My first sideband contact!

[rixdafix]

Hello from St Louis, MO.

I've been an on again off again CB enthusiast for the last 45 years. I always just toyed around with stock AM mobile rigs. A couple of weeks ago I scored my first sideband unit, a Gemtronics GTX-77 in really nice condition. The radio appears to have never been tinkered with and I intend on keeping it absolutely stock. I've got it connected to a four foot firestik mounted on the fender of my Cherokee. SWR is excellent across the band. With skip ramping up, I've heard very good audio from some very distant stations. I call CQ from time to time not expecting any response but the other morning I got a call back from a local about 20 miles away. While this is certainly no DX contact, it confirmed that the SSB function of the radio is at least "working" and hey, it was my first sideband contact ever!

I am so completely addicted now.

I really enjoy field operations as I camp and overland quite a bit and expedient antennas interest me very much. I found plans for a quarter wave ground plane antenna and got all the bits together to make it happen. I'm using 12awg thhn stranded wire, 103" radiator, 116" radials (four) all soldered to a panel mount SO-239. I'm using 1/2 x 3/4" pine trim boards to create two spreader bars 165" long arranged in a cross with the radials anchored at the ends which should get the radials pretty close to 43 degrees. I'm going to use one rope to lift the spreader bar and another to lift the wire as I don't want to stress the SO-239 insulator or center pin solder joint too much. From what I've researched, I'll want the bottom of the ground radials hanging about 8 to 9 feet off the ground or higher than about 54 feet, but not in between, for optimal performance. I was going to test it today but we have 50 mph wind gusts forecast so yeah uh no. I'll post a couple of photos once I do get it deployed.

Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself, share my experience, vintage equipment score, and first ever SSB contact!

561 St Louis clear...

 

[Ishmole]

I would love to try CB sideband. The radios are priced way more than I would want to spend, however. Maybe I will get lucky at a garage sale, but all I find are old baby clothes and toys!

 

[iMONITOR]

I would love to try CB sideband. The radios are priced way more than I would want to spend, however. Maybe I will get lucky at a garage sale, but all I find are old baby clothes and toys!

CB radios with SSB are available for under $100.00.

 

[ind224]

What channel are you running 561?

 

[Ishmole]

CB radios with SSB are available for under $100.00.

Where? Please give me a link. I would love to get one. The only ones I see are $299.00 and up. Even the used ones on eBay are not cheap.

 

[ind224]

Craigslist and Facebook MarketPlace

 

[iMONITOR]

Where? Please give me a link. I would love to get one. The only ones I see are $299.00 and up. Even the used ones on eBay are not cheap.

Prices have gone up a little but not that much.

https://www.amazon.com/Uniden-Sideband-WeatherBand-Cancelling-Compatible/dp/B007B5ZAES $143.94 w/FREE shipping.

 

[slowmover]

PRESIDENT McKinley the best value in quality & performance

 

[rixdafix]

What channel are you running 561?

Mainly 38lsb but I roam around 16 and 35 through 40lsb pretty much just listening and occasionally calling CQ.

 

[rixdafix]

Well, I modified my quarter wave ground plane into an inverted V and just made contact with Utah and Oregon on a bone stock radio. Pretty cool.

 

[bearcatrp]

Used to love shooting skip back in the day. Late 90’s, had a Cherokee hand held with a super long cb antenna. Was able to talk to Alaska from Minnesota in the evening. Conditions were great then. Think my favorite base station was a Cobra 2000GTL. To bad no one is making good base stations anymore. Would consider getting back into it if I found a good base station. The good ol days.

 

[slowmover]

It’s a mobile unit with a power supply.
Not special.

Build your own