SSB CB RADIO VS. HAM RADIO What To Consider
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- Опубликовано: 13 фев 2017
- Erik from Farpoint Farms steps on a few toes to make a point about the current state of both CB radio and Ham radio.
Is a 3k Ham radio setup worth it in 2017, or can a $200 dollar SSB CB base setup do the job just fine? 
Хобби
What's the point of this video? Its not "you can't do packet radio, CW, slow scan, bla bla whatever". I'm saying for the masses, you can get into a used SSB CB for less than $25 used. (I just picked up an nice browning baron for $10) add an antenna for another $30 and for $55.00 plus tax your talking with Britain, Canada, Australia and anywhere else the skip rolls to. And when the skips not rolling talk to locals every night with out the B.S. You can do all that, and still find out why traffic is stopped on the highway faster than on your cell phone.
I rest my case....Again. I'm really getting shocked to see all the Ham's out there that just refuse to see the logic of this video. Its not about all the things ham can do that very few actually do do, its about all the things that Ham and CB do that CB can do MUCH cheaper.
Please people stop being so butt hurt about 1 man's opinion. Go make a video telling the world how great HAM is and sit back knowing your super cool like me.
Farpoint Farms Good point!There is so much U could do on vhf,but most of it involves more investment. Cb on the other hand
can be done quite cheap
When I first stumbled across this video i thought it was going to be about how to convert an 11 meter radio to use on 10 meters. How disappointed I was to see that you are apparently advocating illegal operation on 11 meters. Ham radio gear is much cheaper than it used to be and as I mentioned, these older 11 meter radios can be converted to 10 meter operation with minimal expense. I have been licensed since 1985 and it took me a very long time to be able to afford good equipment. I bought a COMPLETE Yaesu FT-757 GX setup off of ebay for $750.00. Later I bought Yaesu dual band mobile and portable units. No, I am not butthurt, either I just believe in following the rules for the maximum enjoyment for all users.
Farpoint Farms unfortunately ham radio is Nothing but a bunch of old men that sit around and drink coffee
HA you couldn't be more wrong there are many many groups of young amateur radio operators out there but ill just consider the source ;) .
Radionut R I'll just say that I got my Technician a couple of months ago and it'll be a while before I go gray... ;)
KB1LYE
I have fun with all communications, it's a hobby for all to enjoy at any level.... 73's & God Bless. Great video Eric.
Everyone's a critic Eric. Good video on the pros of CB..which I still use. If someone wants to try out using two-way communications its what you make of it. HAM, CB, FRS, GMRS, MURS....whatever you start with there are good users to help you out. Once one starts and gets some experience then you can decide where you want to go. CB is fun and easy to get started with.
Good video and information. I am new to trucking, going on 3 months now and just bought a cobra 29 lx yesterday and am going to start using it tomorrow, God willing. I look forward to watching your posts, thanks for sharing your expertise in the field
Good luck with your new career!
I have a Cobra 148GTL manufactured in the Philippines in 1991, that was given to me by a friend who's father left it to him when he passed away, and a Antron 99 with 30 feet of LMR 400 coax that was given to me by another friend who was willing to help me out to get back into the CB world, i greatly appreciate all the help i've gotten from good CB radio enthusiasts, love your videos, thank you, keep up the good work.
it really sounds like you have some amazing friends- Thank you for watching
Hey Eric I read you loud and clear! Agree totally. I too am a general class ham and I’ve had my license for 23 years but I never left cb or looked down on it. I get what your saying, you can talk around the world on ssb cb for a few bucks vs the time, expense, licensing, and eyesore of antennas it takes to do it on ham radio. Sure ham has several bands that make it more convenient to talk distance on but that also involves more complicated antenna systems and equipment. With the cb and a single vertical antenna you can get the same experience for much less investment. For my use, being able to talk all over the US is more appealing to me than to talk to Italy or Russia. If we have a national disaster information I can get from other parts of this country mean more to me than taking to European countries, yet talking to those countries is still possible with 12 watts and ssb. I get where you’re coming from and agree totally. And it’s the nature of most snobs in ham radio to tell us how wrong we are and why. Lol. I don’t care what they think and those types are what turns me away from ham radio the most. And if your stuck in traffic on the highway see how much you can find out about it on your “ham rig” vs the cb. There are a lot of clowns on cb but very few pompass assholes. There aren’t as many clowns on ham radio but there are 100x the pompass assholes.
So happy I found you channel! Nice job! Coming to you from New Brunswick, Canada!
Years ago I was into CB and we did fox hunts which were a lot of fun. I liked your video! Also as a HAM I can see that CBs are still of use and has a place in emergency COMM. I did get into a heated discussion with another HAM at a meeting with more non radio people. He was saying how CB was dead and worthless. I asked him to explain to the group the physics between 10M & 12M ham radio and CB [11M] and what the performance would be like IF they were matched watt for watt..... :} he finely had to admit that they were very close to each other and that he had just not thought it through before. Thank you for the videos you put out.
I was a CB’er back in the early 1960’s and a General for over 20 years. They both have pros and cons. I still want to get another SSB CB and sell most of my ham gear and get mobile ham rig I’ve been eyeing. I have everything else I need. Minimal is the way to go. 73
You can get a cheap cb as low as 30 or 40 bucks at Walmart and a cheapo antenna. I reccomend a cobra 29 Ltd classic and a Wilson 1000 antenna.
- Big Red, 73s
I think your a legend. Been meaning to get back into cb for years so I brought one on eBay a few years ago and it was dead. Thought about ham radio but it sounded too complicated too expensive. Yesterday I learnt about ssb and found you and you have made my mind up. Cheers dude.
Glad I could help!
Hi Erik, love your statement and i also have a HAM Licence, but here in Germany CB is where you find good conversations. Subscribed and liked ;)
Been years but I remember being part of a CB group that we tried to push the limits of how far we could talk with 1 watt ( 1 watt dead key that is). Was pretty fun messing with antennas, forward modulation and such. Found out connecting to the chainlink fence that surrounded the school behind my house back then made my old Cobra Cam base talk pretty good.
I remember going to one CB contest where there was a thing called "Will it Antenna"... The guy that won used a tow behind grill for 1:1 SWR and made a +500mile contact with a 4w stock CB.
are Cb antennas prone to lightning, like a lightning rod?
I've been "Rabbit" since I first qot on my dad's CB in his truck. That would have had to be about 1978 or 9? I've love it ever since. The last radio I had was, like 1999. I took some interest in HAM, and bought a UV-5R, but have not gotten my cert. I've since decided I want back into CB. Bought a couple of radios and am looking for a decent antenna.
Thanks to you for being one of very few, who are on the 11 meter air. Working to be myself.
Thanks again. Rabbit, on the side.
Been watching lots of your videos, very informative thanks!
Thanks Eric! I finally got my mobile unit installed, had an old 40 channel I dusted off and stumbled on two whip antennas with cables for $17 a radio shack clearance. I'm in Hawaii, looking forward to move of your videos!
Stay tuned, the best is yet to come!
Great content lad! Very helpful. I'm ex-Military Sigs and this looks like a bit of radio fun. I never understood the animus between Ham and CB. Seems to me that your rig is frugal in design but highly functional and as such, no harm not foul in my opinion. Bloody brilliant in fact.
I do both CB and Ham. The CB is mostly for local, and ham mostly for world-wide. Both are nice hobbies, and CB got me started into the world of radio five years ago. For beginners, I recommend to buy a CB Radio with SSB and an antenna like the A99.
dont buy a antron i sent mine to its grave with 1500 watts lol
Great info, Thank you!. My son in P.R. recommended your chanell. God Bless!
Had cb in my 20s. Lost interest for almost 30 years. Getting back into it. Love all your vids.
Glad to hear it! Welcome back to the hobby.
I have talked all over the world with a 50 watt (on a good day) radio. And people here seem to think you need a big amp to reach Florida. I have talked as far with 50 watts as I ever did with a huge amp. Mother nature is my amp.
Thanks for the video. I like your style. My first experience with CB radio, SSB, "shooting skip" was very impressive. I was at a friends house, and he fired up his system. There were supposedly some illegal aspects to his set up. I forget the terminology he used, but there was a box he had that jacked up the output wattage. He also had a power mike. He also had a toggle switch on the side of the unit that he had installed by a "friend" and would refer to as the "funny channels". I think CB is awesome, still. Your video is very inspirational, but I have way too many hobbies right now.
Sideband is where it is today. In the UK our national regulator for communications is called OFCOM. A recent request to them from a radio user revealed that though pushing more than 12 watts on sideband is illegal (in the UK) they wouldn't take action against someone putting out more unless they caused interference and received a complaint. I was thinking about a ham licence but why bother. When the skip is good I can talk to many people on 11 meters across Europe. I usually transmit at 100w on my Yaesu 450D that is modified to include the 11 meter frequencies. The old 40 or 80 channel AM/FM CB radio is dead in the UK and I think in most parts of Europe but there are many contacts to be found on the international calling frequency 27.555 USB.
Eric, to change the subject, I have a Midland 75-785 handheld that comes with a 13.8 volt 2-2.5 amp car charger adapter. When I put fresh alkaline battery's about 14.5 volts of power, (so my question) do you think I would hurt the radio by using my home ac/dc power adapter that gives out 14.8 volts 2 amps on low setting? Thank you for your video's I am new to cb's and have learned a lot.
Hello! What antenna should I get? I am new to all of this, and how would I easily ground the antenna?
My buddy across the street and I got into CB in the late 60's as 10/12 year olds. We learned sooo much good stuff. It kept us out of trouble. We were trying to learn all about antennas. Our neighborhood looked like a fishing net of copper wire we got from old TV and radio transformers. If you have ever seen the movie October Sky, that's kinda what it was like. We learned things from grumpy old men and some nice guys who took the time to talk to us on CB. I used some of that stuff in photography and music. Seems that sound and light waves act the same as radio waves! I'm just getting back into it again and am looking forward to a 1400 mile drive with my new CB. As much as I like my iPhone, I don't think it has the same potential to inspire young people as CB does.
Great Videos. When switching from CB to SSB and using the same antenna would this affect the swr to the point that a second antenna would be needed.
I would love to get back into CB. I only have an old 23 channel now. Thanks for the advice.
I just got a CB for my jeep. When I was younger my friends and I used to go out in big groups will go wheeling. Now we've all grown apart. I used to borrow a radio. Now I have my own and no friends to use it with.
I'm very glad I didn't go HAM.
Funny how things work out sometimes isn't it? Time and no money, and then money and no time.
Farpoint Farms Ain't that the truth. I'm still very excited to have my own. I'm glad I watched this video. Good luck in your endeavors man.
What channel do you find yourself monitoring most of the time?
I hadn't seen this video until now, but you bring up some very good points. I considered for a long time getting into ham radio, but in order to use it in the same way that my family uses CB radio I would have to license myself, my wife, my mom, we'd all have to buy ham radios and matching antennas, etc. Sure, with a legal amplifier and a repeater we could get a lot more range out of a ham radio, but I can talk base to mobile with our barefoot CBs over most of this county, and I don't have to spend crazy amounts of money on all new equipment and making sure everybody I want to talk to gets licensed when all they really want to do is be able to remind me to grab some milk on the way home from work or something. Aside from socializing I also use it pretty regularly to communicate with truckers coming through the area, or at the very least to keep tabs on road conditions.
Most of the active hams I've talked to (not all) have been rude and condescending, and a lot of the ones who are just regular guys end up transitioning back to CBs. On top of that, most of the locals around here that I care to talk to other than my immediate family are all on CB, so I figure the best thing I can do is continue to educate myself as if I were a ham and pass that knowledge on to others who might be interested in CB radios, :-)
Good point Eric, by the way I really like your introduction song do you add to it as you go along or is it just a song with several lyrics?
thanks Eric.. i am taking it to heart :)
!... i do have a cb rig with am nd fm. planning to upgrade to ssb. my qth extreme north east bordering to Myanmar and china... regards!
can you get cb radio that doesn't depend on batteries to work and charge like cell phone instead? I bought radio but it unfortunately required licensing so I wanted to cancel my order, I am looking for model with good range and won't require any sort of licensing/certificate to use it as alternative to what I actually wanted
I am just sitting here in total amazement , jaw dropping amazement . This is like deliverance ...
Wow! I think deliverance won an emmy. Thanks for the kind words man.
I run both. I run a Yaesu FT 857D into a Yaesu ATAS 120A, and a Stryker SR-447HPC2 into a 102" SS whip.
Each has a specific purpose, I use the CB for traffic conditions and to alert other drivers of hazards or backups.
The other I use to help pass the miles.
And like you, I believe both have their good and bad operators.
Take care and 73'
John C.
Hi Erik, Loved this video and i would some suggestions on what type CB radio to get for my grandson, does not have to be cool just functional Thanks!
Hi Eric great video I have a very standard uniden pro 5050 I put in my truck to talk to other truckers near by, I seem to have gotten myself caught onto a hobby I never thought I would and as my cb doesn't have much activity in a day, now I want to go deeper looking for it, what make and model is that silver one you are using in your video seems it could be a great step up for me,kind regards from mason in new Zealand
So I bought a cobra 29 for my dad and I. 5’ fiber glass antenna for our trucks. Our SWR was around 1.5 and we could only talk to each other at most 2 miles away. We needed at least 4 miles for the distance because of where he lives and how far our town is from each of our houses. Would a 10 meter not be a good thing to get?
In another video you mentioned SSB wasn’t great for vehicles. We really want a radio in our vehicle
I’m lucky to be able to enjoy both ! Here in Spokane Valley Washington, there are several repeater’s systems and ham club’s to work with ! I have both base and mobile capabilities for CB and Ham but , most importantly, there is an enthusiasm for each and with I 90 running right through middle of it ,CB is always fun to monitor and engage . With either set up you never know what you will find when you have time to sit down and invest some time into making a contact , especially without a repeater ! That is the real art of the hobby ! Unfortunately the sophistication of cell technology has distracted many from the hobby and left some areas and communities , Ike yours apparently, with less communication options. Thanks Erick . Enjoy your videos
I’m impressed, Getting Mexico from North Carolina with a CB radio! Wow⚡️👍🏼
Hello Eric, I'm a ham Amateur Extra. Ham is great. Such a broad hobby. Recently, I added a CB radio (AM/FM) to my shack. Fixing to buy an A99, but I plan to stay legal with 4 watts, so I hope I can join in with that. My main interest is not shooting skip (I can do plenty of that on ham radio), but talking 10-15 miles around. I've found a few guys on CB and hoping I'll have enough power out to talk with them. Your channel helped stir my interest in CB. In my case, I love radio, any kind of radio, whether it's ham, CB, GMRS, or MURS. Heck, I even have fun with FRS. My CB handle is Swampdawg, so if you hear ol' Swampdawg from Florida on the air, please give me a signal check. Swampdawg, clear.
I will keep my ears open for you. Last week I was able to make contact with Europe! It was so cool
I bought my first CB radio a couple months back for $15. Is a Uniden PC68XL and I installed it in my Jeep. Been fun to turn it on and listen to the chatter.
Great price for $15, you don't have to spend a ton of money to get into the hobby
@@FarpointFarms I think the most expensive thing was just the mag mounted antenna which was only I think $50 or $60. Still under $100 to get going though!
I'm new to radio, and I need some help really bad haha. I own a 29 NightWatch LTD Classic with a 300w A1500 magnetic antenna, but I want to run it as a base station, and need it for family buisness, so I don't want too many listening. I have no clue if mine is SSB.. Also, could I use a 2.6A laptop inverter with a ferrite core currently as my big battery always dies? I have stepped it down to 2.2A with a little help but, idk if it is legal to power it that way in Canada. I was also wondering if I ground the radio on it's mount, or with a lightning arrestor if my antenna is on a tin roof? The roof is beside a tree standing 10-15 feet taller than my roof. I have a SWR tuner but, no PL-259 to connect it. The 29 NW itself has SWR calibration on it so I assume I would only need it for my 510xl? Sorry for all the questions. I don't know much about this stuff.
I have been in the CB radio talking on them since 1977 and I still talk on them, but mostly DX . That was the only reason I got one in the first place was to shoot skip. Years ago there use to be a lot of people on it to talk local with in the evening, but now when I flip through 40 channels it is dead. There are only two local guys I QSO with who live over on the Bog island, we often chat on LSB 27.385 mhz. I have always enjoyed 11 meter band radio
Can you recommend a good mobile cb that Amazon carries? Or, aren't mobile cb's a good idea?
Can I use tin foil to make a ground plane inside for a small car antenna that requires a metal surface for better range with my 1975 CB radio?
What part of NC do you live? I live in TN not far from Murphy NC
Love your Channel! Great common sense videos. I love my SSB radio its very addictive. 926 in the Buckeye.
Thanks man!
Great Video! I Agree with you!!! You hit the nail on the head! Great Job!
Thanks!
I'm seeing a bit of a resurgence of CB use. Just made a contact from my truck to a base 60 some miles away (AM). Had a nice short chat, but he made sure to inform me that was the channel he and several others ran on, and that they were all good guys. They had all run through the 70's CB craze and were trying to re-live it to some extent. So he was pretty excited when a new mystery voice cut through the late night static. I have to admit it brought back some memories for me too although I was knee high to a grasshopper in the 70's.
Bullshit, unless the base ran a beam, and you were running a kw.
I'm in Canada. Just getting into CB. Bought a unidean bearcat 880 and just bought a president McKinley because it's SSB. But even on the 880 with the crappiest antenna ( I now have a better one just need to hook it up). I was getting signal( skip) from New York, west coast of USA , east coast and even picked up Mexico. I'm looking forward to getting the better antenna up.
In the last month: talked to 15 states, made a hundred contacts and, best of all, did so with a 5/8 wave Super Penatrator, SSB Uniden Bearcat mobile and 20 amp power supply.... As a 30 year HAM guy, I spend most my time on 11 meter. Just more fun for me. :)
It really boils down to just that. Cheap easy fun without the hassle of a HAM test.
Just passed my ham exam tech toady so happy
I was going to ask where you are from until I heard you say WNC at the end of the video. I live in Asheville myself and am looking to get into CB radio. Where exactly do you live?
Is a sears master 2080 cb radio good ?
It's all about intensity. If someone wants to reach out for the shear intensity of distance and accomplishing that, so be it, go for it. For someone that accepts the added expense that goes along with that capability - that's a personal experience. Like any hobby, it's a very personal thing designed to enjoy and embellish the wants. I enjoy my CB, being a retired trucker covering coast to coast and the lower 48. Nice to talk local with locals. I can appreciate the knowledge and expertise that it takes to go full bore into HAM radio and the reasons for that expertise. In my neighborhood, folks kept in touch with family hit by the recent burst of hurricanes only by a network of good people who where HAMS. I couldn't do that with my CB, but then CB wasn't designed to reach out beyond certain limits. To each his/her own and enjoy.
I know I'm a little late to the game on this video, but that may just tell you that there's still people interested in the hobby... As far as equipment, I took an old RG-58 cable, a 1X4 board and some 12AWG wire and made an inverted Vee dipole (1/2 wave) in my attic for my Galaxy DX949. It runs about 1.2 SWR from CH20-CH40 and about 1.3 SWR from CH1-CH19! Home made antennas make the hobby even more fun! AND LESS EXPENSIVE!!
I just moved to very rural mountains in NM. I have flat open Mesa on one side and wooded hill on the other side. I do not have anyone near me except a ranch on the other side of the peak. I’m about a mile or two from some serious power lines (not sure if they cause interference). I know nothing about radios, but I wood like to get one in case I get stuck up here or for when power is out so I can hear what’s going on, etc.
Can anyone suggest a good, reliable radio and what exactly I need to buy with it to get it up and running? I bought a CB w magnet antenna years ago for my truck and had a buddy install it and it never worked. My brain just does not work this way, haha, so please dumb-down your responses! Thanks!
I've wanted to be a ham radio operator since I was 15, I bought a CB radio in 65 or 66 from a summer job earnings, this filled my passion until I joined the Navy in 68. I tried to learn code and got to 5wpm and even helped run a MARS station on board ship, then for the rest of my life I had too much work and too many beers to work on getting my ham license. Now being retired at age 70 I took the tests and got my general ticket and joined a local ham club, several people that go to club meetings go home and talk on their CB radios, I think there is room for both.
More power to you HAMers. Not to be derogatory, no more so than HAMers attitude towards CBers, but Erik is encouraging CBers to get further involved; without the troubles of fitting in with the snooty nose crowd. There is a single most important aspect of HAM radio I hold above the CB crowd. Etiquette; in terms of the shame in harsh language.
@@gooberminther3tik25 You might have misunderstood me a little, I am a ham that also loves CB, in fact, I talk a lot more on CB than I do on my HAM radio's. When I said there is room for both, I meant that. On my desk is a Yaesu 991a and a Stryker 955HP, I talk to my CB/HAM buddies every night, usually about sports/radio/politics.
@@AdamosDad I never talk politics on the radio, too many people want to argue about it, but i love CB radio.
from
Coyote 451 (AM)
Charlie Tango 216 (Side-band)
@@brianatkinson1399 My sirio 5/8 antenna is only 20 feet up, so mostly around town here in SE Indiana. I have talked some skip mostly down south Baton Rouge and such. I have a Stryker SR 955HP bare foot, but if you hear 148 from the Hoosier State that would be me, mostly on 23 AM My oldest boy is a trucker Unit 51
Yes it's Ann older video, but this is a good place to ask as any.
I have some gmrs handhelds for simplex, and use local repeaters.
Thing is, what if the repeaters go down..
Note that I'm in a very hilly area, so line of sight is often quite limited.
So for greater simplex range, is it better to use cb ssb ,or a 50 watt gmrs rig?
If your relying on repeaters to be working in a crisis, that's a bad Idea. A simple CB may have more limited range overall, but there will be many more of them on the air in an emergency if it comes to that.
@@FarpointFarms I agree.
That's why I'm asking, for simplex in a hilly area, is a 50 watt gmrs better in theory than CB SSB (that can bounce)
I'm only interested in HF radio. Does a technician class license give you any HF privileges?
Points taken on board and I appreciate your view's, I have a very old nostalgic Yaesu FT77 along with a simple ATU with 100ft of wire cost was less that £150 GBP. I can work Iceland from the UK on 5 watts when conditions are good. The Radio hobby as a whole is nothing like the years gone by. Over in the UK people seems to be taking to PMR radio and Digital Radio which is easily readily available, even so you can buy radio's at the end of the supermarket isles. All the best to you and the Family 73s
There is no “best “ radio, just what’s best for you! In your situation, it sounds like you have your ideal set up!
I’m lucky. I have very active Ham and GMRS repeaters close by. And I have radios that cover those bands. But after watching a few of your videos, I started think about CBs, as well. So when I saw a $2 vintage Realistic CB at a yard sale I grabbed it. I hooked it up to my mag mount antenna from back in the 70s, and for 2 bucks I am back onto the CB band, as well. Not hearing much with a 45 year old mag mount antenna, but I am keeping my eyes open at yard sales. The is a lot of old CB equipment being sold out there!
Good points, Erik. If nothing else... CB Radio is a good intro to other radio endeavors for those who enjoy it.
I am an extra class ham since 85,,,and an avid cber before that,( think lafayette comstat 19),,,and I still love em both,,,cbs got soul,,,and ham has got the room to expand, your radio expertise that is endless,,,like deer huntin with a bow, verses a shotgun,,,,one ain't better,,,just a different side of it,,,,and the whole enchilada, beats bouncing off the walls, in the winter,,,,love em both!!!!!!!😎
Thanks for your insights, Erik. Nothing to disagree with in any of your comments.I'm a "dyed in the wool" ham radio guy that also respects CB radio and its usefulness. I'm into ham radio not for the talking or coding, but as a platform to study the technical side of radio electronics, antennas, transmission lines, and radio propagation. All that is also available on the CB frequencies as well. One of my first experiences with ham radio was at my friend's house, back in the early 60s, in northern Illinois. He modified his 4-channel Heath Radio to operate on 10-meters. While I was there after school, he worked a South African station with a wire hung out his window. Radio is radio and I love it all.
Cool story, and thanks for the kind words!
Thank you for your videos on SSB Cb radio - they've been VERY helpful to me. I am trying to decide between the Uniden 980 SSB vs the President McKinley. I'm buying new and don't mind paying for the better radio - but wasn't sure if the McKinley was worth the extra money. I'd appreciate any advice you have. Thank you.
I'm in the same boat. I've been looking at both radios for a few months now and still can't decide on what one to get!
alaskanshannon Thank you. That helps!
I'm waiting for the 980 to be delivered as I type lol. I'll let you guys know how begginer friendly it is .
The Meat Trapper - I have a 980SSB I picked up on eBay for a little over a hundred bucks.
It's not a big, swinging radio, but it gets out there coupled to a Solarcon A-99. (Open the stock mic and rip out the little adhesive "noise canceling" patch over the element and put it back together and speak *across* the mic instead of into it to improve TX audio, or just add a decent amplified mic with the extra 6-pin to 4-pin mic adapter supplied with the radio.
I use an Eagle amplified desk mic currently, but will be using a studio quality mic through an equalizer for some extra audio punch.
Nice radio. Very stable on sideband. The 980 doesn't drift like the export rigs, plus the features are very easy to use.
It has a sensitive receive-(which unfortunately brings up the noise floor too).
I suppose running the audio through an external souncard setup with DSP would remedy that.
All in all a nice radio.
I have an old Superstar 3600, it's got FM band as well as SSB. I never really used the FM band all but one time with a buddy of mine. No one ever discusses that band and would like to hear what you have to say about it. Great vid and I agree completely.
fm on 11m is illegal and on most of the 10m band it is restricted to the very top end of the 10m band where you must have a ham license to use there are a lot of 10m repeaters that can allow you to talk to some places that will suprise you. i have talked to guys 200miles away by going thru a repeater 1500 miles away all on 5 to 10 watts
c
Can't do "exactly" the same thing. Glad you are promoting your CB service. As a general class ham, I like CB and think it has a valuable niche. There's trash talk on amateur radio as well on 7.200mhz. CB has a pretty significant skip zone, and therein lies the advantage of HF below 30m for regional work with NVIS. Parks On The Air (POTA), and Summits On The Air (SOTA).
I don't talk much, mostly listen. Both are valuable tools if or when SHTF.
Fair enough!
I have been a ham for years, and I also/still enjoy CB radio, even in 2020. CB is still a great way to get into the radio hobby - and yes it can definitely be less expensive than amateur radio, especially wrt HF equipment. There are two possible benefits to taking the hobby farther and considering amateur radio (IMO). First, studying for your license will help you to understand the technology better, allowing you to make better, or perhaps more interesting decisions about equipment - also help you to understand limitations, and set proper expectations. Admittedly you do not have to get your license to do that; you can study on your own, but the material the ARRL provides is both exhaustive and helpful. Second, it seems like there is still a lot of activity on VHF and UHF, really around the world - I have taken my 2m/70cm HT with me to Peru, China, the UK, and all over the US and I am always able to find repeaters with lots of people who also like to communicate (and nets). CB is great, and so is amateur radio! :) Also, do not forget FRS/GMRS. Like ham radio, I have maintained a GMRS license for many years and we often use those radios for hiking or even trips to the mall. When the kids were younger they used to love taking something that looked like a cell phone with them.
Will somebody please answer this question. I have a pyramid 12 amp constant power supply. Will that power my stock barefoot uniden bearcat 980 cb ssb radio with no issues? Especially the ssb mode. Thank you for your kindness
It's more than enough. I have the same radio and use a 3amp power supply for it.
@@FarpointFarms thanks Eric
I was a big CBer back in the 80s and 90s. Including a Cobra 2000 base at home and Cobra 148gtl in the pickup. They were both modified to include unlocked clarifier, extra channels and power tuned. About 1995, I sold out and never had any radios until just recently. I used SSB as well as AM. Since I got rid of my cell phone, I decided to get back into radio to have something in my SUV that I could use for emergencies on the road and general company on long trips. I jumped in with both feet and decided to begin studying for an amateur radio license. I have purchased the President Lincoln ll+, 10meters/12meters, and have the seller include the CB(11 meters) band. That way, I can enjoy the CB band until I obtain my amateur license. The initial antenna, is the Stryker SR-A10 magnet mount. I have it tuned for the CB band. I have only done a dead key on 10 & 12 meters to check the SWR and I know to stay off those frequencies until I am properly licensed. I would, however, like to find a way to use the same antenna for all three bands. Since the Stryker is a coil base-loaded with a 60" stainless steel whip, I thought about buying two more whips and using those to try to tune for a decent SWR on the amateur bands. I could just switch out the whips for TX when I get my license. But every time I enquire about this with any amateur operator who posts videos, it seems that there is a very negative stigma attached to CB radio. To a point, that if you plan to use CB, amateurs don't even want to talk to you. They pretend that 11 meters doesn't even exist and they know nothing about it. Now, I know, since CB was deregulated, the language and lack of any radio discipline has gone crazy. I don't want to hear all of the vulgar language either. But there are still respectable people on CB; especially SSB. Basically; my admission that I even have the CB band in my amateur radio, makes me somehow less of a human being and not welcome among the amateur radio family. I have always been very professional with my radio communications. I have 6 years experience as an Expeditionary Airfield Technician in the Marine Corps, where I operated land-based arresting gear to stop tailhook aircraft. I communicated by radio with ATC and also ground control. After that, I served as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, communicating by radio with law enforcement, fire and EMS. I also served as a volunteer EMT/firefighter, communicating by radio with dispatch and hospitals. I think I have earned respect from ALL radio operators; whether it be CB or amateur; and I frankly don't understand the animosity I have received from amateur operators, simply because I also like CB. Where I live, in West Virginia, there are very few amateur operators and I need CB as well. Sorry; I didn't mean to use your video to vent, but I am a little offended by the lack of respect I have received from some amateur operators, simply I chose to include CB in my amateur radio.
Good video! Thanks!
im in South Africa running an old stalker xv
really having fun with the radio
It cost me R2500 for my setup. 5/8 bottom loaded but have to lift it more.
Im always on 25 26 and 27 USB and 19 AM
Very cool im working on geting a cb set up soon wish me luck the OLDDOG
Yes, please stay on the CB bands!
Keep cb going, FM is coming soon. I am waiting for some one to release a USA "legal" FM/AM/SSB all in one unit.
@@John336NLT not impressed at all with FM I had it on a radio and the range is not there sideband is where it's at not impressed with FM at all and neither are a lot of other guys
Do you find sideband better than am for skip?
Yes.
Thank you for all you do for us. 😃😃😃
You are so welcome
What are your feels on getting CB radios peaked and tuned. I’m looking at getting one from CB world.
Usually it's not needed, but it can help a small amount.
So I am thinking the same thing, however I am considering a radio like the Stryker SR-955 (under $500) that also supports 10-meter in case I ever want to get ham certified. This way I wouldn't have to buy another radio for ham if I went that route. Just wondering if you have any opinions for someone who is entertaining the thought of getting certified.
The 955 is a GREAT radio that does it all.
Great video.
Love your Videos
very good video. I like your points.
Thank you for this..
My pleasure!
love your video. yes i too, am a ham operator, but have the most fun on cb ssb. hope to work you on lsb 38. 73's dan mt-2052 seattle,wa
Thank you sir!! You make sense!!
I spoke to a CBer in Turks and Caicos islands on USB from Philadelphia with my trusty Superstar 3600 with a "lousy" Shakespeare antenna. No heater either but I got one in case I need it . I'm not saying it's better than HAM for that but it can do similar job in the right conditions. I know guys that never use linear but get out far and often because of what they got topside. Antenna is imo the biggest factor.
I have used both extensively and I can assure you that my Kenwood ts-440 will out talk any other radio I have for CB. I don't want to have to use my good ear up against a radio to make out signals that are fading in and out. I click on the amateur radio and talk reliably everyday to the same people within a 300-500 mile distance. I click on my CB radio and I talk reliably to my friends within 30 miles. I really enjoy both. for a beginner in the hobby I always recommend CB as a way to get started but if you want to be a well rounded operator expand your horizons and learn about HF propagation, antennas, home brewing, and experimenting. amateur radio is as much about talking on the radio as it is learning about radio.
A lot of it has to do with where you live, and what you want to do. I live in a pretty rural area, similar to your area Eric. However here we have a fairly active group of HAMs on 2 meters. For around $300 you can get a decent 2m rig and antenna, and have a good time on local nets and simplex talks. I have both a CB setup, and HAM radios, love them both and both have a place.
Your point is good. I have a McKinley radio for CB operations with a wire dipole that I built from pieces in my junk box. It's nice when the 11m band conditions are good. With a ham license, you can operate on many more frequency bands and learn about RF propagation. You can also operate legally with much greater power (up to 1500 watts) with a ham license. I know that no one seems to enforce the CB regulations, but I sleep better at night knowing that my station won't be confiscated due to illegal equipment. I will always have both radios in my shack because radio is radio.
Not bad points!
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it
Erik,
I sent up a 40 channel cobra in my garage and it seems to pick up very little. Need some help if possible. TK
Keep at it! How are the SWR readings?
Great video !!! I agree. Bet I could have reached you in NC. One day I purposely drove to the highest point I could find in Gatlinburg and ended up chatting with a bunch of people from different states using a 102 inch whip on a triple mag mount affixed to the roof of an extended cab pick-up -- 500 Star pushing the signal ;-)... 11 meter is a riot
Sweet! This is Northstar 707 in the mountains of North Carolina. I'll be out there!
I'm in the process of building both a six meter jpole and a two meter vertical dipole, thought about stringing up a horizontal dipole and getting a ssb cb.Been a few years since I messed with one
As a ham myself I think there is a use for both. CB allows you to be less informal while still operating within a basic set of rules. Ham on the other hand has so many rules and formalities it tends to turn off some people. Lingo you can use on CB will get eyebrow raises over ham frequencies. All things considered again I'm of the belief that both have their place. Hell I started with CB and GMRS which is what helped fuel my drive to get my ham license.
I agree. Cb is the gateway into all things radio.
Thanks for the video... Bearcat 980 ... Northshore 42 calling ....
awesome. thank you.
Great video thanks not sure about ground plane could you please explain
I'll work on a short video explaining how ground planes work.
Hi I value your input I'm planning on getting ham...you do make some good points
How do you reach out as far as you do
Erik, once again on the money. Since getting back into CB a year ago and searching youtube for info, yours is the best channel I have found. I found one very annoying condescending fool on a channel called NotARubicon, who is forever trashing CB's and hawking the virtues of GMRS as the next great thing in radio. I just don't see it. It suffers from the same infirmities as Ham in that it requires repeaters to get any great range, and there only 1/10 the number of GMRS licensees out there as there are Ham. So if no one is out there in the HAM world with 750,000 licensed operators, who are these GMRS people talking to with only 80,000 users? The FCC should just let us legally have 12 or 25 watts on the regular 40 CB channels and call it a day.
Thanks for the kind words! I've never heard of that other guy, but it sounds like I am not missing anything!