The future of CB radio

[Lee_T]

My name is Lee from Ontario, Canada and I recently bought a Cobra hand-held HH 38 WX ST C Citizens Band radio at Canadian Tire and I can still receive CB'ers from the United States. I have another hand-held one here at home that I bought about 14 years ago and is still in good shape.

Does anyone know what the future of CB radio will be like? will CB radio ever phase out? will it ever become regulated?

In my opinion, I think CB radio should be around for a long time yet or even possibly long after our time. It's a great communication via analog other than cellphones, the internet, etc. which are more popular these days. I also like it because I can receive signals from the southern States or even beyond...it's great for DX'ing.

I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! All the best in 2012.

Happy DX'ing!

 

[w9wi]

I don't see much chance of significant changes in the CB regulatory environment, either in the US or Canada. The spectrum is not particularly valuable for anything else, and the large number of illegal stations in that part of the spectrum (on, between, and around the CB channels) would make it a poor choice for any kind of commercial or government operation anyway.

The larger challenges CB faces are competition from other means of communication (cellphones, primarily) and property restrictions that make it impossible to install an effective antenna.

At least in the U.S., CB is technically regulated. Individual licenses are not required, there is a kind of blanket permission to operate. However, that's contingent on compliance with the rules. (there have been some fines recently, primarily for blatant violations of the 5-watt power limit) I see little chance of tighter regulation. The FCC doesn't have the resources to enforce its rules when money-making services like broadcasting are involved, I don't see a CB service that has little impact on the economy getting much attention.

CB radio arguably falls into a category with horseback riding, antique auto restoration, and Civil War reenactment. There are far more modern and effective ways of doing them, but as long as hobbyists are interested, these will be with us.

 

[kd4rnc1964]

As an old cber from the late 70's to the early 90's, I found cb still useful as an "around town" business band. In my area in East Tn, the band is basically dead except for 2 or 3 channels. 19 ch. 8.and 35. I've heard on the hf bands for the past 20 years, 11 meters should be given back to the amateurs. Cb's now are real cheap and not as good quality as in the past if they ever were. The old Cobra 2000 base was the best to have in cb's heydey. Sometimes you'll find one on Ebay.

 

[Darth_vader]

CB is still quite active around my area, mainly amongst truckers (we have at least three racetracks and two bigroads in the Vantucky/Stumptown area), various businesses, the usual superbowl of skip-shooters running their kickers on channel 6 and of course the local assortment of ratchet-jaws, silverfish and other weirdos who inhabit channel 17. Sidebanders tend to be prevalent in the 30s but can sometimes also be found squawking away in the 20s group.

If there was any thought about CB falling prey to cell phones, all you have to do is come out here, turn your ears on and sandbag for a while. And hey, if you're ever driving through the area and you do have your ears on, be sure to give your good neighbour "Zero Junior" a key-up on 17, 20, 32 or 35. Come on back!

[size=8pt]TRANSLATION (for the uninitiated/young):
CB is still quite active around my area, mainly amongst truckers (we have at least three major interstate freeways and two major state highways in the Vancouver/Portland area), various businesses, the usual cacophony of DXers operating linear amplifiers on channel 6 and of course the local assortment of motormouths, drunkards and other weirdos who inhabit channel 17. Single-sideband users tend to be prevalent in the 30s group but can sometimes also be found squawking away in the 20s group.

If there was any thought about CB falling prey to cell phones, all you have to do is come out here, switch on your radio and listen for a while. And hey, if you're ever driving through the area and you do have your transceiver turned on, be sure to give your fellow CBer Darth_vader a holler on 17, 20, 32 or 35. Please acknowledge!

 

[DJKraze]

I was at a Savers recently and found a 40 channel Rat Shack handheld rig for $9.99, this thing takes 12 AA cells and since I have rechargeables, I figured what the heck. I live out here in central CT and aside from hearing the usual DX, the band is dead. Only one did I get anyone to respond to me and that was when I used a slight traffic slowdown to trick someone into making a comeback....

Me driving on 95 in new Haven: Anyone got a copy out theree know what the heck the hold up is out there?
Some random person not knowing I just got them to give up a radio check: Are you kidding me, this is normal out here.

I then thanked them kindly for giving me the radio check when no one else has ever responded before, I remember the days when it used to be easy to get a response.

 

[Darth_vader]

You should come out here. People around here tend to give out radio checks like they were pink slips on mass-layoff day!

So what model Rat $hack rig did you get? Mine's a Realistic TRC-217. Grabbed the pair for $3 at a yard sale last summer.

 

[Win7Tech]

As for CB. Who in the world owns channel 6 27.025 MHz? It is very very powerful station. The guy talks and talks like he is talking to knowone just brags about how powerful his radio is. I heard he lives up north. I was sitting in my truck a few days ago. I turned on the CB and heard him bleeding over from channel 3 to like 11. Where ever he is he is blwing some smoke in Georgia. Awhile back I heard some station same signal level on 3 different channels it was like a recording of something I cannot remember I have it recorded and will post back with it maybe tomorrow.

 

[Darth_vader]

Technically, nobody "owns" a CB channel, that I know of (if you want to put some ownership to the band, then we, the taxpayers who fund the FCC through our federal income taxes, own it.) I do occsionally hear some guy in Michigan who matches that description on channel 6. Probably running a linear amp and some biga-- aerial. I've tried making contact on that channel to local folks but my flea-powered walkie-talkie just can't overcome the other skipshooters on there! Actually pretty entertaining to listen to sometimes.

"A while back I heard some station with the same signal level on 3 different channels. It was like a recording of something I can not remember. I have it recorded and will post back with it, maybe tomorrow."

If if's this: http://youtube.com/watch?v=sEJJ__PpryU , read the comments. That "Fisherman" guy pretty much renders channel 17 unusable in my area (not to mention he splatters all over adjacent channels) for hours on end when he keys up, at least for those of us who don't have an adjustable "RF gain" setting. He's been known to do this on other channels, but less frequently. (More audible example on http://youtube.com/v/6t30NCPbsuk .)

 

[pqgeorge]

Technically, nobody "owns" a CB channel, that I know of (if you want to put some ownership to the band, then we, the taxpayers who fund the FCC through our federal income taxes, own it.) I do occsionally hear some guy in Michigan who matches that description on channel 6. Probably running a linear amp and some biga-- aerial. I've tried making contact on that channel to local folks but my flea-powered walkie-talkie just can't overcome the other skipshooters on there! Actually pretty entertaining to listen to sometimes.

"A while back I heard some station with the same signal level on 3 different channels. It was like a recording of something I can not remember. I have it recorded and will post back with it, maybe tomorrow."

If if's this: http://youtube.com/watch?v=sEJJ__PpryU , read the comments. That "Fisherman" guy pretty much renders channel 17 unusable in my area (not to mention he splatters all over adjacent channels) for hours on end when he keys up, at least for those of us who don't have an adjustable "RF gain" setting. He's been known to do this on other channels, but less frequently. (More audible example on http://youtube.com/v/6t30NCPbsuk .)

Channel 6 (27.025 MHz) is considered as the "Superbowl" channel. Why? Because people fire up mega-powered rigs just to put their voices for the whole world to hear. Conversations? No way! It's a channel for one-way talk. "WORLDWIDE" they say!!!! I believe it. I actually listened to 27.025 MHz using one of those on-line GlobalTuners from Johannesburg, South Africa. Those gators from down South from Florida and points all around the States came in like locals in South Africa!!! Channel 6 is a veritable "pig pile" of operators who splatter the dial with a language I could never understand. Try Channel 6 sometime and you'll see what I mean. 73!

 

[ok walters]

I was a big CBer in the 90's and had a big rig in my truck. Cobra 148GTL radio with a 4 pill linear with a small driver swinging about 1000 watts. It was a loud, strong, and completely illegal rig, but it was nothing compared to what the boys run on channel 6. I was in the DC area then, and there were guys running 20,000 watt rigs out of automobiles and vans. They had large battery systems with multiple alternators to charge them - how many amps of power do you need to run a 20K watt linear? They would meet in a parking lot and have "keydowns" to see who had the more powerful rig.

And more importantly - how much RF is that just a few feet from the operator?

 

[nd2023]

CB radio will just become an unlicensed HAM radio band.

 

[Darth_vader]

But didn't that already happen back in the '70s? ;o)

@XRB--

I hear "Florida gators" pretty regularly on channel 6. Up here, in the Northwest, clear up in the other corner of the country. It actually can be pretty interesting to hear where some of these people are talking out of sometimes. Probably some of the farthest-flung domestic DX I've heard has been via the "superbowl".

 

[Radio Boogie]

I've actually seen one of these "Channel 6" outfits up here in Michigan... several kW!!!!

It was built in a CHEVY VAN, which had huge banks of heavy-duty alternators on each side of the engine. It had 6g wiring and a bat-handled disconnect like you'd see on an industrial machine. It had 3 109" whips, one on each bumper (on masts) and one in the middle, driven by a friggen phasor. The back was 19" racks on both sides with just enough space to get between them to adjust things. He could pull up in front of your house, key down and whistle, and you'd see smoke come out of your base station as the front-end melts. I'm serious!

The homebrew "exciter" was optimized run just on channel 6. I know it had 4 833A tubes, a D-104 hand mic feeding into some kind of preamp and then a DAP310 AM broadcast processor. The receiver was actually a Drake communications receiver. There was a neon "on-air" sign in the back window which lit up just from the RF field.

Craziest outfit I ever seen in my life, bar none.

 

[Darth_vader]

Sweet!!

Just wondering.......did the F¢¢ ever get on his case about it?

//still planning on posting that recording, Win7tech?

 

[Win7Tech]

//still planning on posting that recording, Win7tech?

I forgot. I have to find it on my phone. Find my SD adapter and then upload to utube.

 

[Win7Tech]

OK I could not find the adapter to upload the video. But the broadcast was saying something about a si squach mystery in the carquake micigan area? I think I spelled it right. It was on like every 3 channels starting with 3. Same signal some channels it wasn't on though. I just googled it
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&rlz=1R....,cf.osb&fp=ba916eaf359894aa&biw=1366&bih=543

It's some big foot. Who would broadcast something silly like this? Nothing better to do?

 

[DeadElvis]

And more importantly - how much RF is that just a few feet from the operator?

We can figure it...

Let's find what is a safe distance. We have to make a few assumptions:

1. We'll assume a peak of 20 kW. The distance is computed at peak, not average.
2. We assume 2 dB gain on the antenna system. With multiple radiators, there is some gain, but we'll ignore that for lack of information.
3. Antennas are at or near ground level.
4. The area around the vehicle is uncontrolled, with people possibly milling around.

With those assumptions, a safe distance is NO LESS than 167 feet. That does not mean as we get closer we are cookin' hot dogs, but your tissues will start to warm slightly.

And, don't touch that antenna. That could be dangerous, indeed.

DE

 

[ok walters]

Well, the real distance was a little less than 167 feet - probably about 1.67 feet. I ran a 1000 watt rig through a roof mounted magnetic mount antenna so the heat was pretty close.

 

[MickeyD]

CB radio will just become an unlicensed HAM radio band.

It has been an unlicensed ham radio band for a couple fo decades now. Sun spot activity will spur interest for a bit. The band is still dead in Central NJ.

 

[Radio Boogie]

Sweet!!

Just wondering.......did the F¢¢ ever get on his case about it?

//still planning on posting that recording, Win7tech?

I really have no idea. I do know they made a sweep through Michigan here a few years back because someone was interfering with medical equipment at McLaren Hospital, I know they nabbed a couple outfits, but I'm not sure who. I know they nabbed a few high powered truckers as well.

As for me, I haven't been on CB band since 1992. I talked to Italy barefoot on USB once around 1991, as well as someone in Georgia while I was on a 100mW ch 14 walkie. That was just bizarre. It was around 1976. The guy about fell out of his chair when I told him I was on a walkie talkie! I had him for a good two minutes, too.