I think the thread is good because of the electronics involved and interference. I don't know anything about what you guys are talking about but it is a problem that is asked from now & then by users.

When off road I use the buddy system or multiple vehicles. On the highway I have my cell phone, crank up the radio, and set the cruise on 90 .....

 

For Storms purposes, the radio is a needed tool of the trade. For many of us (myself included) it's just a novelty from days gone by... My bell bottom pants use to be cool too! My boys are both in Scouts, so most of the T/RXing that we do while traveling, hiking, etc is on hand-held GMRS radios. They have a lot of bang for the buck!

 

LOL!

I want to see you try to use a cell phone a couple miles from a tornado while your being hit with 60mph winds, horizontal rain and hail... Kinda hard to make a call ;-)

BUT

Before you say anything.. I do have Skywarn coverage that protects me from Hail Damage.. It's not the greatest but it cuts my cost for repairing if needed.. This truck hasn't been hit.. But my last vehicle I suffered a busted windshield and a smashed hood.. =D I kinda got hit with a flying tree.. Piece.. Ok Ok.. I got stuck in a 2wd chasing a Nader through a field.. Problem was I had no 4wd.. Unlike now.. I'll just go through fences and so fourth to get out of the way

Now if I only had the box frame the 05's have.. I would get me a full Renuel Replacement front end..

 

Blackhat, i did not know that was the case with this radio, i dont understand how a major CB/Radio Truck stop-shop on I-20 a (major interstate), can sell this one and 50 others just like it if they are not approved by the FCC.......................i think this is how they get you to buy the illeagal part......they highly reccommend that you purchase there peak and tune with the radio which i did..........i asked them will this radio work on cb channels as well as all the others......all they would tell me is just buy the peak and tune and u will love the radio, which i do it is great, it is a loud talker..............when i installed the radio it worked on cb channels, because of the illeagal peak and tune, i guess.............but i will probably buy another one for my other truck soon...........

 

southbound35west,

Unfortunately there are many unscrupulous CB radio shops out there anymore, as CB radio sales has dropped to a few hundred a year, so they try and persuade people into buying export radios with a higher profit margin and don't bother telling you that "Export Radios" are illegal to sell or use.

Here is some additional information on Export radios and FCC rules and violations.

Just because a shop sells "Export Radios" hasn’t been caught yet does not mean they won’t be caught in the future. The FCC catches shops and individuals using or selling illegal equipment regularly. The fines for personal use can run from $500 - $10,000 and up to 1 – year in jail. One of the big problems with “Export Radios” is that when they shift to the low bands, they are in frequencies used by the US Military and the upper band shifts are in private party and emergency use. There are limited frequencies available for use so people straying into frequencies they are not licensed to use create problems. Also “Export Radios” transmit at a higher power than is legal on CB radios causing bleed over into other frequencies. The main reason that HAM equipment is not allowed to transmit on CB frequencies (except for emergencies) is because of the increased transmit power of a HAM radio.

If someone wants to transmit on HAM bands then they need to get a ticket, they are relatively easy to obtain, just study for the written test and pass it. The FCC has done away with the CW (Morse code) requirements of the past, so getting a license is easier today than in the past. Here is a great site for HAM radio use and information www.arrl.org/

From FCC section 95
CB radio transceivers are subject to the equipment certification process and must be certified and properly labeled prior to being marketed or sold in the United States. Unlike CB radio transceivers, radio transmitting equipment that transmits solely on Amateur Radio Service ("ARS") frequencies is not subject to equipment authorization requirements prior to manufacture or marketing. However, some radio transmitters that transmit in a portion of the 10-meter band of the ARS (28.000 to 29.700 MHz) are equipped with rotary, toggle, or pushbutton switches mounted externally on the unit, which allow operation in the CB bands after completion of minor and trivial internal modifications to the equipment. To address these radios, the Commission adopted changes to the CB type acceptance requirements by defining a "CB Transmitter" as "a transmitter that operates or is intended to operate at a station authorized in the CB." Section 95.655(a) of the Rules also states that no transmitter will be certificated for use in the CB service if it is equipped with a frequency capability not listed in Section 95.625 of the Rules (CB transmitter channel frequencies). Also, the Commission's Office of General Counsel ("OGC") released a letter on the importation and marketing of ARS transmitters, which clarified that transmitters that "have a built-in capacity to operate on CB frequencies and can easily be altered to activate that capacity, such as by moving or removing a jumper plug or cutting a single wire" fall within the definition of "CB transmitter" under Section 95.603(c) of the Rules and therefore require certification prior to marketing or importation. Additionally, the Commission's Office of Engineering and Technology ("OET") has evaluated the models at issue here and has determined that these devices could easily be altered for use as CB transceivers.

Link to FCC enforcement division www.fcc.gov/eb/

Here is a link to a list of illegal (Export) CB radios http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tru...-cb-legal.html

Here is a link to the $125,000 fine that Pilot truck stops paid for selling “Export Radios” www.fcc.gov/eb/News_Releases/DOC-254531A1.html

Here is link to complete order of a CB shop in CA that got fined $14,000 for selling “Export Radios” and “Linear Amps” www.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2007/DA-07-1313A1.html

Here is a fine for $21,000 www.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2006/DA-06-2479A1.html

This shop got fined $7,000 for selling “Export Radios”
www.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2007/DA-07-881A1.html

Travel Centers of America for $7,000 www.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2006/DA-06-1334A1.html

Loves Travel Centers $25,000 www.fcc.gov/eb/Orders/2006/DA-06-1936A1.html

This gentleman was fined $10,000 for using his “export radios” http://www.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/2...-269018A1.html

Becareful out there, the FCC is looking and listening.

Hope this helps

 

I appreciate the knowledge and the problems users have come up against while installing radios and steering clear of interference.


Storm....if I see a Tornado.... I'm not going to ask directions and take notes

 

LOL!

I'll take a picture of our shirts... You'd love it... Our skywarn polo's we try to wear when we're chasing.. On the back it says "If i'm heading towards the Tornado, Don't follow me"

 

Here are a couple of more links to FCC rules on "Export Radios" (10 Meter)

http://swap.qth.com/fcc/fcc-pubnotice62882.htm

http://swap.qth.com/fcc/fcc-cbtable2.htm

 

I use a VHF/UHF Yaesu FT8800R with a perm mount NMO in the middle of the CC roof. Rig runs 50W VHF / 35W UHF. Ran 8 gauge wire (+ and -) right from the battery to a rigrunner bus under the dash. Then plug the FT8800 into that with powerpoles.

Check out www.k0bg.com and www.powerwerx.com for more info.

Bob

 

[QUOTE=blackhat620]Here are a couple of more links to FCC rules on "Export Radios" (10 Meter)

http://swap.qth.com/fcc/fcc-pubnotice62882.htm

http://swap.qth.com/fcc/fcc-cbtable2.htm[/QUOTE]

blackhat, thanks for the info, i will be more carful about using my radio in the future.......i mainly use it for traffic monitoring, state troopers, and the weather........

 

silly question here!!!!!!!! How would one get caught using a an "illegal" radio other than the obvious of giving out your personal info over the airwaves?

 

i may be wrong ,but i think the fcc can close in on u and your signal when u are transmitting if they really want to catch you.

 

He He He...

You can triangulate a HAM's signal Very easy to catch... Plus on Ham you have to talk with your call sign.. It's not like the CB,

"Breaker 1-9 You dumb chicken coup hillbilly move your herd outta tha fast lane"



For instance in the HAM world,

"Weather Service Fort Worth, Skywarn K5X982 (Making up Call Sign, disregard), Funnel Cloud spotted, 3 mi SW Twin Sisters heading NE at 15mph. Activate local emergency, Skywarn K5X982 chasing"

That's how we do it for Skywarn.. Pretty sure its the same across the board.. Your call sign has to be stated.. Course for me at the moment that is transmitted through CB to my spotter who relays for me to the NWS because I haven't got my Ham License.. Tests are no joke.. I just don't know where to start

 

You can triangulate any signal. No need to run an illegal radio. Only for a few watts over the 4w max (I think) on CB. Get a "Ham" license. No morse code required now. Though I was up to about 25wpm at one time. Check www.arrl.org for more info.

Also get those twin ant off the back and put a single CB on top that CC. Smack dab in the middle on an perm NMO mount in a 3/4" hole. Larsen has good quality antennas. I see a bad capacitance issue there with the cab.

And by all means, DO NOT put twins on the "plastic" mirrors. No ground there. Would be ok if they were metal mirrors using 1-1/2" ground straps to the body but I still don't the mirror spacing a 1/4 wavelength for CB. So still no good.

my $0.02

Bob

 

Hehe.. Actually the passenger antenna is dummy antenna.. Just for looks.. I yanked my Cophase cable off this past weekend and ran a single from my D/S antenna.. It's pretty good.. 9-10 mile range...