Messages

661

Equipment / Re: Questions CB and TX base station project

« on: March 27, 2019, 1947 UTC »

The neat thing about 10/11m is a watt can work the world if the band is playing (that's true for any band however). For dx you need the band and a decent antenna. The prob is there's so many operators congregating on the few cb channels, you need power to be heard above the din. I imagine the number of cbers far outnumber the HAMs of the world.

Oh yeah.  Although I believe in Europe CB is closer to a hobbyist thing vs. a practical/work-related thing like it is in the United States and the rest of the Americas.  Of course, there's a lot of business/trucking/taxi cab dispatcher use of CB in Europe and Russia. 

Get your feet wet with CB/11 meters.  I recommend getting a radio with SSB capability if you have the means.  I know that Poland has an active SSB CB scene in the lower to middle portion of the 26 MHz band (roughly 26.2 MHz to 26.5 MHz) in addition to AM/FM activity on the regular CB channels. 

Its always better to get a high performance antenna and an entry-level or mid-range type of CB radio instead of getting a high performance CB radio with a mediocre antenna.   

662

Equipment / Re: Questions CB and TX base station project

« on: March 27, 2019, 1741 UTC »

Those old Russian (USSR) radios are pretty cool.  They're quite rare in the United States (although surplus military gear is popular within the amateur radio community in the United States in general).

Sounds like you want a CB radio that does AM/FM and SSB or you want an all-mode HF radio to cover the entire HF spectrum instead of limiting yourself to the higher portion of the HF band (roughly 26-28 MHz or 25-30 MHz).  Both analog radios you have are receive only.

You can get a multi-norm CB radio (programmed with CB frequencies for various European countries) for relatively cheap.  The inexpensive multi-norm models will only do AM and FM modes, however.  For DX, you want SSB capability. 

Something like a Superstar 3900, Superstar 6900, Anytone 5555, Anytone 6666, CRE 8900 or similar multi-mode 10 meter/11 meter radios will give you AM/FM and SSB capability.  I know in Europe both AM and FM are used on the CB band for local communications.  RM Italy makes decent amplifiers for HF and they are commonly used on CB.  I have a RM Italy KL 203P amplifier that easily does 125-150 watts output with only a few watts input.  I actually had to lower my CB radio's output power to prevent the amplifier from being overdriven.  100 watts is really all you need. 

If you're going to spend the money on a nice AM/FM/SSB export radio or multinorm CB radio plus an amplifier, you may want to look into getting a used HF amateur transceiver instead.  Most HF radios do 100 watts out of the box, no amplifier needed...and they cover the entire HF frequency range instead of just the CB frequencies.  Some operators (myself included) like having stand-alone CB radios in addition to full-coverage HF radios even though the HF radios can transmit and receive on the CB frequencies.

If you want to do higher power make sure your antenna can handle it (and then some).  From what you've told us, it seems like a vertical CB antenna is probably your best option. 

663

Equipment / Re: Questions CB and TX base station project

« on: March 25, 2019, 1811 UTC »

Truckers from Poland?   

So you're not in the USA?  By "Band 7" I assume you meant Channel 7 - 27.035 MHz (or 27.030 MHz on the Polish/old Russian/CIS channel plan). 

664

Equipment / Re: Questions CB and TX base station project

« on: March 25, 2019, 1536 UTC »

In the US (and the rest of the Americas, for that matter), CB radio is the de facto standard long-haul trucker radio.  Even with modern cellular phones and satcom systems (GPS tracking and satcom telemetry systems are very popular with trucking companies) CB radios can be found in the vast majority of 18-wheelers in the USA.  27.185 MHz AM (CB channel 19) is where most of these radios are tuned.  American truckers make extensive use of "export radios" with additional frequencies above and below the CB band, often with a designated "company channel" that is outside the legal 40 CB channels. 

In addition to those types of trucks, CB is heavily used for work site communications between trucks delivering, sand, gravel, building materials, etc.  In more rural areas it is common to see CB antennas on pickup trucks (often used by hunting clubs).  In the part of the country that I live in (roughly halfway between Miami and the Canadian border on Interstate 95) once you get into the rural areas nearly all pickup trucks have CB antennas on them, usually in addition to a VHF antenna (for either VHF business band, MURS - https://www.hfunderground.com/wiki/index.php/MURS [VHF CB], VHF marine band, 2-meter amateur or some combination of those).  CB base station antennas are also a pretty common sight in rural areas (at least in this part of the USA).  Even in the city, there's a healthy local AM and SSB CB presence.  Most of the SSB CBers are also licensed hams who prefer the more "laid-back" atmosphere of 11 meter AM/SSB vs. 2 meter FM for local comms. 

CB antennas are also commonly found on Jeeps and other SUVs that are used off-road.  Some Jeep/4x4 off road clubs require their members to have 40 channel AM CB radios installed for vehicle-to-vehicle communications. 

So yes, CB is still very much alive and active in the USA.  Even if the OP's local CB scene isn't very busy, he will have a blast once the sunspots come back up.     

665

Equipment / Re: Questions CB and TX base station project

« on: March 24, 2019, 1157 UTC »

RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) is quite common with home stereo systems, basically the speakers (and the wires connecting them to your stereo) are picking up your signal and that’s what’s causing the strange sounds.  AM CB radio is notorious for causing these issues. 

There are some easy solutions out there.  Get yourself some RF chokes (they’re little things that snap onto cables and wires and filter out RFI - commonly sold as “inline interference filter” or “inline noise filter”). 

Noise Filter Cable Ring, VSKEY [10 pcs] Anti-Interference Noise Filters Ferrite Core Choke Clip for Telephones,Tvs,Speakers,Video,Radio,Audio Equipment & Appliances Power Audio (10pcs 3.0mm) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078XKHLKG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Mc3LCbZD40YCW

^ are what you want.  Install them on your speaker cables and on the power cables for your audio equipment itself.  I’ve had success those - I had major interference with a CB installation I had causing interference to my roommate’s hi-fi system - he could hear every word I was saying into the mic coming out of his speakers. 

I got a bunch of those snap-on filters and attached them to the speaker cables (three on each line, one as close to the speaker connection as possible, one in the middle of the cable run and one as close to the hi-fi amp speaker connection as possible), installed another on the line-level audio connection from the turntable to the PHONO input on the amplifier and yet another on the AC power cables for the turntable and the amplifier and it solved the interference problem. 

Also, look into getting a low-pass filter for your CB station (installed between the transmitter and antenna).  CB transmitters, like all transmitters, produce harmonics (so in addition to signal at 27 MHz, it makes a much lower power signal at 54 MHz, then an even lower power signal at 81MHz etc).  Putting a low-pass filter that stops all signals above 30 MHz will stop these harmonics from making it to your antenna and help reduce potential interference issues.  It’s also good operating practice to use a low-pass filter anyway. 

666

Equipment / Re: Questions CB and TX base station project

« on: March 23, 2019, 1146 UTC »

Since most local comms are vertically polarized (as previously mentioned) your local performance will be reduced with a dipole.

I've experimented with a sloper-type wire antenna (with a tuner) on 11 meters and have had good experience with local comms - think of that as almost sort of kind of vertically polarized.  I'm sure a proper vertical up 30-40 feet would give you really good results both locally and (when it happens) with long-distance skip propagation.

667

Equipment / Re: Questions CB and TX base station project

« on: March 22, 2019, 1759 UTC »

Josh makes some good points.  I've had excellent DX results with an 11 meter dipole and various verticals - specifically a homemade 1/4 wave ground plane based off a 108 inch steel whip (102 inch whips are also commonly used) and a ground plane system.  The Antron-99 or A-99 type antennas (verticals) are also quite effective, especially when used with a ground plane kit. 

As mentioned, get the antenna up high and, if possible, use a vertical.  Ideally you would want to have both a dipole and a vertical and the capability to switch between the two but space limitations and other things can make that impractical.  Use high quality coaxial cable to connect your antenna to your radio and make sure to check your SWR with any antenna installation you do. 

What sort of CB capability are you looking to have?  Basic 40 channel AM?  40 channel AM and SSB?  Freeband AM and SSB (access to the 40 legal CB channels plus frequencies above and below the CB band?) or do you want transmit capability for all of HF?  That is, 1.6 to 30 MHz instead of 26.965-27.405 MHz (40 channel CB) or 26-28 MHz/26-30 MHz (freeband 11 meter CB). 

If you're going to go through the trouble of setting up a base station CB antenna I recommend getting a radio that can do SSB in addition to AM.  Access to the frequencies above CB channel 40 and below CB channel 1 - aka the "freeband" or 11 meters, roughly 26 to 28 MHz, with the CB band occupying 26.965 MHz to 27.405 MHz and SSB means you have DX capability when the conditions are right.  Unfortunately right now the solar cycle isn't very supportive of 11 meter DX but you do have sporadic-E propagation and of course local communications. 

CB is how many radio hobbyists first got into the magic of radio.  It's how I started, with a basic 40 channel AM RadioShack mobile CB radio and a magnetic mount antenna.  CB has a magic of its own and is a great springboard into the exciting world of radio.

668

Equipment / Re: Questions CB and TX base station project

« on: March 22, 2019, 1353 UTC »

Get your CB antenna outside.  A dipole will provide you with better DX performance (generally) and a vertical (homebrew or buy one of the commonly available base station CB antennas on the market, there are lots of options) will give you better local communications capability.  If you go with the dipole, get it high up in the air.  A vertical mounted high will give you better local coverage.  27 MHz actually works quite well for local coverage with a decent antenna setup.

CB is still popular in the USA, although there is considerable variation depending on where you're located.  CB DXing (and freeband DXing) is very popular in the USA and the Americas in general.  In some areas, local AM or SSB "nets" exist.  Where I live there are several "town channels" or "city channels" in use, basically a home channel that various CBers will hang out on.  The local SSB operators hang out on an out-of-band frequency and the AM operators use channel 14, 22 or 33 depending on which group you're talking about.  Once you get out of the city the rural areas will have a "local channel" or "home channel" that is used for standby purposes.  Trucking companies, construction sites and trucking distribution hubs have their own channels.  So yes, it is extensively used in the USA. 

You'll notice a big different in TX and RX performance with the right antenna for CB.

669

10/11 meters / Re: 27565 USB Portuguese CB chatter 22:53 UTC

« on: March 19, 2019, 1205 UTC »

From what I can tell, its very popular in Brazil and South America in general.  Their legal CB is 80 (85) channels from 26.965 MHz to 27.805 MHz (or 27.855 MHz, depending on where you look).  25w SSB 10w AM/FM maximum power to my understanding.  I know that radios sold in Brazil generally follow the "export" frequency plan, that is, 25.615-28.305 MHz is the default frequency coverage, 6 bands of 40 channels each.  Apparently 2 meter FM and the nearby frequencies are also very popular for truckers, etc. in Brazil...akin to high power MURS usage in the USA or the VHF LADD channels in Canada.

670

Peskies / 6745.5 or 6745.6 kHz USB UNID Net 2112 UTC 18 Mar 2019

« on: March 18, 2019, 2114 UTC »

Both of these frequencies would make sense.  Via COMMSIGMA KiwiSDR located on the CT/MA border.  Langauge: Spanish.  Source: unknown.  No IDs heard, but several OMs chatting away, presumed freebanders, outbanders, fishing fleets, drug traffickers or something similar.  Just below the edge of the 6765 to 7000 kHz fixed mobile band, technically still within the 6 MHz aeronautical allocation. 

You know, because freebanders and narco traffickers care about ITU frequency allocations.

671

North American Shortwave Pirate / Old Time Radio OTR 6770 AM 2105 UTC 18 Mar 2019

« on: March 18, 2019, 2108 UTC »

Via COMMSIGMA KiwiSDR on the CT/MA border.

 Lots of fading but the carrier is there with a S5 signal, S6 on peaks. 

"Is there anything I can do?" "just keep it under your hat" "what under my hat" - young man and YL talking about "the story in the papers this morning"

Fading getting worse as the minutes tick by.  Now basically unreadable (at 2107 UTC)....nope, as I type this, I am hearing bits and pieces of a YL talking and some background laughter then "that's what I said" at 2108 UTC.  OM and YL continue to talk with heavy fading.  Now closer to S4 signal. 

2109 UTC - noted a FSK signal on 6770 kHz USB or 6769.5 kHz USB.  Only slightly weaker than OTR at the moment (now 2110 UTC).  Can still hear OM and YL talking but the FSK ute signal is getting stronger.

672

Fishing Drift Net Beacons / Re: Drift Net beacons 1.710 to 2.700MHz CW

« on: March 18, 2019, 1450 UTC »

Does any one chase/log/look for the many, mostly or assumed Asian, drift net fishing beacons on 1.7 to 2.6MHz CW which transmit usually on a four minute key off cycle?

They come into Eastern Australia very well in the hours of darkness and there are literally hundreds of them. 

Scattered around the vast Pacific Ocean bobbing around sending their low powered (10-25w) call sign every four or so minutes three times I have been logging quite a few.

Does any one else share this interest and if so what do you hear and when?

Are they exclusive to the Pacific or are they also being heard in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions too?

I know they're used in the Atlantic Ocean...as mentioned, the logs could be spread across the board.  Some versions of the radiobuoys/fishnet radio beacons also use the 26 to 30 MHz band instead of 1.8 to 4 MHz (I believe the allocation in ITU Region 2 is 1.6 to 4 MHz).  The 26 MHz region seems to be the most popular part although in previous sunspot peaks they've been heard in the 11 meter CB band, above CB channel 40 and in various parts of 10 meters.  I remember seeing a video on YouTube of a CBer in New Zealand who had come across a driftnet beacon transmitting on one of the 26 MHz New Zealand CB frequencies (26.450 MHz / 26450 kHz IIRC), probably of Asiatic origin. 

I do think the majority used operate in the 1.6 to 4 MHz region and the higher-frequency ones are less common. 

See also:

https://www.qsl.net/n2sln/driftnetbeacons.html

673

Utility / Re: March HF here and there 2-13MHz.

« on: March 15, 2019, 1719 UTC »

Nice logs.  I love listening to the yachtmen's nets on the 4 MHz, 6 MHz, 8 MHz and 12 MHz marine bands. 

The USCG transmitter in Virginia (NMN) on 6501 kHz USB is a real flamethrower.  Crazy how many meteo stations are on 6676 kHz.  That frequency and the nearby 6500-7000 kHz region is heavily pirated in ITU Region 2 (the Americas) by pescadores and 45 meter outbanders/freebanders out of Latin America.

674

Utility / Re: 6903 and 6807 USB

« on: March 13, 2019, 1249 UTC »

EAM-like messages have been heard in the 6765-7000 kHz region before, often with very strong signals and various operators (similar to what you've logged).

It could be MARS, or it could be military operator training or a communications/SIGINT exercise type deal. 

675

Shortwave Broadcast / Re: 15.555 usb 20:30 Usb 09 march 2019

« on: March 12, 2019, 1243 UTC »

WJHR is one of those stations that always makes me wonder.  They run 50kW but its SSB so their audience is significantly limited, I would think.  Plus if its just tapes of the same deceased preacher....similar to Brother Stair's broadcasts, only he's not dead yet.  That, and Brother Stair is on a dozen different shortwave outlets instead of having his own transmitter "in-house". 

I often come across 15555 kHz USB while cruising the bands hoping I've found something interesting, like another pescadore, freebander, etc.  or government/military/NGO net hiding in the broadcast bands and then I remember its just WJHR.