CB linear...

[Axekicker]

In the '80's I did a lot of traveling and I had a "linear" (signal booster) installed on my CB which kicked up output from 4 watts to 150 watts. The linear was basically just a shortwave power booster for shorwave radios but worked great for CB's when used on the lower bandwidths. These days, my family ( 6 trucks in the group) does a lot of traveling in the mountains and we all need to get CB's put in our trucks and we need more power... . (Homer Simpson voice... . "Ummmmm Pooowwwweeerrrrr!") Anyway... What are people doing now-a-days to boost power output (yes... yes... I know the legal implications, licensing requirements etc... We only need it in the mountains hundreds of miles from civilization... kind of like Bazooka's and TNT ya know :-laf ). Two weeks ago while traveling the Sierra Nevada's looking for Christmas trees (yes... we had our "tags") my son-in-law broke down at the rear of the column and since we were traveling about 1 mile apart (dirt roads west of Alamo = dust big-time) nobody realized he was missing until we were 45 miles down the dusty-trail... Needless to say this all could have been avoided if we had more powerful radio's to keep in contact in the out-back. Idea's? Recommendations? TIA.

 

[OL RATLR]

CB linear..

Don't know what your question is linears are still made and sold every day.

Just go online to a CB-Ham shop and purchas e what you want.

 

[RCash]

As a Ham Radio Op, I'd say your best legal route would be for the folks interested in reliable communications to take a simple technician class test and then use the 6 or 2 meter band (and the large number of repeaters all over the country) for your communications. Excellent 2 meter/ 70 cm radios can be bought new for under $200, that are dependable.

 

[TJJEEPER]

Don't know what your question is linears are still made and sold every day.
Just go online to a CB-Ham shop and purchas e what you want.

I wouldn't say they are "openly" available. There are some pretty stiff fines for selling them. They are out there but you have to look. Don't go for the cheapest you can find because they are VERY dirty on the air.

I used one that was 100 watts back in the middle 80's. I took out about 10 miles of highway everytime I keyed up... all 40 channels. I didn't make a lot of friends.

 

[klaybus]

As a Ham Radio Op, I'd say your best legal route would be for the folks interested in reliable communications to take a simple technician class test and then use the 6 or 2 meter band (and the large number of repeaters all over the country) for your communications. Excellent 2 meter/ 70 cm radios can be bought new for under $200, that are dependable.

Here here! The tech test isn't too difficult if you put a weekend into it. My brother in law & I both passed with only one weekend of studying. 2 meter works awesome in simplex or over the repeaters. Simple solution for your problem & legal too boot!



73,

Clay... . W7CLA

 

[Duluth Diesel]

CB's are so sloppy on their output. All you're going to do with 150 watts (besides operate further illegally) is bleed all over the band spectrum and tick people off, including the FCC. I'm a HAM, get a FCC Amateur license. Real easy. Trust me, it is worth it.

 

[The patriot]

If you decide to go with the linears I have a Texas star 400 and a King Bee 250 I'm selling.

I havent used them in over 10 years, but they've been stored in my den, I see no reason why they shouldnt function properly.

Let me know...

Eric

 

[p-Bar]

And we know these are 6 meter amps :-laf

 

[CDonaldson]

Axekicker.



Outside of the legal issues and the FCC, of which I agree with just getting the Tech license and going with something like a 2-meter radio, there have been reported electrical problems with the spurious radiation 'effects' of linear power amplifiers in our trucks. You can do a search here on this site (I believe) and find some discussions regarding these issues, also on other sites. Honestly I cannot remember which sites I read this stuff on, but it is out there. You def would not need a whole lot of power, 50 watts should do you, but again, there CAN be problems so please be cautious. Sets off some codes and effects some equipment functions. If you still want to proceed, pm me and I can steer you toward where to get equipment.



Also, in many places in this great country of ours, there have been some new additions to laws regarding radio equipment in vehicles. Let's say you have a little hand-held police scanner - there are now laws that prohibit it's possession in a vehicle. The only way to legally possess one in a vehicle is to be a licensed ham operator. The tech ticket will cover this. In case of an emergency, the 2-meter license and radio would be your most valuable source of information and communication. For the most part, ham radio operators assist in emergencies and often they are the only people with communications. They take great steps and pains to have alternative energy sources as backup to their communications. Where i live, when the power fails, the police and fire only have mobile to mobile communications, they rely on a repeater that does not have backup power, so their communications are greatly limited. Not so with the ham guys, and they pretty much have to take over the communications.



CD

 

[bmoeller]

I'm running a Magnum S6 in the big truck. http://www.walcottcb.com/magnum-s6-nitroknobs-10-meter-amateur-radio-p-929.html I keep the power backed down most of the time, and usually just adjust the mic gain if I need a bit more kick. I mostly got a bigger radio because I get out in the middle of nowhere sometimes, for just in case. I've also noticed a lot of drivers will ignore someone with a "little" radio, so you won't always get a response when needed. I'm not a jabber jaw, so no concern on bugging people with a good radio.



Really nice radio. Clean audio in and out, assuming it is adjust properly. Has enough power to tick people off (That's what I get for letting others drive my truck, playing with knobs. ). :-laf Had guys yelling at me to turn my linear off, when I'm barefoot. :-laf All adjust now.



Not cheap, but works great. Has great ears, too. Make sure to use a noise filter on the power supply, or wire direct to the battery. It will pick it up interference very easily.

 

[Philip]

I wouldn't think of a 150 watt for your later model truck.



Look at my sig.



I had a 100 watt kicker in my truck for a while. With it turned on it would drop out my radio and turn on my windshield wipers when I keyed up. :-laf So think of the interference you will get on your later model truck. CB kickers do scatter the signal real bad.

 

[Rhinohd]

Did you have your radio peaked and tuned??? I have a Texas Ranger TR-966 and it kicks pretty good. The guy at the CB shop said he got 32 watts out of it and it only cost me 30 bucks (if I remember correctly)...

 

[Rotty]

A ham here.

Take the no code tech test, it is easy.

Then get a 6m radio that already has 100 watts RF output and adjustable output.

Use upper SSB and you can get around the world without too much problem. Use a base loaded CB whip (102") and tune it for best vSWR by adjusting the base loading coil. It will look like a 5/8 wave antenna and give about 5-6dB of gain with a low angle. Great for long distance. Also amatuer radios have a much more sensitive front end, so you don't need kilowatts of power to be heard.







CB is AM or you can call it DSB. It is not as efficient as SSB and uses more power to transmit the same information.



This way you are completly legal an don't offend the masses...



Kevin

KD4KIY

 

[jerrethomas]

when I saw the qustion, I knew where this was headed.

 

[bmoeller]

Did you have your radio peaked and tuned???

Yep. Had them do it before I took it home.



The S-680 came out a few weeks after I bought my S6.

 

[OL RATLR]

when I saw the qustion, I knew where this was headed.

You said it. < It's a shame we don't all think a like. > :-{} :-laf



We really need some more Rules and Regulations.

 

[Axekicker]

A ham here.

Take the no code tech test, it is easy. Then get a 6m radio that already has 100 watts RF output and adjustable output.



This way you are completly legal an don't offend the masses...



Kevin

KD4KIY

***********************************************

Your right Kevin (and everyone else!). I'm gonna go for the no-code "tech" and spring for a smaller "mobile" clean unit. Like I said at the beginning... the onlytime we really need to get "out-there" is when we're all up in the mountains, 3 ranges deep. . unpaved roads... 75+ miles from anything resembling asphalt and a couple of miles between each of our six trucks and need to stay in touch.



Thanks to all of you for your ideas-info and input (output?) :-laf Maybe I'll "see ya" on the air-waves in the near future eh?

Shiny side up... dark side down... 7's and 11's... we-gone..... bye bye!

 

[skipro3]

Why bother with taking any test? Just buy the ham radios and run 'em! You don't seem to have any problem with buying bootleg linear amps, so why have any problem about a license? Ebay has radios cheap and don't require no stinking license to buy 'em either.

 

[Axekicker]

You don't seem to have any problem with buying bootleg linear amps, so why have any problem about a license?

I guess for the same reason I "now" have a CCW... The older I get, the more I find I'm turning into my father... "Careful" and "Legal" I didn't care about when I was younger... Now that I'm a grandpa... I'm starting to amend-my-ways. Careful is good... legal is good... prudent is good... staying out of the bulls-eye (no matter who's it is... ) is good. "... two roads converged... "

 

[UP N MTNS]

Ebay has radios cheap and don't require no stinking license to buy 'em either.

I was in the local HAM radio shop with a friend that was buying a pretty expensive IMO($1300-$1500) HAM radio as a B-day gift for his father. . They didnt ask for any paper work/license when he bought it. . He just told them it was for his dad that had and old crappy HAM radio rig.



I'm just trying to understand what you guys are saying here. . Do you need a license to purchase these types of radios or just to use them and stay legal?



It seems to me with the internet and all it would be really hard to track/require license info to purchase a radio.



Just talking out loud,if anyone can shed some light on this please speak up.



Adam