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KaceyJ
Nomad
Posts: 391
Registered: 10-7-2011
Location: there
Member Is Offline
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DK
CB's are a little passe since handheld uhf/vhf affordably came to market- but they may be an advantage now since in Mex (and everywhere else)you can
hear chatter on these latest radio consumer gadgets.
Costco used to sell some Motorola handhelds (pair) for around $60 , got a set threw them into the truck and when we travel with someone else, give
them the extra unit.\
They say up to 25 mile range but that is line of sight and without a more powerful or closer (other) signal in between
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Yes, we bought those Motorola hand helds... very disappointing performance! Should have returned them to Costco! Used them once in Baja, I think.
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6031
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
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We got us a convoy?
Quote: Originally posted by ehall  | | No matter cb, marine, or race radio it's alot of fun when everyone in the group can communicate and make fun of each other. |
10-4 good buddy, I got you 5x5! I have been wanting to practice my trucker jargon for years!
Because of a history of self inflicted brain damage, I am a little concerned about all those radio waves bouncing around my skull. I mean, I have
seen what punishment we Nomads can deliver over the internet, sharing the same frequency could be scary!
I could wear my aluminum foil hat, but I think it would be a bit sweaty in Baja. 
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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ehall
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 3-29-2014
Location: Buckeye, Az
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's 5 o'clock somewhere
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| Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo | | Quote: Originally posted by ehall | | No matter cb, marine, or race radio it's alot of fun when everyone in the group can communicate and make fun of each other. |
10-4 good buddy, I got you 5x5! I have been wanting to practice my trucker jargon for years!
Because of a history of self inflicted brain damage, I am a little concerned about all those radio waves bouncing around my skull. I mean, I have
seen what punishment we Nomads can deliver over the internet, sharing the same frequency could be scary!
I could wear my aluminum foil hat, but I think it would be a bit sweaty in Baja.
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If the cell phone hasn't completely scrambled my brain I doubt some useless radio chatter will hurt. Haha
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
Member Is Offline
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anyone want to take a lighthearted stab at DK's new handle"
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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Mapman
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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When I first moved to CA I noticed there was little CB activity from the trucks. Don't know why unless the lack of mile markers. Normal chatter on an
interstate in the midwest was like smokey at mile marker 185 etc.
The cleanest CB use I seen in a long time was the last PLR run. I recall little if any noise on the CB radio. AM modulation such as a CB is noisey
where the VHF FM units are not. Technically you need an FCC license to use a VHF radio in the business band such as what SCORE is using, That is in
the U.S.A. I'm pretty sure it is required in Mexico as well. But because most businesses use cell phones now I don't think there is much enforcement.
FYI Mexico has a really weird allotment system for frequencies. In the U.S. certain bands of frequencies are set aside for various business uses.
Police and fire have theirs, businesses like Air conditioning and cabs have theirs and the radio and TV broadcasters have theirs. In Mexico a cab
could have a frequency in the same band as the police or government. When I worked at KNSD-TV in San Diego one of our news frequencies was the same as
the governor of Baja. They had just been issued it and there was interference so we met in TJ and worked things out, they changed frequencies.
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BajaMama
Super Nomad
Posts: 1108
Registered: 10-4-2015
Location: Pleasanton/Punta Chivato
Member Is Offline
Mood: Got Baja fever!!
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We use CB radios for jeep runs in the Sierras, but in Baja just our old cheap motorola handhelds. Did you get it ur CB to connect? My hubby is
pretty knowledgable...
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Yes, the CB and antenna are connected. I just need to get or borrow an SWR meter to tune the antenna. Thank you!
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 18398
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Online
Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | The CB is installed... wired direct to the battery... and I was surprised that I could not hear anyone on any channel the several minutes I had it on
and in scan mode. Don't truckers use CB anymore, either? No skip... just static, and set squelch just above static point. See, it's been ages since I
used a CB except on the PLR run.
So, next, I will check the SWR of the antenna and adjust if needed. If the antenna is not synced then that would be another reason why I heard no
CBers?
[Edited on 8-21-2016 by David K] |
Truckers still using CB. Last few times I listened, it was definitely not something you want your kids to overhear!
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Udo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6346
Registered: 4-26-2008
Location: Black Hills, SD/Ensenada/San Felipe
Member Is Offline
Mood: TEQUILA!
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Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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AKgringo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6031
Registered: 9-20-2014
Location: Anchorage, AK (no mas!)
Member Is Offline
Mood: Retireded
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How about 'Postmaster'? He has over nine posts per day average, that is way ahead of whoever is in second place!
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo |
How about 'Postmaster'? He has over nine posts per day average, that is way ahead of whoever is in second place! |
While my CB handle was 'Baja' when I was a teenager, my Nomad name remains my name... When I got on the Internet Baja forums in the late 1990s, I
figured there would be a zillion "Baja" this or "Baja" thats, so I chose a more unique moniker.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Update:
So Baja Angel bought me an SWR meter off Amazon and it arrived today.
Well, the SWR was high, 2.5:1 on Ch. 1 and 3.5:1 on Ch. 40 (3.0:1 on Ch. 20).
So, bad on both ends but worse on Ch. 40. That indicates the antenna is too long.
Well, no decent metal hack saw or bolt cutters here, but after taking some time, I cut 1/4" off with a (PVC pipe) Zac Hack (6" saw).
The SWR went down to 2:1 on Ch. 1 and 3:1 on Ch. 40. Still too high!
More to cut off, but my wife (who is very mechanically inclined, a tool lady, and former Jeep owner) saw my dilemma and insisted we get a proper
cutter... Just came home from dinner and Home Depot...
Stay tuned for the next cut and re-test!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Success!
Update #2:
With the goal of the SWR being UNDER 2:1 on both ends of the CB frequency (Ch. 1 and 40)...
Armed with new cutters, I trimmed about a half inch off the bottom of the antenna and checked the SWR.
After the first 1/4" trim yesterday, it dropped to 2:1 on Ch. 1 and 3:1 on Ch. 40.
Today, I trimmed about 1/2 inch and the SWR dropped to 1.4:1 on Ch. 1 and 2.6:1 on Ch. 40.
Another 1/4" snipped and...
1.7:1 on Ch. 1 and 2.2:1 on Ch. 40.
Almost there!!!
Another 1/4" snipped...
1.9:1 on Ch. 1 and 1.9:1 on Ch. 40 and at the center, (Ch. 20) the SWR was 1.3:1
That is the lowest SWR for this antenna.
The CB and antenna are both Cobra.
I now have ears... let's caravan!
The CB is a Cobra 75 WX and the antenna is a Cobra HG A 1000
[Edited on 8-26-2016 by David K]
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ehall
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 3-29-2014
Location: Buckeye, Az
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's 5 o'clock somewhere
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Good job. It should work perfect for the distances we are apart when offroading.
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BajaMama
Super Nomad
Posts: 1108
Registered: 10-4-2015
Location: Pleasanton/Punta Chivato
Member Is Offline
Mood: Got Baja fever!!
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Now that you have the CB fixed, it's time to get a HAM radio!!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64857
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Is there no more skip daily (sun spot activity low)? Used to be very noisy with people shooting skip... CQ DX!
It is very quiet on all 40 channels... No side band either (they used to hang out on 16 and 17)? I heard a couple talking on Ch. 19, and that is all.
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ehall
Super Nomad
Posts: 1906
Registered: 3-29-2014
Location: Buckeye, Az
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's 5 o'clock somewhere
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I live 5 miles from I-10 freeway and hardly ever hear traffic on the cb. A couple local dump truck guys got some crazy powerful radios I hear
occasionally.
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Jack Swords
Super Nomad
Posts: 1095
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: Nipomo, CA/La Paz, BCS
Member Is Offline
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F2 Skip is dependent upon the sunspot cycle, however sporadic E skip is mainly a summertime condition and varies somewhat by location. Even in low
sunspot conditions sporadic E skip is available. Sometimes sporadic E comes in in late December.
Hams in the VHF freqs use both and meteor scattering, auroral scatter, tropospheric ducting, and even amateur radio satellites to "skip" low power
limited-range radios. Some are using moon-bounce to reflect signals. Of course, these are all legal for the ham operator.
Jack, N1IY
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