CB Radio Trend

[Bobcat]

Just last night I got Wires-X Direct working on my Yaesu FTM-400XDR. Got into the America Link room....incredible! 140 or so nodes (people!) or repeaters linked in..... listened as a guy in Montana was talking to a guy in Norway. This is neat!

[nosaj]

I don't know if this link will survive the posting process.....

But I used this guy's No Nonsense guide to get my General and it was flat out easy.

This is a link to his Technician book and I am sure it is every bit as good.

His format...helps.....even if all you want to do is just memorize answers....because he lists the questions...and ONLY THE CORRECT ANSWER. I think that it gives less confusion up front especially if you are not as well versed technically.

By the way, this is not a pirated download .... this is actually HIS website!!

You may like it.

2018-no-nonsense-tech-study-guide-v1-1 (1).pdf

Bob

I used his info too. First test I passed tech and General in one sitting. missed Extra by 3 questions. 2 Months Later passed the Extra. But I also read as much as I can and experiment in the shop ( I call it playing its just big boy legos)
nosaj
N1EBC

[Double J]

Only my opinion: spend the time you would spend to get your ham ticket learning about something else. I had my ham license for 10 years, then went back to cb. I prefer cb.

[hogcowboy]

I beat Santa this year. I now have a YAESU FTM-400XDR and a Comet GP-6 Dual-Band VHF/UHF Base Vertical Antenna. Antenna installed near the top of my 50ft free standing mast. All in all a pretty good start for a beginner I think. This is due to the Elmer I had in Oregon.

But my very best friend, just up and died on me. They found him sitting in his car waiting to start a Basic Safety/Training class for gun owners. It was a gut punch in that I only found out because I was trying to contact using this set-up and EchoLink when I got "he's gone silent key". What a way to learn your best friend of 50 years is gone but then again how appropriate as he'd been trying to get me to get a license for years. It was still a major gut punch I still haven't got over. But he's the one that got me where I am now. Anyway, that antenna has me really reaching out now. More so than the car antenna.

[Swanman]

All ya gotta do is pass. No one cares about the % wrong/right!

[Mentor3006]

I stepped away from CB for a good long time as I didn't have time to indulge the hobby, for over a decade. I am back now and honestly I am hearing as much traffic on the radio as I was 10 years, 20 years, or 30 years ago... I am a bit surprised by how many young operators there are now. And I am hopeful they will take over the hobby when I am decomposing...

And there are plenty of new radios hitting the market, especially with newly authorized features such as FM operation.

[295 antenna]

The trend is the new 10-12 meter radio that easily convert to 11 meters such as Ranger and stryker radios

[Mentor3006]

295 antenna you could be right-ish... There are still plenty of folks out there that want to stay in the CB freq range and operate legally. Modded 10m radios are not type accepted for CB / 11m. Not saying there is any shortage of operators doing just that, but unless you are a licensed amateur operator using the 10m frequencies is off limits and many hams will not hesitate to turn you in, and if you are a ham operator you probably don't want to risk your license... So a higher spec modern CB still seems like a better option for those that want to stay within FCC rules.

[295 antenna]

I agree that there is some really good fcc type CBs with fm . Still haven't heard anybody on fm around here. Tried to get my buddy to go to fm on our am chats but he's wierd about it. He a am or nothing guy lol

[Mentor3006]

I guess a lot of it depends on where here is. Being Houston Metro, a lot of the Jeep guys that balked at GMRS went to FM. But yeah, for now AM is king as it has been around since the beginning...

[Windwalker]

To clear SOME things up...
Modded 10 meter radios to operate on 11 meters usually have a dial a watt or variable power output to make them have the ability to be legal on 11 meters or CB frequencies.

Further FM is more popular in Europe or the UK and abroad.

Plus 10 meter radios are close to CB radios by nature, operation and DX conditions...
10 meter radios are usually Simplex just like CB radios.

I believe 155.3 miles is the max legal distance you can talk on a cb radio ...

The frequencies between 27.405 and 27.999 are considered Freeband. While it is illegal there are many operators in this area using SSB to talk around the world similar to 10 meters.
DX windows like 27.555 are super popular for calling DX and QSY to another frequency.
So AM is not king by any means.
Lots of people want to talk DX without having to have extra eqpt to run an AM carrier to go the same distance. Extra batteries and alternators just to run 500 watts carrier is expensive and create a lot of heat. Just not something some people want when they can do the same communication QRP on SSB with very few watts.
I could go on but I will say that my opinion is that !!
Modulation is king.
I have beat many 250 watt linear amplifiers on a global level with 40 watts and great modulation.

WW1

[TNT1450]

To clear SOME things up...
Modded 10 meter radios to operate on 11 meters usually have a dial a watt or variable power output to make them have the ability to be legal on 11 meters or CB frequencies.

That still doesn't make them legal. To be legal they have to be type accepted (or whatever the FCC calls it now) and any radio with a VFO is not legal for use on the CB channels, even if they're operating at 4W AM and 12W SSB. Not that it really matters much as long as you're on the channel frequencies, but still technically not legal.

I believe 155.3 miles is the max legal distance you can talk on a cb radio ...

The FCC did do away with that silly rule.

[Mentor3006]

To clear up any confusion on the matter, I am referring solely to those that wish to try to comply with federal regulations, and I stand by my statement that AM is king, meaning AM CBs are far and away in more widespread use than SSB or FM transcievers.

As to the legality of running a modified 10m radio on CB frequencies, I will simply refer to Code of Federal Regulations Part 95 Subpart D.

Mind you I bring this up only from an aspect of legality, and not making any statements on whether or not I agree with the rules set forth by the regulating body (Congress and in turn the FCC). The amount of power output on a modded HAM radio on 11 meters / CB radio frequencies isn't the issue at hand although I am sure it is part of the issue, it is using a HAM radio modified to function on CB frequencies where we go afoul of the regulators. You do so at your own risk.

§ 95.935 Unauthorized use of non-CBRS transmitters.

The operator of a CBRS station must not use a non-CBRS transmitter to communicate with or attempt to communicate with stations in the CBRS.

(a) Non-CBRS transmitters. For the purposes of this section, “non-CBRS transmitters” are transmitters that are technically capable of operation in the 26–30 MHz frequency range, but are intended for use in the Amateur Radio Service (see part 97 of this chapter) or other government or non-government radio services, and are not certified for use in the CBRS.

(b) Unlicensed operation. The operation of non-CBRS transmitters on the CBRS channels is not authorized by § 95.305 of this part. Accordingly, the FCC considers any such operation to be a violation of section 301 of the Communications Act (47 U.S.C. 301).

[MDYoungblood]

It is actually the job of the Vice President to oversee the FCC, Congress can only suggest rules made by the radio lobbyists in which the VP signs into rules (FCC law). And all this doesn't happen in a heartbeat, it took over 20 years to get FM in the CBRS.

3's

Greg

[Mentor3006]

You are correct, but it is the job of the congress to propose and pass the legislation blah blah, you get it, and we are diving too deep into the weeds, yes the nee naw and gee gaw regulation is done by the FCC that is technically part of the executive branch. What the VP oversees or doesn't oversee is up for some question. But as the second in line to the executive branch I would imagine they have their fingers in there somehow...

[Windwalker]

OK all good points.
Im also sure you can understand that there are legal loopholes that would set you free so to speak.
A clarifier is not a VFO even if it does the same thing.
If you do get caught as long as you are doing the 4 watts they will leave you alone.
For example.
If you have a 10 - 12 meter radio doing 1000 watts with a frequency counter in it and you are going through a toll booth. Just quickly set your radio to 10 meter bands so that the booth attendant and cameras see where you are at. Then you can say you are just reading the mail and they cant do anything about it even if you have a great big antenna, 256 pill box and more.
I wont go on but lets face it your chances of getting caught are slim anyway unless there are huge amounts of complaints against you.
The only entity that can regulate or enforce radio communication laws is the FCC. States, cities, counties and more have no laws or ordinances on the books because they cant.
If you talk on Police, railroad or avation frequencies they have to get the FCC to bust you.
( in the act I might add )
There are just too many operators doing illegal things and too many loopholes to get away with it.
Me personally I stay away from CBRS frequencies. With the turn of a knob or flick of a switch I am legal if need be !!

[Mentor3006]

Which defers me back to my prior comment. You do so at your own risk. There are a good many things in life this way. I am also an avid camper. LOTS of people refill those little 1lb propane Coleman bottles even though it is against DOT regulations. Do I care? Not particularly. Do I do it? Nope. Not because it is illegal, but because I don't trust DOT39 cylinders, I have had too many leak on me over the decades...
Considering the FCC has taken forever to take action on Mud Duck Radio out of New Mexico even though he was screwing with channel 19 up into Canada, and I believe he may be back on the air, I don't think those with lesser violations are in much jeopardy. But it IS a risk. Is it one you are I want to take? I'm gonna squeeze the most out of my CB. You do you, and if we meet at the lake camping and keying up, well drop by my campfire and have a beer!

[TNT1450]

Mind you I bring this up only from an aspect of legality, and not making any statements on whether or not I agree with the rules set forth by the regulating body (Congress and in turn the FCC). The amount of power output on a modded HAM radio on 11 meters / CB radio frequencies isn't the issue at hand although I am sure it is part of the issue, it is using a HAM radio modified to function on CB frequencies where we go afoul of the regulators. You do so at your own risk.

I mean, the chances of getting caught are virtually nonexistent, but as you pointed out quoting the rules it's not legal to use a ham transceiver on CBRS channels even if you're running legal power. Not that I have any issue with it, I really don't care even if they operate outside the legal 40 channels as long as they stay off 10 meters.

It's not really any different from using a Baofeng HT on the FRS, GMRS, or MURS frequencies. The way I see it, as long as you're using the radio service in a responsible manner, the way it is supposed to be used, I really don't have a problem if your transceiver is channelized or has a VFO, or is putting out a couple watts more than the legal maximum. As long as it's done responsibly then there's virtually no chance of any enforcement action.

Way back when I was a reserve deputy for the local county, I used my ham HT on our SO repeater. We didn't have a lot of extra HT's back then, and the ones we had were crap, so I used my own. But I was authorized to be on that frequency even if the radio wasn't technically legal.

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Post Merge Complete

Added 5 minutes 54 seconds after previous.

If you have a 10 - 12 meter radio doing 1000 watts with a frequency counter in it and you are going through a toll booth. Just quickly set your radio to 10 meter bands so that the booth attendant and cameras see where you are at. Then you can say you are just reading the mail and they cant do anything about it even if you have a great big antenna, 256 pill box and more.

I don't think you even need to do that. Most toll booth attendants are just there to take your money, and they won't know and likely won't care what kind of two-way radio you have in your vehicle. 99.999% of the time they won't know the difference between 27 and 28 MHZ. And even if they do, they really can't do anything. It's not illegal to listen to 27.555 or wherever. Besides, I don't even think the FCC is too concerned with CBRS enforcement these days. Most of the time they're busy playing whack-a-mole with pirate FM broadcasters in NYC and Miami.

[295 antenna]

I love this thread. Years ago I got a letter from the fcc stating the " I may be violating" part 95 in the fcc rule book covering cb rule and regs. They also wanted the make and model of the radio's I'm using. To this I did comply. Turns out I was tearing up my nieghbors phone and TV. I talked to my neighbor at a later date and I got a good time to transmit and getting a low pass filter helped. Honestly I was running good size amp. But now cb frequencies are far apart from anything we use now (phones and television) still I think the fcc is more concerned if you are bothering businesses and stuff

[TNT1450]

Always a good idea to use a low pass filter, but nowadays with digital TV and few people having landlines, TV and phone interference is not as prevalent as it once was.

And a good thing about my setup is that I'm on one corner of the block away from my neighbors so I doubt I'm interfering with anything they have.

[De_Wildfire]

I've used the Wires X on my Yeas FTM-400 first generation and it's fun hooking into the repeaters with a touch of the red button. It sounds better than Echo link.