Welcome!!!!Howdy everyone from Ontario Canada,
New to the forum but old to the service of CB, Scanner and Shortwave radio hobby. Skip was amazing last night listening on 38 LSB. My question is I want to stay legal 12 watts and get a good base antenna to most of the work. I noticed the local guys here were calling CQ down to the USA last night and not being heard.
Before I make a purchase of a SSB base and base antenna, D104 I am wasting my time trying to shoot skip to the USA on 12 watts and just going to get stepped on because most are running power which is the IN thing now ?
Radio-Check
The antenna system is the most important part.I am even surprised they even make 11 meter base station antennas anymore. It would be placed 40 feet up using LMR400 coax.
Its a hobby. Do what you enjoy. Thats all that matters.I fancy the President line of cb's from the 70's and would be getting them from the Bay.
The antenna system is the most important part.
Its a hobby. Do what you enjoy. Thats all that matters.
I have a decent all mode modern HF rig I use for 20/40/80 meters. But I enjoy talking on CB with real CB's. I also enjoy bringing something back from the junk bin and getting it on that air.
With a good antenna system I think you will do fine with a barefoot radio. Ive talked in to Canada and in to the tropics on a barefoot radio. Just need mother nature to give you some conditions. She has been asleep lately but hopefully will be waking up soon
Before I make a purchase of a SSB base and base antenna, D104 I am wasting my time trying to shoot skip to the USA on 12 watts and just going to get stepped on because most are running power which is the IN thing now ?
Radio-Check
I agree, very disappointed if he tries to ssb skip on an omni directional antenna on 12w. If youre persistent you can make contacts on 37 and 39 but sometimes it takes a while.The least expensive route is to get a 100 watt amplifier to go with your SSB base. However if you want to 'stay legal' and do it on 12 watts, I think you'll be pretty disappointed running only a vertical (antron99) type antenna. I'd recommend a 4 element directional antenna. Even then its a challenge to make contacts. I have a directional antenna and run about 80 watts, and only make contact with about 40% of the people I try to reach.
Everyone is packed onto 38LSB and its very hard to be heard. When I started in the hobby in the early 80's we ran upper and lower sideband on channels 35-40. People weren't afraid to change frequencies hoping to find a quieter channel to have a QSO. I don't see much of that any more.
What a !ot of guys do when 38 is jammed is to call cq on38, then say you will qsy to another channel for contacts.
Often more than one station will follow you.
Another tip
To see if the band is open go listen to channel 5.
Mexico, Central and South America often have traffic on channel 5 when the band is open going north and south.
The guys over in Hawaii often run channel 11, listen to see if you hear any traffic there as well
73
Jeff
Ch9 is the Cuba/US Cuban channel here in Florida and throughout the Bahamas and Caribbean Islands.I had a contact with a station in Michoacán Mexico on Ch5. He would call out Hola and where he was from so I responded. It was cool to have an international contact. But ya Ch 5 and 7 are usually the Spanish speaking stations.