why do ham operators act like they are so darn special and act so stuck up

As an extra class operator myself, I'm surprised truckers haven't gone into the amateur radio arena. You can pick up a tech license in no time. The questions are all on the internet. Only study the correct answers for an hour or two, take a few practice tests, then just find some place that's offering the tests. Usually on Saturdays at a local ham radio club.

Next you pick up a two meter or dual band (2 meter, 70cm) mobile rig for as little as $50 to $100 and an decent vertical antenna that's way smaller than any CB whip.. Hook it up to your truck right next to your CB and you're on the air..

Sure, you have to use your FCC call sign and identify yourself with it every ten minutes during a conversation but, I've used a simple radio shack mobile radio with 50 watts and hit repeaters as far away as 50 miles. No skip needed, the signal is that good.

What the heck is a repeater you might ask?? They are radios that sit on top of tall buildings, mountain tops, tall antenna towers, most are free to use. Basically, they rebroadcast your 50 watt signal into a 1000 or 1500 watt signal with a huge antenna. If you're stuck in the middle of Arizona, there's a network there that can get you help.

There IS one catch. No commercial activities.. Meaning you can't use it to set up a load at your next destination but, if you need help, you can call and ask.

The big thing about Ham Radios? They get out a lot better than CB's.. Mainly because of that repeater network that's out there but, also because the channels are much cleaner. Equipment is a good bit more filtered. There are mods that people do to ham radios that allow access to other bands, not just a few more areas of a frequency.

Where CB has 40 channels or 120 if you've had those 'switches' put in, some have SSB as well... with the two meter radio, the frequencies start at 144.000 and go to 148.000... That means you can have 144.000, 144.005, 144.010, 144.015 and so forth.. If someone wants to count those 'channels' be my guest.

There are small handbooks that list every repeater across the nation. You can pick them up for $15.00 or so..

This is just the VHF/UHF side of ham radio.. When you get into the HF side, that's where you work the world. the CB is right next to the 10 meter HF band. There are a lot more bands out there for Ham radio and once you get into HF, you can find out which bands are better by time of day, solar cycle, global location, etc..

Now, did I sound stuck up? I have a Jeep Wrangler that has an ICOM 706 HV/VHF radio in it. It only has 100 watts but, to tell you the truth, spending a little more on a decent antenna than a fancier radio is a LOT better and cheaper too. The Jeep Wrangler also has a scanner in it that will listen to pretty much everything.. and on the other side of the console, is a small CB radio for communications with other Jeep owners on trail rides.

Someone mentioned above the debate thing between CB'ers and Hams being like Ford vs Chevy owners, Big Trucks versus Hot Shots, etc.. etc.. That's exactly what it is.. A debate.. chest pounding is what I call it..

Fell free to ask questions on ham radio and I'll offer assistance when I can.

GG

 

I'm not. Most truckers as I have found only see the radio as a "tool" and not a hobby. Heck most of them don't even run on SSB but some of them run SSB radios. Not to mention they would be ridiculed if they tried to use the typical trucker CB toys (roger beep, echo, noise toys, voice changers, sound machines, etc.) on amateur radio.

You are correct though....FM is so much better, cleaner, less noisy than AM radio. Too bad the FCC never let CB be FM instead of AM. And you're also right...a 2 meter rig can utilize a full size antenna on a semi, not a cut down CB antenna that hinders range because CB requires 9 ft for 1/4 length and semis have height restrictions. (those 5 ft. fiberglass CB whips = joke)

IMO I think they should have let truckers have the 222 MHz band back in 1973. We wouldn't have half the problems we have today. Plus the antennas are so small the trucks could run the antennas on the roofs, and still not smack anything, plus have much better range.

 

Cuz they have a license, got a best friend who does the same thing. Yet Ive seen more naked women than he has.

 

Lot lizards don't count...

 

I talk bad about hams, mostly cause they forgot their roots. And I don't understand ---...-.-- nor the purpose.
Many I'd guess came from military and skipped the Citizens Band entirely.

Why would anyone want to know if you have your panties on... WHAT HE SAY? My god its annoying enough to watch a truck pile up rather than to turn on the radio and warn others, but I do every time.

We owe the hams a bit of gratitude, most informed group of geeks you'll ever meet. (w/ respect)

 

what if she was showing off the goods unpropositined you know just "advertising"

 

"... always thumbing your noses.. lowly cb radio guys like inferior scum...."

Wave,

That seems like an enormous jump with a such a small sampling window. I note that you've been on this forum for less than 1 month, yet you've figuratively swept an entire group of radio hobbyists out of existence with a condemnation that seems excessively vitriolic. Has something happened with a question you asked in here whose answer (by a ham) you didn't appreciate? Or did someone with ham callsign license plates cut you off on the freeway? Pass gas next to you at the lunch counter whilst wearing a ball cap with a ham callsign?

When I first moved here, a couple of hams helped me put up my antennas here at the house, and they didn't ask anything in return. Of course, they didn't turn down the beer I offered after we were done

I suspect that there are lots of hams who are CBers as well. I also suspect that a lot of the folks posting answers in this forum are hams, based upon the level of expertise I've seen exhibited (I'm a commercial radio tech). I can imagine that people offering help don't bother to mention their ham-ness so that others won't dismiss their advice out of hand as being condescending or superior in tone.

So, want to share what happened within the past month that prompted your OP, or was this just a place to rant/troll about something that happened before you joined?

Seeing ham-bashing isn't new to me, but there are jerks in both CB and ham radio.

I'm confused.

73 & drive safe.

 

Naw it isn't new, hams have been bashed now and again - now it is more or less with the "professional disaster" members who cringe when they see some guy with a couple radios on a vest and anything that appears close to a military or cop's jacket on. I read some really really bad comments about these "nut job wantabies" showing up on scene and wanting to participate.

That's funny you mentioned this, back in the 80's when I was dealing with a lot of hams, the running joke was we could tell who was a ham on the road, they couldn't drive worth a darn.

 

I sometimes wish a license was necessary to operate a cb. The knuckleheads have taken it over.