The main reasons I don't have a CB are the same reasons I don't have
any other HF gear: Cost, lack of antenna space, and that I'm saving
my pennies for other things. Because I am literally saving pennies.
I know I could get an AM mobile for nothing or less (yes, someone
might pay me to take it away if I don't bring it back!) but I'm still
10 stories up and without a reasonable place to stick an antenna that
would make the effort worthwhile. I just can't come up with a
reasonable way to arrange any functional counterpoise here, though I
could probably manage a Firestik or similar.
Also, I think I'd actually want SSB, and you're just not going to get
that at the next-to-nothing price range.
I got into the hobby for emcomm stuff, and CB is valid emcomm. In
fact there are a lot more people able to use CB for emcomm than
FRS/GMRS that CERT members not affiliated with ARES tend to think are
so useful. And even a cheap CB is going to get you more DX than even
with the poorest band conditions than most comparable GMRS rig and
every single FRS/GRMS combo radio on the market.
The only advantage GMRS has at all is that you can use full-length
antennas on an HT.
Joseph - KF7QZC
On Thu, Sep 15, 2011 at 02:00:22AM -0600, colin McDonald wrote:
>not sure what's so bad about CB...it's no worse than afternoon soap operas,
>or prime time TV for that matter...probably a little cleaner in fact.
>There are groups of licensed guys on 75M who are as bad or worse than any of
>the cb'ers I ever heard.
>And 11M CB channels are a great way to check if there is DX on the higher
>bands.
>I helped a guy get his ham license last year by running across him on
>channel 38 lower side, and talking to him for a few hours about ham radio
>and the local ham community. After he was able to talk to a real live ham
>operator, who actually wasn't so stuck up that he couldn't talk on a CB
>frequency, he was convinced we weren't all so bad and went and wrote his
>test.
>
>73
>Colin, V A6BS
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Colleen Roth" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 6:36 PM
>Subject: Re: Areal O T
>
>
>> Hi Lou and all,
>> I got into CB but really didn't fit in very well because I insisted on
>> following the rules.
>> Yes, there were rules. I even used my call, KBIJ5291.
>> I was very happy when I became an Amateur Radio Operator.
>> I once tried to get on CB to talk to someone I knew but couldn't stand it.
>> Some CBERS were also very happy to become Amateur Radio Operators.
>> Thank goodness they usually drop any bad habits after a while.
>> Colleen, N8TNV;
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Lou Kolb <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: [log in to unmask]
>> Date: Wednesday, Sep 14, 2011 06:59:52 PM
>> Subject: Re: Areal O T
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I've never been a fan of CB but I have to say it has lead a lot of people
>>> into ham radio over the years and that has to count for something. lou
>>> WA3MIX
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "colin McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 3:47 PM
>>> Subject: Re: Areal O T
>>>
>>>
>>> > lol, I'm definitely wet behind the ears then...i've been licensed for
>>> > about
>>> > 5 or 6 years.
>>> > But I've been active in radio communications for about 18 years...I
>>> > know,
>>> > I
>>> > know, CB isn't supposed to count, but even on CB, back in the good old
>>> > days,
>>> > there were sub groups of guys who were practically amateur radio
>>> > operators
>>> > and tried to conduct themselves properly...and who also always had
>>> > technical
>>> > conversations and so on.
>>> > 73
>>> > Colin, V A6BS
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > ----- Original Message -----
>>> > From: "Carolyn Johnson" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> > Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2011 4:39 AM
>>> > Subject: Re: Areal O T
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >ar Hi,
>>> >ar
>>> >ar Well, if they consider you an old timer, then I should qualify.
>>> >ar
>>> >ar I got my novice in 1983. My ticket came in the mail on April first
>>> >what a
>>> >ar hoot. I actually passed the tests in January, and the code in
>>> >February,
>>> >ar just
>>> >ar took that long to receive the liscense in the mail. That same
>>> >December I
>>> >ar received my teck, and in September of 1988 I took my written for the
>>> >ar extra,
>>> >ar and in the end of October I took the code, so that is how my story
>>> >goes.
>>> >ar
>>> >ar 73,
>>> >ar
>>> >ar Carolyn Kj4vt
>>> >ar
>>> >ar
>>> >ar --------------------------------------------------
>>> >ar From: "Harvey Heagy" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> >ar Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2011 8:40 PM
>>> >ar To: <[log in to unmask]>
>>> >ar Subject: Re: Areal O T
>>> >ar
>>> >>> Well, as long as we are getting into our own personal historys, I
>>> >>> probably
>>> >>> wouldn't qualify as a certified old timer by some of you on this
>>> >>> list,
>>> >>> but
>>> >>> I
>>> >>> got my novice ticket in the Spring of 1984, and my first call was
>>> >>> KA5TNE.
>>> >>>
>>> >>> A few months later I received my Tech before there was a no code
>>> >>> version
>>> >>> and
>>> >>> changed my call to my current one N5HAU.
>>> >>>
>>> >>> I then upgraded to General when they changed the code requirements I
>>> >>> think
>>> >>> in 2000 and have been one ever since. I have only had HT's, but
>>> >>> Among
>>> >>> them
>>> >>> were the Icom 02-AT, the Icom 24-AT, the Premier 0600 I believe, and
>>> >>> my
>>> >>> current Kenwood THF6-A which I purchased from a member of this list.
>>> >>>
>>> >>> I do remember the Conditional class license, but I never had it. It
>>> >>> had
>>> >>> some serious drawbacks: one was that you received no credit for past
>>> >>> elements when you upgraded and had to take the entire test again.
>>> >>> And
>>> >>> two,
>>> >>> you could be called on at any time to retake the test if the FCC felt
>>> >>> it
>>> >>> necessary to do so. 73.
>>> >>> Harvey
>>> >ar
>>
>>
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