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Ham vs CB

I have the Teck license and in my area 10 to 15 years ago there was allways 2 meter repeater chatter, When ever some one signed off some one else picked it up. Now people use the repeater that call someone they know is on and mobil. One of them gets to there destination and if you call the other is gone. They have the nets still and a few clubs some of them big. I just bought a new 2 meter mobil and for the most part it's dead. Maby I should have gone Dual band? Have a lot of fun on 10 meters, There is a great group that was on every night until the solar cycle took over. On 38 lsb there is a group of ham operators that meet there regulary. they will tell you that your 2 kc low and will also tell you that you are good now after adjusting nothing. LOL Studying for my general and buying a rig to chat, and I hope there are people to talk to. I am not it to the wam-Bam call sign exchange thing of a contest. I like to talk and see who stops by the frequency.
 
m42duster said:
2 meter repeaters are a big sponge. They just suck up all the new hams.
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I would have to agree with this. I see so many 2m club "preditors" that scavange the bands looking for "newbies" to add to thier club ranks. This is for nothing more than to increase their status with their handlers.

That is the real test of an individuals mettle of being their own person.
 
Nick23 said:
I have used a CB radio for a number of years and am now just getting into to Amateur radio scene. I have not yet purchased my ham radio and was wondering are there more people on the ham radio frequencies? I have become very bored with the 40 CB channels and am going to upgrade to either a CB with SSB or a ham radio.
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Yes there are more people on the ham frequencies.....only because there's more frequencies on ham, plus CB has lost much of it's appeal, other than truck drivers and maybe the occasional 4X4 or RV.

Although CB still has it's place. A SSB radio would be a wise move, and when you finally become a ham, you can keep the SSB CB to chat with those who don't have their ticket.

I agree with the others...when you go ham, study for general too. Then go in take the tech test, pass it....then right afterwards ask for the general test...pass it too and then you can work the world. Otherwise as a tech you'll have access to mainly VHF and UHF frequencies with a sliver of HF on 10 M for voice...however 10 meters is hit or miss.
 
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davegrantsr said:
The question was....are there more people on the ham radio frequencies?
Well it depends. What MONTH was the contest & was it e skip or f layer? Either way, the ONLY reason there were so many 10m contacts in a 20 hour period, was, in a word, CONTEST. Had it NOT been a contest, i GUARANTEE you would've made MORE contacts on 11m. AND, if it was e skip, 10m would've been very quiet. If it was f layer, 10m would've only been fairly quiet. Sad but true. Where are all the NEW licensees? I don't know 'cause i dont go there, but i'd bet on a 2m fm repeater somewhere....based on what i hear when i occasionally tune to 27.385.
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I worked cb for a while, got tired of it, I got my ham ticket a little over a year ago, I work mostly mobile 20m on a home brew bug catcher antenna, I have worked all conts. in the last couple months just driving to work in the morning... if you want to work DX, HAM is where it's at... if you want to brag about having the biggest pile of C-rap class amp on the planet and have people want to be like you when you talk like you are imbred, then CB is the way to go...
 
I was a big-time CB'er back in the 70's. I've always had a CB in my rig (still do, actually) but I've only used it either for communicating with log trucks on mountain roads or getting road reports during snowy weather. Didn't know 'til I read this thread that people (other than truckers) were still using CB's for social rag-chewing! :confused: Can't imagine going back to that world, but whatever " floats your boat" I guess.

Mark K7OWG
 
mr_fx said:
I worked cb for a while, got tired of it, I got my ham ticket a little over a year ago, I work mostly mobile 20m on a home brew bug catcher antenna, I have worked all conts. in the last couple months just driving to work in the morning... if you want to work DX, HAM is where it's at... if you want to brag about having the biggest pile of C-rap class amp on the planet and have people want to be like you when you talk like you are imbred, then CB is the way to go...
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Sounds like I better stick with CB.;) I talk 2 counties over sometimes when I got my leanyer going thru my set of beams and I keep my coax in a moonshine jug. Its a big hobby and its different strokes for different folks. I like AM and SSB but its not like you cant make long distance contacts on the reg 40 AM or SSB. I talked over 13000 miles on 38 lower. I dont have any desire for my ticket but I think its great if thats what a person wants to do.
 

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