Radio Stuff that you might already know

[pkveazey]

Some of this info I already knew but a piece or two is new to me. I found a power level chart for FRS that shows that Channels 8 through 14 are 1/2 watt only and all the rest can run 2 watts. Since FRS overlaps GMRS, FRS radios can talk to GMRS stations but they are not allowed to use the GMRS repeaters. MURS is limited to 2 watts but channels 1, 2, and 3 must use Narrowband FM but channels 4 and 5 can use Narrow band or Wide band FM. Channel 6 and 7 are still licensed and cannot be used until the FCC opens them up when the existing licenses expire and they issue a notice of use. The FCC is in the process of allowing CB to also use FM. They seem to want any new CB radio that has FM to also include AM, SSB, and FM. There was no mention of whether the FM will be Narrow band or Wide band. The push to allow FM on CB is being done by the makers of COBRA and PRESIDENT.

[FeedingFreedom]

One thing that gets skipped over most of the time is that FRS radios must have a fixed antenna, and cannot be frequency-agile. Like most FCC regs, it's rarely enforced at the user level, but you should be aware of it at the very least. CB will almost certainly be 12.5 kHz, the FCC mandated that in all commercial and public safety radios a long time ago, any existing 25 kHz radios had to be taken out of service. I don't quite understand the thinking in this move, they're improving the audio quality, but reducing the effective range of CB with FM, as it will remain at the 4-watt power limit. Guess there will be a new proliferation of FM "kickers" on ebay now. The last few times I hooked up a CB and gave a listen, I only heard the local water trucks hauling for gas drilling, and anyone more than a couple miles away was just unintelligible gibberish, like someone gave a troop of zombie rhesus monkeys megaphones.

As easy as it is to get a Tech license, and with the number of completely dead 2-meter repeaters out there, I can't fathom why anyone would bother with CB anymore. You can buy a good brand-name 2-meter mobile for about the same price as a good CB. At least 50 watts (more if you want to get an amplifier), better performance from a smaller antenna, and much less ridiculous interference.

[JohnyMac]

I am getting ready to install a CB in my vehicle and run it along side my VHF. When the VHF antenna was installed on the roof I had them install a spare antenna mount and run the coax and connector to the passenger seat area.

I want to add the CB for trucking comms. I travel a lot and often find myself in stopped traffic. I send out a inquiry on what the issue is via 2-meters however, maybe 1 time out of 20 someone comes back and maybe 1 time out of 100 they are close to what is holding up the traffic.

With that written, with so many truckers sporting CB antennas I figure that I would have more opportunity getting a report via CB than VHF.

I read somewhere that a lot of truckers are now using SSB CB radios now for power consumption reasons.

Anyhow, I am looking for a CB that has SSB mode for my car. Any suggestions? 

[FeedingFreedom]

I think the Uniden 980 is the only "major" brand SSB CB available new right now. Cobra and President are holding out for the FM rule to go through before they introduce brand-new models. The 980 goes around $150+ right now, probably could find an older Cobra with SSB on ebay used for about the same money. I buy decent used CB's whenever I see them at sales, I put a cigarette lighter plug on them and store them with some mag-mount antennas. Not an ideal solution, but for short-range they're good for people that might not be comfortable with a more complex radio.

For current travelling, I'm finding that Waze is the best source of traffic information, as long as you're in cell service, which is about 90% of US interstates now. It has a massive user base who are actively updating the map and road conditions in real time. It's saved my butt a few times now. I still want my radios in case something happens to the cell system, and more than half of my daily commute is outside cell service, so it's nice to know you have options.

[pkveazey]

This is more for Johnny's ears than anybody but you may find it interesting. An old Ham friend gave me his old 23 channel SSB CB. I checked it out and it works fine but here comes the kicker...... I live 1 mile by air from a major truck stop and I have monitored channel 19 for hours at a time and rarely hear anything. A couple of times I've asked for a radio check and once in a while someone will answer. Whether they are a trucker or not, I don't know. Hmmmmmm...... Where are the Truckers? I even have a long haul Trucker in my family and he has a regular CB in his truck. I have FRS, and MURS channels programmed into my tri-band base radio and once in a while I will hear someone on FRS or MURS and they aren't truckers. They are usually people traveling together in different cars and are talking to each other. The truckers might still be using Channel 19 but I just don't hear them like the old days. As a side note, I'm still pondering if I should just order a new IC 7300 because I buggered up mine. I looked at the HRO website and Woodbridge, Va. showed that they had them in stock. Damn!!! I looked today because I was going to order one and NONE of the HRO stores have any in stock. I didn't bother to hook up all the Digital cables on my temporary IC 718 so I missed the ERIN Digital Net but I'm about to fire it up for the Phone Net at 8.

[JohnyMac]

Thanks folks for your help folks. 

PKv, I suspect that HAM radios will if not already, will be in short supply. Remember, you can always sell an extra one to recoup your money if need be.

[pkveazey]

Yea, Johnny. I've got two IC 718's. One works perfect but I have to use headphones because there is something wrong with the Audio amp. I've promised to give that one to my longtime friend if he upgrades his license to General. The other IC 718 is in my Radio Bug Out Backpack. It works fine and I even have an LDG 100 auto tuner attached to it so I can load up a wire fence if I need to. I didn't want to unpack the Bug Out Radio so I used the one with headphones tonight on the net. I'm not rich but I do have enough cash to just replace the IC 7300 that I buggered up. I may at some point also just replace the Main board in the one I broke. I'll be watching the HRO website for when they get some more 7300's in stock.

[The sip]

Gigaparts in Huntsville Alabama has them in stock

[JohnyMac]

PKv,
would you share with the group how you buggered up your radio? Just so I don't make the same mistake 

[pkveazey]

OK, here I go with what happened. Before I start, I hold a General Radiotelephone license as well as my Advanced Amateur License. Therefore, I'm supposed to know what I'm doing. NOPE.... All the new radios have surface mount components and are very sensitive to static discharges. Was I smart enough to touch my hand to a ground before reaching inside the radio? NOPE. That was my first mistake. Then when I found the teeny tiny diode that I was to remove, it was so small that I decided to just use needle nose pliers to crush it and then remove the debris. In order to removes all the little particles from the board, I used my extremely sharp pocket knife that I also forgot to ground before sticking it in there. The traces on the board are so small and thin that I might have also damaged one or two of those. Anyway, when I was finished, I put the cover back on the radio and hooked it up. When I pushed the On/Off button, I got nothing. From what I am told, that board is the MAIN BOARD so I will probably have to buy a new MAIN BOARD from ICOM and replace it. With that said, there is no guarantee that will fix the problem because a static charge could have buggered up other stuff as well. The bright side is that replacing the MAIN BOARD will probably cure the problem. I'm not taking any chances. I'll just buy a new radio and then, later, maybe try to fix the radio.

[JohnyMac]

Thank you for sharing with the group your foo-pa.