HOW MUCH IS TO MUCH "POWER" ?

[C2]

I was talking to a friend who just got a ~200W linear, was at his house checkin it out and it was swinging hard right.

When I left, we were talking on the band and he hit the switch and asked how THAT sounded???

I said it bumped up about 2 or 3 S units...But he asked how it sounded??? I said it sounds exactly the same.

He was puzzled about why he was NOT any louder...I said that's the way it is...he said, then why did I buy this thing for?

 

[C2]

The down side to running "too much power" is this:

-it creates a lot of trash on the band for those of us using it...signal is so wide, and full of unwanted harmonics, that it splatters...is just ignorant, selfish behavior to destroy the band for everyone else.

A lot of guys like that...that is their goal.

-It exposes you and others to serious health risks from the excess RF. It is much more efficient to wrap your lips around the barrel of a 12 ga. shotgun, rather than die a slow death from cancer caused by RF exposure. If you feel the need to run excess power, step on people, and trash the band, do us all a favor and take the honorable way out instead.

More fuel to the fire. It's like pulling their string.

-It draws attention to you, especially when you are coming through family & neighbor's TVs & phone lines. It is my opinion that life is better lived without drawing attention to yourself, and doing the things you want to do without bothering others.

That.s what most problem children want, more attention. See, it's working.

To answer the question "How much is too much?"...I would say anything over 350 watts out of a decent antenna (base or mobile) offering some gain is about the most any of us should do. Of course, always run the least amount of power necessary, but if we all kept it 350w or less, we could all enjoy the band more, you would definitely be heard, and if someone on Ch. 34 annoys you, you could change up or down a channel to get away from it, rather than it splattering half of the 40 channel allocation.

See, now you have blown it. Now they have a minimum target for which to exceed.

Now remember, it's not important whether or not you can be heard across all 40 channels, but that you can be understood across all 40 channels.

 

[Switch Kit]

Thanks for the replys on this one guys (-: ...Hmmm ...I have read the theroy of relativity concerning the power thing and the 4 x 4 and all the rest of the mathamatical hoopla ,just thought it would be interesting to read what others had to say about it. Auh yes ...the more the merrier for some and enough already for others. It's all good. Ego is one thing ,pride and joy is another,being the biggest baddest dude on the block IM sure can have it's ups and downs as well,I'd guess to say you mojo watt runners out there are fairly responsable with your stuff ? or at least I would think you were ? I can see the money some of you guys have tied up in your rigs and being somewhat responsable would be more then likely a good idea in keeping what you have rather then to lose it or get yourselves in some kind of trouble behind it. IM very Impressed to say the least with some of the power that I have seen and heard about along with some of the photos /amps/hand fulls of alternators/motor mauls ect.ect.ect. .....I've heard stories over the years but it wasn't until the Internet when I got to see it with my own eye's .....REMARKABLE STUFF GUYS !!!! I wouldn't be lying if I said I wouldn't mind keying down on about 5000 watts for a few days or so just to turn a few heads (-: on CB that is,but I live in Los Angeles and I just don't need any trouble coming my way.Weather you run 200 watts or 2000 watts ...it's all good with me .....Im pretty sure I know my limitations concerning power and me and whom I talk to or don't talk to. Sure ,I run about 400 watts or so ,but if I ever feel the need to feel as if IM king of the mountain in my own kind of a way ? .....I can just drive up one for a little while. (-: Thanks again !! Switch Kit

 

[C W Morse]

o

We must also realize the venue from which all this "reddio knowledge" comes ! :shock: 80 per cent of it is gained from hearsay, myth and urban legend and perhaps(?) 20% real
facts. Power is like the guy that passes you on the freeway and goes on out of sight. 20 minutes later you pass HIM entering the freeway 50 miles down the road. (maybe he went for a 'comfort' break?) However, at that point in time, you BOTH arrived at the same place at the same time! What did he gain? Nothing. But, it FEELS like his isdoing something really great when he roars by showing that slowpoke how powerful and important he (thinks he) is. :twisted:

The established practice with most radio services will say something like, "One is to use ONLY the amount of power necessary to establish and maintain communications". It WORKS in disciplined radio services of which CB radio is certainly NOT! *IF* CBers DID abide by the 4 watt rule, its users would actually benefit by the reduced noise and be able to talk farther. One of the most stupid things in radio is where two truckers are using 500 watts to talk to the truck right ahead! DUMB! But why do they do it? 1) Ignorance of how power REALLY works and 2) because it makes up for some inadaquacy in their lives (I'm this here gre't big reddio operator, so LOOK at how "big" I am ) Pitiful, really. Two things in CB radio would go a long way: courtesy and less power. In CB, it will never happen. Sadly, EVERYBODY is an expert on "reddio".

CWM

 

[Logan]

All valid points that everyone made concerning this subject. I think a good all around compromise would be 400 watts pep, since the first 100 watts will make the most dramatic difference. Next would be a good beam, to direct and maximize the signal, or the best omni- directional antenna, that I can afford. At least I won't be subjecting myself to huge amounts of RF, in the name of this hobby, thus hopefully with my good genes I will be living longer, and as far as a good mobile install, I won't have to upgrade the car's electrical system with bigger alternators, battery packs, huge lengths of heavy gage wire, coax, etc. I like simplicity, and if 400 watts, and a good antenna system won't get me heard, then I'll get on the highest hill or mountain that I can find. If that doesn't work, then I will park by a large body of water (Bay, lake, ocean, etc). Finally, if that doesn't work, then I'll just have to wait on Mother Nature to raise her dress, and bless me with dx conditions. That's it, and that's that .

 

[Switch Kit]

Well put Logan (-: .......You seem so harsh CW ? .....I think more folks are just having fun in a world of somewhat outlawed radios and amplifiers ....meaning CB ....I think theres just as many A-holes out there doing there thing as there is decent folks doing the same thing ....I'd bet to say it was the same way on the Ham bands in places ? or at least I've heard it was over the years. It's just a hobby ,at least folks ain't rob'in and kill'in folks here (as far as I know ) Some of those Egos you mentioned are all so true , but there's also some of the biggest power users are the most curtious,it's just the way you personally look at it ? ......it's just CB radio in a nut shell ....the charectors behind there microphones really haven't changed that much over the years,truckers huh ? as far as IM concerned they have helped keep this hobby alive over the years and many a shop from closing there doors , I understand what your saying about 500 watts to 500 watts a truck leinth away from each other ....that's just the way it is sometimes ,(there are no big deals in this life unless one chooses to have them,on CB radio ......I choose not to) .......I suppose it just depends on how one looks at it ? ....I've known guys for years on the radios that are basically guys who sit in front of there radios with there 12 packs until there 3 sheets to the wind ,guys that just talked total none stop nonsence day in and day out ,lonely women finding themselves cb radio outlets and finding some kind of lives for themselves , the oldtimers that tolerate the newcomers the best that they can ,the agattators ect.ect.ect, 20 years in this hobby and it's noth'in new to me ......it is CB Radio !! The Party Line ....folks enjoy it ,they can bitch moan and groan about it all they want ,but most who have been there are still there ...You have that choice. You seem like a very educated person concerning this stuff CW and I've enjoied reading some of your posts from time to time,yet you do seem to have your feelings towards cb radio which I can understand to a point .......I suppose it might be nice if we all could have things the way that we would like them to be concerning cb radio ? it kind of reminds me of the oldtimers that just keep on harping and spitting about the rules and reg's everytime they get that chance , but yet they too are tuned and some are even running amps and Ham radios on the 11 meters .....is this not a catch 22 ? my way or the highway syndrome ? Over the years I've learned not to take my CB radio and what comes out on the receivers end to very seriously .......I've learned to take it for what it is . I prefer to be in control of my radio and not controlled by what comes out of it. After 20 years IM a lot better at it ,but I can still let it get to me from time to time )-: I suppose it's just the nature of the beast and that ever love'in Wonderful World of CB Radios ........and the charectors behind there mic's !! (-: There's an old saying ..if your around $hit long enough.....you will more then likely begin to smell like it yourself.I guess that might make me guilty in others eye's ? but that's really not my problem ,Switch Kit is his own problem and his main course of action for himself is keeping his own 2 feet as flat on the ground as he possibley can. It's all good CW (-: .....You know why ? .....it just inevitably has to be that way for the Switch Kit .....I just don't think BAD is very healthy for my own well being. Peace

 

[freecell]

"WAC with 10 Watts was too easy."
(he's currently pursuing WAC with 250 mw.)
that was April of 1980. WAC is Worked All Continents.

Frank Crowe, WB6UNH

"use ONLY the amount of power necessary to establish and maintain communications". It WORKS in disciplined radio services..."

said discipline is the responsibility of the operator.

 

[Watchman76]

How much power is too much?

In over 30 yrs as a CB'er I've run a bunch of different set ups and from 4w to 1,900w and when I learned about SSB and realized that all that is NEEDED to work DX is 50-100w I haven't used more than 100w since. On DX its propagation aka the atmosphere NOT the size amp that dictates where you'll talk. Locally if ya run 1,500w its impressive to those within 25-50 miles BUT to do that those who get within 2-10ch.'s suffer your horrible bleedover, anyone within 2-3 miles of your CB antenna will love your stereocasting on their TV, am-fm, tape recorder, cordless phone, toaster ect. Want to kill DX and talk LONG distance locally and do it clean - get a HF rig, and a beam antenna and yes Hams thats a no-no but better than a cheap "export" plus it will convince a few "chicken banders" to convert to Ham. A HF rig is better built, filtered and has way more capabilities than a "export". Max. 100w - no noise toys - engage common sense and act and operate like a adult with a active brain!!

 

[rfoverlord]

okay my .02 worth i have to agree that seldom is more than 10 watts is needed when ma nature gives those props. when i did run big power i could barely hear guys coming back to me with great reports but i had to strugle to hear them. i realized then that i was talking further then i could hear what fun is that. for the base i run a stock madison only keys 3.5 w and iv'e made great contacts now that i realize that i could use a little help now and then i will probably get something to bump that up to 200-350 pep, since thats what a 2 pill will do anything more than that i guess is probably just to much testosterone built up. the mobile i have a 500 in but i have yet to run it on high pwr. i have made contacts to numerous places outside the U.S. but anyway i can't compete with the local tards on am i don't talk to them anyway, so for me in the mobile it's a couple of hundred watts. at the base a little less pwr and more antenna which gives more bang for the buck on rx/tx. 73 l8tr

 

[Switch Kit]

reminds of a few of the drunks that live in the Big Bear Mountain area .....IM guessing here but I think it's something like 6000 feet ? Blowing smoke without a doubt in my mind !! I'd guess to say upwords to 300 to 500 watts on top of everything else !! 9 plus pounds 50 miles away from me and I can still here them just about the same 80 miles away .....9 times out of 10 I can't even hear who it is they are talking too ? but they also have away of knocking out other locals in the area as well .....Do they care ? Nope !! ......I must admit , they do have some very loud and clear radios .....but with mother nature on there sides I don't think they would even need half the power that they use and would also give some local decent long distance folks a break !!(I'd guess to say that it would more then likely only be a matter of time with what comes out of some of these guy's mouths that it should only be a matter of time before something changes for these guy's ? but it does seem like they have all been out there for many years ?like I said ,9 times out of 10 I can't even hear to whom these guys are harping and spitting to in the first place ? because there locals to them ) I was looking for it on the FCC site (I know it's there) but a few years back there was a guy in the high desert from me (about 50 or so miles away) he was running 10K .....it took FCC about a year to finally shut him down and confascate his equipment .....not only that ,he was seriously having to pay a 20,000 dollar fine and doing some jail time. Remarkable !! ....they said he was conducting his own radio stations on both AM/FM broadcasts. Talk about throwing a musical carrier why don't you !!! if I find the FCC violation I will post the link.

 

[Logan]

Just by watching other cb operators transmit, and hearing the response they get from skipland, and watching them increase their power by increments, using DC transistors and not AC tubes, (Talking from a mobile) in my opinion these are the wattage jumps:

4 watts
16 watts
100 watts
400 watts
850 watts
3400 watts, etc.
If you are upgrading to bigger amps, and can't make these wattage jumps, then you are wasting your money . Propagation will always have the last word :x :evil: . Like I said, this is from my experience. If any one else has experimented with wattage jumps, please share your results.

 

[Logan]

One other thing, I think that C2's comments above sounds about 95% accurate, I mean really hitting the nail on the head. If I'm going to run a 5-10K box and higher, Mother nature has better be hanging on my every word, every time I key up, or I'm going to be pissed :x :evil: :evil: :evil: .

 

[hcfr34]

In my opinion, too much is the amount used incorrectly. You can have all the power in the world, but if you use it just to turn on the neighbors toaster, come on. I look at power as a regulation devise. I do not use it to hear my self talk. If a few of us are trying to talk, and there is a nuiscance out there....I don't see anything wrong with a little fire in the wire to shut him down and continue my conversation with friends.

 

[C2]

I heard 4040 saying he was keying 10 to 15 KW, about 50 miles away. No big deal, he was barely getting through. But you could tell when he turned off the big box.

 

[chipotle]

You can't forget that a big linear can make up for a small....