Subj : CB experiments
To   : Ginger1
From : Bob Worm
Date : Tue Feb 04 2025 07:21:46

  Re: CB experiments
  By: Ginger1 to All on Mon Feb 03 2025 21:37:03

Hi, Ginger1.

 > However, just static across all 40 channels. I'm not sure if this is
 > the antenna not being suitable, or a complete lack of people on CB radio!
 > (By the way, this is in Dorset UK).

I picked up a CB a couple of years ago having not used one since the 90s. What I noticed was:

1 - The modern world does not help you at all. Where the noise floor used to be basically zero across the band, there is now S3 - S9 of (man made) interference on every channel. Half the people I used to chat with were S5 or below so, all things being equal, I would no longer be able to hear them nowadays.

2 - There are way fewer people on nowadays

3 - I get *nothing* from my house at all

4 - If I drive somewhere high then I can often pick up / join in on a few conversations with a 6ft aerial on my car, however it's very time dependent. Most commonly there is either nobody on or there is only one conversation going on, albeit with 3-5 people in it.

Regarding an aerial - you can use anything to listen (to varying levels of success) but you will need a properly tuned aerial to transmit. I would definitely get a CB aerial if you plan to use this thing. Controversially I would say it doesn't make *that* much difference which one you get, it's more important to get it up high and preferably away from houses. You'll also need a SWR meter to tune it correctly. It's going to be more than a tenner but doesn't need to be crazy money.

BobW

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