CB is much more valiable than Amateur Radio because it can be legally
used for profit as well as for pleasure. FCC rules prohibit amateur
radio use in profitable pursuits.- It`s FCC protection for
broadcasters,
common carriers, and other radio services. .........

None of this matters in smaller third world nations though....Most
people
I see on TV, in say Iran, Afghanistan, africa, etc, etc, are using
VHF Handie talkies most of the time. I never see them using CB's,
although, I guess some do...But I've seen icom HT's on CNN, many
a time, when seeing video of people over there...I would think they are
working simplex...Most all soldiers I see with radios are using icoms,
etc...
I don't think CB is real popular, although maybe there are a few...
As far as I know, CB is mainly a USA conceived band...If others use it,

it's just cause they adopted it to use existing radios being built...
As far as the debate as which is better, to me it's a non issue...I can
use
either, or both...But to *me*, ham radio is much more useful than CB
could
ever think of being...Just the restriction of being in a small single
band is
enough to kill it, being as skip is only good about 50% of the
time...So,
yea, I could talk across town, but maybe nowhere else...With ham radio,

I can talk to nearly anyone, one way or the other, if they can match
bands
with me. Being able to work 160m-70cm with a single radio smokes
being able to work only 11m with a single radio... If we had a major
emergency, which for us in Houston, will almost certainly be a
hurricane,
I bet ham radio will be much more useful overall, just due to the shear
advantage of mucho more spectrum, and types of propagation.
And many locals on VHF are already into skywarn, etc...So 2m is a
natural for the hams locally...They are prepared for it.
But...
Having a CB would be better than nothing at all....I don't have the
problem
of looking down on CB...To me, it's just another band, under different
regs...I give them about as much thought as I do the cell phone band...
I might tune across 11m, maybe once every two months or so, when
checking cdx....It's actually usually fairly dead around here...For
that
reason, it could actually be fairly useful...Very few "average" people
have CB's like they used to...Most CB'ers now, are fairly hard core
CB'ers....And people that actually use them like truckers, and people
way out on ranches, etc....You go out in west texas, and there are
still
a few ranchers that use CB to yik yak...It's like their local party
line...
But myself, I prefer 80/40 meters for local/regional use...40 in the
day,
80 at night...Or 160 too....I could talk three blocks away, to
Galveston,
and relay to Austin, all on the same band as a scenario...CB....Three
blocks, yes...Galveston, hummmm....Not very well...Would need a good
antenna, and big leanyer...Austin...SOL, unless it's a fluke of
nature....
I know which line I'll be in.....BTW....Many truckers agree, and are on

80/40....They know what really works...Just most truckers don't have a
ham ticket...I think the numbers are increasing though...They can talk
to
their families anywhere on the road, if the YL, etc is a ham...
CB won't do that very often...Skip zone is too long, and it will always
be
a crapshoot for regional use. I use the bands that best match the path,

time of day. Way more reliable. I can get on 80/40 right now and talk
to
Dallas, or any other city in the country. Even from my truck.
No if's, ands, or but's....nearly as reliable as a telephone... In some
rare
cases, the MUF may drop way low, and 160 would be the better choice.
CB won't talk to Dallas from Houston very often at all...CB is CB. No
more,
no less...I suspect if "John Smith" actually has a ticket, it's no
code....And
no HF, unless maybe he has an old novice...I can't see a reason to
complain if he actually had use of those other bands. Only people who
have some kind of inferiority complex bark at the moon about something
as
trivial as CB vs Ham radio...Maybe we should develop a cb/ham therapy
course to deal with all the problems of coexistance. We could have them
at ham fests, etc...Hams and CB'ers could have group encounter sessions
to iron out their problems...Get all touchy feely, and hug each
other....
Of course, I won't be there....Sounds too gay to me....
MK

Mark, NM5K wrote:
"i use the bands that best match the path."

The medium more or less dictates that discipline for DX.

H-F has lost commercial traffic to cable and satellite which are
available around the clock and calendar. Even broadcasters have
satellite subscribers. They supply pictures too.. Yes, there`s amateur
TV, but it isn`t prevalent, and CBers don`t do it either.

Anyone who wants to contact the world anyplace at any time can get a
cell phone. The worldwide system will become compatible and pervasive.

Who wants to use Morse code?

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI

I DON'T want to post here!!! weakness-showing

Code? I use the computer keyboard and "code reader", it all happens on my
computer screen--kinda like a "chat room"--not so bad really--besides, no
one can read my key by ear anyway--I have NO music ability.... that guy on
"American Idol"--which everyone thought sung bad--I KINDA LIKED HIM!!!
innocent-look

Warmest regards,
John

"Richard Harrison" wrote in message
...
| Mark, NM5K wrote:
| "i use the bands that best match the path."
|
| The medium more or less dictates that discipline for DX.
|
| H-F has lost commercial traffic to cable and satellite which are
| available around the clock and calendar. Even broadcasters have
| satellite subscribers. They supply pictures too.. Yes, there`s amateur
| TV, but it isn`t prevalent, and CBers don`t do it either.
|
| Anyone who wants to contact the world anyplace at any time can get a
| cell phone. The worldwide system will become compatible and pervasive.
|
| Who wants to use Morse code?
|
| Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI
|

"i use the bands that best match the path."

The medium more or less dictates that discipline for DX.

Anywhere, not just dx...I actually don't work that much dx...
Even regional, choosing the right band is important.

H-F has lost commercial traffic to cable and satellite which are
available around the clock and calendar.

Yea, but I can't use the commercial freq's anyway...So to me, HF
is unchanged.


Even broadcasters have
satellite subscribers. They supply pictures too.. Yes, there`s amateur
TV, but it isn`t prevalent, and CBers don`t do it either.

I'm fully capable of TV. slow scan anywhere , or ATV on 70cm...
Not to mention all the other services available like wefax, data, etc..
I can do it all mobile, if I have a laptop...

Anyone who wants to contact the world anyplace at any time can get a
cell phone. The worldwide system will become compatible and pervasive.

Yea, I have one of those too....For the non radio types, thats the
best bet...

Who wants to use Morse code?

Doesn't bother me, if I needed to. But morse would not likely
be used in an emergency type deal...I'd more likely be on fone...
But if they wanna go to morse, I'm ready.. If we actually had a
hurricane,
I see myself being on 2m mainly for local stuff, but also on 80/40
doing regional welfare checks and info, liason, etc...Bout the same
as any other "emergency" like the quake in Mexico City, etc...Except,
they used 20m more, being farther away...They matched the band to
the path...

MK

Who wants to use Morse code?

I do ! And furthermore, neither YOU nor nobody else can stop me.
----
Reg, G4FGQ.

Reg:

No offense meant by me, here... personally, can't listen to it (code) for
prolonged periods without going to bed and hearing a mysterious station
sending the same message I copied earlier... frown

I envy those who can't even believe that...

Warmest regards,
John

"Reg Edwards" wrote in message
...
| Who wants to use Morse code?
|
| I do ! And furthermore, neither YOU nor nobody else can stop me.
| ----
| Reg, G4FGQ.
|
|
|

"Reg Edwards" wrote in message
...
Who wants to use Morse code?

I do ! And furthermore, neither YOU nor nobody else can stop me.
----
Reg, G4FGQ.




Reg
It may be just the few of us.
My father directed artillery fire from a spotter plane with a key on a leg
strap.
Therefore I learned the code and the alphabet simultaneously.

I recall an article in Electronics World from 1962 referring to the genesis
of CB:

"The electronics industry needed a shot-in-the-arm." IIRC

The rule-makers "stabbed themselves in the back with their own ballpoints."
I will never forget that phrase; no "IIRC" needed.

I am still laughing.
73
H.

H. Adam Smith wrote:
"I recall an article in Electronics World from 1962 referring to the
genisis of CB:
"The electronics industry needed a shot-in-the-arm"IIRC."

It didn`t last. Now the magazine is gone too.

Ordinary citizens were denied access to the airwaves at the time. The
airwaves are public property which they could be permitted to use. The
airwaves are public property as the air we breathe is public. CB allowed
the general public legal access with no technical or Morse mumbo jumbo.

Profit potential gained support from many who would not have been for
loosing control over radio.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI

" no technical or Morse mumbo jumbo"

That's the problem Richard, it isn't mumbo jumbo, but what happened on 11
meters usually sounds like mumbo jumbo.

73
H.


"Richard Harrison" wrote in message
...
H. Adam Smith wrote:
"I recall an article in Electronics World from 1962 referring to the
genisis of CB:
"The electronics industry needed a shot-in-the-arm"IIRC."

It didn`t last. Now the magazine is gone too.

Ordinary citizens were denied access to the airwaves at the time. The
airwaves are public property which they could be permitted to use. The
airwaves are public property as the air we breathe is public. CB allowed
the general public legal access with no technical or Morse mumbo jumbo.

Profit potential gained support from many who would not have been for
loosing control over radio.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI

H. Adam Stevens, NQ5H wrote:
"That`s the problem Richard, it isn`t mumbo jumbo, but what happened on
11 meters usually sounds like mumbo jumbo."

When the radio amateur service was established, spark transmitters
abounded.. Transmitters lacked stability, movies were silent, and
ionospheric propagation was not well understood.

A lot has changed. Radios are very stable and radio-telephone has long
been the mode of choice. An operator specially trained in the theory and
practice of radio is no more necessary than a trained auto mechanic is
needed to operate a car or truck.

Operators should know radio law and rules. They should be required to
operate within the law. When they break the rules they should be
penalized.

Best regards, Richard Harrison, KB5WZI