no, not the old 21's

I'm talking about these guys...

 

I have a cobra 29 with wx and night watch also. I am gonna be moving that to the plow truck this year. I am running a wilson little wil antenna and it works great. I am thinking of going with a Galaxy 179 peaked and tuned to about 50 watts, I was also looking at a 10 meter as well but dont want any trouble with licensing...I guess its an amature radio, but cant get a clear answer. Thants why I am 99% sure I am going with the galaxy with usb and lsb. Heres how mine i mounted:

 

I know I am going to get slammed for this. I will ask for no flame throwing, but if you still feel obligated to do so go right ahead.

I've been a licensed amateur radio operator for going on 10 years now. I still consider myself a "new" guy to the hobby, compared to some of the old timers, but I really value the electromagnetic spectrum and what all it has to offer. I got my technician license in March of 2001, got my General in 2002, and in Dec. of 2007 I got my Extra. I worked for my licenses, I value them, and I appreciate all that they allow me to do and what they have allowed me to learn and understand.

Keep in mind that CB is limited to 4 watts AM and 12 watts SSB, legally. All the galaxies and others advertising "peaked and tuned" or whatever to boost power are illegal. Radios advertised as "10 meter" radios are illegal to use on the CB band because they are surpassing the power limitations, as well as type acceptance by the FCC because the radios are not locked to CB. They are also not locked to the 10 meter amateur band. You know the ABCDEF switch on them? Thats why... not all the frequencies they allow you to get on are even able to be operated by a licensed amateur radio operator because they are outside the ham band. I could use one on the 10 meter ham band because I have a license, but even with that license I have to operate within my license limitations - 28.000-29.999mHz. Even if I used a Galaxy 10m radio on the CB band that would be illegal - type acceptance and power limitaions, my license doesn't exempt me from that.

I would encourage anyone looking to increase their radio capabilities to get in to amateur radio. However, that is of course with the understanding that it is done properly. This is my whole problem with CB - whatever the percentage of improper users of the service, they spoil the whole service for those that do obey the limitations and give it a bad rap.

I have a CB, and have had CB's since before I got my first amateur license. It is a very useful service, as has already been mentioned, but if you want more get in to amateur radio and do it properly.

I'll get off my soap box now

 

I appriciate the info. I will not geta 10 meter now that I have a clear answer. I may get another Cobra 29 for the truck, and stay simple. But I hear the Galaxy is a better radio. I would love to get my HAM license but I dont have the time right now. Someday I think I will just cause I would love to talk to people around the world, and longer distances as well.

Thanks Again,

Sarge

 

Steve,
Although CB doesn't nearly have the popularity it used to have it has been around along time nonetheless. The art of radio modification has continued since it (radio) was develouped and will continue to be in the future.
FCC regulations regarding the Citizens Band have not been inforced for years. Unless an individual/s are constantly interferring with a large buisness or government establishment of some type not much if anything will ever be done about it.

It's basically like saying class c fireworks are illegal.

Regardless, the advent of cable/satelite tv and the improvement of filtering in consumer electronic devices has considerably cut down interference from illegal/improperly tuned communications systems.

So enjoy "Your" frequencies as you have in the past and don't worry about the "little guys"
73
KA1QNS

 

Steve I really don't know how to take what yoj said. 1st off cool you have them license. I've thought about getting into it but just can't find the time. As far as a tuned radio I don't see the issue. Yea a 10 watt radio is against FCC rules but if the companies are gonna sell em. We use our cbs around here to talk field to field when harvesting and moving hay. Our EM units still listen to ch 9. My 4watt cobra 29 could hear for about 5 miles and TX 8 miles. So sure when I seen my 10 watt galapxie 44 I jumped on it. I've had it turned up and tuned to 18 watts. I can tx and hear 20 miles. Point being the exyra wattage didn't increase my range all that much just makes better use of the radio. Can it be that the FCC just finds it easier to let the 10 watt radios be sold than it is to change the laws. We habe cell phone but they are not reliable. Everybody around here runs on ch 15 so if we get into a bind we can get some help. You habe a RF **** to turn the power down when you get around other commutions.
Hey sarge get the galaxie you'll be glad. Did you say that galaxie peaks at 50 watts. Wow. If your talking about using a 50 watt kicker the habe your radio turned down and tuned to 1 watt to push the kicker.






A

 

I am not sure what all the radio lingo is, but it says with a high watt mod it will push 50 watts. Now I am sure that all depends on the antenna too, and I am not going to put a bigger antenna on my truck. Been there done that and it got caught on a underpass and put a dent in the roof and ripped my Wilson 1000 right off the truck and destroyed it, so I am gonna stick with the little wil, it works good with my set up now.

The only reason I am contemplating it is because I have a truck I plow with and the CB I have now has wx in it, so I figured I would update the one in the SD and move the old one to the plow truck.

Sarge

 

These are NOT CB radios....they are FRS radios!

 

I could have sworn I was picking up 19 last time I took one on the interstate.

 

I don't see where he said they were his freqs, but he's got a point regardless. I'm don't really give two hoots if someone wants to mod their 11 meter rig. Shoot, back in the day I ran a heavily modified 148 GTL running through a 350 watt kicker. As far as CBs went the 148 was a great rig. I talked to Europe on more than one occasion with that thing. In my closet I still have a Uniden 10 meter modded to operate in 11 meter, but I NEVER operated in the ham bands with that unit. I used it because it had a digital freq readout which I liked better than Channel 1, Channel 2, etc. Funny thing was that at the end of the day the 148 was a better rig anyway.

I believe the real problem arises from the general behavior of the two groups. Ham operators study, test, and spend pretty big money for their gear and tend to obey FCC law and established on-air rules and etiquette. Otoh, anyone with a few bucks, opposable thumbs, and a functioning brain stem can run out and buy a CB. When they start bleeding over into ham bands you can certainly tell the difference.

That's not to say all people on the CB are that way, but certainly a higher percentage than you will find in the ham bands. All you have to do is hit the road, turn on 19, and listen for a few minutes. It won't take long till you hear train whistles, tarzan yells, ladies in the throws of passion, eFFin this and eFFin that, and "I pay 15 bazillion g-damned dollars a year in road taxes so blah blah blah".

It's much better for folks that want to chat on the CB to stick to CB gear, and the same for ham folks. Use the gear intended for the job and don't mix the two.

KB8YJD

 

tgreening, well said, i Completely agree with your statement.

When i made the comment :"your freq." i was refering to the available frequencies "he" has as a licensed amateur.

I was on the CB as a young kid before and when i was licensed. I had my own 2-way radio repair shop so i spent alot of time on the CB bands and made alot of friends. Heck, me and another guy used to teach CW to CBer's on the upper channels so they could get their licenses.

All in all i can say over those many years i really don't remember anybody fooling around on 10M.

 

Thats pretty good Too bad the Advanced class isn't still around, I wish I went through that one. I got the code for my General though, 5wpm. I've used it a ton ever since. Worked my first JA on 17m cw, mobile.

 

Hey no harm no foul. Sometimes it's hard to get the real meaning behind the "written" word. If we were all professional writers.... it might be different.

I used to sit out in the driveway in my dads truck when I was a kid. For the longest time the only thing I could think to say was break 1 - 9 for a radio check. Shoot, I was a kid, what was I going to say to pro truck drivers? It was fun though.

All that aside I'd still say that for on-road or trail coms a CB is a much better choice than any ham unit. The biggest reason is that they are much more common, anyone can get one, and they will get the job done. Sure ham rigs have more power and range with repeaters and what not, but when I'm on the road I'd much rather have (and do) a CB.

On the ham side, I've been doinkin around with APRS lately and was thinking that was great fun until I realized that nobody really gives a rats azz where I am! Hehe. Gave me an excuse to buy a new radio though.

 

I agree as well, and I am not trying to do anything illegal. I have had a CB a long time and was just looking to upgrade. I did want a 10m for the power, but I dont want to do anything that would get me introuble. I am the type that would error on the side of caution.

As some of you said would the FCC enforce it probably not as I am not a CB talker just a listener, but there is always that 1 time and they way my luck is well you know how the saying goes...

I think I will get the Galaxy, not peaked or tuned, and just talk local. I will pursure my HAM operators license in a while when I have the time.

Sarge

 

Yeah Steve, I didn't really agree with the new structuring in 2000 but i guess they needed away to get more people into the hobby.

I got my novice license back in 78 and had it until 94 then took the tech/gen/advanced all in one shot. I would have gone for the extra but was afraid i wouldn't pass the 20wpm. Funny how it's only 5 wpm now. I have been off the HF bands for about 5 yrs now untill i get the station back up.

Two of my all time favorite contacts was with a NOAA ocean going vessel out in the pacific off the hawaii'n islands on 20M phone with my old classic Hallicrafters Hurricane 2000. (500w)

And a guy in the Amazon jungle on 80m CW with a homebrew QRP rig running 3 watts on a dipole up 75'.

tgreening,
Yeah my heart lies with the HF bands and the old tube rigs. (i do have a full state of the art Yeasu set-up though) I haven't had any real experience with packet but who knows what the future holds.

I guess we have hijacked this thread long enough.
Sorry guys
73's KA1QNS