this is long over-due but it's about time....this will be an ongoing work in progress.... enjoy!
CB Radio FAQ section (see next post for HAM section)
Q: what chanel is everyone on?
A: most people that use cb's are truck drivers. they useualy run CH 17 in California, and CH 19 everywhere else in the states
I've heard Channel 9 is monitored in case of an emergency situation, and is supposed to be used only for that, but i've never had to test it out... most of the time i hear people talking in Spanish really far away...but it's worth a shot. your best bet is to ask people you see what Chanel they are on, and remember it, in case you might need to try'n reach'em later
Q: why will no one talk to me?
A: most truckers are running anywhere from 50 to 500 watts and up. the legal limit is 4 watts, even if your CB has been tweaked and peaked, you'd be lucky to get 10. so unless you live by the freeway, they're prolbly too far away to hear you.
Q: what CB should i buy?
A: well like anything it depends on the situation... but gereraly speeking, stick with well known name brands, for example, Cobra, and Galaxy are problly the two most common and well known namesfor CB's and are both very reliable. ICOM, Uniden, and Yaesu for the HAM side. Also speaking in gereralizations, when buying new, you get what you pay for. so buy the most expencive one that YOU CAN AFFORD and has the features you like. in my oppinion, it's better to buy one good one than to have to buy ANOTHER one that's a lil'better...
Q: what antenna should i use?
A: again, it depends on you and the situation... but I've started a list of some rules of thumb to go buy when selecting an antenna.
1.) always buy the correct length coax for the antenna, (the package should tell you) and keep that coax with that antenna, that way you always know how long a coax you should have for that antenna. if you buy another antenna, buy another coax.
2.) if you plan on running trails... most organized runs and some parks limit the length of your whip or they make you bend them over and tie them down, so keep this in mind
3.) if you plan on running a lot of power threw your antenna,(even tho any thing above 4 watts is illegal) you might think about one with an external coil
4.) always buy an antenna that is ADJUSTABLE!!! you will save yourself lots of headaches and maybe your new CB! some have a bolt on top with a lock nut, and others have one or two allen screws somewhere in the middle. others you have to cut. like steel whips for example. NEVER CUT THE TOP OFF!!! always cut from the bottom up... and do so in as small of an increment as possible like 1/8 inch or less... then test the SWR's (Standing Wave Ratio) after every cut... this will take some time... but as soon as the SWR's go up a tad, or levle out, STOP!!! you don't want to ruin your new antenna.
Q: where should i mount my antenna?
A: IDEALLY.... the best place is the center of the vehicle above the highest point of the vehicle. This ideal location allows for maximum exposure to radio waves and an unobstructed field of transmission. it is also a good idea to make sure that where ever you mount your antenna, it is grounded to all the sheet metal and the frame. This way you ensure your antenna has the largest ground plane available to the vehicle.
dont put them on the right side of your truck!...next time you take a ride on a paved road look at the trees you will notice the trees are shaped...lower on the right and taller on the left,you want your antenna on the left side of your truck and not the right side.I always put them right on top in the middle of my trucks,or in the case of a jeep top middle of the rollbar.front of truck the signal will go to the back of your truck,back of your truck itll go to the front of your truck .right in the middle it will radiate equaly
Q: how do i tune my antenna?
A: most good quality CB's have a built in SWR (Standing Wave Ratio) meter so use that whenever you can, but if you MUST use an external SWR meter, then you'll need a short jumper cable. so whatever length coax your antenna calls for, let's say in this case, your antenna requires an 8 foot coax. if you have a 2 foot jumper coax to the SWR meter, then you also need a 6 foot coax from the meter to the antenna. only do this for setting up and checking your SWR. do not run your external SWR meter as part of your permanent setup. remember to always make sure all your connections are tight!
TUNING YOUR CB AND ANTENNA
step 1.) make sure your power cord, antenna, and microphone are connected to there proper locations and all your connections are tight and turn the CB on. make sure CB/PA switch is in the CB position
step 2.) select channel 20
step 3.) set the S/RF SWR CAL swich to CAL
step 4.) push and hold the mic button.
step 5.) while holding the mic button, adjust the SWR knob until the meter needle reads the CAL mark at the middle of the arrow.
step 6.) while still holding the mic button, set the S/RF SWR CAL swich to the SWR position to read the SWR reading
step 7.) select channel 01 and repeat steps 3 threw 6
step 8.) select channel 40 and repeat steps 3 threw 6 this will check SWR for all channels.
ideally you are trying to get your SWR as close to zero as possible. anything above 3 is not acceptable and can damage your CB. stop transmitting and fix the problem. a slight antenna adjustment (higher or lower) may be required. then repeat calibration steps. if you have a steal Antenna, never trim the top of your antenna. always trim the bottom...
above tuning instructions are based off the Cobra 29 NW LTD CLASSIC operating instructions manual
Q: how should i ask for a mic check.
A: first off, it's called a RADIO CHECK.
second of all make sure your antenna is tuned with an SWR meter, or you might just be producing a high pitched squeal every time you key the mic. so, when you find a channel that people are talk'n on, don't just chime in and ask
"where you at?"
WAIT till they Finnish their current topic, and there is a pause in the conversation, then key the mic and say
"break" or "break one seven" by doing this, you become the "breaker" if then, when they say
"ok, go ahead breaker" or "hold on we got a breaker" then they are saying go ahead and talk now. say
"thanks for the break, driver (if he's a trucker) what's your 20? i'm over here at (state your location) i need a radio check, how many pounds am i throw'n at 'cha?" based on the info he (or she) gives you, you can get an idea of how well your radio is working.
Q: why can't i understand what people are talking about even tho i can hear them clearly?
A: Study this post, study it well
http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=6827.0Q: what's the difference between CB and HAM?
A: please refer to this web page
http://hamslife2.blogspot.com
that's all for now...
