Weak solar cycles = another big decline of the 11 meter local & DX population

[StrangeBrew]

@Onelasttime.... One of them loaned me one of his own older HF radios (without a mic), ....

Sometimes this can be the way to run, without a mic. Some of the most aggravating BS can also be the most entertaining comedy when you aren't involved in it yourself. It does suck when you have to be careful who's in the car with you when you turn on the radio though.

I always felt there should be a place for everyone on the radio. I never got into the channel six stuff but believe they can do what they want as long as they keep it on six, 19 should be for highway info, let the DXers play on the higher channels and there should be plenty of room for local channels in the mix. To be honest I wouldn't be against dedicated hate and profanity channels, let them have their fun arguing with each other and I'll just leave those channels alone. At least that's the way it should be, with all the talk about CB being dead I don't understand why there isn't room for everyone.

In my opinion the problem stems from everyone thinking their way is the right way. Everyone wants the whole spectrum for their type of operation and screw all those other people, after all those people operate their radios "wrong" anyway.

It's the same on CB, ham and the Florida highways, no one has any respect for anyone else.

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

lol this is what happened last night on our local channel. I think I fractured a rib from laughing so much. A special forces 18E "Guest star" joins in. and it just goes downhill from here. It might be dying but at least I got a good couple of decades of fun use from it. The whole texting thing for me or facebook is not my thing, I prefer to interact with people in person or on radio. Another not millenials seem less socially adept at human interaction from their minimal upbringing they will never get into radio period because it means interacting with people VS a quick text or thumbs up on facebook, sending pictures etc. forget conversation/joking around etc.. and they have a very thin skin and would wither under some ribbing/ball busting/roasting that goes on CB etc.. forget jokes, it could trigger Political correctness alarm etc..

You never know what someone is going through. Seems to me that the guy might be a veteran that had a traumatic brain injury. And no I am not all touchy feely snow flake either. If someone did this to my disabled veteran friend, I would knock their block off. Just sayin.

 

[jdobbs2001]

Maybe expand CB and add a special channel for CB (No license needed) One at 14313khz USB. so you have channels 1-40 and then channel A which is the special 20meter 14313khz channel that would open up more opportunity for skip, and you get to talk to the great group of guys on that frequency

 

[jdobbs2001]

@loosecannon
What size tin foil hat do you recommend?

I recommend a copper foil hat with plenty of cables connected to ground rods.

 

[jdobbs2001]

You never know what someone is going through. Seems to me that the guy might be a veteran that had a traumatic brain injury. And no I am not all touchy feely snow flake either. If someone did this to my disabled veteran friend, I would knock their block off. Just sayin.

I seriously doubt he served. his stories get better and better as the night goes on. I thought of this video.

 

[Staybolt]

I cant really say its dead here as there are locals on am and ssb. Also ch 10 and 13 are used by a few large factories for comms with the drivers. Ch 17 used to be busy as a local glass factory used it on their fork trucks but they closed up and have been bought out.

 

[Onelasttime]

Society and it's morals have been on a steady decline for at least a generation or maybe two. This is why I get PO'ed when someone says they don't want to become an amateur because of the attitudes of some of them. Newsflash: they are just a cross section of society just like any other hobby with many members. I can only guess where we are headed and I don't want to be on that bus.

I used to love people and society and thought the best about mankind. Then it is like I woke up and the world had changed. I used to stay up to 3am and sometime 6am in High School talking on the radio. I would sometimes rather do that when the skip was running than go to a party with my peers! It simply is not what it was as a hobby and it is because of the decline of society not the solar cycle! Life too short to not speak the truth. If we do not talk about what is really going on then it can never change for the better becasue avoiding a topic never helps! I can remember guys roughing other guys up becasue they would not behave on the net controlled channel that was safe for kids and such to be on. They would also cut a persons coax or put sewing needles in the coax if they did not clean up their act. Their where 40 channels to chose from and they where not going to have vulgar language and bad behavior on the local Net Controlled Channel! It is about standards, decency and being a good citizen!

 

[Onelasttime]

@Onelasttime
I was not leveling any negative remarks toward you. I only meant to report the measure of difference in my area to the generally maligned trend you were reporting in yours. It is with a lingering hope of a continuing good in both the licensed and unlicensed radio communities that I cling to. But I have a habit of optimism. . .
There is a really great Amateur group in my area, too; tailgates, hamfests, and just helping out when needed. Yes, there are trends everywhere, yet, there are people who, like yourself, still value decency. Let these be the salt in an otherwise bland stew that preserves the appetite for good. At the risk of sounding status quo try something that helped me. Several hams befriended me long before I got my ticket. They treated me with respect and enjoyed my love of radio despite my radio being a CB. One of them loaned me one of his own older HF radios (without a mic), and encouraged me to just listen to the bands. I plugged in my old scanner and set it to 2m and 70cm and started listening. When the solar cycle took a dip I knew their strategy had paid off. I do not regret the steps I took studying for both my tech and general licenses. Maybe you'll find a good group of ops among the amateurs in your area. I am blessed to have them in both radio venues, as well as online.
I hope it gets better for you.
Homer

I did not take it negatively sorry if you took it that way. I find that with political correctness comes nothing but lies and no one ever taking responsibility for their actions. Too often in life people do not say what needs to be said today. That just not me. I told a Nun to "Get lost it is not happening! " in church once. Funny thing is when I told her that people around me started clapping and patting me on the back. I guess no one ever called her on her B.S. before! Life is too short for that!

Obviously peoples perception is going to vary and their environment will likewise vary! I am sure their are still pockets in fly over country that have very nice decent people. I can only speak to what I have seen. The days of being quite are gone for me. If I see someone littering I say something to them about it. If I see a kid being destructive I ask them what the heck they are doing! The road back to what this nation used to be will not be an easy road and you can not help it along by only saying nice things to people and keeping quite when they do things that are not appropriate!

Thank you for being clear though I do appreciate it. I too am sorry if I came off as being upset. I am sipping a hot cup of tea and enjoying myself! LOL...Cheers!

 

[Staybolt]

When i got into CB back around 1988/90 or so it was dead then aside from a few locals.. Then it picked up slightly in the mid 1990s early 2000s only to die out later on. I think it ebbs and flows to be honest...

 

[fogdog]

Lots of locals up here in the Blue Ridge Mountains use the CB. They have for year's. I talked to a fella yesterday who told me his CB was his Cell Phone. Lots of Antron 99's up in these Hollers.

 

[Big Kahuna]

The summer skip season seems to be starting. I happened to throw my antenna on the vehicle yesterday and we had some weak skip in the evening and some again today. Nothing exciting though, just California...yawn

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

There was a 10 min window on ch6 yesterday. I got my number called and talked to Jamaica.

 

[HomerBB]

I have talked to several this week. From here it's mostly to the north, northeast, or east of me, althiugh today I heard Wyoming and North Dakota.

 

[jdobbs2001]

Channel 38 was packed actually all channels full this evening.

 

[Slowmover]

I hope you're being sarcastic about blaming Truckers. CB use has significantly died off in the last 20 years with drivers today, Yet the big radios that are responsible for the most of the polluted airwaves are the base stations and are still alive and well on channels 6,26,28, and let's not forget the obnoxious radios with pingers from across the borders. Still truck drivers get blamed.

With all the under-skilled and under-trained foreigners coming over driving trucks and many are even illegally licensed, and along with the new breeds, CB use in the trucking industry is becoming a thing of the past.

Don't believe me, take a look at any california or Illinois licensed truck. You'll see either no antennas or broken ones and no radio on the dash or upper console. The california reefer trucks are mostly Sikhs from India driving them and the Illinois trucks are Eastern European from mostly the former Soviet block countries. These people could care less about what a CB is much less socialize with Americans, at least that's the vibe I get from many of them.

The new breed drivers have other forms of electronic entertainment and have electronic logs, GPS, smartphones and laptops. Their company gives them there routings for pickups and delivery and fuel stops. What would they need a CB for?

About the only areas where the drivers that turn their radios on when most of the time they're off is in in those 55 mph communist states like california. As soon as these drivers hit the Arizona border, the radio is turned back off.

I hope that explains a good part of the decline of CB use within the trucking industry.

Not short. Not sweet. But still fresh from the oven (accurate).

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