Getting caught illegal...

No truer statement was ever spoken!

 

@ Outlaw CB, Thanks for the info. I have not raised it right now because I have a airport 1.8 miles line of sight away from me. And that measurement is to the closest part of the runway not there property. I will defiantly look into how high i can legally go with it when I get some time.

 

The top of a CB antenna can be 60 feet above ground, or 20 feet above the existing structure it is mounted on (CB rule 8). The airport isn't an issue unless it's closer than 100x the distance to the nearest part of the runway (6000'). The 100:1 slope rule would let you have a 95' tall structure for a ham station.

This 100:1 rule applies for *all* antenna structures.

 

What I don't understand is how those loud-mouthed, way-over-powered (20 KW plus pinning my needle at 40 dB over 9!) yahoos on channel 6 (27025 MHz--the so-called "Super Bowl") manage to stay on the air year after year with impunity. These "keydown clowns" run 20 KW plus and pin my needle at 40 dB over 9! To evade the law for so long they would have to be linear-loaded mobiles parked in remote areas.

I can only assume that the FCC does catch a few of them every now and then, but presumably there are too many of them out there to make any significant dent in their numbers.

You have to wonder about these channel 6 characters such as the idiot who calls himself "147" who never misses a single day screaming his marble-mouthed, indecipherable nonsense from dawn until dusk. He claims to be transmitting from Jamaica, but to me his accent sure sounds like someone from the southern U.S.A. I can never understand a single word he says.

How I'd love to pull his plug.

 

Sounds like someone can't get heard on the Superbowl. Change the channel.

 

It takes many many complaints from more than just 1 person to get the FCC involved on the CB freq's. Back in the 80's, before 40 channels became the norm, my brother had a matched set of Browning radios...a base and a mobile. Both had extra crystals installed and he had over 60 channels and waaaaay more power than legal. The guy down the street had a Moon Raker set of beams and so much power he could overpower the neighbors tv reception if he wanted...no one ever got in hot water over it. Kinda wish I had my brothers old mobile. It was a way better radio than any of todays models as far as being clear when doing the AT&T(reaching out to touch some one)

 

My most recent research on the FCC about a year ago found that they used to have like 40 agents for the 48 lower states and that since like 2008 cut backs have reduced that number to I believe 26 field agents.
As for fines , it gets worse , anyone remember Cadillac man from El Paso or Laredo ? I been hearing for 5 yrs he got locked up , and fined 10's of thousands. He was nearing if I recall 7000watts , and nearly was responsible for like 13 mid air collisions over the MEX / US border. You haven't heard Cadillac man in 6 or 7 yrs have ya ?

 

Yup , had ol Bear in Chicago , in the 60's and 70's owned TeePee electronic on Kedzie av about 6300 s , his son used to tell me an A.M. station to tune to , that had no signal and he used to call my sister on the A.M. radio like he was a disc jockey. Hilarious Sat mornings at 9 a.m. Guys like Cadillac man test the waters heavily and find out that there can be jail time involved. He's got locked up 6 or 7 yrs ago , dunno if he's out yet. Hear he was fined near 100k in addition , you know he won't be running 7k watts of power any more.

 

All it takes is a grumpy ex wife trying to take away custody of your kids to make an anonymous phone call to the Fcc complaining about your illegal amplifier or illegal radio to get a notice in the mail and if you do not respond to the notice they will show up at your door unexpectedly one day and yes you will get in trouble. I have the warning letter from the Fcc if you'd like to see one. The funny thing is my ex wife made that phone call anonymously without having any idea what I had or did not have in my personal vehicle. People can make stories up and make anonymous phone calls and yes the Fcc will show up at your door if you do not respond to the letter that they send you in the mail even if it's a false allegation.

 

If you're an OTR truck driver, have a radio that is properly tuned (not a splatter box) and operate only on the legal 40 CB channels... you're more likely to win the powerball jackpot than you are to get busted by the FCC.