Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

CB dead or alive

Options
123468

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 3,767 ✭✭✭One More Toy


    What would be an entry level cb to get, while I pass the time before getting an amateur license? I'm in Dublin City center, most of the rigs on ebay seem to come from the states & have import fees



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    The Presidents are decent radios, Cobra and Superstar, etc.

    A lot of People use Ham gear and not CBs, 1 reason is that the power is very limited on CB, some of the more expensive ones can do 25 watts which is pretty decent, with a good antenna in a good location you should easily get 30 + miles and hundreds or thousands if the Skip is good. But mostly they are 12 watts SSB or less.

    Why many CB'ers particularly in Ireland don't stick to the 40 channel frequencies is beyond me since it's perfectly legal and they're usually clear unless there's skip but if there's skip there'll be skip all over 11m.

    CB frequencies is 26.96-27.41MHz where forty 10 kHz channels are available, I think this is more than enough and it would be nice to see Irish CB'ers come down to the 40 channels to give others a chance to make contact that use official radios. I can't understand what the issue is, is it because so many still think CB is illegal so what the heck ?

    There's the original president Jackson that can do all the CB channels above 27.405, if you see a CB with Band A,B,C,D,E etc it's usually a sign it can do those channels.

    I love these radios, there's one in mint condition going for 250 euro's and silver.

    USA official channels are the same as the Irish.

    the below CB 12 watts max on SSB. standard 40 ch


    The below will do 12 watt SSB , standard 40 ch


    Superstar make nice radios too that have good rep.


    Or get something different but way cool !

    You can get amplifiers as well but you need to review them to make sure their output is clean and not causing splatter.



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Go onto ebay.ie and search EU.



  • Registered Users Posts: 580 ✭✭✭dubhlinn55


    The president lincoln is a very good radio aswell but mad lad has certainly pointed you in the right direction.



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I hear skip on 27.375 which is channel 37 on LSB he heard me straight away, not sure if Polish ? anyway limited English couldn't make out what he was saying because his audio was not very clear with echo maybe with headphones it would be better in fact headphones is always best.



  • Advertisement
  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    deleted



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    27.555 strong signal Barcelona calling Central/ South America.

    Would be cool to hear North America.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,767 ✭✭✭One More Toy


    Cheers guys, am I right in saying I will need my own power supply? Also, I found that practical wireless magazine is for free using the library app. I spent a small fortune on my trips up north to Easons when I was younger!



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Yes, you'll need to buy a power supply.

    Haven't got PW in a while.

    Right now I'm running the FT-891 off a 8.4 AH Zippy LiFeP04 battery, lithium, I had an RC charger lying around so decided why not get a battery for the radio, tiny and light and can run the radio for several hrs with some TX at 100w and listening.

    I also have a 12v 45ah Lead Acid for when I went portable before I got the LiFeP04 pack. This is very convenient when the power goes, can run the radio at 100 watts for many hrs. 12V lead acid need to be kept charged fully unlike Lithium which likes to be at around 30-50% charge when not in use, which applied to power tools, lawnmowers stored for the winter.

    I do like Lead Acid a lot because it's cheap and provides plenty of power and you can charge easy with a solar panel but unlike LiFeP04 doesn't like to be run down to low charge and has way less cycle life. In reality you'd want to be using only 50% charge of a lead acid battery but still 20 off Ah of battery can keep a radio going for a long time and when needed use the 40 Ah and/or use a solar panel but you need a very clean inverter.



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I'm impressed with the Imax 2000, good antenna really, very quiet too. With IPO off which is preamp on on Yaesu rigs the noise level is very low, the FT-891 is a very sweet sounding radio much better audio than the Icom 7300.



  • Advertisement
  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Yes, the original has 21 watts then the Lincoln II and II+ have around 30-35 watts and do all the CB freq. Nice radios and do the full CB band. + they do 12m which will be handy when you get the license.

    Another great radio is the yaesu FT-450 D, a very under rated radio in my opinion, and I love the way all the buttons light up at night but you'd need one open for 11m. It would be a good radio when you get the license, forget the Icom IC-7300, I had it and it is a very noisy radio with very harsh audio. I hated it.



  • Registered Users Posts: 580 ✭✭✭dubhlinn55


    Yes you will deffinatly need a power supply but if you have an 800w plus pc atx power supply you can convert it to run your radio get you out of a stick and works really well.



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Just talking to Tom in Bunclody, he said he was running a Superstar 9000 at around 25 watts and Antron 99 Antenna, he said I was quite strong but he was very weak with me.



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Car battery would be easier. Need to charge it before use of course.



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,767 ✭✭✭One More Toy


    Cheers guys, I'm on the beer tonight so will need to read these replies properly in the morning. Or perhaps afternoon!



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I'm having a few myself, 😀

    What's your location ?



  • Registered Users Posts: 580 ✭✭✭dubhlinn55


    Pc power supply is a lot neater though, plus its fun to do electronics.

    Post edited by dubhlinn55 on


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,767 ✭✭✭One More Toy




  • Registered Users Posts: 580 ✭✭✭dubhlinn55


    He's not one of us Mad Lad 🤣🤣



  • Registered Users Posts: 580 ✭✭✭dubhlinn55




  • Advertisement
  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    on 27.555



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    27.545



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Was back on 555, I was talking to a chap in Wexford and he said FM can work better when conditions aren't the best, might be worth a try but I think getting some lads off SSB might be a challenge lol.

    555 seems to be the place lots of People hang out, they listen but don't call and then say it's quiet 😀



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Ye're all gone quiet lads.

    I got the President Randy III and opened her up and snipped the two white wires now I got full coverage of all the CB channels.

    I have a 51 inch Antenna but haven't got the TNC - BNC adapter yet.

    If it had SSB it would have been amazing.



  • Registered Users Posts: 131 ✭✭Malmsteen


    Havent been on boards in a while and delighted to see this thread up and running...have an Anytone AT-6666 rig set up with a bog standard vehicle Magmount and its still turned on every day to 11m to scan the band too see if there is any activity and still use it on 10m if there is activity..it has a 60w PeP so not bad to get out...In fact was yapping to a guy in Northern Carolina with the recent good skip.. we must schedule a sked some evening MadLad if the conditions are right 😉



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Yeah no bother would be good to try out but doubt I'd get out your direction, be interesting to see.

    If conditions are right it would be good to get more People on FM.

    I've been investigating 70cms more lately, I've seen where a lot of People can make decent contacts on a 70cm HT, that's limited to Hams though. Unfortunately for me in not high up.



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I have ordered the Albrecht AE-2990 AFS which might arrive by Friday, beauty about this is that it has SSB and 10m.

    I love making distant contacts on minimal setups.



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I heard some good Skip on the little President Randy III German and French, didn't make contact, not sure they would have responded anyway. But some stations were clear as a bell on FM on the normal 40 CH. I have a 51 Inch whip.



  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Bassy and I will be on 27.035 which is CH7 on a normal 40 CH CB if anyone would like to join in you're more than welcome.

    We'll be on FM as I have tested now with bassy and a lad last night in Wexford, vastly superior sound quality over SSB however if someone is struggling to make it we can switch to USB as SSB tends to get out better. But I have been quite impressed with FM.

    It will be after 10.30 before bassy can join but if anyone wants to go on earlier let me know.

    I am very impressed having such quality local QSO vs crowded 80m band with lots of static and QRM.

    Can't believe there are not a lot more on CB and FM.

    Wile I do enjoy 80m rag chewing sometimes it can be a bit hectic and next you know you're in a QSO with 10+ others.



  • Advertisement
  • Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    11m pretty active tonight.



Advertisement