CB Radio Talk

But would I be going to something that will soon or at some point be an antique and it will all be called vintage technology.

hogcowboy wrote: Aug 29 2020, 00:33 Is the CB radio and it's usage trending to the point that some day there won't be any new radios produced? I know it's not like it was in the 60's where every trucker had one and you could get highway information very easily from anyone with the hammer down. I really don't know what truckers are using but I assume it's a darn phone.

I'm asking because I was starting to try to get a Ham license and I'm just having nothing but trouble comprehending all the electrical stuff they want you to learn. So was thinking about just hanging that up and slipping back or going back to a CB. But would I be going to something that will soon or at some point be an antique and it will all be called vintage technology. Maybe at some point all that electrical stuff will click but at my age I'm not sure I have enough years just to be able to potentially help relay messages in some emergency.

Really wondering which way I should go. So I guess I'm really asking, are CB's going to make a come back? Or should I close myself in a dark room and try to memorize all that electrical stuff that I'll never use again just to get a Ham license?

gunner357 wrote: I know how ya feel HC Im studying for my HAM also and I do electronics stuff but for the most part its backyard stuff none of this techy mumbo jumbo......good luck I have about another month before Im going for tech and I want general too.......

MDYoungblood wrote: Sep 02 2020, 09:34 If you plan to get your ham ticket, read this, it will give you a little incentive into doing it now,

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3's

Greg

RossJ wrote: Sep 04 2020, 20:30 I think it all comes down to what you’re trying to accomplish with your radio comms. I got my HAM Tech ticket a year ago and while I learned some things that have served me in understanding radios and antennas in general, I find that the HAM community is limited. Local traffic nets are repetitive at best… a group of older op’s talking about walking their dogs and such. I find that I spend a great deal more time on 11 meter SSB. HAM’s are wrapped up in technology that is vulnerable to power and internet failure. Recently, our area lost power. The repeaters went down and there was nothing but dead air. I couldn’t find a single HAM op talking simplex… radio to radio and my setup easily works a 40 mile radius. When I turned on 11 meter SSB, there must have been a dozen people passing information. About all HAM has going for it is increased power that translates into greater distance, but if nobody’s talking, what’s the point? I like an active engaged community and in that area, HAM limits itself with rules, reg’s, high tech and repeater junkies.

hogcowboy wrote: Sep 10 2020, 23:57 Interesting. Well, I'll say this, just trying to study for the license I've learned a lot. One item in particular shocked me and that's not a pun. I discovered my 50 TV antenna tower was never properly grounded. Tornado this last spring when Bowie got hit as well as us took the tower out and when the replacement went up, that guy did at least ground it but not according to what the Ham tech suggests. And I can see the need for that level of grounding. So in that respect, going down this path has been of value. But I do wonder just how much I might find I use the extra frequencies over SSB CB. Can't hurt to have it though I guess.

hogcowboy wrote: Sep 20 2020, 10:10 Well surprise surprise. They said I passed the darn Ham Technician test. I went back over it and changed 5 answers. I missed several but are those the ones I changed or are they the ones that got me a pass? I don't think I want to know. On to step 2.

BikePacker wrote: Sep 21 2020, 04:40 Nice going Hog.... glad u have the Technician zam off ur plate.
Is "Step 2" the General?