11 meter silence

[Mark Malcomb]

Is there ever a time when 11 meter refuses to have ANY activity? If so I apologize for my previous post on Low
SWR. It may just be dead air. When I yell on CH 19, I get a pissed off response, It's at least an acknowledgement I'm working. I do say I'm sorry. The hard driving trucker's don't seem to have the time or gratitude to give a radio check. I get that.
Thanks All.

 

[2NC995]

When I yell on CH 19, I get a pissed off response...

That’s one way to do it

There are plenty of times around here where I couldn’t reach someone if I tried...just because there’s no one there.

 

[357magnum]

I-95 as the " Crow Fly's " is about 3 miles from my House . I can hear the trucks go by @ night . When there is no action I go to 19 , it's been a long time since I've heard a driver ! Years back I would monitor & drivers would be asking for directions , with GPS Navigation us " Local Yocal's " are out of business .

 

[2NC995]

I actually hear more from local truckers (not on 19) than I do on the interstate.

 

[Alan Blackmon]

I think truckers rolling through Boise avoid 19. Local radio users tend to hang out on that channel. I was told in case a trucker asks for a road or weather report. Yet these I have heard noise toys been used on the channel and other stuff that would basically drive truckers bonkers. One guy who I think is a trucker would actually be a person to lend a hand on 19.

So I put my Bearcat 980 into scan mode and find what sounds like truckers on several channels other than 19. Can't blame them. Those noise toys would drive me bonkers too. That and what sounds like a two way being performed by one individual talking to himself.

 

[Tokin]

It all depends on where you live
When I was in NE Washington state all I had to talk to was one or two local radio heads or the log truck drivers. Now that ive moved to Florida i have all kinds of people on several different channels. But sometimes they dont last long as this is where old radio operators go to die it seems.

 

[Rick330man]

The band is definitely not as active as in years past.

I made a roadtrip about a month ago covering from the lower Keys all the way to the I-10 corridor. The trip took me through Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Orlando and Jacksonville.

There occasionally was traffic on channel 19, but I'd oftentimes pick up groups of truckers talking to each other on some other channel. As for local radio traffic, it isn't what it used to be. I caught a group in west Miami, one in northern Broward (Ft. Lauderdale suburbs), one just south of Orlando and that was about it. Years ago, these area would have channel after channel cluttered with activity. Nowadays, LSB 38 goes nuts when the skip is rolling, but that seems to be about it.

Major changes over time.

 

[midnight special]

central florida has a healthy supply of cbers,,,, channel 19 is always busy with locals and the truckers going to the port of tampa and all the many grocery warehouses and amazon in the plant city/lakeland area,,,i 4 and i 75 connect in central hillsboro county so always cb chatter there especially at night,,,,and since 2995/silverdaddy has back off the radio for a while it has got better for the truckers he ran off 19,,,,channel 28 has many high powered stations operating and channel 38 lsb has a few,,,

 

[Redbeard U812]

It all depends on where you live
When I was in NE Washington state all I had to talk to was one or two local radio heads or the log truck drivers. Now that ive moved to Florida i have all kinds of people on several different channels. But sometimes they dont last long as this is where old radio operators go to die it seems.

I used to live in BrookTuckey, otherwise known as Brooksville, Fla. From that elevation could get locals all through Dade City, Zephyrhills, Plant City, Bradenton, Mulberry, and Bartow. The hills in those areas created interesting RF contacts. The local drivers knew retirees in every town, only by radio, and could get "the Bear reports". Thought it was a neat thing. Retirees out scout'n Bear, and giving reports on "Green Stamps".

I could always get hold of one older fella down in Dade, he lived over by the Walmart there. Being right by Hwy, would sit by the window with his radio reporting to drivers on the cops he seen going by.

 

[Tokin]

central florida has a healthy supply of cbers,,,, channel 19 is always busy with locals and the truckers going to the port of tampa and all the many grocery warehouses and amazon in the plant city/lakeland area,,,i 4 and i 75 connect in central hillsboro county so always cb chatter there especially at night,,,,and since 2995/silverdaddy has back off the radio for a while it has got better for the truckers he ran off 19,,,,channel 28 has many high powered stations operating and channel 38 lsb has a few,,,

27.545 lsb is home to the Tampa local American Radio club. Theres usually someone monitoring the frequency. Ill catch local side banders on 35, 37 and 33 at night on occasion. Im usually found on 28 or 19.
I can go out to the shack and usually find someone talking. Maybe if only to themselves but theyre talking

 

[Mark Malcomb]

Thanks for all that info guys. I never like to agitate, I may have stepped a wee bit over the line, At least my radio works. This is 696 Chandler AZ.
Thanks again gents

 

[S&W357]

Rare occasion around here to catch anyone locally on SSB unless DX is rolling. Two guys I talk to on 38 LSB one 40 miles North of me and the other 40 miles South. Most of the local guys have SSB capability but prefer AM.

One AM guy I talk to at times has awesome antenna systems, radios & amps. He is nervous about talking on SSB. Convinced him to do so one time...he said, "it's alright I guess". Now he goes to SSB when DX is rolling but just to listen.

AM is pretty quiet most times and can be rather cliquish channel specific. Rock Quarry 25-30 miles away uses channel 20 some during the day.. Eight miles from me to closest point on I-85. I do hear truckers on 19 at times.

27.545 lsb is home to the Tampa local American Radio club.

I'll try to remember that and shout out to the T.A.R. Club when DX is rolling.

Thanks for all that info guys......This is 696 Chandler AZ.
Thanks again gents

Sounds good Mark! I'll be listening for 696 Arizona.

 

[Slowmover]

As a company driver I cover the US from IH35 Mexico to Canada, and east to NYC and south to Florida.

AM-19 will depend on several things:

1). Proximity to a major metro area (see online map: Megaregions).

2). A healthy mix of locals and owner-ops.

3). Early day can be busier than any other time. 0400-0900. Drivers are trying to get to the delivery. (The Point for re-load is just a painful short drive away). Being on-time is job definition. But is that then ten minutes or fifty minutes early?. With no on-site parking you may be turned away if two hours early. I figure that under an hour they’ll make it work. So, traffic a big deal at that point. I decided three and a half days and 1,600-miles back the EXACT ten minute window I’d drive in. Studied satellite pics. Checked for construction and other detours. Made sure truck access roads used. Etc. This is the job norm.

4). By 1300 many drivers have already been up and working nine hours. In a few more hours, they’ll be stopped for the night. Not too interested in chatter, just avoidance of problems. One load off, and another loaded. Makes the paycheck.

5). The late night drivers experience the worst services and the fewest possible parking spots. It’s for the dead-Enders to be running late. Foreigners and those wishing to avoid commercial law enforcement. Reefers often have no choice but to run overnight, so that’s a mite bit different. LTL line Haul is out and about, but that’s no promise of talk.

6). I was discussing with another driver how we conserved energy. Both agreed that the first five hours of clock time were critical. You got 250-300 miles in before 1100 (preferably by 0900) or the day would sink.

7). Nationwide, the unexplained crowds on the Interstate ruin any idea of high average MPH by 1100. Until 2100-2300 at night.

Rush hour (0400-0900) will be peak CB participation in a 75-mile radius from city center.

I’m more likely to have the Spotify playlist cranked past 1100. My day wont improve. Thinking about tonight’s parking and tomorrow’s departure. Checking weather for that location and delivery (RadarPro). Wondering if I’ll feel energetic enough to make dinner or just zap something. Etc.

I figure I’m about par for this.

“Cooking in a big truck”, is a subject of which can raise interest late day, but it also is an irritant.

Past the above “rules” there are areas which simply have good chatter all day.

A) The whole of Tennessee, especially west.

B). Eastern Pennsylvania

C). The Plains from Abilene, Texas to Minot, ND

Other areas are hit & miss. It takes at least one guy to try to get the ball rolling. Sounds friendly, and more will join in.

“Friendly” is that which foregoes insult UNTIL some fun is in the air.

My favorite “place” is

Oklahoma City

Rattlesnake & Co are likely to be on the air in the evenings, and sometimes in the mornings. Several base stations and regular mobile.

Other cities have locals checking with each other, and men working the same job description (Rock & Gtavel Haulers, Grain Haulers, etc) are hailing each other in passing.

The last refuge of Bear Reports are states like Indiana. (65-mph; only a tiny number of trucks run past 70-mph, but the ones wanting to handily get around guys half-asleep at 65 is big).

The major East-West roads from Chicago to NYC keep an eye peeled.

I’m not familiar enough with the Left Coast. I’ve heard they may use AM-17 or -15. That’s a separate country past the Intermountain West. It’s almost all up & down IH-5. (Why drivers hate to get trapped out there).

And there are just days no one says much.

.

 

[walterjn]

I'm out here on the left coast, most of the local dirt haulers in my area run on 17 am, a few run on 38 am, they say they just want to get away from most of the others & Spanish bleed over. Occasionally, if traffic is really bad someone will key up on 19 & ask about it. There are only a few of us in the area & we sit on 38 lsb. I hear dx on 38lsb, 28 am, 6 am, & a few other frequencies.
That said; there are days that I hear nobody, not even the locals I bs with. My sop is start the truck, & turn radio on. It stays on until I get home for the night.

 

[secret squirrel]

On a Saturday night when the wind is from the north on channel 19, just stones throw from the Dallas Pike TA exit 11 I-70 in West Virginia. You may here the immortal, "I ain't got no panties on.." breaking the silence.