Why run all that power

A lot of times while I was driving a tractor/trailer for a living, I would run into a fellow driver running a lot of power with his radio.
I never did understand why anyone needed to do this. I have been in truckstop's before (avg size of K-mart or Walmart parking lot) and here these truck driver's talking on EVERY channel I had at the same time!

Why? Why is it neccessary to run all this power to talk less than a mile? I mean yea I used to run a amp also, BUT I used mine to talk AM skip which I know this doesn't make me any better than them, except I was talking 500+ miles away, which on a good day with condition's could be done "bare foot" as long as you had a "good quality" antenna. Also I only did this while I was away from everybody, I never did while in a truckstop, or running in high traffic areas. I always alone, or on a back road away from everbody. Still this is no excuse but it is the only one I have.

Seems like the first thing a truck driver wants to do, is to go out and get him/her a "big ole radio" and a "big ole amp", when all it is....is just a waste of money.

Send that money home to the wife and kids, or put it back for something you really need.
I know it is highly unlikely that you will ever be caught running all this power out in the trucks, but it is happening and is going to contiue to happen, and eventually you are going to be checked and caught.

Another big problem I see all the time is, people buying these "big ole radio's" and spending hundred's of dollars, then buying a cheap antenna to go with it.
This is just plain dumb, to spend all the money on the radio and the antenna and coax, grounds,etc. are the most important items to tend to.

You can buy a $5.00 radio from a yard sale, and add a "high quality" antenna, and coax, mounts,etc. and out perform them "big ole radio's" everytime. I have been there and done that, and usually drivers get mad when this happens.

One of my favorite radio's I had a few years ago, was a Cobra 19 I had a Cobra power mic attached to it, and a Wilson 5000 trunck mount antenna. I could easily talk and hear 50+ miles in the right condition's with this setup.
People would be like "listen to that big ole radio", well sorry to burst your bubble. But it was a very little radio, it just had a very good antenna,coax,mounts, etc.

 

[SIZE=-1]While searching the internet for the dangers of RF Absorption, I ran across this article on ARRL website. I have listed the copyright segment and will give the link as well. I am not going to post the whole article, but will post the most interesting parts..If you like you can go read the full article by clicking here
[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]


Preprinted from the Chapter 9 of the 1997 ARRL Handbook for Radio Amateurs, Copyright © 1996 American Radio Relay League, Inc. This material may be reproduced for noncommercial use, provided that credit is given.

[/SIZE] Although Amateur Radio is basically a safe activity, in recent years there has been considerable discussion and concern about the possible hazards of electromagnetic radiation (EMR), including both RF energy and power frequency (50-60 Hz) electromagnetic fields. Extensive research on this topic is underway in many countries. This section was prepared by members of the ARRL RF Safety Committee and coordinated by Dr Robert E. Gold, WBØKIZ. It summarizes what is now known and offers safety precautions based on the research to date.

Thermal Effects of RF Energy
Body tissues that are subjected to very high levels of RF energy may suffer serious heat damage. These effects depend upon the frequency of the energy, the power density of the RF field that strikes the body, and even on factors such as the polarization of the wave.



At frequencies near the body's natural resonant frequency, RF energy is absorbed more efficiently, and maximum heating occurs. In adults, this frequency usually is about 35 MHz if the person is grounded, and about 70 MHz if the person's body is insulated from the ground.
Also, body parts may be resonant; the adult head, for example is resonant around 400 MHz, while a baby's smaller head resonates near 700 MHz. Body size thus determines the frequency at which most RF energy is absorbed. As the frequency is increased above resonance, less RF heating generally occurs. However, additional longitudinal resonances occur at about 1 GHz near the body surface.

Nevertheless, thermal effects of RF energy should not be a major concern for most radio amateurs because of the relatively low RF power we normally use and intermittent nature of most amateur transmissions. Amateurs spend more time listening than transmitting, and many amateur transmissions such as CW and SSB use low-duty-cycle modes. (With FM or RTTY, though, the RF is present continuously at its maximum level during each transmission.) In any event, it is rare for radio amateurs to be subjected to RF fields strong enough to produce thermal effects unless they are fairly close to an energized antenna or unshielded power amplifier. Specific suggestions for avoiding excessive exposure are offered later.



Table 9.3--RF Awareness Guidelines
These guidelines were developed by the ARRL RF Safety Committee, based on the FCC/EPA measurements of Table 9.2 and other data.

• Although antennas on towers (well away from people) pose no exposure problem, make certain that the RF radiation is confined to the antennas' radiating elements themselves. Provide a single, good station ground (earth), and eliminate radiation from transmission lines. Use good coaxial cable, not open-wire lines or end-fed antennas that come directly into the transmitter area.
• No person should ever be near any transmitting antenna while it is in use. This is especially true for mobile or ground-mounted vertical antennas. Avoid transmitting with more than 25 W in a VHF mobile installation unless it is possible to first measure the RF fields inside the vehicle. At the 1-kW level, both HF and VHF directional antennas should be at least 35 ft above inhabited areas. Avoid using indoor and attic-mounted antennas if at all possible.
• Don't operate high-power amplifiers with the covers removed, especially at VHF/UHF.
• In the UHF/SHF region, never look into the open end of an activated length of waveguide or point it toward anyone. Never point a high-gain, narrow-bandwidth antenna (a paraboloid, for instance) toward people. Use caution in aiming an EME (moonbounce) array toward the horizon; EME arrays may deliver an effective radiated power of 250,000 W or more.
• With hand-held transceivers, keep the antenna away from your head and use the lowest power possible to maintain communications. Use a separate microphone and hold the rig as far away from you as possible.
• Don't work on antennas that have RF power applied.
• Don't stand or sit close to a power supply or linear amplifier when the ac power is turned on. Stay at least 24 inches away from power transformers, electrical fans and other sources of high-level 60-Hz magnetic fields.

 

You need to read this: Click HERE