Re: CBs revisited - John will speak again..

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

"John A. Landry" wrote:
 
> allowable 4 watt CARRIER wave rating, the actually effective AUDIO output
> will vary considerably between the cheapie radios and the better quality
> ones.  There is a *big* difference.

This is why there are.. now I can't remember the name.. something like
"voice processing" microphones..  It's an "active" microphone that
modulates your voice to achieve maximum tranmission power and clarity.

> willing to skimp on a crappy radio just because you haven't studied the
> subject and aren't making an informed purchase.  Many of you who are CB
> "enthusiasts" should know better than to suggest people buy crappy
> equipment, but I can only assume this is because you don't know any better
> because you're so used to listening to the same crappy radios in everyone
> else's trucks that you wouldn't know the difference!  Just because your
> wheeling buddies aren't complaining about how bad your radio sounds,
> doesn't mean they can hear you clearly.

John - If someone wanted a GOOD radio, I'd offere advice on a GOOD
radio... something like the 2510 or Presidential series.. or a high end
Cobra.

I know the good radios.  Simple fact is, for MOST people, they don't
"need" that good of a radio... talking a mile (when trail riding or
convoying) is more than enough for most folks.  

And, of course, $30 isn't much.. if the $30 radio doesn't fullfill the
user's needs, they're out $30.  The $30 radio will work "sufficiently
well" in most cases.  I think it is precisely that only the CB
*enthusiasts* know what a "GOOD" CB is.. that is the reason why I
suggested a $30 radio from Walmart.  It's like Scouts.  I overpaid for
my first one.. but as I've learned what I want and what's good and bad
and what I'd use and not use, I've acquired more and much more
reasonable rates.

Buy the cheapie.. "live in it" for a while.. then decide.  Find a friend
with a "good" radio and see what the differences are.

FWIW, my radio will talk a long ways.. but I rarely talk that far.  Only
when we get REALLY seperated on a trail ride... in town and on the
highway, the squelch is turned up so high I only hear the trucks n' cars
right around me... MUCH worse when I'm in a "big city" where there's so
much static and noise...

> >height, Radio Shack has a 114" Steel Whip antenna that requires no 
> This is simply not true... *all* antennas need to be properly matched to
> the radio.

Yep.  I had to tune my 114" whip on the '72.  I, of course, own an
SWR/power meter..

> >ratio lower than 1:4 should be avoided, it can damage your set.
> 
> True and an excellent suggestion.

1:3 will "work" but warning lights go off on radios equipped with such
lights... and yes, transmission is terrible.  You can and *will* blow
final amplifier transistors if you run high SWR and use the radio much.

also note that you CAN NOT achieve 1:1... sorta.  Because of the
differences between CB Ch1 and CB Ch40, you can't get 1:1 across the
band.  You can tune for 1:1 on Channel 19... and keep Ch1 and Ch40
around 1.4 or so.. or you can "move" your peak efficiency to wherever
you spend most of your time.. most of my talking is on "FourWheeler"
Channel 4 when trail riding..

> Yes... your *really* lucky if you can clearly transmit 8 miles Joel... but
> certainly your efforts to properly tune the antenna paid off!

Hah!  8 miles?  I've talked to HONOLULU clearly... I used to get
Syracuse, NY and Georgia regularly, too.  <VBG>

Of course, we're probably not counting skip...

throw
> money away.  Save up and buy quality and then you can keep that radio for
> 30 years.

I believe there's a place for the $30 cheapie CB AND the $200 quality
units.. both are applicable and useful.. just like the $30 AudioVOX
AM/FM/Cassette deck (or the Realistic equivalent I bought at a Pawn Shop
a year ago)... and my $400 Sony Am/Fm/Cass/10disc CD Changer.  I put the
$30 Realistic in becuase it was better than the wandering stock AM
radio... it was an upgrade, and at $30, a cheap one.  I then put my good
stereo in.  That $30 radio is not a waste though.. it's just waiting for
another "junk" truck to put it into where it'll be better than nothing.

Or my $35 cheapie Camera.. the beauty is - when it flops around on the
floor while rock hoppin', so what?  The worst I'll do is lose a roll of
film and a $35 camera.  Sure, the pictures are not as good as the
Nikon.. but if I damaged the Nikon while fourwheeling?  $$$$.

With CBs, I think you can start off cheap.. and then decide if you want
better.  You can always take the CB back to the pawnshop... I'm about to
acquire two MORE Scouts.. and I need two cheap CBs for 'em (*I* can't
afford a $200 radio in 6 Scouts and 2 pickups... sorry, but the $30
units work fine in a pinch)

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
ex-super CB Junkie
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout