ham radio?

What Bruce says is true. Most truck drivers do not know anything about CB radios other than how to key up the mic and talk...and some don't even know how to do that.

The CB shops also know this....and most of them use this to their advantage to con you into thinking you need to pay them $$ to snip out the modulation limiter and crank the pots all the way over....then they point to their inaccurate meter (that we call the "feel good" meter...because it reads higher than it should) and say "Now ya see this meter here? Look at them watts..."

What they didn't/aren't telling you, is how unclean and nasty of a signal your radio is producing. All those extra watts are just harmonics. The sad part is most people that are not in the know on how a CB radio actually works, buy into it whatever is sold to them, hook line and sinker.

Most ham operators, OTOH, usually know something about HF radios (CB radio is one of a few HF radios) and how they work, as well as what coax to run (that isn't going to cause signal loss) and what antennas radiate the best....because to them it's a hobby so they really dig into it. I would guess to the average truck driver, the CB is merely a tool.

And so the informed hams come here to help the misinformed/uninformed truck drivers, asking CB related questions, to aid them in getting the best set up possible.

As for the ham operators that call the CB crowd a "bunch of outlaws".....while I know who you are referring to, and while I don't agree with all of his soap box preachings/lectures, I can explain why he feels this way....CB radio is allotted 40 channels. But some CB operators feel they are entitled to operate outside of the 40 channels. Some of them even try to operate on 10 meters, in an area that is non voice. It might be unknowingly but there have been times where it is believed to have been intentional. To the guy that earned his license on that band, it's a slap to the face.

And if that's not bad enough, you have some that have their radios butchered so bad, that they can be heard all over the band, from one channel. On top of that, some of them even run power thru dirty amplifiers that also cause bleed over into others speakers, TV's, radios, etc. Yes some hams are also this bad.

I run both ham and CB. I don't care where you operate on the band, or what you operate with, as long as your signal is not bleeding into my radio/TV/speakers, and as long as you aren't preventing me from talking to someone over the radio, and as long as you are not trying to talk in an area where a license is required that I have, and if you don't have.

 

Well put. There are alot of us that really do not preach. But there is alot of misinformation. I for one more just want to keep good info flowing.

 

I'm with you guys (the last few posters). 50 year ham, 45 year CBer, 38 year licensed commercial radio tech, as well as retired paramedic/firefighter and LEO. (Most public safety guys have second jobs and hobbies; I'm no different.).
I'm used to flinging 100-ft aerial ladders and 4,000 water tankers with 1,500 gpm pumps down icy roads in Alaska when seconds *really do* make a difference. Thankfully, I no longer have to do that, and it's been 16 years since I put a chest tube in some guy's chest who took a rifle bullet whilst out hunting.
But I consider myself an accomplished radio operator and repairman, as well as a professional truck driver (see the fire apparatus above).
If I know more about what goes on inside a two way radio than most people who only buy and use CB radios as they come out of the box, and I also happen to be a ham, I don't think I oughta be kept from answering technical questions that people pose that are within my realm of experience.
If I had a question about a piece of commercial equipment, absolutely the first guy I'd call is Bruce WA4GCH, cuz I know he knows his stuff. The fact that he's a ham is, I think, rather an enhancement of his knowledge base compared to somehow who's read "The Golden Screwdriver Guide to Getting Maximum Power from your Fartoblast 9000 CB" that he picked up in a truck stop.
I may be a ham, but just about the only CBs that I get back into my shop after a repair are the ones that someone else has gone into after me and tried to "get the audio just a little hotter" or "maybe get 6 watts out of this instead of 5" and loused something up. Radio checks by people leaving my place are almost universally very favorable. Well, at least when a driver can get an answer more comprehensive than, "Yeah, it works, Driver."
73,
Handlebar

 

I really wish the owners of this site would create a ham radio section for us. You would be surprised at how many truckers are licensed ham operators. I was in the T/A in Beloit WI once, and it turned out that 5 of us sitting at the counter were actually hams!

 

When I had HF in the truck, I got real tired of the 'experts' who would see my hamstick, bugcatcher, or whatever HF antenna I was running, and walk over to explain to me that a 'dynabugzapper3000 with a tristar base' was a better antenna.
If I had made the mistake of letting them climb up on my cab steps to look at my radio, most would tell me I needed a bungee cord to suspend my mike in mid-air, and ask what kind of roger beep I had and where my leeeeeeeneeeeeeaaaaarrr was.

Sorry, I have no respect for idiots. Sympathy, yes, not respect.

(Yes, there have been a few you could have an intelligent conversation with, explain the radios, what they did, and they understood.) I was always happy to talk 'real radio' with anybody, but not fantasy/trucker crap.

Then again, more than once, I have given a lecture on HF, VHF, antennas, APRS, packet radio, for 30 minutes....then had the guy I thought was listening and grasping what I said, ask me at the end 'But how far does it get out on Channel 19?'

 

I'm a Ham. I'm also a CBer (since 1968). And a Driver since 1969 so that's why I hang out on trucker forums. Maybe the much hated Hams were just trying to help. By letting you know that you can be fined. With starting at $7,500 for each piece of illegal equipment. Why do you hang out trucker forums reading what Hams are saying if you don't like it?

 

Not all hams are arrogant no-it-alls....(your input here is appreciated by the way). Some hams are big ol' hypocrites when it comes to the "rules". For as long as I can remember (even back in the 23 channel days and before) CBers have been trying to get a little more power out of their radios, and find an "extra" channel or two. It's what we do. To come on here and preach the rules mostly falls on deaf ears and is not really appreciated because "we" don't really care! Nor do we come here to be "policed"!! Not saying I approve of the "obnoxious, over powered, foul mouthed, trash talkers" on the CB. I advocate civility and respect for one another on the CB airwaves, (which is hard to find now days) but a little "fire in the wire" or a convo on a "another" channel doesn't offend me in the least.....it's been going on for 40+ years now!!

P.S. There are "other" channels not in the 10 meter band. For the record, I do not operate or approve of CBers operating in the ham bands.

 

Well two outta three ain't bad- not an outlaw but I agree- don't much care as long as no trespassing happens.

Mark

 

Alrighty not what I thought this thread was going to be about....... I thought this might be information about getting into ham radio. hmmmm Just more truckers whining!

 

The best way is to locate a ham club near where you live. Get plugged in and see what classes are being offered and when. The ARRL has great on-line resources including study material to help you get started. Websites like QRZ.com offer on-line practice tests. It's easier then ever to fall into this hobby- lots of low priced new and used equipments and good band conditions. Hope this helped.

73

Mark
K7TKR/ K7TKR-14(9)