CB antenna height

[jjohnsonphx]

I agree with 763X39. What works works. But if you only have 1 radio and it doesn't work then your up a creek without a paddle. So why not have more than one option.

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Hi Herbie,

This is Mark....."Scenic WonderRunner". The guy in the 1988 Silver 4Runner.

The guy that came over to you and shook your hand and welcomed you to the San Diego Fiesta Island ExPo Meet and Greet.

Log in to view.

http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30145&page=9




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[off-roader]

However my HF radios have the CB frequencies in them. Just in case I need to talk to one of my non-Ham friends. Don't focus on the small stuff. The original posters questions are still legitimate and deserve a good answer.

When you refer to HF radios are you referring to 2M or ham? I was told that no Ham radios have CB frequencies you can talk on because the FCC doesn't allow it or was I misinformed?

As for the OP, if your with a small group and not that far apart, tuning your antenna is not as important. However if you expect to get decent range (both receive and transmit range) you need to tune it. Also tuning the antenna does improve the sound quality both what you hear and what you transmit... If I was closer Id let you use my SWR.

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

A Quote from my CB Radio Rescue Thread.....

"I thank my lucky stars that the Gettinoff4x4 Crew has the same sense of off road honor as the other 4x4 websites I visit. GOD BLESS YOU!

I'm no one to preach after going through this nightmare! But I will proclaim..........Stop complaining about your CB Radio's........and Set your SWR Perfect..........it could save your life, or at least a lot of time! My good old RF Johnson CB Radio with Wilson 1000 antenna puts out 60+ miles line of sight. Joe said I was even punching through his squelch and he was amazed. And Keep your wits about you"!




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[Herbie]

Hi Herbie,

This is Mark....."Scenic WonderRunner". The guy in the 1988 Silver 4Runner.
The guy that came over to you and shook your hand and welcomed you to the San Diego Fiesta Island ExPo Meet and Greet.

I remember! That's a sweet rig. There were so many friendly folks there that day that I do mix names and faces, but the rigs are easier to keep straight somehow. :victory:

When you refer to HF radios are you referring to 2M or ham? I was told that no Ham radios have CB frequencies you can talk on because the FCC doesn't allow it or was I misinformed?

HF generally refers to the longer wavelength frequencies between 10m and 100m. (3MHz to 30MHz) In this case, a 10m Ham radio will often have the ability to tune to the CB band which is basically 11m. Theoretically this is for "monitoring" only. This is one of the reasons that a license is required for Ham operation, because Ham equipment is much more generalized and even without modification it CAN do things you SHOULDN'T do, like Tx out of band.

You're right that the FCC does not normally allow Hams to transmit outside of the designated Ham bands. However, very specifically, in an emergency, "Anything Goes" in terms of what power, frequency, and modulation you use. In the unlikely event that someone is bleeding to death in a Ham shack next to a 10m radio and a 2k watt linear amp, you can dang well bet that every trucker in the state, and possibly a good chunk of the western hemisphere, is going to get an earful of mayday...

 

[KG6BWS]

When you refer to HF radios are you referring to 2M or ham? I was told that no Ham radios have CB frequencies you can talk on because the FCC doesn't allow it or was I misinformed?

As for the OP, if your with a small group and not that far apart, tuning your antenna is not as important. However if you expect to get decent range (both receive and transmit range) you need to tune it. Also tuning the antenna does improve the sound quality both what you hear and what you transmit... If I was closer Id let you use my SWR.

2m IS ham radio. CB bands are 27 megahertz, 10m is 28 megahertz. SOme of the high dollar cb's have 10m built into them. Check out Galaxy radios for example. THe one i had, a Delta Force (Galaxy knockoff), was the one I used to run lower side band all the time. If it wasnt for how big the things are Id have one in my Tacoma.

 

[PhulesAU]

2 mtr is VHF the 440 is UHF. HF is 6 thru 160, it primarily considered "long distance" radio. mainly because it not Dependant on line of sight. In cb terms "skip".

 

[SunTzuNephew]

2 mtr is VHF the 440 is UHF. HF is 6 thru 160, it primarily considered "long distance" radio. mainly because it not Dependant on line of sight. In cb terms "skip".

Generally HF is considered to be 3-30 MHz, which puts 6 meter (~50 Mhz) in the VHF range - generally called VHF-low.

VHF is 30-300 MHz, or VHF-hi

UHF is 300-3000MHz

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Amauri is asking for help over here.

Log in to view.

http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41544


I posted up.....

Amauri,

What kind of radio and antenna do you have?

Radio shack used to carry swr meters in their stores. There is a small old CB shop in downtown Esc. I have no idea what he would charge.

Since you live nearby and know the area I will give you an example. I can sit in my driveway in Poway and talk south to El Cajon about 20+ miles away. And I can talk north into Valley Center 20+ miles. And this is over all the hills and valleys. These guys are CB Radio fanatics and they know how to tune their system with a quality antenna. They are on almost every night.

But I can't talk long distance with somebody that just sticks their system on and uses a poor antenna. <~ the main reason why people think cb's are junk.

The key is doing it right. I would recommend a Wilson 1000 or a Wilson 5000, and mount it properly.


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[dms1]

I bought my SWR meter at Frys Electronics, so you should be able to pick one up there as well.

 

[jjohnsonphx]

When you refer to HF radios are you referring to 2M or ham? I was told that no Ham radios have CB frequencies you can talk on because the FCC doesn't allow it or was I misinformed?

As for the OP, if your with a small group and not that far apart, tuning your antenna is not as important. However if you expect to get decent range (both receive and transmit range) you need to tune it. Also tuning the antenna does improve the sound quality both what you hear and what you transmit... If I was closer Id let you use my SWR.

Everyone above pretty much nailed your question, however strictly speaking the FCC doesn't allow a commercially produced HAM radio to be what is known as "out banded" (or modified to transmit outside of the HAM bands). However there is somewhat of a loophole in the FCC code for CB radio. Yes you are restricted to 4 Watts in CB, however as a HAM you can experiment by making your own equipment. This not to say we can transmit outside our band, but since CB is no longer licenses, most Hams modify their radios to be out banded and will transmit on CB at 4 watts. With most Ham radios you can set the transmit power output. Can you get in trouble for this, YES. Can you get your HAM license revoked, YES. But it hasn't happened to anyone I know. I guess the best thing to say is do this at your own risk.

2M is in the VHF band. 70cm or 440Mhz is in the UHF band. And HF was explained above very well. I have two different Yaesu radios that do all 3 bands.

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

The Wilson 5000.....

"Date Added: 09/26/2009 by Kruser

As a professional installer, when I set this antenna on a vehicle I know it will be a hassle free customer hit. I use a professional analyzer for tuning and with only a slight adjustment these antennas consistently bottom out on SWR readings the way no other antenna does. While they are expensive, they are worth every penny you will spend. I have seen customers spend hundreds on various antennas trying to save money when this one purchase would have solved their problem instantly. Unless you are into the mega serious ultra high wattage competition with several alternators and batteries, this antenna will handle anything you throw at it. The only other antenna to be be in the ballpark would be the 102 inch whip mounted in the middle of your vehicle. The whip length is the key to any antenna. Buy with confidence".




The Wilson CB Antenna website is under construction right now. This is what I would find to share some Wilson info.

Keep checking this link for the new Wilson website for more info.

http://www.wilsonantenna.com/





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[Scenic WonderRunner]

Another Idea....

Wilson 5000 Wilson Trunk Lip Mount...



My future upgrade....

I want SSB.

More info on the....


The Wilson 1000 and 5000 magnet mount....

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[jjohnsonphx]

Here is some clarification on the Ham Radio or Amateur Radio band plans. This doesn't cover all the bands allocated by the FCC to Amateurs, but it covers the most used Bands.

HF Band Plan


VHF and UHF Band Plan


My Future Radio

This radio does all of HF, 6M, 2M, and 70cm bands.
http://www.icomamerica.com/en/products/amateur/hf/7000/default.aspx

 

[hillbillyjake]

am i reading this right? does this radio transmit on cb and ham bandwidths?