Linears and kickers

i have a linear and it really doesnt do much, [its not hooked up anymore] the best thing to do is get your radio peaked, and tuned, or what ever they are gonna call it. get it "done up" and get some antenna that you can tune to around 1.1 to 1 and a good power mic, [40 dollar road devil noise canceling power mic] chances are you will out talk these guys with a set up like this...

i know its not what you wanted to hear, but its much easier to do than to try and get a linear...

 

You would be better off to sale the 48T and get your self a Cobra or Uniden with a 5 pill dave made or one of the other comp amplifiers on the market today. Reason: if you keep the 48T you would need a straight 8 pill amp that would be able to handle the amount of power that the radio makes. You could go ( maybe ) with a 6 pill but you would be over driving the amp and i dont see the pills lasting for long like that not to mention sound quality would suffer. Also. If you were to go with a big amp you WILL need a few more batteries and bigger alternator just for the amp to supply power for it or you could get by with a motor mall with one or two more batteries. Either way your talking a lot of money for all of that. An 8 pill would run you around $600.00, big alternator $400.00, extra batteries could be $200.00 each, big motor mall would be around $750.00. This is all just right off the top of my head and the prices could be a little higher or lower. A well built Cobra with a 5 pill ( $375.00 ) amp would do around 800 watts and should be able to talk when you need to. Now the other setup would be somewhere in the 1500 ( or more ) watt range and you could talk when ever you want.

You just cant go out and buy a big amp and slap it in there with out doing anything else you have to all your ducks in a row or you will be wasting your money. But with a cobra and a 5 pill amp its just a matter of finding a place to mount the amp because it will not over work you alternator..Just depends on how much you want to spend!

 

If you're sitting on the scale, and can't talk to the scale-master because of some ratchet jawed rock hauler is stepping on you, then you may have a problem with your current set up. That's awful close to the other radio to not be making the trip.

Maybe suggest the scale-master tune to a quieter frequency.

 

what about a 10m radio? they have extra power and if im not mistaken they are capable of taking on the cb band

 

I have to agree with this post.

I might add, check into a 100 watt box. If you need more than that...see the above post again LOL.

For the money, I wouldn't even bother to de-tune my radio for it. IF all you really intend to do is use it within the confines of what you described. You'll be hard pressed to damage either unit with low usage such as described.

 

You have all missed the point. First off the other guys running power and making it difficult to communicate with the scales is not a problem that will be solved with more power. There are 2 major problems here at work. 1. the illegal power by the other drivers. 2. the scales using CB radio to conduct business. all violations of FCC part 95. The best bet is to get the scales to move to another channel to conduct there business,or get them to install a business band radio that will be free from all this harassment. The idea that they run power so i am going to run more is what got the CB band in the shape it is. if every one would go back to the stock 4 watt out put like it was years ago you would be surprised how much farther you could communicate when the air waves are clear of all the hetridine. Just my 2 cents worth. Now if you really want the power you need to invest in a true high drive amp like a ham radio amp that will perform with 100 watts of drive that way you want have to detune your radio and still get an amp that will perform,only draw back is most of those amps are built for SSB and not AM operation. There are some on the market that will work both and do a pretty good job and want take more than 80 or 90 amps to operate. I ran a 500 watt amp in the truck on ham bands for years and never ran nothing but big lead in wire to it with out all the extra batteries and such.

 

I'll have to remember that one, next time I start pulling a reefer. I can certainly see the Security Guard of Super Valu in Anniston, AL waddling the 3 blocks to let me know it's my turn...... 2 weeks after telling his company they aren't allowed to call me in with a CB because it's against Federal Law.

Maybe the FCC should explain this same law to the DOT as well. Since some use it to speak with drivers on their scales.

The following rant is for every Ham on here...Get me banned...but I've had enough.

I'm getting really tired of people who complain about "select" legalities. Yet fail to explain why a "Professional" radio operator with 4-8 years of theory and practical engineering education is considered a lesser person and not allowed on "amateur" bands without a ticket that takes less than an hour to obtain. Because he lacks proper training. Which is total BS

The main difference I see, a professional will discuss "radio" with anyone at any time. An amateur will only discuss it with those they feel are truly interested in "their" bands, or if Calls come up and the other person can't provide theirs...discussion over.

Tell me this, just how many HAMS within this forum can tell me what a MARTI unit is, without having to Google it, or ask someone???? Ooops I forgot, HAMs don't operate on those freqs, it's illegal.

You can use copper wiring for antenna...that makes you better than the guy that just finished erecting 2300 ft of steel, with a 12 Bay FM Antenna mounted on it, then sat down and ran the figures on what size transmitter he needs to show a effective radiated power of 100,000 watts...CLUE...it ain't 100,000 watts. I'm sure you're aware of this though.

You turn your beams to capture and broadcast the best signal. While the "Professional" must tune his for "effective" broadcast coverage from the top of said tower if he failed to get it right before mounting.

So, your just a bit off freq, the guy at the other end can twist his RIT, no problem. A Professional.....BIG problem, with BIG fines. But...he really doesn't know what he is doing...that's why we as "amateurs" must keep his kind off our bands...unless he is willing to PROVE him/herself by taking OUR test, which happens to be boring as **** when compared to his test.

The most difficult thing to swallow in the past. Morse Code, a form of communication which allows the Ham to communicate in almost ANY atmospheric condition.

Many old timers are PO'd that it's a thing of the past...it kept the riff raff off the radio. These same Old Timers use PC software to transmit and receive code at rates they could only once imagine.

Like it or not, change is coming to your special place within the Bandwidth. That's why you fight so hard now. That much I do understand.

What HAM operators fail to understand, their Spectrum is as obsolete as the CB. While there is still much traffic within these bands. It (the traffic) will be gone within the next 20 years as newer spectrums are opened to the public, and newer means of communication are designed.

I'm old school. But I embrace the New School, with high hopes and a twinkle in my eye.