So am I correct saying most people here have CB without SSB?

Thanks
Mark

 

WOAH! thanks for all the replies, i'll make sure to remember this thread. Seems like it turned out well. Thanks again for all the help and input, when i get a chance i'll check out all those posts. I like the remote-mounted display that Ducky has.... That's a CB?? The mic seems to have an awful lot of buttons that you'd normally see on a HAM radio...
what do they all DO??

 

Nono I said i had a cobra mounted under my radio, yes... that is my HAM. =)

 

I am looking for a CB. Thinking of getting a 19 DX III or a Uniden PRO520XL to fit under the ashtray of my 02 Tacoma. Can these be tuned to have the range? What antenna should I use?

 

AHH i see...i re-read it, now i get it. sweet!

 

or forget all of these hard mount CBs and go with a hand held with an external and TUNED antenna.

been doing that for years. midland 805. great radio. has FM radio and 10 channel weather.

this year, finally got the push to get my ham license (we use it for emergency comms at work) and got a handheld 3 bander.

also got FRS and cell as a back up. so i bring all 4 with me when i 'wheel... just in case...

oh and i have a handheld scanner too.

 

what's the range on a handheld? by external and tuned do you mean mounted on the actual handheld or one that is remotly mounted on the truck via extension cable??

I think it would be neat to have a handheld that can hookup to an in-cab amp with external antennas for long-range. possible?

 

i get good range on it.

tuned the antenna with an SWR meter. no need for CB amp since that would be illegal...

 

I just got a Cobra 75 WXST and a 4' Firestick II. I was able to get my SWR down to about 1.1 on channel 1 and 40. I thought my SWR meter was broken b/c it barely moved and most guys were saying 1.5-2 was good.

 

Do Not Go To Alf Enterprises. They Don't Ship The Items. They Just Take The Money. I Ordered Some Stuff 16 Days Ago And No Stuff Has Arrived. I E-mailed And They Havent Returned Anything. Phone Is Dissconnected. Buyers Beware!!!!!!!

 

hey quick question, why is amplification illigal, and what kinds of harmful radiation is emitted from our antennas, for any of the radios....

I've heard that you shouldn't have large heavily amplafied antenas near your head or body but maybe the only significant danger is a high-power HAM setup? I know some of those have crazy power runnin through them, specially if they can get cross-country without a repeater.

 

Sorry to hear you had problems with them, I've ordered stuff from them and never had any issues.


I use a CB for most of my normal club runs, the biggest complaint is not being able to communicate with someone that is in another canyon a few miles away. Recently, I installed a Ham radio (license pending) and really enjoy the ability to comminucate with basecamp while out on the trails. I know a few of my friends are also planning to install them as well...

 

yes, yes and yes

true. you can literally boil yourself if you use it too long, too close, or a combo of the 2...

http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/7806013.pdf

 

HOLY crap....is that anything like what a microwave does to food?? i heard today that microwaves act on water, and that would explain why it makes some foods chewy and defrosts big chunks of meat....

 

ok, i read it...i was right....

and now i'm more worried than i was! lol...but not too much. i'll probably get a roof-mount or one on the rear bumper. and screw the handheld, unless it can eaisily be hooked up to a vehicle-mounted system and use an external antenna without the one on the set also being on, i dont like the radiation. but anywho....

 

hold on....

handhelds are limited to like 4-5 watts.

so the dangers arent as bad as 100 watts to 1000 for the really big ham rigs.

that's why part of learning on how to get your ham license is learning about the dangers....

 

Get a CB, it is cheap and easy to use, plus, I have wheeled with a lot of people and not a single one had any other type of radio in their rig, all CB's. I have a cheap midland CB and a 3' firestick on a hood channel mount and I have never had a problem with range.

 

SSB is single side band. An amp will only give you one real benefit on a CB. In a high traffic area you will step all over everyone and yours will be the only transmission heard in the immediate area.

I have had stock radios hit out to 120 miles on the right weather and other times lucky to get 2 miles. The best I ever had was when I spent the money and had the antenna and cables tuned to the radio.

The quality of the signal you receive, in my opinion, is more important than the power you are churning out. Legal limits are more than adequate for most things you do wither with FRS, CB or HAM. Spend you money getting the antena tuned will be worth more any day of the week.

"Tweaking and Peaking" you CB is generally accomplished by removing the limiting transistor in the radio itself. The limitor does two things for you. It steps down your power as well as keeps you transmission on your chosen frequency. The second part really will piss the guys off that run side band radios as you bleed into them really bad.

The only radio that will be worth anything to anyone though is what others are using that can help you out.

What is most popular for your area? CB? FRS? GMRS? or HAM? For our little group, we use FRS and are thinking about switching to GMRS as well. Seems the only ones that really use the CB here are the teenagers that play around town.

Outside of that, it is ensured we have at least one functoning cell phone as well as a GPS in the group.

 

Jeez... now wait a min, I run a Ham on my rig and its ok, the antenna is mounted on the front left of my roof rack AKA over my head... Its fine, unless you plan on running a high power Base station on your rig (you see some ppl with really enormous antennas on their rear bumber) then no matter where you mount the antenna is good, the higher and the less in the way the better.

That being said, Unless you are actually going to do the test and get your license, just focus on CB's... FCC really frowns apon "I got a ham setup, and ill get a license eventually, ill just use it to talk to friends or playing on"

CB's is what the majority of us use, unless you dont have a CB theres been a few that use FRS... But start with the basics... get a CB... then go with ham if you see a need.

 

well a cb is quite useful, and great for traffic i might add, I have a 3' firestik and a radio shak unit. However as far as usefullness in a non traffic station like an emergency situation or transmitting over a distance, 25+ miles up to around the world a Ham is the way to go. CB is very informal, you can say whatever you want there is really no formality. the Ham radio is formal and if you "dick" around there are ways to find you.on a lighter note at least get your license its only $12-$14 for the test and the license is free so why not expand your abilities. and you dont have to buy the transiever or antenna until your ready. its a great investment and i might warn an addictive past time. If you wish i can give you some links to practice tests, a good study book. to get started check out the ARRL at www.arrl.org