Talking distance?

[RL616]

Hi, my name is Rob and I am addicted to CB's.

My addiction is small, I only have 2 and 1 of those I loaned to a friend. My current radio is a Galaxy DX959 I got from my retired truck-driver Uncle. (I know, nobody cares, just trying to give you some background...)

I have had the radio checked out at the local CB shop, and they said it works fine. Deadkey 6 watts, swings over 25. Uncle said he had it tuned up. I run 18ft of brand new coax to a 4-inch spring to a 102" stainless steel whip mounted to the side of my bed (2013 F-350) and she seems happy at just a touch over 1 SWR.

Problem is, I cant seem to get out near as far as I think I should. My friend has a stock Cobra 19 and a lil will magnet mount, and we talk about the same distance. I drive my truck away from his house and he calls me when he can't hear me anymore, then he drives the same road with his 19 and lil will and then he drives the same way with my 148 (she's turned up a bit too) and a firestick he is borrowing. All radios have about the same distance?? I thought for sure my setup was king, but my pride hurts a little after that test. They all reach around 1.5 to 2 miles. I thought for sure I should be able to hit at least 5? Am I wrong?

 

[9C1Driver]

There is no "standard" range because there are many variables. The first rule is height is might. Next you want to run the best or biggest antenna you can to maximize range. Since your vehicle is the ground plane make sure your install is done correctly.

Two big factors that effect a mobile antenna's transmit and receive are 1) location on the vehicle. And 2) the environment around your vehicle. The 102" antenna is great but they do tend to be directional because of where you have it mounted. If you could mount it dead center of the roof of a truck it would transmit great to the front and rear and pretty good side to side. Lets say you mounted it to the left rear corner of your truck. Your best transmit direction would be to the right front corner of your truck. And you would be very week to the rear of your vehicle. So if you drive away from your friend you won't have as good of range then if you were out of town and approaching him.

For best talking find an open clear area or parking lot away from electronic noise. Finding high ground is also very effective to like sitting at the top of a hill, bridge, or parking garage.

All that said you should be getting much more range then 1-5 miles even on AM and a bare foot radio. If you have a radio with SSB you will find the range is much farther if you use LSB or USB.

The last thing I will say is you have to double your power to gain 1/2 of an S unit on the other persons receive meter. So on AM if you swing to 25 watts you will have to double that power each time to gain another 1/2 of an S unit. Here is a chart for you to consider.

Power in Perspective | CB Radio Magazine

POWER IN PERSPECTIVE - CB WATTS AND DISTANCE In today's CB world being heard by someone else on the radio can be difficult. There is considerably more interference than there was 20 years ago. CB radios themselves aren't really built to talk very far but many CB radio enthusiasts modify their...

cbradiomagazine.com

 

[Eldorado828]

ANTENNA!

The radio is only part of the equation.
I tell people all the time, you put a 500 dollar radio and run 50 dollar antenna/coax, you get a 50 dollar performance no matter what the swr is.
The antenna, coax and sometimes bonding is what completes the system.

How far will it get you out? There's no answer just as post #2 said, but it will definitely get out much better with a quality complete system.

 

[Smokinone]

All that said, and very true, the Galaxy 959 is a great AM radio, and once warmed up a nice SSB rig. I don't think you could get a better antenna than the 102" whip, when I ran one I had it mounted on the left rear and it was directional as stated above. I now run a 5' Wilson Silver stick on my truck box basically in the center of the box and the truck. It works well.
Antenna and placement is important, and with your 1.1.- 1 SWR you are at pretty much maximum output on the radio.
However, if the skip is running you may find it difficult to talk across the street much less down the road. But you may be able to talk to the world with the same setup with skip conditions working in your favor.

 

[w9cll]

Check out www.k0bg.com Its ham related but the information applies to CB as well.

 

[RL616]

ANTENNA!

The radio is only part of the equation.
I tell people all the time, you put a 500 dollar radio and run 50 dollar antenna/coax, you get a 50 dollar performance no matter what the swr is.
The antenna, coax and sometimes bonding is what completes the system.

How far will it get you out? There's no answer just as post #2 said, but it will definitely get out much better with a quality complete system.

I have covered all of that, I believe. Gotta be a different reason.

 

[nomadradio]

Don't think about how far you can talk, think about how far the other guy can HEAR.

My favorite example of this is two OTR drivers, Moe and Larry. They buy identical radios and antennas, mounted on the same model tractor. They're parked each at a truck stop one exit down the road from each other. Moe has a 9 noise level, and Larry has a 4 noise level. When they key the mike, they each throw the other one a six on the S-meter.

Larry will hear Moe just fine over his 4 noise level, but Moe will never know Larry replied to him.

73