Subj : Re: CB experiments
To   : Ginger1
From : Weatherman
Date : Sat Feb 08 2025 02:28:00

-=> Ginger1 wrote to All <=-



 Gi> A few quick questions for someone almost completely new to this:

 Gi> 1. What is the general chat channel? What is the emergency channel? Any
 Gi> others of interest? 
 
 That's a local thing.  Local chat channels vary from town to town.  19 used to
be the "trucker" channel so in smaller towns that might be a good place to
start.  Larger towns use different channels.  It's been so long since I was
active that I couldn't say. 
 
 CB channel 9 is still by FCC regulation the emergency channel.  In
practicality CB is so rarely used it's debatable whether it's useful in that
role or not. 
 
 Gi> 2. Can I make my own antenna out of any old bit of
 Gi> wire? On the back of the CB is a 1/2 inch screw fit jack for the
 Gi> antenna, with a central female port. With a homemade antenna, is this a
 Gi> case of a long wire connecting these two parts (i.e. the female port
 Gi> and the outer threaded part).
 
 You CAN, but it's usually easier to purchase a ready-made antenna for 11
meter/27 MHz use or modify a 10 meter antenna.  Most (might as well say ALL) CB
traffic will be vertically polarized so a vertical or vertically polarized yagi
will be the way to go if making your own.  1/4, 5/8 and 1/2 wavelength antennas
are common and if you know a source for used aluminum tubing are not TERRIBLY
difficult to build on your own.  I'd still recommend a manufactured antenna for
11m, however.  

 Gi> (My previous experience of CBs was in the 80s, where my childhood
 Gi> friend had one in his room - he had an approx 3 ft commercial aerial in
 Gi> the loft of his bungalow - nothing very sophisticated - but we had
 Gi> people from probably a 2 mile area+).

 Gi> Hoping the answer to these questions is not "CB frequencies have now
 Gi> been reassigned for 5G" or something dreadfully depressing like that.

 No, there's no way the 11 meter band could support 5G communications.  You're
safe...


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