CB or Better?

OK, if you are talking about LEGAL CB radio in the U.S. even though a license is no longer required, this does not mean CB is a free-fer-all and it does have to meet certain FCC regulations and law.

This means............

All CBs MUST be unmodified, (used to be called "type accepted.) forget the "new" term

NO linears, amplifiers, "foot warmers" allowed

I've forgotten, I think base station antennas are supposed to be limited to 25 ft above AGL

(wrong, turns out, top of antenna not more than 20 ft above a building, 60 feet above ground to TOP of antenna

This means that legal CBs have a limited range, whether AM or SSB



I haven't listened, or used, CB in a very long time. I used to "jump" on there sometimes looking for interference problems (There once was a guy about 2M away who would tear my TV to shreds. Yup. Illegal amplifier. Dirty as can be)

The so called "sunspot" cycle affects CB by an enormous amount, and the "cycle" has been slow in coming "this time around." This is good or bad, depending on who you are, and what you are trying to do.

If you are some guy trying to drive down the road, and yak with others in the immediate area, the slow sunspot cycle is GOOD, because there is "no skip" and therefore local communications work great.

BUT if you are the proverbial "skip shooter" who thinks its s fun (illegal by the way) to work all over the world, then the slow cycle is "no fun at all." I've forgotten, I believe there's a LEGAL supposed radius of something like 150 miles. (turns out to be 155.3 mi)

Right from the horse's mouth:

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/tex...text&node=47:5.0.1.1.5&idno=47#47:5.0.1.1.5.4