I've had my ham ticket for a little over a decade, but never really
used it. After this year's many hurricances and tornados I've gotten a
little more into setting up communications and monitoring systems and
read in one of the survivalism groups that some thing CB will be a
power tool for communications in a crisis.

Then I think back to when I was 20 years old in my Jeep with the top
down, and my CB radio installed and it just getting the worst possible
range. I then thought I'd read up on it here, and found a posting by a
gentlemen who traveled often in an RV and had the same problems. But
still I hear of others who are getting into it, use skip, get miles and
miles of range and so on.

So I have a little experience, and I realize that in a valley, a short
mag-mount antenna, and poor wiring could ruin anything - but what if i
throw an antenna into a tree, and what else can I do.

So I started to look more, and i started to find 40 channel radios (are
there models with more or less?) and then 'export' radios, and SSB
radios that can do 12w, while the regular 40 channel versions can only
do 4w. I see antennas, but they are only 4 feet long - and I wonder if
i can get an 8 or 12 foot mast to put up in a tree (as opposed to some
of the other giants that my neighborhood assn will make me take down).
I wonder if I can find a unit that scans, or information on ways to
maximize reception and transmission, and if anyone uses the AM/FM
models I've seen - or does everyone still just use AM?

Then I think - IS THERE A SITE THAT CAN TEACH ME THE BASICS?

If I head out to radio shack and buy their best model CB radio, where
can I get a good antenna that I can put into a tree and use to listen
to the highway that's 3 miles south of me? I see people mention K40,
but their site is all about radar detectors, then I go to Wilson, and
their stuff looks all mobile. In the end, I don't want to throw money
away, and I don't want to have to buy something with 150w of illegal
amps so they can hear me, when I probably won't be able to hear them
back. Where can I shop? What is a good basic setup? How far off the
ground? What kind of cable? All things I can answer with my ham
knowledge, but I get lost when I hit a website about CB radio and see a
'freeband' unit with the actual frequency displayed and don't know if
thats for me, or someone in Canada.

So I'm asking here - can someone tell me the basics, or where I can
find them - so I can get started in this hobby and maximize my
experience? Thanks.

Richard
N0TZC

wrote:
I've had my ham ticket for a little over a decade, but never really
used it. After this year's many hurricances and tornados I've gotten a
little more into setting up communications and monitoring systems and
read in one of the survivalism groups that some thing CB will be a
power tool for communications in a crisis.

Then I think back to when I was 20 years old in my Jeep with the top
down, and my CB radio installed and it just getting the worst possible
range. I then thought I'd read up on it here, and found a posting by a
gentlemen who traveled often in an RV and had the same problems. But
still I hear of others who are getting into it, use skip, get miles and
miles of range and so on.


My Firestik KW-7 is on the rear bumper of my Jeep. I use a TRC-451
sideband radio (actually an old Cobra 146) with an Astatic 636-L
noise cancelling mike. It runs a 2x455 box. It's all you need.


So I have a little experience, and I realize that in a valley, a short
mag-mount antenna, and poor wiring could ruin anything - but what if i
throw an antenna into a tree, and what else can I do.

So I started to look more, and i started to find 40 channel radios (are
there models with more or less?) and then 'export' radios, and SSB
radios that can do 12w, while the regular 40 channel versions can only
do 4w. I see antennas, but they are only 4 feet long - and I wonder if
i can get an 8 or 12 foot mast to put up in a tree (as opposed to some
of the other giants that my neighborhood assn will make me take down).
I wonder if I can find a unit that scans, or information on ways to
maximize reception and transmission, and if anyone uses the AM/FM
models I've seen - or does everyone still just use AM?

Then I think - IS THERE A SITE THAT CAN TEACH ME THE BASICS?


CB is much like 10 meters. The same setups will work for 27, 28 and 29
megahertz. May I suggest some amateur books. Even the ARRL prints some
good information.


If I head out to radio shack and buy their best model CB radio, where
can I get a good antenna that I can put into a tree and use to listen
to the highway that's 3 miles south of me? I see people mention K40,
but their site is all about radar detectors, then I go to Wilson, and
their stuff looks all mobile. In the end, I don't want to throw money
away, and I don't want to have to buy something with 150w of illegal
amps so they can hear me, when I probably won't be able to hear them
back. Where can I shop? What is a good basic setup? How far off the
ground? What kind of cable? All things I can answer with my ham
knowledge, but I get lost when I hit a website about CB radio and see a
'freeband' unit with the actual frequency displayed and don't know if
thats for me, or someone in Canada.

50 ohm coax cable. Stay away from cheap crimped on ends.

So I'm asking here - can someone tell me the basics, or where I can
find them - so I can get started in this hobby and maximize my
experience? Thanks.

Not to be a smart ass, but the internet and the public library are good places!

Have fun. Learn by doing.

-another ham and CBer

Hello Richard. Your honest request kind of of set me back a few steps.
The basic laws of physics don't know the difference between Amateur
Radio and CB. So the principles needed to get your license, apply here.
I'm looking at your question more as "How did the radio community fail
in not providing you the knowledge needed to answer the questions of
basic radio theory" That is what was supposed to happen when you
achieved your licensing.
Elmering in the Ham Bands along with here on the CB bands has fallen
into a catagory of a "lost art". I get many questions presented to me
on the basics, which I initially thought should be part of a basic
skill set to get on the air. What I have observed is that we as a
culture have turned to a plug and play society in which the theories
used are not needed to make things work.
So not to soapbox this question, I'd turn back to your ARRL handbook
and start Google'ing for answers. There are an infinate amount of
experts out here on the web that are willing to answer specifics. Glean
those answers and do a web search on the specific subject to gain a
broader perspective and knowledge.
BTW, as with many on here, I'm a ham also and a hold a General
Radiotelphone license.
Best of luck on your quest.

73 de Dungeon Master

OK, I should have been more clear I guess...

When I look at the rules for CB I see a 4w AM limit and a 12w SSB limit
(correct anything I say that is incorrect please). Then I think to
myself... 'I can't do anything with 4 watts'.

But thats the local VHF/UHF side of me - so then I move on to trying to
think HF - which is hard for me to do because I'm a no-code tech who's
about to start studying for his general ticket. I have never had an HF
communication or a long distance communication that didn't involve a
repeater... but I think to myself 'ok, well, i need a good antenna and
a good rig, and a good setup (which is hard to do since I live at the
bottom of a hill, but I'm willing to try)... and then I'll just start
going through frequencies. But there are only a few CB's that seem to
scan, so am I just going to sit there and spin the knob until I hear
someone?

I guess I'm gunshy. When I set up my GMRS equipment for use between
friends and family around the city, we had to use 35+ watts to get
decent signals from one to another, and I'm concerned that my 4 watt CB
will have no ability and just cost me wasted money.

I do have a PRO-2066 scanner that can receive CB (just learned that
last night) and I plan to put the CB channels in with the Ham repeaters
to see what I hear. I guess I'll start there.

Thanks, any other comments are appreciated.

Richard

Hello again Richard,
Don't let the thought of 4 / 12 Watts discourage you. From my
experiences, one can easily achieve 20 miles base to base on AM and 30
plus on sideband with a descent antenna setup. The CB frequencies were
set aside for short range communications. The only problem is that part
of the spectrum is prone to HF progagational effects which allow for
long distance communications... (Though illegal over 149.9 miles (No
flames please)). With that said, Antenna.... antenna... antenna is your
biggest bang for the dollar. Your location also can play a major factor
in how far you can get. And like with the VHF/UHF bands, you can
improve things with using a higher grade of coax and connectors. I have
traditionally used 9913 or LMR-400 for most of my communication setups.
Try to get the most signal from the antenna back to the transmitter.
Your going to here individuals with hoped up units and amplifiers which
is an easy way to get out further. But a rule thumb that works for
myself is that you can talk to someone if you can't hear them. Hoped up
radios and amplifiers don't address this. I currently run a small beam
on an old SBE Console V. With 12 watts (SSB), I'm easily covering 4
counties around me.
Experiment around and ask questions from the locals around you.

Cheers

Dungeon Master