never seen it this good.... unbelievable

[bharvey2]

CB radio is a really good idea, as “best” isn’t expensive given increased safe operation margin while driving:

In the "old" days, prior to cell phones I bought a small, portable CB HT and antenna to keep in my wife's car. CB use was more common then and I wanted to make sure she had some form of communication in case she ran in to trouble out on the road. These days, I don't think there is much chance of reliably raising someone on a CB for such purposes. I'm inclined to believe that CB usage is a matter of location. Not really much traffic in my area (San Francisco Bay Area) but seems to be much more popular in other areas. Not that that is good or bad, it just seems to the evolution of CB radio.

 

[slowmover]

In the "old" days, prior to cell phones I bought a small, portable CB HT and antenna to keep in my wife's car. CB use was more common then and I wanted to make sure she had some form of communication in case she ran in to trouble out on the road. These days, I don't think there is much chance of reliably raising someone on a CB for such purposes. I'm inclined to believe that CB usage is a matter of location. Not really much traffic in my area (San Francisco Bay Area) but seems to be much more popular in other areas. Not that that is good or bad, it just seems to the evolution of CB radio.

I’d not ever count it out. See any big trucks around? That means someone has one.

.

 

[bharvey2]

I’d not ever count it out. See any big trucks around? That means someone has one.

.

I'm not saying none are around. The company I work for has a fleet of trucks and many of the drivers have them installed in the trucks. However, CB just aren't as ubiquitous in my area as they used to be. Out on the interstate freeways where the long-haulers travel, you're far more likely to encounter CB use in trucks - less so for local route drivers.

 

[slowmover]

I'm not saying none are around. The company I work for has a fleet of trucks and many of the drivers have them installed in the trucks. However, CB just aren't as ubiquitous in my area as they used to be. Out on the interstate freeways where the long-haulers travel, you're far more likely to encounter CB use in trucks - less so for local route drivers.

Better to have it. NMO antenna capped off. Radio ready to go. Familiarity with controls.

 

[niceguy71]

incredible conditions!
my stock Anytone 5555 N II and Antron 99 sitting on a 31 foot tall mast do pretty good .. I'm always amazed and very happy with the set up.
so far my highlights are, I have talked on channel 37 LSB to the UK, Scotland, Jamica, south Africa and every state in the country when I do finally get around to using my radio....
I had a day 6 months ago where all these people in California were trying to talk to Hawaii... I could hear California and Hawaii clear as a bell but I could not talk to them.... but still found it pretty amazing!!!
tonight at 12:05 AM ( Midnight) I had to go out to the garage so I flipped on my radio... I normally only hear locals after 7Pm but tonight 37 and 38 LSB was jumping????
so I listened.. and I heard Australia????? and people in the middle of the country were talking to him!
so I tried it, no luck to Australia but I was able to talk to Virginia and Arizona and California..... normally the sun goes down on the East coast and I can still hear the states that are 3 hours behind us that still have sunshine like Arizona, California ext. ...but once the sun sets here I can never do any skip.... well tonight at Midnight I was skipping all across the country!!!!..... amazing conditions right now... lot of fun!

 

[slowmover]

It’s a side phenomenon of the metal deposited by chemtrail. Light before sunrise, and after sunset, is the thing prominent.

 

[slowmover]

Was re-watching the video just now and it occurred to me, that, were I the one wanting to test low-power handhelds, that I’d move RF-Gain back a ways to exclude the distant stations on a less busy channel.

After a few minutes first on-air there’ll be a threshold where I may hear that which I can’t QUITE make out. RF-G back a ways to exclude that (is my suggestion). When it’s that busy, it’s a survival tactic.

I wouldn’t be interfering with anyone distant with a handheld test, and their exclusion would make my test easier.

But that would’ve been a helluva night to try!

.

 

[niceguy71]

Was re-watching the video just now and it occurred to me, that, were I the one wanting to test low-power handhelds, that I’d move RF-Gain back a ways to exclude the distant stations on a less busy channel.

After a few minutes first on-air there’ll be a threshold where I may hear that which I can’t QUITE make out. RF-G back a ways to exclude that (is my suggestion). When it’s that busy, it’s a survival tactic.

I wouldn’t be interfering with anyone distant with a handheld test, and their exclusion would make my test easier.

But that would’ve been a helluva night to try!

.

hi SlowMover.... thanks for the suggestion... seeing you know the Quad 5 and a lot of other great knowledge I have some questions, if you would be so kind.
I was thinking of starting a new thread and may down the road with my video tests so I can get some suggestions.

I went out on my handheld range test on Memorial day 05-27-24... I took 8 radio's because I wanted to see what the best new handheld CB was and wanted all of them tested the same day under the same conditions using the same 51" telescoping antenna plus their factory antennas, so it would be a more fair test.... this was before I fixed the surge in my base station... but that day it wasn't doing it??... when I left the house to do the 3 to 4 hour test at 4:30 PM the noise level was S3..... not terrible... I went out one mile and said this is the Cobra HH50 at one mile using 1.2 volt rechargeable batteries on low power with the rubber duck antenna..... then repeated my statement on high power then I put the 51" antenna on and did low and high power again..... so setting up my camera at the test sites ( 8 locations 1 mile.... 1.5 miles.... 2 miles..... 3 miles .... 3.5 miles.... 4 miles.... 4.5 miles and lastly 5 miles) . is a lot of work.

I got home and found the conditions were S 5 constatly.... I watched the three hour video of the base station radio.. my handhelds were making between S3 and S5... but channel 14 was pretty busy that day ( after I started my tests) and I could hear and see people constantly at S5 and above when I watched the video.... everyone was talking over my little handhelds.... so I wasted a lot of time. the wind blew my tripod over and destroyed my expensive phone.....so I am a little gun shy to do it again... I was thinking of posting some of my video's so you could see what I'm up against.
many of the handhelds at 3 plus miles on low power and rubber duck antenna would barely move the Signal meter off the S3 but I could hear my voice on that 901 speaker.

question... I need to hear that little low powered handheld radios.. so I keep the base station squelch on full and the RF Gain at full..... I was thinking if the RF Gain was not at max I would not be able to hear the little handhelds?
I've gone out to do the test again for the last few weeks but every time I check the base station radio every channel is hopping and will walk all over my handhelds
I got rid of my surge... it was pretty bad... now my radio sits like the pictures below that was the best and most quietest channel.... channel 35 at 3:30 pm today.... about S3
I even bought that choke filter you like, ( out of desperation... figured it can't hurt) I'm try to bring my noise level down to S2 it doesn't show a direction? does it matter what way I hook it up?? I just got it today and have not played with it. but there is no in and out on it.

what is everyone else's noise level for mid day??? I was thinking S3 with RF gain at max was pretty good????

any of my tests over 3.5 miles really don't move the signal meter ... I can hear my voice..... but there is always someone whistling or yelling Audio over and over again... any idea what to do about it?

there is a guy on YouTube that tests a lot of handhelds... he does a GREAT job and I highly enjoy his videos and want to make about 50 just like his!.... but I have not been able to get the conditions he does.....I am trying to copy him and test radio's that he hasn't tested yet..... he does his tests in the evening ( he did his latest test about a week ago).... I always look at his Cobra 2000 base station with Antron 99 .....50 feet in the air and it looks like his noise level is ZERO!
is that even possible? he is on the side of a mountain in the south.

another question...... I was trying to get in the middle of a parking lot and away from my pick-up and light poles.... but I was running out of day light and said screw it...so I was doing the tests with all 8 of my radio's on my tailgate and me standing 5 feet away from the pick-up truck next to a light pole...... will being further away help? and if so how far away should I get?
getting good locations is harder than I thought.

my 3.5 mile location is at a school parking lot ... the towns water tower is there because it's one of the highest parts of town ( my house is the other high point in town) I figured the high point in town will help with my tests... but that water tower is between me and my house maybe 200 feet to the side so it's not directly in my way but still it is a massive chunk of metal... is that going to throw off my tests?

my 4 mile location is a different schools parking lot up on a hill ... but I'm 30 feet from the 130 year old, 4 story school... this hill looks down about 30 feet down onto the football field and baseball field and soccer field... lot of openness....going across all the openness is my house 4 miles away through my town forest...... but the building is behind me 30 feet ... again is that going to hurt my tests?

here is just a couple of his videos..... any thoughts would be appreciated.
thanks

Best Handheld CB Radio ?? Midland 75-805 CB Radio Walkie Talkie Handheld Range Test & Review

Realistic TRC-238 CB Radio Walkie Talkie - TRC-238 Range Test

Realistic TRC 221 CB Range Test & Review - CB Walkie Talkie Review TRC-221

anyway the YouTuber Mack has done quite a few and I am always impressed with what he can do..... so far all my video's are just Spanish people talking over my tests! and I'm not happy about it!

 

[Bored_Technician]

Just to chime in on the original topic of this thread... I have been really blown away by how busy the frequencies are as well. Some mornings while I'm driving to work I can hear the entire east coast calling at once (38lsb)! Or I will listen to Someone in Montana talking to someone in Texas and hear both sides. Pretty amazing stuff.

 

[slowmover]

I just got (CMC/RF Choke) today and have not played with it. but there is no in and out on it.

I don’t recall that there is a direction. Just look at label. If nothing then hook it up. Choke at antenna feedpoint is the other. It’s usually done first. Both coax ends treated, IOW.

RF-G wide open with S3 noise floor is about as good as it gets (assuming meter accuracy). But if I’m pulling in stuff that’s noise, I’d back it off.

In mobile I’m always moving. Things change. But I still back it off a tad when it’s noisy.

What I was commenting on is that some of these radios don’t lose anything in actual range with having RF-G backed off just a tad. Meter moves barely. The far distant stuff I can barely hear is REALLY FAR AWAY. Past what I can hear (understand).

Would it affect range test to back RF-G? Well, if we hooked up a Cobra 29 it wouldn’t have ears quite as good as Q5, and it would be noisier. Could still do range test, but it’s about the base station unit RX, right?

That set of stuff — NRC Radio, DX-901, plus RF/CMC chokes at both ends — is within my experience to maximize performance. Best ears. Once that’s set I adjust radio.

If we change your base radio or antenna, does that mean the handhelds got worse?

The distance to be found isn’t an independent fact. It’s relative. May be minor, but still related to conditions found that day, that place, those radios.

Thanks for your confidence in me, but I’m not on the same plane as some others around here. I run the radio a helluva lot of hours and listen intently. I’m willing to experiment. Changes my personal risk and income; I’m not a hobbyist, per se.

.

 

[slowmover]

Is that going to hurt my test?

Physical structure as interference.

Sure, it can change things.
That’s a basic assumption.

Are you sure that driving around is the best handheld test? Why not just walking away from house? Or on a bicycle? Whats the point to a handheld, IOW? Purpose.

If you used a map to draw a circular radius from your house, in what direction does the handheld first fail to TX clearly? If that’s 1.2-miles when SSE, is that the range?

One can change definitions around to alter what is meant by “range”.

My assumption about range is either via road (mobile system), or by foot (no restrictions). In both cases is a circular radius is the test marker set as I prefer to see it.

Landmarks are what I’d want. One mile circles from house and the landmarks within. Sure bets with decreasing percentages traveling away . Ground level with antenna best suited to movement.

For me the handheld is a Randy. Scrambling around on foot or on a bicycle and willingness to get a better antenna up high is still less important than battery life.

What landmarks (visually acquired) and what relative distance. Im looking for percentage success.

The clock is ticking re battery life.

So I need to leave radio off till I see the (?) in order to reach the house.

I need to leave the radio off till I see the highway, and maybe my cousin can hear me in his pickup.

An HF handheld is sorta like a pistol. Not good for much, but better than nothing. Best use is as adjunct to unlimited power stations, IMO.

The main gate is six miles. A dipole has been hung nearby. A man can attach his Randy and reach the line camp.

.

 

[slowmover]

Just to chime in on the original topic of this thread... I have been really blown away by how busy the frequencies are as well. Some mornings while I'm driving to work I can hear the entire east coast calling at once (38lsb)! Or I will listen to Someone in Montana talking to someone in Texas and hear both sides. Pretty amazing stuff.

“A good friend of mine recently let me have a Uniden pc78 Elite . . . .”

Have you upgraded to a Sideband radio?

The OP range test would change with some significance had he started with a U78 and upgraded to an NRC Q5.

My truck career started with a pc76. Got a finals upgrade and an alignment. It’s the radio the Cobra 29 wished it could be (Uniden built both back then).

The phenomenon of Skip is impressive. With NRC it’s like these guys are on my block three doors down.

As the OP is testing against adversity — Skip — it’s a way of going all out to solve problems in RX. He will know how well his handheld collection can perform under genuinely difficult conditions.

An analogy is vehicle fuel economy. Years back I was making a 2X monthly 700-mile roundtrip that crossed Houston each time. I was achieving high numbers. But conditions of road, load, traffic & weather altered that. Thus my fuel planning number was lower than my highs. No matter what, I ALWAYS hit no lower than X-MPG. My fuel tank range with no other changes (at 80% capacity) was ALWAYS Y-Miles.

In the opposition we face on-air, what can we find is ALWAYS true about “range”? This is why I find it important to designate “use”. Purpose. Walking a mile from the house in any direction and staying in contact is pretty good.

How long will it take me to get out that mile crossing stream, hill, plowed field, heavy brush, etc? A half hour? Now out there, I take a turn to another heading to cross a ridge. Report. And then return via a different route than in departure.

How long have I been gone (1.5-hr?) and how much air time with base station who is directing me to optimal sight points not possible from the house? There’s a bad fire coming our way.

To me, this is handheld “purpose”. Best use of limited range and transmission time while family members are loading vehicles preparatory to emergency evacuation.

After Lahaina, you boys know not to “rely” on big brother. California should have been enough. Handheld is a scout unit.

The sort of test as described against on-air interference means (as with fuel economy) available time & energy are known. The numbers by which one can plan.

Once the solar cycle slows and ends, all tests and experiments will have been proven good/bad to satisfaction.

PROVEN HIGH PERFORMANCE

.

 

[slowmover]

To end that line of thought, a Randy plugs into a mobile or base system with performance comparable to a good non-NRC, entry-level AM radio. Can go in a car with a borrowed mag-mount.

“Proven high performance” means under bad conditions in my area to maximize the limited range & talk time of a handheld.

@niceguy71 Ive dragged things in the direction I see handhelds which wasn’t entirely to the points made in your post. But it’s to my interest in them and to how I’d use them. Hope it helped some.

“Range Test” is just how one chooses to define such.

What’s that range against a mobile? How could the mobile be upgraded — like the base station — to push the handhelds farther out?

A sister in examination is the desirable cordless Uniden speaker/mic. I can leave my mobile maintaining direct line of sight (LOS) to about 100-yards. Climb up on the motorhome roof. Climb a ridge, say. Or off the highway and onto an overpass. And use my mobile to relay what I can see to other CB users when we are stuck and without good info.

Drag some coax and a dipole. Set the antenna up high in a tree getting feedback from others (carefully, RF) before switching over.

I could just be the guy who’s in between those nearer a problem and those who are much farther out.

DIY Dipoles are renowned for $$ utility. Time to go means leave it behind. I have three more just like it.

OP Range Test at the 1.2-mile S-SE direction noted a couple of posts back is where he hoists a dipole against a bad day. Leaves it there.

.

 

[niceguy71]

I just got (CMC/RF Choke) today and have not played with it. but there is no in and out on it.

I don’t recall that there is a direction. Just look at label. If nothing then hook it up. Choke at antenna feedpoint is the other. It’s usually done first. Both coax ends treated, IOW.

RF-G wide open with S3 noise floor is about as good as it gets (assuming meter accuracy). But if I’m pulling in stuff that’s noise, I’d back it off.

In mobile I’m always moving. Things change. But I still back it off a tad when it’s noisy.

What I was commenting on is that some of these radios don’t lose anything in actual range with having RF-G backed off just a tad. Meter moves barely. The far distant stuff I can barely hear is REALLY FAR AWAY. Past what I can hear (understand).

Would it affect range test to back RF-G? Well, if we hooked up a Cobra 29 it wouldn’t have ears quite as good as Q5, and it would be noisier. Could still do range test, but it’s about the base station unit RX, right?

That set of stuff — NRC Radio, DX-901, plus RF/CMC chokes at both ends — is within my experience to maximize performance. Best ears. Once that’s set I adjust radio.

If we change your base radio or antenna, does that mean the handhelds got worse?

The distance to be found isn’t an independent fact. It’s relative. May be minor, but still related to conditions found that day, that place, those radios.

Thanks for your confidence in me, but I’m not on the same plane as some others around here. I run the radio a helluva lot of hours and listen intently. I’m willing to experiment. Changes my personal risk and income; I’m not a hobbyist, per se.

.

thanks SlowMover, you've never steered me wrong yet.
I understand the range will be different every day with conditions... I also know when I get 4 miles away I will probably not budge the signal meter but hopefully I will be able to hear my tests ... if I can get a quiet channel.... also the locations may not be as good as I thought they were.
but this is all part of my hobby and I enjoy playing with these little handhelds and see what I can get them to do.

 

[niceguy71]

Are you sure that driving around is the best handheld test? Why not just walking away from house? Or on a bicycle? Whats the point to a handheld, IOW? Purpose.

If you used a map to draw a circular radius from your house, in what direction does the handheld first fail to TX clearly? If that’s 1.2-miles when SSE, is that the range?

One can change definitions around to alter what is meant by “range”.

My assumption about range is either via road (mobile system), or by foot (no restrictions). In both cases is a circular radius is the test marker set as I prefer to see it.

I'm not driving around and using the handheld... I am driving to my 1 mile location shutting off the truck and I planned to walk 30 to 50 feet away from the truck.... then after I broadcast my range test I drive to the 2 mile location and do the same ... I do that all the way up to my five mile location... ... my locations are selected using google maps so I can draw a line from my house to each of these locations that way I know exactly how many miles from location to base station..... driving from location to location is a lot more than straight line mileage .. IOW if I go to the lake it's exactly one mile from my house... but it takes me almost two miles to get there going around forests farms and so forth

Why not just walking away from house? Or on a bicycle? Whats the point to a handheld,

I'm just too old to carry 8 handheld CB's and camera equipment around for 10 miles.

yes handhelds are not good communication .... but I like them
my hobby is seeing how far they can go to the Base station and how far to my mobile. ... I just like it better than stamp collecting... we all like something different.

in my mind I like to have them for survival plans.. cell phones will be down. ... I have over 200 rechargeable AA batteries for my handhelds.... . say the power grid collapsed (EMP is a real concern so all my vehicles, generators and whole house have EMP shields installed ) say no one has power for 6 months.. the gasoline will be pretty much exhausted.... all the food goes bad in the grocery stores... people panic and start a run on food.. ( like what happened with Corona) after a while people will travel out to the country (my area) and possibly hear my generator... I keep an underground 1000 gallon propane tank and a 120 gallon tank full in the back of my house... I also have a 1000 gallon heating oil/ Diesel tanks in my basement ( three 330 gallon oil tanks)..... I typically use 600 to 750 gallons of oil to heat my house and hot water for a full year! I can run my propane generator a few hours a day to heat the house and recharge my solar batteries which will run the house the rest of the day...
only thing I need to run the generator for is to pump my well pump so I can have water and hot showers and recharge batteries... again only going to have to run the generator for a few hours a day so I can go about a year...
I have a few big Kubota's FEL for plowing my driveway that can also run my PTO generator... and as I said I have a lot of diesel stored away... I refill it every July when I can get it cheaper.
I have 5 neighbors that also do some prepping... in the above situation I will give a handheld to each of my neighbors... I test different rechargeable batteries too and know I can run a lot of my favorite handhelds for 4 days straight!... if only sitting on the kitchen counter listening.... so if our neighbors generators and mine are running and a poor starving mother with three children hear it running, they will come and knock on my door looking for food shelter help..... pretty hard for anyone to turn them away... but I only prepped for my family!! so I would rather not have anyone stop at my house..... so the plan is each of my prepper neighbors have a handheld in their house and we would send some of the teenagers with a handheld down my street a 1/2 mile each way.... mile long street and the only way to get to our houses is to come down my street from one end or the other.
.... if the teenagers see a car coming from a 1/2 mile to my left or the other teenagers see a car coming a 1/2 mile from my right they will get on the handheld to warn us....and we will all shut off our generators and make it look like no one is home..... until they pass.
if we are not using the generators and some dangerous group pulls into their yard any of my neighbors can call for help and they will have 10 plus armed neighbors come running.
I also have several great hunters in my little group that will need the handhelds for hunting ( deer retrieval )
if our country is invaded by say,, Aruba.... I would like to make sure we can send scouts near the center of town ( 7 miles away ) to keep an eye out and see what the enemy is doing??? are they going house to house??? are they rounding up military aged males? are they going to all the houses that are registered gun owners???
so I like to know what these handheld can do... I know the 51" HYS antenna on the Midland 75-822 does 3.5 to 4.0 miles to my base station... I have a four Randy's as I thought they would be the best.... ... I was pretty disappointed with them.. even with the 51" Randy TNC antenna 3 miles was pushing it at least in my tests so far... it just didn't come in clear enough to hear what was being said.

do I really think the the S*** will Hit the Fan? no.... but do I prepare for it... YES.... I always wanted my base station set up mostly just to be able to talk around the town and relay info from handheld to handheld... and if possible to hear SSB to see what is going on in the rest of the country.... so far the plan is working well... but I never thought the CB band would be so full of noise/ skip.... I guess in another year I may have better conditions for testing.

 

[slowmover]

The questions were asked rhetorically. Didn’t mean to pry. It’s that we ask ourselves to define WHAT they are for, therefore HOW to best leverage them. (Thinking out loud was what I was doing).

Which you’ve obviously done as to purpose & plan. Wow! I go back to the early ‘80’s and ol’ what’s-his-name, but the psy-op got started earlier than that in fiction whether books or Hollywood because we could feel things weren’t right and bad actors have tried to stay ahead of that up-swelling curve.

Me, I got a one-ton and a travel trailer to avoid overloading when thinking similarly. I’ve taught myself a bit about radio & fuel economy as they’re central to my livelihood and personal hopes.

Forums are where I’ve shared, learned and had a bit of fun with those subjects. Helped to pass it along.

But I’m well behind you vis-a-vis the neighborhood watch. Have to shortly go find a new one as Texas is fast sinking.

.

 

[niceguy71]

But I’m well behind you vis-a-vis the neighborhood watch. Have to shortly go find a new one as Texas is fast sinking.

the whole country is sinking... I moved to my part of town 23 years ago because it was in the middle of the towns forest no building allowed... 40 years ago my town passed a law that any new construction had to have a minimum of 2 acers and 200 feet of frontage, so the town will stay the small farming, hunting town it is.... 100s of miles of roads but very few people so the roads are not well maintained, our town only has small crews to do everything and we also have our own Gas and Electric company for the town with only a few workers to do everything
when I moved to my street there were only 25 houses on the one mile road most lots were 5 to 10 acers ..... now there is a few more houses... but I was pretty lucky to move to an area where everyone pretty much heats with wood stoves and likes to have 800 to a 1000 feet between houses..... finding the neighbors to the left and right of me and across the street also plan for the worst was truly a blessing..... but of course nothing ever works the way you plan it... but I do try to test out everything I have...

my poor whole house generator has over 500 hours on it ( I have a spare in the shed).... living in the woods every time there is a snow storm / hurricane... trees fall over knocking the power out and making the road unpassable in both directions... the town takes care of the most populated area's first... so my street typically loses power for 5 to 7 days at a time.... at least once a year.... my problem was I worked for the gas and electric company so I had to get to work to repair all the damage. luckily snow storms in Massachusetts you are allowed to drive snowmobiles and 4 wheel quads on the street so I was able take the snow mobile through the fire roads into town. ( also carrying a chain saw )
in my younger days this was a fun area... in my older days this is a pain in the neck area!

 

[slowmover]

This, then, may be up your alley:

 

[Bored_Technician]

“A good friend of mine recently let me have a Uniden pc78 Elite . . . .”

Have you upgraded to a Sideband radio?

To answer your question, yes. I ended up with the Anytone Q6. I'm definitely looking forward to the 'pro' version coming out.

 

[jcrmadden]

I don't have a handheld, I don't have a base station, and my mobile isn't a President Washington with relay function.

Not Yet.

But @niceguy71 and @slowmover have me thinking that I could make a serious case for it.

On foot using the handheld back to the truck running relay back to base? What's that range look like?