considering getting licenced

[kane375]

I spend a lot of time in the mountains with my friends and we don't have cell servese very often. We use cb's in our 4x4's to keep in contact with eachother and I was thinking about getting a ham radio for emergency's and other radio fun. My question is can I use one radio to talk to my friends on there cb's as well as being able to do the ham functions with out having to have 2 seperate radios?

 

[W5LZ]

You can use a modified CB radio on the ham bands legally, but it can't be done legally the other way around. Is such a thing done? Why, noooooo, of course not!
- 'Doc

 

[Moleculo]

Heh...'Doc is saying that with tongue planted firmly in cheek! It is not legal to modify a Ham rig to talk to a CB station, but that doesn't mean people don't do it.

However, if you get your ham license and encourage your buddies to do the same, I think you'll find that your talk distance will be so much greater between stations that you'll wonder why you ever fooled around with CB's in the mountains to begin with.

This is exactly how I got into ham radio: I like to go to the desert and mountains and we all thought that CB's would be perfect to communicate with. When we found out otherwise and started asking questions, I discovered Ham Radio.

 

[W5LZ]

Very few hams around now-a-days didn't get their start with CB radio (no matter what they may say). One of the reasons they made the switch was the variety of bands available, like 'Mole said. Certainly not the only reason, but one of them. They found that being 'stuck' on just one band just wasn't as much fun as having several to choose from. I know it sounds like one of 'those' stories, but the possibilities are really almost limitless. Just a matter of finding out what you enjoy, finding the 'right' spot on several bands to do whatever that is you enjoy doing. And knocking yourself out at it. Like the 'wall paper' thing, certificates, awards, etc? Rather see how far away you can make contacts? Wanna try the digital modes, satellites, TV? Easy! Rather just sit around and shoot the bull? Wanna talk to people who have other hobbies like you do? All you have to do is look around for them, they are there!
It ain't for free though, you got to do some work. Take a couple of tests (all the right answers are given to you though ). I doubt if you'll find a multiband radio for $49.95 at 'Wal-Mart', it's gonna be a little more expensive than that. But then, you ain't got no $49.95 radio either! I haven't run across a band I couldn't make an antenna for out of wire yet, sure beats having to buy one. Also haven't run across more than one band that you couldn't do mobile. 160 meters just ain't all that easy, big antenna you know. Certainly still possible, but I'm too cheap. Wanna do 'public service' type stuff? Becareful how loud you say that! You can get put to work quicker than you'd ever believe. Very little fame/publicity, but lots of work!
The only thing limiting what you can do... is you.
End of commercial.
- 'Doc


Ham radio isn't for everybody. Some people don't like it, and that's okay. I don't like eating liver, big deal.

 

[Wire Weasel]

If your main purpose in wanting better radios is to talk better and farther with your buds, then consider any one of the higher power Export type "CB's" that are on the market these days. Look at the higher power Galaxy's & Magnum's & Connex's ect...A 100 watt radio plus a touch of echo in the modulation....you'll be talking far and wide. Same power that the typical ham rig has.

Good luck with whatever way you wish to go. I am both a ham and CB'er. CB'er since 1976.

 

[n8fgb]

If and when solor cycle 24 gets going, CB will be useless for what you are using it for now. The noise level will be so high, you wil have to be bumper to bumper to talk. With all the high power export radios and illegal amps in use on 11 meter, this should be the noisiest cycle yet.
Rich

 

[park]

If and when solor cycle 24 gets going, CB will be useless for what you are using it for now. The noise level will be so high, you wil have to be bumper to bumper to talk. With all the high power export radios and illegal amps in use on 11 meter, this should be the noisiest cycle yet.
Rich

Yep, you're right. VHF or UHF would be the way to go.

 

[Wire Weasel]

When the band gets hopping, AM WILL be trash I agree. So move to sideband. There are so many channels, they are never all in use and all the noise you here on AM isn't on sideband.

 

[kane375]

Thanks

Thanks for your help this is some great info. it gives me some more to think about. I will have to try to talk my friends into geting licences. until then I wil probably use 2 radios.