WHY DO the HAMS always take over cb posts ?

Over here companies which do oversized stuff use allocated commercial radios. Sure, they'll have to pay a licence fee to the German equivalent of the FCC for the use of these frequencies (usually in the VHF or UHF range), but they are guaranteed to to have an interference free means of communications. Quite a bit safer than the overcrowded CB band, wouldn'tyou say? And the authority stomps down on anybody unlicenced interfering with these bands.

Jan, DL1JRK (so now you know my call sign)

 

You don't realise that when you are transmitting out of the CB band you are interfering with us and other services?

Jan

 

The reason for the wattage limit is that CB radio is regulated differently in different countries. You might not notice it that much in the US of A because your country is so big, but over here there are e.g. zones along the borders, where certain CB channels cannot be used. E.g. Germany has 80 channels available for CB and German CBers can use AM (1W), SSB (4W) and FM (4W) plus some digital modes. France on the other hand only allows 40 channels. In France the additional channels used in Germany are allocated to other services (commercial or emergency). Some countries like Tunisia ban CB (and even cell phones) altogether. So you are not allowed to use the additional German CB channels in a border zone close to France to prevent from interfering with their sytem.
The problem comes from the fact that CB signals, like other HF signals can, under the right circumstances, propogate over huge distances with relatively small power. I have had QSOs with CBers in England, Slovenia and Italy using a cheap standard 4W mobile CB radio with a simple vertical antenna stuck on the top of my car from a hilltop in Germany.
Up to 25 W the signals are usually so weak that they can't do a lot of damage more than a few hundred miles away, but if the you go to the 100W range and above, you can cause interference on a whole continent or even intercontinental.
On the other hand the ham bands are regulated through international treaties. Basically the world is divided into 3 regions by the ITU, for each of which exist agreements (the idea is that these regions are far enough apart not to cause problems for each other).

Jan

 

That is interesting, and having lived in Germany, I know how crowded Europe is, so you're right on the mark (no pun intended).
Here, however, we really do get spread out and things would be a lot cleaner if the big rigs didn't use their power to talk to the guy right in front of them. Also if people would stop overmodulating to the point of incoherency.
Another thing is the backyard gossip on 19...jeez, ya'd think that 38 other channels would be enough...but it's too much trouble for these busy guys to turn a knob.

 

I got an idea for yall. Why not offer the HAM testing at truckstops?

 

Now that all the free (broadcast) television is going digital, that should open up those airwaves for otherthings, or does the feds have plans for them already?

 

Not a bad idea. I am an accredited volunteer examiner(VE for short) and would love to have test sessions around the country. Having a ham license opens up new places for you guys to talk, with much better conversations than the CB has to offer. Even if you stick with the lowest class license you can talk with people over 100 miles away in certain cases using repeaters and there are already quite a few drivers using these types of radios as this forum has shown. The only thing is there have to be three VE's present to give a test and it generally costs $12 or so, I don't remember the exact amount. The VE's have the option in some cases to test free and the FCC does not charge for the license. The most expensive thing is the radio and you can have a good quality ham radio for the same or less than some of these "export" 10 meter(CB) rigs on the market today. Anyways, I think its a good idea, the only problem is scheduling. It may take an hour for the tech license or an hour and a half for tech and general, but not much more. If anyone happens to be interested in this, I can find the information on testing session that are already scheduled and get them to you.

 

As for Ham radio, Im am one, and very proud of my license. I have Ham HF radio in my truck as well as a CB, I dont run any power mods on my CB and dont need to, it is true with the right match of antenna and SWR you can have a barefoot radio that can talk without running more power. As for Ham, drivers that do use 10 meter radioes as CB radioes, not only are you using this radio and breaking the law, you are bleading over everyone. How many times have we sat at the truck stop watching our TV sets and had some driver talking with 200 watts in a parking lot to someone sitting next to them, wow you realy need to get your head out of your a-- and try to think about what your doing

 

Why do the ham operators always whine about cb operators? I run a good cb radio and for the most part I stay on 40 channels but sometimes I go up or down when the skip is rolling. I don't try to mess with the ham operators but they are always on here whining about us drivers. I don't desire to get a ham license, if the fcc doesn't want us running these radios then they should shut down all the cb shops, since they know about them. I'll keep talking like I always have and I guess you whiney hammers can just get over it!!!

 

NEWSWORTHY
Washington Beat
Capitol Hill And FCC Actions Affecting Communications
by Richard Fisher, KI6SN

Congressional Report Slams FCC Chairman Martin
Congressional investigators with the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee have released a 110-page majority staff report alleging, among other things, mismanagement, suppression of information, and abuse of power at the Federal Communications Commission under Kevin Martin, the commission’s Republican chairman.
In “Deception and Distrust: The Federal Communications Commission under Chairman Kevin J. Martin,” Martin is accused of manipulating data and suppressing information to influence telecommunications policy debates at the FCC and on Capitol Hill, according to widely published reports.Additionally, the findings allege Martin micromanaged commission affairs and demoted staffers who disagreed with him. They also charge that Martin withheld information from other FCC commissioners. The report came as the result of a yearlong, bipartisan investigation.
“Chairman Martin’s heavy-handed, opaque, and non-collegial management style has created distrust, suspicion and turmoil among the five current commissioners,” the report said.
Martin spokesman Robert Kenny said the committee “did not find or conclude that there were any violations of rules, laws or procedures,” according to a story by the Associated Press.

http://www.popular-communications.com/PC Highlights March 09.html