skip conditions

[K6GBW]

Sigh....I'm not gonna bother.

 

[EAFrizzle]

A real CB isn’t an either/or choice among the radio services. They all complement each other.

But HF is the one that’ll be operable when repeaters aren’t, or short-range choices aren’t viable.

CB is only HF until it isn't... then it's V-LOW, which is really pretty crappy unless you're using FM. Even then, it's still V-LOW. There's a reason people aren't lining up for that spectrum.

11 meters isn't a true HF communication band; conditions are rarely reliable for any extended period making 11 meters exactly what it is; a hobby band for local chat with occasional DX fun. The only thing that makes 27 MHz suitable for emergencies is the sheer number of radios out there. That's also a problem in emergencies.

VHF/UHF is only a form of liberty.
Permission required (dependent).

HF is actual freedom.

This repeater coverage map N of ATL looks great . . unless access denied or power goes out:

 Real HF is worldwide freedom. CB, VHF, and UHF are local freedom. Repeaters are a convenience and a group tool, nothing more. Skip at 27 MHz isn't a tool; it's what makes 11 meters suitable for amateur and hobby use only. VHF ducting can stretch hundreds of miles, and set in for a time; UHF enhancement is less common and usually shorter-lived.

Simplex at UHF is waaaay better than 27 MHz, and easier to do well. A 4-element UHF co-linear is barely taller than a Lil Wil amd give you 6 dB of gain. 25W gets you a hundred, 50W gets you 200 ERP. The absolute best you're actually getting from a CB mobile antenna is unity at best. Unless the groundwave opens up at night, simplex GMRS beats CB every day for me in terms of range.


What it's really about is having the right tools for one's individual situation, and CB's effectiveness can be limited or removed in certain conditions. While I love my QT-60Pro, it's only a backup in the list of real tools; it just takes up too much room. My G90 and DB-50 take up very little room with the detachable heads, and most of that is mic and cord. Even with the faceplates attached, they take up less space together than the QT-60.

Skip on 11 meters is basically useless for emergency comms, and I can beat the local range with GMRS, without keying up 600 watts. UHF enhancement doesn't tend to slam locals off the air either. Mobile HF isn't usually a good solution either, unless you have a bug zapper with the whip tied down for NVIS.

Not sure how I got wound up on emcomms but for personal wide-area use GMRS is my first choice, with 900 MHz for close-in stuff. Skip has made CB a ratty mess just like it does every cycle. When a UHF signal pops in from the distance, it's just a curiosity.

 

[slowmover]

CB is only HF until it isn't... then it's V-LOW, which is really pretty crappy unless you're using FM. Even then, it's still V-LOW. There's a reason people aren't lining up for that spectrum.

11 meters isn't a true HF communication band; conditions are rarely reliable for any extended period making 11 meters exactly what it is; a hobby band for local chat with occasional DX fun. The only thing that makes 27 MHz suitable for emergencies is the sheer number of radios out there. That's also a problem in emergencies.




 Real HF is worldwide freedom. CB, VHF, and UHF are local freedom. Repeaters are a convenience and a group tool, nothing more. Skip at 27 MHz isn't a tool; it's what makes 11 meters suitable for amateur and hobby use only. VHF ducting can stretch hundreds of miles, and set in for a time; UHF enhancement is less common and usually shorter-lived.

Simplex at UHF is waaaay better than 27 MHz, and easier to do well. A 4-element UHF co-linear is barely taller than a Lil Wil amd give you 6 dB of gain. 25W gets you a hundred, 50W gets you 200 ERP. The absolute best you're actually getting from a CB mobile antenna is unity at best. Unless the groundwave opens up at night, simplex GMRS beats CB every day for me in terms of range.


What it's really about is having the right tools for one's individual situation, and CB's effectiveness can be limited or removed in certain conditions. While I love my QT-60Pro, it's only a backup in the list of real tools; it just takes up too much room. My G90 and DB-50 take up very little room with the detachable heads, and most of that is mic and cord. Even with the faceplates attached, they take up less space together than the QT-60.

Skip on 11 meters is basically useless for emergency comms, and I can beat the local range with GMRS, without keying up 600 watts. UHF enhancement doesn't tend to slam locals off the air either. Mobile HF isn't usually a good solution either, unless you have a bug zapper with the whip tied down for NVIS.

Not sure how I got wound up on emcomms but for personal wide-area use GMRS is my first choice, with 900 MHz for close-in stuff. Skip has made CB a ratty mess just like it does every cycle. When a UHF signal pops in from the distance, it's just a curiosity.

Very nice.

Yes, 11M is about ubiquity.
Versus other popular choices

The basis of the claims made is solely about the higher likelihood of contact and that it’s not bound up by the same constraints.

Mobile & Base have to be distinguished, and Toy vs Tool also needs to be clear via differences.

EmComms isn’t just for aid. It’s also for comparing notes. Skip has a place depending on severity type & range.

Among a group known to each other? Sure, more radio choices . . . but a lot of folks leave when things get hinky. A single CB base station and a fair number of decent mobiles is more a potential likelihood over any other service type.


I enjoyed your post and will be looking into what you posted. Continuing Edumacation. Thx.



.