CB Radio Article

[Skwerly]

A CB is an important part of every off-road rig, if you ask me. In this article (aimed mostly at CB or wheeling newbs) I run down some of the major reasons why!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/887571/cb_radios_who_needs_one.html?cat=11

Thanks, NAXJA! :wave1:

[GrimmJeeper]

read it as soon as i got the email! keep writing i'll keep reading :cheers:

[Skwerly]

Thanks brother :).

[silverslk]

HAHA. Liked the ending. Wonder when Markw is gonna come in trashing the CB and spreading his HAM SPAM

[GauchoMD]

Read...and I agree, CB's are a MUST when wheeling! :) Keep the articles coming!

[Leep]

Very simply sed, keep writing as I always keep reading.

Leep

[Skwerly]

Hahaha thanks y'all!! I just wrote another one and submitted it called "Deep Sea Fishing: Cast Yourself into a Good Time". I'm starting to get cheesy as I go further into this.

GirlySkwerly says she's going to get me a t-shirt with a great big slice of cheddar on it, so I can be the king cheese.

Not sure about all that, but it sure is fun!

:)

[tcm glx]

Read it! Keep em coming skwerly

[tharlanjr]

Nice article, since I got my CB the only people I hear are our neighbors to the south...


I have read a few of your articles and they are pretty good, keep it up!

[markw]

HAHA. Liked the ending. Wonder when Markw is gonna come in trashing the CB and spreading his HAM SPAM

Nice article. I've got a CB in the rig. Cigarette plug and mag mount. :)

The big points I stress in Ham over CB is range and availability of repeaters.
A CB is limited to 4 watts of power, while ham is a maximum legal limit of 1500 watts. Most mobile ham rigs are around 50 watts. Would you rather be stranded 20 miles out in the sticks with no cell, a CB that won't reach the highway and a hand held 2m rig that will reach a mountain top repeater?

Here's what prompted a bunch of guys on here to get licensed.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=369569

Can he do an article on Ham radio in offroad too?

Thanks!

[silverslk]

Nice article. I've got a CB in the rig. Cigarette plug and mag mount. :)

The big points I stress in Ham over CB is range and availability of repeaters.
A CB is limited to 4 watts of power, while ham is a maximum legal limit of 1500 watts. Most mobile ham rigs are around 50 watts. Would you rather be stranded 20 miles out in the sticks with no cell, a CB that won't reach the highway and a hand held 2m rig that will reach a mountain top repeater?

Here's what prompted a bunch of guys on here to get licensed.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=369569

Can he do an article on Ham radio in offroad too?

Thanks!

I am sure he can. Talk to him at the rock garden. I don't know if skwerly has any ham experience so he may need FACTS to help him with his article.

[mikedashg]

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=369569


I think Roger from just runs has used his ham twice for medical emergencies.

I use my ham for the clarity/range/no BS on the trail. I don't often program in repeaters of places I'm going in advance, but I know I should for this type of scenario. I do keep the mini repeater book on hand if it ever came down to it.

[markw]

I am sure he can. Talk to him at the rock garden. I don't know if skwerly has any ham experience so he may need FACTS to help him with his article.

Why wouldn't I use facts?? :) Having ham radio in your rig is like a front locker.
Once you have it, you wonder why you didn't get it earlier. :)

[tcm glx]

Why wouldn't I use facts?? :) Having ham radio in your rig is like a front locker.
Once you have it, you wonder why you didn't get it earlier. :)

I have to agree here!

[GrimmJeeper]

mmmm ham.


:D

[johnnyc]

I like my ham with green eggs, thank you.

Yeah, I was there on that trip that Mark linked to. Ever since then, I've been telling myself to get a license. That was two years ago. Gotta stop procrastinating and DO it.

[silverslk]

Why wouldn't I use facts?? :) Having ham radio in your rig is like a front locker.
Once you have it, you wonder why you didn't get it earlier. :)

Don't turn touchy on us too now!!!!

I meant give him good facts so the article is correct and factual, thats all. :sure: :laugh3:

[markw]

Don't turn touchy on us too now!!!!

I meant give him good facts so the article is correct and factual, thats all. :sure: :laugh3:

I dunno, I feel like I have to tread water right now, people are sensitive around here. :) Yeah, I can give him some good facts, and give him some good resources. If you guys want, we can demo a repeater or something too.

I really think the range and the repeater network have proven themselves again and again in times of emergency. Now, with that said, NO I don't wear an HT on my belt and walk around with a nametag with my callsign, nor do I wear a pocket protector, and my vehicles lack the 5+ antenna's of true hams. :)

[Leep]

I think Roger from just runs has used his ham twice for medical emergencies.

I use my ham for the clarity/range/no BS on the trail. I don't often program in repeaters of places I'm going in advance, but I know I should for this type of scenario. I do keep the mini repeater book on hand if it ever came down to it.

Even tho most of us have CB's it would be nice to have a HAM radio for scenerios like this. Unfortunately the use of one without a FCC HAM operators permit is illegal.

If I am not mistaken there are a series of tests that allow you to run the different freq that allow legal use.

Mike, I know that you have your permit, can you elaborate what it takes to get the basic operators permit to the full limit of upper wattage ?

A friend in monrovia started out with a CB and is now a full civilian navy certified emergency operator for HAM on the west coast. I know that he took a series of tests and hrs of certified transmission before he could get to this point.

I know it sounds simple, but just going out and buying one and putting it in sounds easy enough and if you want fines the I would suggest avoiding it.

Trust me the FCC will find you, even if you are mobil.

Just my .02 cents worth.

Leep

[Leep]

Even tho most of us have CB's it would be nice to have a HAM radio for scenerios like this. Unfortunately the use of one without a FCC HAM operators permit is illegal.

If I am not mistaken there are a series of tests that allow you to run the different freq that allow legal use.

Mike, I know that you have your permit, can you elaborate what it takes to get the basic operators permit to the full limit of upper wattage ?

A friend in monrovia started out with a CB and is now a full civilian navy certified emergency operator for HAM on the west coast. I know that he took a series of tests and hrs of certified transmission before he could get to this point.

I know it sounds simple, but just going out and buying one and putting it in sounds easy enough and if you want fines the I would suggest avoiding it.

Trust me the FCC will find you, even if you are mobil.

Just my .02 cents worth.

Leep

OK, I cant edit the previous post, but here is a good site to take a look at HAM stuff if so inclined.

Skewerly, apologies if stepping on anyones toes.

http://www.worldwidedx.com

Leep

[markw]

Even tho most of us have CB's it would be nice to have a HAM radio for scenerios like this. Unfortunately the use of one without a FCC HAM operators permit is illegal.

If I am not mistaken there are a series of tests that allow you to run the different freq that allow legal use.

Mike, I know that you have your permit, can you elaborate what it takes to get the basic operators permit to the full limit of upper wattage ?

A friend in monrovia started out with a CB and is now a full civilian navy certified emergency operator for HAM on the west coast. I know that he took a series of tests and hrs of certified transmission before he could get to this point.

I know it sounds simple, but just going out and buying one and putting it in sounds easy enough and if you want fines the I would suggest avoiding it.

Trust me the FCC will find you, even if you are mobil.

Just my .02 cents worth.

Leep

If it's an emergency, then you are legal to transmit without a license. So, even if you don't have a license you can have a ham rig in your junk, and if there's an emergency, you're legal. Getting a license is not all that hard either.

The FCC has narrowed the licenses down to 3 nowdays, and they are:

Technician -

This gives you full privileges on 50mhz and above frequencies in the amateur radio bands. This is the base test that the others build on. For offroading, most guys run 2m (144-148mhz) which means this is the _ONLY_ license you need. There is a 35 question test with questions pulled from a question pool.
Most the questions deal with radio safety (RF), general operation, modes, bands, and some basic knowlege of antenna systems.

General -
This is where most guys who get into it end up. This opens up frequencies below 50mhz (HF bands) which can be used for long haul communications without repeater systems. Think shortwave radio, lots of buzzing, hissing, and trying to pick stuff out. Mostly single sideband modes. This is another 35 question test that covers more electronic theory, and builds on what bands you can operate on.

Extra -
This is the grandaddy of them all, 50 question test, lots of electronics questions, and you gain exclusive use of some small slivers of the HF bands.
The irony here is that most the extra frequency privileges are CW (morse code) only modes, and you can get an Extra class license without knowing morse code. I have an Extra and have trouble remembering SOS. :)

There were other classes like Novice and Advanced but the FCC dropped them and simplified the licensing.

All the tests are generated from a Pool of questions, the question pool for Technician is about 300 questions, of which they'll pick 35. You must score 70% or better to pass. Tests are given pretty much every weekend in the Socal area, and are proctored by volunteers. The fees are usually 5-10 bucks to cover costs of materials.

There's online practice tests here:

http://www.qrz.com/xtest2.html

Most guys I know just keep taking the technician exam over and over until they pass it consistently, then go in the next day and take the real exam.

As for getting caught, the ham bands are self policed. The FCC won't track you down, but other hams protecting their bands will, and then they'll sic the FCC on you, which can be a healthy fine. But if you're upside down in a canyon and you take a hand held to the hilltop and call for help, no one is going to give it a second thought.

Hmm.. Maybe Skewerly can get his ham license and write about it. I consider a Ham rig an even more important piece of gear for your rig than a CB. A CB let's you talk to guys on the trail, a ham rig let's you talk to guys that aren't on the trail, and it's the guys that aren't there that will get that life flight in.

I just had an idea, we could do a technician class in Moab during the week. If I can find another Extra, or maybe a General (not sure on giving the exams), we could maybe even have a class/exam session and license a bunch of guys. Just a thought.

[souske]

i know this is kinda OT, but is gmrs of any use?

[markw]

i know this is kinda OT, but is gmrs of any use?

GMRS is an 85 dollar license, and it's point to point/Line of Sight. Range is said to be up to 10 miles, but in the back country I wouldn't bet on it. Most hand held gmrs radios are 1-5 watts and they have a 50 watt max. There are no repeaters for it, so your range will be limited. The nice thing about ham radio is that there are repeaters all over the place. I'm not sure what the cost of a GMRS mobile rig is, but I'd be willing to bet it's more than a Yaesu 1802 which is a $150 rig when it's not on sale, and 130 when it is. Plus you can get an FT-1500 for <$100 on ebay. It wouldn't be hard to get a license and full mobile setup in your rig for $150. I've got a $30 CB and a $300 dual band Icom in mine.

[Skwerly]

Thanks guys, I love the Ham idea, it's something I've always wanted to look into and never have (familiar story it seems hehe). I'd love to learn more, maybe I'll start doing my Ham Radio homework soon. That kinda crap is addicting to me, though, and I'm sure it'll get expensive on me quick. I'll be the prick with an antenna half a mile high on my pad and boxes with knobs on them all over the house LOOOLZ!

:) thanks again, appreciate the responses and ideas!

[mikedashg]

GMRS is an 85 dollar license, and it's point to point/Line of Sight. Range is said to be up to 10 miles, but in the back country I wouldn't bet on it. Most hand held gmrs radios are 1-5 watts and they have a 50 watt max. There are no repeaters for it, so your range will be limited. The nice thing about ham radio is that there are repeaters all over the place. I'm not sure what the cost of a GMRS mobile rig is, but I'd be willing to bet it's more than a Yaesu 1802 which is a $150 rig when it's not on sale, and 130 when it is. Plus you can get an FT-1500 for <$100 on ebay. It wouldn't be hard to get a license and full mobile setup in your rig for $150. I've got a $30 CB and a $300 dual band Icom in mine.

85 bucks? Wow! LOL. My ham was like 3 dollars. :D