HFU HF Underground
General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: ChrisSmolinski on July 23, 2021, 1306 UTC
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Not quite official yet, but it sounds like the FCC is about to grant permission for FM operation on the CB band here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-374114A1.pdf
Also some changes to GMRS and FRS.
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Well, it's about time! As long as it's NBFM, that should reduce AM overmod, splatter, and RFI. Should have been done years ago. Still, won't be heard as well as SSB, especially on the road, but could be better on the road than present AM, where you can get an earful of +30 lbs of noise levels. Now, will someone capitalize on making FM board kits for all those radios out there presently? Several companies did in the 1980's and 1990's.
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http://www.cbcintl.com/FM3_Schem.htm
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Well, it's about time! As long as it's NBFM, that should reduce AM overmod, splatter, and RFI. Should have been done years ago. Still, won't be heard as well as SSB, especially on the road, but could be better on the road than present AM, where you can get an earful of +30 lbs of noise levels. Now, will someone capitalize on making FM board kits for all those radios out there presently? Several companies did in the 1980's and 1990's.
Lol no. Just like the past fee reduction, use of all channels for FRS and 250 mile limit removal for CB this is just more bureaucratic loose ends being tied up so they don't have to waste time listening to complaints they never did anything about anyways. Everyone likes to make drama over this stuff but just like last time nothing will change. Companies like Galaxy/Stryker and various freeband 10m radios are already made and continue to be used by those who know and midlands, cobras by everyone else. Just a simple hardware addition for FM modes on a few of those walmart models that no one will know to use.
Same old noise and useless channels you have to freeband to get away from.
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Many 11m "export" radios already support FM. ;) Wonder if there will be a "gentlemen's'" agreement on specific FM frequencies similar to 11m SSB.
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Apparently, the FCC approved this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XevGDwC0_Z0 So, Cobra asked for this? Others should follow.
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When I was about 15, I got my first real 11m rig. It was an HR2510. A guy around my same age, about 6 miles away had an RCI 2950. We would sometimes mess around on FM. Can't say it was great for distance though. I've worked a lot of DX on 10/11 meters several years ago, but only SSB. I do hear stories of FM DX though.
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Here's a dude in the UK that's doing add-on FM boards for CB, https://www.ebay.com/itm/283737307487?&shqty=1&isGTR=1#shId Now, when this will happen domestically is anyone's guess.
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Well, with CB now finally allowed for use on USA CB's, question stands, what channels to use FM on? My proposal would be the Gentleman's Agreement, like what was done with SSB, (a.k.a. Channels 36 - 40 for SSB, CH16 on the old 23 channel rigs.). My idea would be to reserve channels 30 - 35 for FM use. Think that it would fly? Of course, this could depend upon local regional options. Case in point, I understand that the Highway Channel in Alaska is CH14, and not CH19, up there. Passing thoughts...
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https://swling.com/blog/2021/10/fcc-approves-fm-for-cb-radio/#comment-674404
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I do hear stories of FM DX though.
I rarely hear them anymore, but occasionally a good 10m band opening can yield FM repeaters popping up, particularly from New England. It might actually be more prevalent assuming ops actively used 10m repeaters anymore. I suspect the ones still in service can go days or even weeks without use.
Assuming anyone actually bothers with it, at least some of the often horridly-designed 11m amps operating in class C mode should sound better in FM than SSB or overdriven AM.
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Huh... Looks like President is already runnin' with a dual-mode CB, as ripped from this SWL'ing article. https://swling.com/blog/2021/11/guest-post-peter-discovers-the-first-fm-capable-cb-radio-for-the-us-market/
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Posted there before seeing the thread here. A somewhat long comment about getting an 11m FM handheld to market for the mode to gain traction.
Back to the President radio, the overall design looks like one of the brand's more affordable models, thus probably why it lacks SSB support. Oh well.
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https://swling.com/blog/2021/12/guest-post-peters-fm-cb-update/ So far, SWL'ing seems to be the only ones talking about this. Is anyone else?
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Who's on CB anymore?
That said, I don't see how FM would harm the band. It can really chop up an AM or sideband channel, though. Back in 1990 I was talking to some guy locally on the sideband and he said he had FM on his radio, so I asked him to fire it up. I wanted to hear it. On my AM/Sidebander it was horrific sounding hash.
I think 'export' rigs have had FM for years.
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Who's on CB anymore?
The CB band is full of activity. I hear a lot of local traffic, including quite a bit of business use (primarily trucking companies), and note that I live in a fairly rural area. Those in urban areas report considerable business use. Plus the general chat by hobbyists.
Then when the band is open, it's wall to wall signals.
I am hearing a fair amount of FM, mostly from Latin America, but also domestic. And of course the UK CB band when DX is rolling in, which has always been FM.
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There is quite a bit of daily activity at the moment. :)
(https://i.ibb.co/Dkx221m/image.png) (https://ibb.co/3WDZZTV)
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There are lots of 11m DX operators on the air. Even just 12w SSB into a basic vertical often can deliver contacts at several hundred to even thousands of miles when 11m propagation cooperates.
That said, I still have yet to work anyone via 11m FM, though I am not really working actively to achieve 11m FM contacts either. Maybe if there was a agreed FM calling frequency.
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The only FM calling channel recommendation I saw was Ch 28. Since all of this is unofficial, it might vary between regions, phase of the moon, time of day, etc.
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Exactly. Ch28 is usually AM mode DX here.
I could be entirely wrong, but I get the feeling most replies to FM CQs right now are going to be more like "you're garbled, "you're off frequency", etc.
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Yes, Ch 28 is a lousy choice as it is the mini-superbowl much like Ch 6. There may be some movement eventually to establish a loose standard once it becomes more wide spread.
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There seems to be a buzz on the West Coast to use NBFM CH 31, 27.315MHz. Sounds like a good place to start to me.
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Who's on CB anymore?
The CB band is full of activity. I hear a lot of local traffic, including quite a bit of business use (primarily trucking companies), and note that I live in a fairly rural area. Those in urban areas report considerable business use. Plus the general chat by hobbyists.
Then when the band is open, it's wall to wall signals.
I am hearing a fair amount of FM, mostly from Latin America, but also domestic. And of course the UK CB band when DX is rolling in, which has always been FM.
You're farther south than I am, so that probably makes a difference. I haven't tuned the CB spectrum in probably a month, but last time I did it was el-deado. The time before that also. No outbanders, no Latin Americans above channel 40 -- nothing, really.