Who/what is on 27 MHz CB radio these days?  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / rf-microwave

author: GK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2018, 01:44:48 am
content: I thought 27 MHz has gone the way of the dodo, but at least someone is still making base station and mobile 27 MHz antennas:http://shockwaveantennas.com.au/Or is the demand just from HAMs on 11m? Has anyone here bought from them/him/her? I'm kinda contemplating the Station Master.

author: DeanCording
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2018, 06:32:49 am
content: HF AM CB radio is still very popular out west on big properties due to better range and less interference.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2018, 09:19:09 am
content: When the Zombie Apocalypse comes again, 27 Mhz is a must have for survivors

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2018, 10:07:21 am
content: Here in Europe 27MHz narrow band FM CB is the domain of truckers mostly. Almost every truck has a radio in the cab and the name/handle displayed behind the windshield. AM and SSB are illegal in most places but at least SSB use is quite frequent.There are other more recent radios (PMR, etc) but those don't work as well in the middle of the nowhere on a motorway. Moreover those are mostly portable walkie-talkies so not a good form factor to use in a cab neither. Handling a walkie-talkie while driving is illegal, the same as a cell phone. Even hand-held microphones could be a problem if caught with it in hand.Also you don't get kilowatt amplifiers and similar gear (of course illegal but widespread) for PMR.

author: bob225
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2018, 10:10:16 am
content: Its very quite in the uk, even the 2m repeaters are quite these daysBase aerials are easy to come by over here most of them are tuned from 11m like the Sirio vector and the Solarcon Antron A99

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2018, 10:15:19 am
content: Quote from: bob225 on April 17, 2018, 10:10:16 am2m repeaters require more expensive gear and HAM radio license. Most HAMs have moved to other modes for chit-chatting (including digital radio), so 2m FM repeaters have been dead for quite a few years by now.So I wouldn't correlate that with CB use - it is not the same groups of people using those things.

author: OE2WHP
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2018, 10:32:46 am
content: Here in Austria CB had its best times in the late 70ies and 80ies, when there were no mobile phones and "Convoy" ran on TV.Today CB has more to offer than 40 channel only 1W AM/4W FM voice. There is 12W SSB, 80 channels, there are digimodes like PSK, packet radio, even PACTOR, repeaters and internet links.However it's quite silent on the band. Some russian, polish or turkish truckers can be heard, thats basically it.And there are some prepper groups that seem to do drills and sort of field days 2-4 times the year.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2018, 12:08:47 pm
content: We have legal 11M AM, FM and SSB in Europe, 40 channels of it on the original FCC frequencies (26.965-27.405) for most of Europe and another 40 channels on the oddball UK frequencies (27.60125 to 27.99125)I'm told CB is still used by a lot of people but I never seem to be able to hear anyone on FM but the same four or five idiots comparing notes on how drunk/stoned they are and which weed they've been smoking or playing music at each other.There's plenty of 11M SSB activity but the propagation isn't great right now so there's not as much as there has been.2M and 70CM can be pretty lively here in the evenings, can always find someone to talk to but usually simplex, the repeaters aren't as lively as they once were perhaps because of DMR/DStar etc. so unless you've got the kit, explore, get away from the repeaters, build yourself a dipole and stick it outside.For licensed users, the Baofeng handies are pretty damn good with an external antenna or even one of the cheap Nagoya/Diamond copies.

author: Dielectric
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2018, 10:36:06 pm
content: Here in the US of A, it's pretty much trucker land. I ran a CB in my car for years (decades?) to use for long boring trips and as an early-warning system for speed traps when I was trying to make time. My range was about 10 miles on a stock Cobra 19 with a tuned antenna on the roof.When I was a kid, I had a CB base station that I hooked up to the TV antenna on the house with some crappy balun. From right around the shores of Lake Erie, I could get "skip" from Canada in the winter, otherwise it was just an education in filthy trucker slang.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2018, 02:02:38 am
content: Quote from: GK on April 17, 2018, 01:44:48 amHams will repurpose CB "base station" antennas for 10m, but I doubt if anyone would buy one new just for that.There are a (very) few CBers still on HF CB in Perth, mostly old timers---I used to hear them a few years ago when I was active on 10m ,as the Icom IC575 I use has receive capabilities on 27MHz, which I used to check propagation.I was going to "bodge" up an antenna for 27MHz, & have a chat with some of them, but I must have chucked the old Electrophone CB rig out.There are a few more in Melbourne who would come through when propagation was good to there.( I used to talk to Hams on the Melbourne 10m FM repeater, but if there was nobody on that, I would tune around)Even UHF CB (477MHz FM) has fallen away,except for a few foul mouths.

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2018, 02:53:45 am
content: I have a handheld one, CB is still used by people in the backwoods, and truckers. You can listen to some fascinating Quebecois gossip when you're in the right part of the province...

author: bob225
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2018, 08:28:09 am
content: Quote from: janoc on April 17, 2018, 10:15:19 amRadio is a dying hobby and has been for many years 2m rigs can be had for around the same price as a decent CB - digi modes are not a problem for meI wasn't comparing 2m and CB just stating there both very quite95% of the time I'm just a SWL these days with the odd bit of vhf/uhf listening

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2018, 08:42:31 am
content: Not much going on around me in London. Occasionally, literally once a week I hear someone on 2m and that’s monitoring most of the day. There’s a regular net on sunday evening as well from the local club.To back up what CJay said; it appears CB is used by local stoners here too. Also the local pirate FM operators use it as a side channel. I dumped my CB kit a couple of years though.HF and FT8 / CW is where all the action is. Also SSB at the weekends but that’s mainly contests. Problem is HF propagation is crap at the moment. If it picks up it’ll be good again.I don’t want to do DMR or any of that stuff myself if I’m honest.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2018, 10:21:53 am
content: Quote from: bd139 on April 18, 2018, 08:42:31 amHave a scan about, I was pleasantly surprised to find lots of locals using simplex on 2M after being told quite emphatically that 2M was dead. Same with 70CM, there's plenty of activity where I am once you get off the repeaters, YMMV of course but have a go, if only to get into it.I've made the point this morning on the RSGB Technical list, yes, the HF bands are quiet but get on them and call CQ, maybe nobody will reply but if nobody calls then nobody will answer. FT8 very definitely shows there are good contacts to be made on HF despite the 'lack of propagation'.DMR does not interest me either, doesn't seem much of a technical challenge or point to linking a repeater to the 'net, that seems analogous to using Skype with a radio mike but it's popular and I accept it's just my personal taste that makes it unattractive to me.But what would I know, apparently my M0 is inferior because I've never sent flawless 97WPM Morse from the radio operator's seat of a burning Lancaster whilst nose diving into the Atlantic or modified the bearings of a WW1 battle tank to act as a rotary converter to power a transmitter made with valves salvaged from Edison's mum's radiogram...

author: bob225
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2018, 11:05:46 am
content: I use to listen to GB3EL, GB3NL and GB3KN as well as a handful of others, The EL morning and Tea time shows where good - I wonder what happened to some of themYou think M0's have it bad what about the poor novice and foundation licence holders

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2018, 11:32:17 am
content: Quote from: CJay on April 18, 2018, 10:21:53 amWill persist some more with 2m then. I only have a lowly Baofeng UV-5R which doesn't help as the only two QSO's I've had after monitoring for weeks ended up with someone inevitably saying "buy a proper radio" (a G0 of course). So I'll tell them it's an FT-60R nowGood point with calling CQ. Works pretty well on HF. Nothing exciting like a VK turning up though (yet).I've heard the attitude to new full licensees described as "M0 cancer". I think the ratio of nice to dick appears to be the same as any other aspect of the human race however.I'm finding FT8 pretty interesting though. Got 2300 mile QSO on a nat's fart and I didn't have to listen to how many Make America Great hats the other guy had.

author: Lord of nothing
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2018, 11:37:08 pm
content: Quote from: janoc on April 17, 2018, 10:07:21 amdo to the CEPT AM + FM = 4W and SSB 12W here in Europe!Many People use illegally Baofeng and other Radios on PMR446 with 4W or so.Maybe in France its illegal but here in Austria use an Radio is legal a Cellphone not...QuoteNope see above.Quote40Ch in AT, 80Ch in DEQuoteDigital? The sound very analogue. There are more sound things who are much more common like: ROSQuoteHere in Vienna are an Hand full People. Even near the Boarder CZ, SK, HU are many People who use CB.Quotethere vision of Communication during a disaster is cute. I have some Emergency Ration at home and can stay relaxed when the next invasion come.Quoteuse the Metric System.The main Problem is on the CB Channels are Power Line Adapter for Internet over the Home Power Cable.

author: Dielectric
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2018, 09:39:40 pm
content: Quote from: Lord of nothing on April 21, 2018, 11:37:08 pmSorry buddy, the highways are marked in miles here. If I use KM, the truckers will call me a communist and run me into a ditch.

author: OE2WHP
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 24, 2018, 10:35:46 am
content: Quote from: Lord of nothing on April 21, 2018, 11:37:08 pmThis was in regards to what CB was able to offer in the 70ies compared with today. Back then there was no 12W SSB which potentially expands your range significantly and there were no repeaters and no digimodes whatsoever.PLC as well as cheap chinese LED lights and PSUs are a pain in the ass not only for CB but also for amateur radio. I had a neighbour from China. He produced a steady S9+35dB from 800kHz to almost 30MHz with the gadgets he brought from Shenzhen. After many discussions I gave up on solving this friendly and involved the local radio authorities.

author: Harb
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 24, 2018, 11:11:16 am
content: Funnily enough CB is having a bit of a resurgence around the world.......old radio's are bringing quiet a bit on Ebay these days....CYbernet based stuff is actually bringing the same money as it did new, and in some cases more.....any of the classics are hard to get and you pay a high price for them......not sure why this is the case, but CB is on the up and up........

author: Lord of nothing
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 24, 2018, 11:20:15 am
content: QuoteThats what I also must do.Sadly there are no innovation there. On PMR446 Digital is widely use here. Dpmr + DMR.

author: bob225
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 24, 2018, 05:44:01 pm
content: Time to stick my boxed Harrier CBX up on ebay then, A Maxcom 4E must fetch a fortuneI think I have a old Communicator 440 DX that's got a board that does high-highs, highs, lows, mids and muppets

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2018, 09:59:59 am
content: Quote from: bob225 on April 24, 2018, 05:44:01 pmHarrier CBX in a box will do well, Maxcom 4E maybe not so well but a Maxcom 30E with the crystal filters will fetch a decent wedge.Burn the Communicator 440, I'll chip in a litre of petrol.

author: charliedelta
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2018, 10:29:42 pm
content: From what I have heard is that they have all become hams from the "ham licence in the cornflakes box" program they have in Australia.You can apparently hear them on 40 meters making scratching noises, causing trouble and using CB coil loaded antennas with taps for the different bands.I have heard some of these "10watt" stations in my location with signal strengths that are more appropriate for a station running 2kw or a very big beam, not G5RV's. I heard one of these 10 watt Tasmanian stations telling another US ham that his signal was so good because he lived in a valley, and that it acted like a parabolic dish. I even heard one telling another ham that his "signal" was connected to the excellent water table that was 20 meters below the soil and that his G5RV reflected off this. You cant take the cb'er out of some people even if they have ham license.You hardly hear idiots on 27mhz but the CB behaviour now is routinely heard on frequencies such as 7mhz. I thought that a SDR purchase would make a good EMC receiver until I decided to tune around. I dont need to watch the comedy channel anymore. I think the land down under is vying for a new title "The Land of Miracle Antennas and miracle 10 watt ham radio stations" At least in the USA they tell everyone that they are running 10kw and dont invent new laws of physics!Quote from: GK on April 17, 2018, 01:44:48 am

author: G0HZU
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2018, 12:44:26 am
content: Quote from: bob225 on April 24, 2018, 05:44:01 pmI've still got a big pile of the classic old Cobra 148GTL-DX export radios in the loft. Not sure what they are worth but three of them are boxed and in original unmodified condition. The best one looks as new and still has the polythene protection over the rear of the chassis plate. Presumably this melts and shrinks once the radio gets hot. So I don't think it's been used much since new. I've never used it on air. I think I've got 8 or 9 of them in total?I think CB died here over 25 years ago. I haven't listened for many years apart from when SSB became legalised a few years back. I had a listen a few times but didn't hear any UK stations on SSB.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2018, 07:23:03 am
content: Quote from: charliedelta on April 28, 2018, 10:29:42 pmMany of the old time 27MHz guys went for the old Novice exam back in the day, & are now "old timers".My guess is that the vast majority of Foundation Licensees have never used a CB Radio.QuoteYou have lost me on this one!Did you mean a CB antenna like the Stationmaster with the original 27MHz base coil replaced with a tapped coil to enable it to be used on Amateur HF bands?If so, Full Call Hams sometimes use them ,too.QuoteI very much doubt ifanyHams in Oz are running 2kW, let alone Foundation Licences."Big Beam"?-------There is no legal, or any other reason that "F" calls can't use such antennas.Quote

author: mc172
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2018, 08:24:12 am
content: Quote from: bd139 on April 18, 2018, 08:42:31 amIt's not a side channel, it's a way of getting the audio to your main transmitter.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2018, 12:52:28 pm
content: Quote from: G0HZU on April 30, 2018, 12:44:26 amBoxed and as new you could see a couple ofhundred each...

author: bob225
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2018, 02:00:28 pm
content: Quote from: mc172 on April 30, 2018, 08:24:12 amThe links are microwave (base - transmitter), cb is just what they use for comm's as its not as traceable as a cell/mobile what can be traced by gps in minutes or triangulated off the local cells very quicklyThe bods who hand build the radio gear are no fools

author: mc172
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2018, 03:11:57 pm
content: The links are just as often Band I as they are microwave. Get your scanner out and find out for yourself.Why the hell would they use a load of cumbersome CB gear to communicate and not just use WhatsApp like everyone else?Traceable?Sorry but that's ridiculous. The authorities don't have the money to treat pirates like human traffickers or serial killers. Why would their phones be getting traced anyway? They're just normal people that put up FM transmitters. They don't stand out among the millions of other phone calls and texts. Mega paranoia.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2018, 03:32:11 pm
content: The locals used CBs because they already had them and they were easily available for bugger all. This was late 2000's. Not sure what they used for uplink but it wasn't CBs. There was a lot of avoidance of mobile phone usage around the transmitters due to RFI. Bear in mind your "transmitter" was usually a hooky FM TX jerry rigged in a biscuit tin + car battery gaffer taped to a parcel trolley. Nothing fancy. They planned to lose it if raided.Ofcom don't have the resources to give a crap. Only rarely do they pick off a persistent offender.

author: bob225
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2018, 05:17:57 pm
content: I have seen many a fm transmitter in a biscuit tin, with the odd nasty surprise setup if someone was to touch it, back then council tower blocks had easy access as council and fire keys where easy to come by

author: Dude111
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 06:00:26 pm
content: My antenna whip got knocked off in strong winds years ago.... I just got another IMAX 2000 recently.... Havent had the time to put the new whip on the mast...I like 27Mhz.. The only thing I dont like is all the unprofessional operators that dont seem to care how they sound

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 06:10:09 pm
content: You mean most of them?There's the occasional one that's got a clue, usually an SSB operator chasing DX but the last time I listened all I found were stoned/drunk/idiots mouthing off and playing music, the only other ops I could find were discussing/negotiating the price of their favourite class B smoke

author: Lord of nothing
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 06:40:10 pm
content: I will transmit soon on SSB again with a Sound Mode. I dont know which I will use (again).

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 07:10:53 pm
content: Quote from: CJay on May 07, 2019, 06:10:09 pmSounds about right.I nearly bought a midland 77 the other day at a hamfest just for the hell of it, then I had a flashbackEdit: As it was a fiver I probably should have grabbed it for the enclosure and the PA transistor. Damn

author: HB9EVI
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 07:40:01 pm
content: Bare to no activity on 11m here in the outest NW corner HB9/F; it's more likely to hear something happening on PMR446.however I do not a agree with no activity on 2m; I see no reason why to use FT8 on HF, but it's doing a well job on VHF/UHF, where it's aimed at in my opinion - it's almost always possible to get a QSO in FT8 on 2m, also during working days; I'm waiting for increased activity on 70cm/23cm.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 07:52:16 pm
content: 2m FM voice is pretty busy here. I'm within range of two repeaters, there's two local nets, 2-3 QSOs a day possible easily. I've called CQ only about 5 times and got a reply straight up. Bit of a surprise. 70cm is however dead. There's DMR activity but sod that.Entry cost and availability is pretty good for VHF here. £63 for training and exam at ML&S and walk downstairs and grab a cheap HT on the way out for £60 and you're done. Cheapest hobby around here until you get on HF (looks at melted credit card)

author: HB9EVI
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 08:04:01 pm
content: the only relay in my range is idle most of the time; I don't bother anymore to have my FT90 on standby when I'm in the shack - it's more likely to hear a nearby F 2m SSB station.otherwise I don't care about FM, never interested me; my last challenge on the qrg is VHF/UHF DX, the whole rest is sucked out.

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 08:08:50 pm
content: VHF DX is interesting. I'm just getting into portable operation at the moment on HF but there is some opportunity to drag a big VHF yagi up high and see what I can do. Hurts to drag watts up a hill though. At least you guys have cable cars

author: HB9EVI
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 08:23:34 pm
content: nearby is a panoramic tower which could actually be used for VHF/UHF DX - but I'm too lazy to get my stuff there; I used to do HF /p more often in the past; but after moving my activities from the shack to the lab, on air activity is in general low although I'm fully equipped between 2200m and 23cm

author: Lord of nothing
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 08:33:21 pm
content: Where is your CB Radio Monted on?Mine is directly under the Roof and I cant get there that quick.Sadly the the technique is so behind the dont have any remote or ip connection.

author: FuzzyOnion
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2019, 09:02:25 pm
content: In my area there are a few small groups on SSB. AM is real sporadic - I don't hear that much on Ch 19 - the trucker channel here. I expect things to pick up when the next sunspot cycle starts. The FCC did away with the 150 mile communication limit, so DX is legal now. I talked all over the world on 11m before I got my ham license in '77. I have QSL cards from Italy, Germany, Luxembourg and Australia to name a few. It used to be a fun band.

author: Dude111
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2019, 05:04:19 am
content: Quote from: bd139Ya in my area there seems to be alot of idiots on 2M,all they do is click the repeater,they dont say a thing.... Why bother???

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2019, 05:27:11 am
content: I have the CB frequencies in my scanners, every once in a while I hear a trucker but otherwise it's pretty much dead air these days. There's a lot more activity on the FRS bands although a lot of that is just kids playing around.I remember back in the 80s there was loads of chatter on the CB, I never liked talking on it much but I did quite a bit of listening.

author: HB9EVI
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2019, 08:12:48 pm
content: once as a teen I fished out a cb radio from the local electronic supplier dumpster; no big thing to get it running again, but no idea about SWR or antennas I just dropped some wire from the window of our flat and went on air, caught up some qsos like that - of course without the concession from OFCOM which was still required till 2010!!!that was in the early 90s, those were the days. After waking the RF virus in the 2000s, I threw a glimpse on CB but quickly decided to do the ham license - that was the only useful decision.