenses for ham or GMRS makes sense.

 

[slowmover]

Keep in mind that his "perspective" is that of a person whose livelihood depends on selling CB radios to people like yourself. Not exactly an unbiased opinion. Not an uncommon opinion, either.

Some slight modifications to his "nutshell" statement would make them more accurate:



No, it does not rely on repeaters. As mentioned above, the HF frequencies will allow reliable communications around the world to other hams without repeaters. VHF frequencies can reach quite a long way without repeaters, and do it reliably with the correct equipment and antennas. The wide choice of bands, modes, power levels, equipment and antennas results in their being a lot of options to tailor the setup to the exact needs. There is no one off the shelf solution that can be used to make comparisons or make blanket statements.

The license test is a big limitation for many.
There are a lot of hams, but not all of them are active, and not all of them are people that can be of much assistance in a "SHTF" scenario. It's a hobby radio service and expectations should be adjusted accordingly.



Clear line of sight on UHF is easy to do and getting 40 miles of range is not a challenge if the locations are right. I've had no problem getting 20 miles of range simplex in mobile to mobile environment. 50 watts with unlimited ERP helps a bit with range. Wide band FM makes the audio much easier to listen to compared to CB. With the higher frequencies, efficient antennas are much smaller and easier to mount with excellent performance. Noise levels are lower and one usually doesn't have to listen to distant traffic bouncing in from 1000 miles away. There is a good reason why four wheel drive users are adopting it. I've been using GMRS since the 1990's, and it's an underrated radio service.

Repeaters are not a given, and some are private. Users cannot just use which ever repeaters they want.
Less users, and options like CTCSS/DCS make random contacts difficult. It's not really a hobby radio service, but has started to become one. Absolutely not the right choice for making random contacts.



"SHTF" doesn't mean repeaters won't be available. Significant range can still be achieved reliably with simplex, and it doesn't necessarily rely on atmospheric conditions.
Amateur radio can be useful when on the road. Lots of established users, lots of established protocols.
GMRS, not so much for random contacts. But that's not what the radio service is intended for.



No, not entirely. Long range CB contacts require specific atmospheric conditions to skip the radio waves off the upper layers of the atmosphere. Those conditions change often, and go through 7 year cycles. What works now may not in 15 minutes, next week, or next year. Without a really well thought out installation and using all the right components on both ends, range can be severely limited. Poor installations might give you a mile or two range. Better ones might give you 20 miles of reliable range. Much beyond that, it depends on location and atmospheric conditions.



Not really, mode doesn't impact range. There's a lot of variables, but the CB shop guy is mistaken here. Sounds like he's confusing AM broadcast radio and FM broadcast radio. Different bands, different performance, not a good apples to apples comparison.



Sometimes.
Problem is dealing with the noise level. There's a lot more noise on CB, and when "skip is rolling in", it can make short/medium range contacts difficult. High power stations can blanket the local guys and make communications difficult or impossible.

A 102" whip is bigger than many want to install on their vehicles. While they do work well, they need a substantial mount and lots of ground plane to work well. This is where the higher frequencies of amateur radio and GMRS can be beneficial. Easier to get an antenna with gain on a proper ground plane without an 8 foot long whip.



After running CB radios since the 1980's, you'll find a lot has changed.

You may hear truckers, but that can really vary on location and time of day. I found over the years that many truckers were keeping their radios off, or at least turned way down. There are still some that do use CB heavily, but I'd not rely on that in an emergency.

One of the big issues you'll run into with CB is that most users will not do a proper installation of the radio and antenna. They'll rely on a cigarette lighter plug and a cheap magnetic mount antenna, and will get no where near the range you are expecting. Remember, it's -two- way radio. You have to consider the radio installation on each end. One perfect radio/antenna setup isn't going to fix the issue with the other guys setup.

Impressive post. Thanks.

.

 

[MrSpock11A2B]

Keep in mind that his "perspective" is that of a person whose livelihood depends on selling CB radios to people like yourself. Not exactly an unbiased opinion. Not an uncommon opinion, either.

Some slight modifications to his "nutshell" statement would make them more accurate:



No, it does not rely on repeaters. As mentioned above, the HF frequencies will allow reliable communications around the world to other hams without repeaters. VHF frequencies can reach quite a long way without repeaters, and do it reliably with the correct equipment and antennas. The wide choice of bands, modes, power levels, equipment and antennas results in their being a lot of options to tailor the setup to the exact needs. There is no one off the shelf solution that can be used to make comparisons or make blanket statements.

The license test is a big limitation for many.
There are a lot of hams, but not all of them are active, and not all of them are people that can be of much assistance in a "SHTF" scenario. It's a hobby radio service and expectations should be adjusted accordingly.



Clear line of sight on UHF is easy to do and getting 40 miles of range is not a challenge if the locations are right. I've had no problem getting 20 miles of range simplex in mobile to mobile environment. 50 watts with unlimited ERP helps a bit with range. Wide band FM makes the audio much easier to listen to compared to CB. With the higher frequencies, efficient antennas are much smaller and easier to mount with excellent performance. Noise levels are lower and one usually doesn't have to listen to distant traffic bouncing in from 1000 miles away. There is a good reason why four wheel drive users are adopting it. I've been using GMRS since the 1990's, and it's an underrated radio service.

Repeaters are not a given, and some are private. Users cannot just use which ever repeaters they want.
Less users, and options like CTCSS/DCS make random contacts difficult. It's not really a hobby radio service, but has started to become one. Absolutely not the right choice for making random contacts.



"SHTF" doesn't mean repeaters won't be available. Significant range can still be achieved reliably with simplex, and it doesn't necessarily rely on atmospheric conditions.
Amateur radio can be useful when on the road. Lots of established users, lots of established protocols.
GMRS, not so much for random contacts. But that's not what the radio service is intended for.



No, not entirely. Long range CB contacts require specific atmospheric conditions to skip the radio waves off the upper layers of the atmosphere. Those conditions change often, and go through 7 year cycles. What works now may not in 15 minutes, next week, or next year. Without a really well thought out installation and using all the right components on both ends, range can be severely limited. Poor installations might give you a mile or two range. Better ones might give you 20 miles of reliable range. Much beyond that, it depends on location and atmospheric conditions.



Not really, mode doesn't impact range. There's a lot of variables, but the CB shop guy is mistaken here. Sounds like he's confusing AM broadcast radio and FM broadcast radio. Different bands, different performance, not a good apples to apples comparison.



Sometimes.
Problem is dealing with the noise level. There's a lot more noise on CB, and when "skip is rolling in", it can make short/medium range contacts difficult. High power stations can blanket the local guys and make communications difficult or impossible.

A 102" whip is bigger than many want to install on their vehicles. While they do work well, they need a substantial mount and lots of ground plane to work well. This is where the higher frequencies of amateur radio and GMRS can be beneficial. Easier to get an antenna with gain on a proper ground plane without an 8 foot long whip.



After running CB radios since the 1980's, you'll find a lot has changed.

You may hear truckers, but that can really vary on location and time of day. I found over the years that many truckers were keeping their radios off, or at least turned way down. There are still some that do use CB heavily, but I'd not rely on that in an emergency.

One of the big issues you'll run into with CB is that most users will not do a proper installation of the radio and antenna. They'll rely on a cigarette lighter plug and a cheap magnetic mount antenna, and will get no where near the range you are expecting. Remember, it's -two- way radio. You have to consider the radio installation on each end. One perfect radio/antenna setup isn't going to fix the issue with the other guys setup.

I think there may be some confusion here:

1) The sole reason for my post was to share my experience with another poster who expressed an interest in gettin back into CB. I had just gotten back into it for the purpose of disaster prep. I live on a top floor in manhattan and my office is right on the NYC ( Bronx Westchester line ) with a very high elevation just half mile drive from my office. I thought it possible to reach my wife and son via CB and I have in fact been able to do this.

2) Not everything I stated in my original posting in the way of information was provided by the "Radio Man whose livelihood depends on selling CB's to people like me". In point of fact, I had already decided to buy a CB and actually had everything in my Amazon cart, but couldn't find the antenna I was looking for. While searching online for dealers that might be physically close to me, I discovered this radio shop. I explained to HIM that I wanted to get back into CB and that he had the antenna I was looking for. He didn't sell me on the idea of CB. It was then that he suggested a President Richard Ham Export radio that was capable of having CB band added to it. It was a smart move because that radio has both AM and FM CB band and operates at 13 watts on AM and 40 watts on FM. Additionally, this man's shop does a lot more than sell CB's. He sells Ham & GMRS equipment as well and setups communication networks for private companies. He has no ax to grind.

3) CB radio is line of sight, period. No reputable radio person would say any different. The fact that an atmospheric condition and phenomenon known as skywave propagation exists and can occasionally project AM CB signals thousands of miles, doesn't change this. Skywave propagation, is not predictable with any specificity, cannot be counted on at any given moment and varies in strength, duration and scope hour to hour and year to year. It is not part of normal CB operation.

4) If you are routinely getting 20 miles on UHF ( GMRS ) then good for you because you seem to be one of the few that do. There are numerous range tests done on youtube and elsewhere that dispute this and even GMRS sites have devotees that will concede this. While evaluating which route I should take when deciding to get back into radio, I did a great deal of research and poured over numerous GMRS forums, listening to what people had to say and I stand my initial statement. YOU point out that GMRS has replaced CB in off roading groups and hold that out as evidence of its superiority over CB. I conceded in my post that GMRS was in fact perfect for that narrow purpose where you are contacting members of a group, but that you will not reach random contacts there. You are also mistaken when you truckers really don't turn on their CB's most of the time. I speak to truckers everyday going over the GW bridge. 3.5 million truckers use CB daily. Trucker usage alone amounts to three times the number of Ham and GMRS users combined without even counting Non trucker CB users.

5) I respectfully disagree. AM does carry further that FM:


"FM CB waves typically do not utilize skywave propagation; they are primarily limited to line-of-sight communication. In contrast, AM signals can take advantage of skywave propagation, allowing them to travel much longer distances by bouncing off the ionosphere." FM signals will penetrate the ionosphere and straight into space.
Wikipedia forums.radioreference.com

Of all the posts I read while doing my research, this excerpt from a post by this man who seems to be well thought of by other members of the myGMRS.com forum had this to say. You can take issue with it if you will, it rang true to me and I do not regret having gone the CB route.

Bottom line is, on a peer to peer level, if a CB (HF) radio is properly installed and has a proper antenna and antenna installation, CB radio (HF radio as a technology) absolutely destroys GMRS in overall performance.

CB provides great line of site coverage; the same coverage as GMRS, but also provides ground wave propagation, sky wave propagation and weaker signal receive capability. Combined, those propagation methods make CB a much better platform. I dare say far superior segment of the Personal Radio Service, due to having coverage inside of potentially 1,200 to 2,400 mile radius, depending on the propagation models used and atmospheric conditions available at any given moment.

A GMRS radio, in a standalone configuration like CB radio, will never be able to compete with CB. Sure, there are very limited conditions that occur throughout the year and solar cycles that allow GMRS radios to cover anywhere from 300 to 600 miles, but they are extremely rare and can't be counted on for day to day use. Reality is, 99.999% of the time, you are bound to RF Line of Sight. Depending on where you are, that can be less than 1 mile or as much as 150+ miles. It just depends on your elevation and the elevation of the other station.

Now... that opinion is supported solely on the precedent that the CB radio and antenna are of proper quality and installed correctly. The biggest problem that has led many to believe the CB is not good, is the overwhelming amount of trash radios and short antennas on the market, combined with almost never having the system properly installed. Enter GMRS.

 

[slowmover]

A worthy exchange.

Details always matter.

Thx for the response.

.

 

[K9KLC]

) Ham is great, but you need to take an exam and get a license and it still relies on repeaters for extended range and they will probably be down in SHTF scenario despite what people say.

I can assure you, I make world wide contacts without repeaters, internet, or anything else but my radio to their radio. I'm guessing you mean VHF and UHF but there's a LOT more to ham radio than that. To that end, I have a friend that can work from just east of STL to the KC area daily...You put up enough aluminum, high enough, even 2 meter SSB contacts can easily exceed100-150 miles.

 

[K9KLC]

Impressive post. Thanks.

.

Yep sure was, saved me a TON of typing.

 

[K9KLC]

3) CB radio is line of sight, period.

No reputable person would agree with this statement. You're not allowing for band conditions which makes DX (commonly called skip) happen. If this were true, how did I work more than 30 states back in the 70's out of my service van at the time. Yes there was a little power involved on both ends, the radio was a Sonar FS-23. For the record, at times we did it without the amps on.

 

[K9KLC]

"FM CB waves typically do not utilize skywave propagation; they are primarily limited to line-of-sight communication. In contrast, AM signals can take advantage of skywave propagation, allowing them to travel much longer distances by bouncing off the ionosphere." FM signals will penetrate the ionosphere and straight into space

While I don't have any "CB" repeaters to judge this on, 10 meters is pretty close to 11 meters and I work repeaters on FM when the band is up. The BAND, or if you prefer wavelength, not the mode makes the difference. Next time it's back open to Nevada, slightly out of my line of site from the St. Louis Area, I'll have the guy I talk to frequently switch to FM. I have a guy I talk to out that way that's willing to experiment and has the stuff to do it.

 

[K9KLC]

The biggest problem that has led many to believe the CB is not good, is the overwhelming amount of trash radios and short antennas on the market, combined with almost never having the system properly installed. Enter GMRS.

CB radio is good! With a properly set up station, it works great. The problem is, most people aren't going to take the time to do that or, won't run the right antenna, or "bla bla bla". I remember in the 70's working from my house to just south of Springfield IL, almost every evening, at a distance of 75"ish" miles. Noise has cancelled some of that but, if I still had the station I had then, and the fellow was still alive I talked to up that way, I have no doubt we'd still get it done.

 

[GadgetGeek]

I'd pass on any Galaxy radio for SSB. They are known drifters. Anytone makes some great sounding and stable radios for SSB. I use an Anytone 6666 in my mobile with a Sirio 5000 magnetic mount antenna. Conditions due to the current stage of the solar cycle have been great. Just the other day I made a contact with someone in Scotland on 38 LSB from my car with the above equipment. So, it's a good time to get back into the hobby. Have fun.

 

[mmckenna]

I think there may be some confusion here:

No confusion.

I'm glad CB is doing what you need it to do. Nothing at all wrong with that.

 

[kc2asb]

While I don't have any "CB" repeaters to judge this on, 10 meters is pretty close to 11 meters and I work repeaters on FM when the band is up. The BAND, or if you prefer wavelength, not the mode makes the difference.

Exactly. FM also travels long distances on VHF low, 6 meters. Also on VHF high/UHF via ducting.

 

[K9KLC]

Exactly. FM also travels long distances on VHF low, 6 meters. Also on VHF high/UHF via ducting.

Yes, there was that time I got called into the sheriff's office and reprimanded, (I was a deputy) and on 39.5 FM, and was talking with sheriff's cars in Florida, Georgia and Mississippi....Man those old Motorola radios bring back some fond fond memories! . My fondest memory on VHF Low!

 

[K3YGX]

There is a difference between day and nighttime propagation in HF.....line of sight, mostly at night on higher frequencies like 11 meters