Interesting antenna reading

Dude111

http://manuals.solidsignal.com/AntInstallGuide.pdf

Has anyone here ever installed one of these?

watty

Which Aerial by Solid Signal?
http://www.solidsignal.com

They sell a lot of aerials.

A link to a PDF download of unknown size isn't useful

Dude111

Ya maybe not,sorry watty!

watty

So which aerial do you want an opinion on?

Dude111

Well I have an IMAX 2000 for my CB radio (The whip blew off a few years ago and I havent gotton round to getting a new one BUT I DO WANT TO!!)

I remember those BIG TV antennas that would fill a whole attic!! -- Those recieved like crazy!!!!!

They also transmit well too! -- The first CB I ever had was a realistic 40 channel mobile (TRC-4?? (Cant remember which model numba (40 channels AM mode only))) and I hooked the TV coax up to my radio and MAN I WAS TALKING GOOD!!!!!! -- Like it was a reg CB antenna!!!!! (Granted my radio got super hot but It worked well)

A few years later I had a Uniden PC-244 (AM/SSB) and I also hooked it to the same antenna and it also did well........

watty

In Ireland and most or Europe (if not all) ONLY a whip can be legally used on CB. If you have an Amateur licence you can use ANY size aerial on most licensed bands up to any planning law permissions.

Dude111

I think FM should be used more because IT DOESNT INTERFERE WITH STUFF THAT ISNT SHEILDED!! (AM Modulation does alot of damage)

watty

Not true.
It's purely to do with power and harmonics, not type of modulation.

Dude111

Ya yer right there my friend!! (These dirty amps are aweful that ppl use)

PauloMN

watty wrote: »

Not true.
It's purely to do with power and harmonics, not type of modulation.

AM and SSB do a lot more damage to a poor hifi setup than FM ever will. Power and harmonics for RF interference to old analogue TV - especially the old band I, but poor AM/SSB setups were woeful in the past for interfering with telephones and audio equipment.

watty

Only if incorrectly set up. You can actually do as much "damage" with FM. It's just most FM only rigs are more limited on how you can misuse them.

Dude111

But FM audio will not splash over to RADIOs,etc..... The most they will hear is a click when the radio is keyed up (And maybe a slight hum)......... (Regardless of what power is used)

watty

Not true, really.

It's not about mode but about bad transmit filters and over driving creating harmonics. To an extent too about power.

It's just that most FM only rigs can't be over driven in the way that people abuse SSB rigs.

If you have AM or SSB at 26-30MHz and it interferes with local FM Band II radio either
1) Your rig is garbage. Most CB rigs are junk.
2) you have too much mic gain.
3) The Band II radio is rubbish

At 5W I have no problem on any mode on any band. At 50W to 80W I have to take greater care to not overdrive and avoid mismatched feed cable, earthing and aerial siting.

Over drive FM you get distortion and harmonics too. At higher powers you have problems no matter how good the setup is.

Dude111

Ya FM is a much cleaner/better sounding mode!!!!!

The HASH level makes it so you need a slighter stronger signal to hear it good but its worth it!!!!!! (Most CBers sound horrid,they dont care how they sound on AM!! -- YOU ASK THEM TO FLIP TO FM and its a difference between night and day!! (You try and tell them that but they dont care,they would rather run AM))

PauloMN

I used FM a lot locally in my old CB days, it was cleaner and zero hassle compared to AM.

Problem was that some local residents had cheap midi systems (Ferguson and the like), which no matter how good the TX setup was, would hear audio from AM even on low power. SSB was same issue but they couldn't make out the warble. With AM, you might as well have been in the room with them.

This was not helped by old overhead electricity and phone cables all throughout the estate, band I television being used, and old RTE Relays/Cablelink rotten coax stuck to the front of houses. The situation is much better these days in newer estates with all services running underground.

watty

Nor by the fact that most CBs are junk quality. FM works better on junk.