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Why do truckers use linear amplilfiers with their CB radios?

Discussion in 'CB Radio Forum' started by drobsan, Jun 12, 2009.

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walstib Darkstar

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>>>>Why do truckers use linear amplilfiers with their CB radios?

So they can hear all the BS arguments happening further away...I would never juice mine just for that reason, too much BS on there in close proximity...

walstib, Sep 28, 2011

#141
groundpounder Road Train Member

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WA4GCH said: ↑

Never owned a X-Force but I'm looking at the 4 tube 811 HF amp to round out the shack
Click to expand...

I use X-Force for mobile 11m and have a couple Ameritrons for home use...For the money Ameritrons are great amps..

groundpounder, Sep 28, 2011

#142
Turbo-T Road Train Member

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walstib said: ↑

>>>>Why do truckers use linear amplilfiers with their CB radios?

So they can hear all the BS arguments happening further away...I would never juice mine just for that reason, too much BS on there in close proximity...

Click to expand...

We're discussing linears, which is power out. You're thinking of a pre amp which increases receive, but also induces noise.

Longshot34 said: ↑

do you want to know why I use the power that I do? it's because I finally got sick and tired of all those big mouths running hundreds of watts never letting you get the information that you need such as directions! at first I kept my Connex running at about 80 watts. That wasn't doing the job when I needed to get over the moron saying "im not wearing any panties" nor was I getting over the guys that would put me (us) on "communication probation". So, now days, when I need to "walk" on those idiots, I flip the switch on my pretty little silver X-Force box and ask for those directions with just over 1,800 watts behind me! Let those babbling idiots try stepping on that! VERY few in any given truckstop is able to do so. Grant it, there are a few that can...but not many. And so what if u can hear me "walking the dog" from 75 miles away! At least I'm not stuck under a freakin bridge because some jerk wanted to "lockdown" the truck stop, rest area, or anywhere else on the hwy! And after I get what I want I flip the switch back off...I'd never run with that much power just cruisin! that's just stupid! and yes there are many do run constantly with hundreds watts. Ugh! ask for the receive, all I have to do a flip the green switch on the preamp...and wala...my receiver has nearly doubled
Click to expand...

Funny thing is if everyone ran the same amount of power, you wouldn't have as many problems but then again some people on CB want to try to out do the next guy, hence why some run linears.

Turbo-T, Sep 28, 2011

#143
Longshot34 Light Load Member

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Gadfly said: ↑

It is NOT "a whole other set of frequencies". FM is another mode of operation. The frequencies are the very same as those on AM. AM, Sideband, both upper and lower, are, again, a mode of projecting and decoding a frequency. "FM" is frequency modulation as opposed to amplitude modulation where the frequency remains the same and the amplitude or loudness superimposed on the carrier increases and decreases with the mike. Hence, the "swing" that so many CBers are so "het up" about. In FM, the amplitude of the signal remains the same and it is the frequency that is varied within a specified width. All signals have what is called a "bandwidth"--the space, or elbow room, in which the signal can work. The advantage of FM is a smoothe, constant signal, and it is why music up on the higher frequencies sounds better using FM. The DIS-advantage of FM is it requires a larger bandwidth and allows for fewer users at a time. Contrary to CB myth and legend *(of which there is much), FM will "skip" just as far as AM.

Single Sideband is yet another method of projecting and decoding radio signals. The frequencies, again, are the same as AM or FM; it is simply another mode of operation. In a nutshell, the little radio midgets down inside your radio "saw" your signal in half and eliminate the carrier ( or most of it) and uses the upper or lower "half" of the signal to "throw" your signal. To decode sideband, when the signal "arrives" at a receiver, an internal decoder, or detector, grabs the signal, re-inserts the carrier, so to speak, so that the audio can be heard correctly. But that is also why a non-ssb radio sounds like Donald Duck or can't be translated. The advantage of SSB is that, because the carrier is eliminated, most of what is projected is pure audio resulting in more punch and, sometimes a perceived increase in distance (actually it may not be farther, but what you hear is heard LOUDER. Both AM (of course) and SSB are LEGAL for CB radio, but FM is not. Basically it is the wider bandwidth that FCC does not want because it creates WAY more interference than the other two. And because it "skips" just like the other two modes, the interference to other stations can be horrific! It also has another downside; it tends to try to "capture" the strongest signal it "hears" (if that is a good word to use). The result is, when two FM signals arrive at the same time, if they are equal in strength, the noise it generates can be awful to listen to! This can be seen if you visit the ham 10 Meter repeaters up on 29.620 FM. Its OK to listen to these, and you can hear stations coming in from New York, Boston, NC, and the midwest. Do NOT transmit on these (they are on split frequencies and many have tone encoders anyway) as the General Amateur license is required. But this will show how FM behaves on low frequencies AND the noise that can result. I can only "play" with these machines for a few minutes before I get tired of the racket (when they are busy) and move on!
The purpose of them, of course, is experimentation, and there aren't that many of them.

I hope this explains some of the quirks of FM. I tried to keep it simple, and while it is not dead-on technically accurate, it might help you see how modes work. And, BTW, the next time some truckstop guru tries to tell you the sideband radio he's trying to sell you "has 120 channels", tell him he's full of it! There are only 40 channels, SSB, AM, and FM are only modes of operation!!!!

Gadfly
Click to expand...

Seriously...you need to get a life! End of story! You always show up in these discussions....I think alot of ppl rarely get past the first sentence or two before thinking "same troll, same post, same bs ham bullying" WHO CARES!!! Really, who cares SO much...besides you're non-life having ###!

Longshot34, Sep 29, 2011

#144
Happy_Hamer Light Load Member

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Happy_Hamer, Sep 29, 2011

#145

OutLawRadio Thanks this.
Logan76 Crusty In Training

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I have an old Golden Eagle 250 sitting on my shelf, anyone got some info about them?

Logan76, Sep 29, 2011

#146
Rat Road Train Member

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My palomar has a high and low setting. I hardly ever wsitch it to high. On low is does enough to get my point across. Anyway, yesterday I was rolling south down I29 in north dakota, met one of our drivers and he was asking me a question. He then said I was cutting out. Was not sure if it was my side or his. I had a mic issue a while ago so I flipped the channel up to the high 20s were there was no one on the channel. turned on the Talk back and said 1,2,3,4,5 to see if it was my mic. Well someone said 6,7,8 back to me. LOL. I asked were he was. South eastern Florida. LOL

Day before I thought I would play a little since skip was pretty heavy. I heard 187 calling out from somewere in the sand pile (Florida). He was lookign for a comeback. I flipped to high on the box and called back. Gave him my handle which by the way is my user name on this board and the many other boards I am on. Also my location, north eastern ND, he came back to me stating my location and my name and that my radio was doing well all the way down to the sand pile. Oh and yes that was on the super busy channel 19.

My setup is a Sparky CB shack Cobra 29 stealth running into a old Palomar 450 and out to a 10 inch shaft wilson 5000 on the passenger mirror bracket. Linked together with clear mini 8 from the local truck stop.

But back to the cutting out, well I figured my signal was being blocked by the trailer since the other driver was heading north and I was heading south. That and I know his coax is bad in his truck. He usually can't get out more then a mile so I can't hear him much farther then that. I checked out his coax and SWR one day and his SWR was above 4 and I could see the coax was cracked on the drivers side. he don't seem to care that much so we left it at that.

Rat, Sep 30, 2011

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mike5511 Road Train Member

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Happy_Hamer said: ↑

Click to expand...

Pretty much says it all

mike5511, Oct 1, 2011

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1catfish Road Train Member

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i work local, don't need a stinkin cb.

1catfish, Oct 1, 2011

#149
AzDriverSias Bobtail Member

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Well said ... There is one guy around my area that you can hear from about 10 miles away talking to trucks passing by in the opposite direction.

AzDriverSias, Dec 8, 2011

#150

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