CB-HAM-communication ideas

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BlackStrap
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CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by BlackStrap »

Hey all:
Been dwelling in thought on things...I really love this group, and all those in it.

Awhile back there was a post about prepping, and while i think we should all be aware of what "could" happen,
There should be a preparedness, and practice of when (let's hope never) but "what if insurance"... hard to buy that!

It's going to take a "group" to rebuild... It's going to take COMMUNICATION. (that is key)

I live in a valley so it kinda sucks doing a ham tower, but the sad part is CB sparse in my area, and communications other than the computer or cell phones. (now I'm showing my age) are (Well let's say lacking) (Have we played into the hands of the "controllers") NAH but makes for a good movie... I do what I want (sure there's precautions) I'm not to worried...Don't tell don't sell...Live by it. This isn't a hobby to get rich off of. (actually This hobby is costing me more, but it's a good drink, IMO better than what they sell at the Liquor Stores)

I do have a CB in my Jeep, (not that many use the CB anymore) but I would like to pursue a HAM license. I've left the mainstream media news (lack of trust and what not)

So what is the groups thoughts on communications other than this forum.

Curious
BlackStrap

P.S. a final thought (Those who live in the land of the free, R U really free???)
Last edited by BlackStrap on Sun Mar 28, 2021 5:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Yummyrum
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Re: CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by Yummyrum »

Hey blackstrap .

I’m a bit confused about what you are proposing here .
Is it to have a Distillers group of Ham radio -CB operators?
If so , I think there would be less anonymity than the forum provides .Ham radio operators need to announce their call sign in communications .


However , as a backup to the internet or Phone towers , I understand this first hand as last weekend , we had a major weather event that left us without either and radio comms would have been very handy . However , as you say Ham radio unless its on the HF band , generally requires the use of repeaters but they also require backup power when the grid goes down .
Sure you can use simplex and not go through a repeater but in general , the range is quite limited especially if you are in the woods or a valley .

Having said that , I used to have a Sked almost everyday on 2metres when I lived in New Zealand , I was on the west coast and the other ham was on the east coast with the southern alps in between us . However we both were running 4x 10 element stacked yagis and 100w linears to do it . Not very practical with a handheld though .

One further thought , (and remember this was 30years ago before the internet or mobile phones ) Ham radio operators were required to be called upon to become of a communications network in the event of emergencies or Civil Defence emergencies . In fact or local Civil Defence headquaters had a Multiband Ham radio transciever and Antennas installed for such instances .
Once a year we would carry out an exercise so we we were all trained fir such an event .
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Re: CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by Sailman »

Ham radio is certainly not where you need to discuss anything that we do here.... but if the s*** hits the fan and there's no more government who really cares. Ham radio would certainly be in place for members to get together and discuss life and such. One more thing good luck getting someone to give you their call sign, it can be looked up very easily along with your address. I've had my ticket now for about 3 years.
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Re: CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by The Baker »

My brother was a ham operator.
In the day you had to learn and pass a test in Morse code but not now so that simplifies it quite a bit.

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Re: CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by River Rat »

I think Blackstrap was just asking about alternative methods of communication in general. Maybe not necessarily for discussing our hobby.
From the location in our "name tags" for lack of a better word, it looks like we're in the same general area. Nobody around here uses CB anymore either. I still keep them around but all I can do is listen to some skip chatter. Been thinking about getting into ham myself.
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Re: CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by goinbroke2 »

Speaking of old... I remember the cb jamboree’s we had back in the mid 70’s. I was a teenager and life was great. I wired my cb’s up in several apc’s (armoured personnel carriers) and my ARV (armoured recovery vehicle) in the 90’s so us tech’s could talk “off line” while on exercise. “Radio silence”? Sure... then flip on the cab lol!

Now? I use hand held walker talkies in the mud trucks when we’re off roading. But, all the local off road clubs around here are switching to the latest walkies. Forget what they’re called.
Numerous 57L kegs, some propane, one 220v electric with stilldragon controller. Keggle for all-Grain, two pot still tops for whisky, a 3" reflux with deflag for vodka. Coming up, a 4" perf plate column. Life is short, make whisky and drag race!
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Re: CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by goinbroke2 »

goinbroke2 wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:50 am Speaking of old... I remember the cb jamboree’s we had back in the mid 70’s. I was a teenager and life was great. I wired my cb’s up in several apc’s (armoured personnel carriers) and my ARV (armoured recovery vehicle) in the 90’s so us tech’s could talk “off line” while on exercise. “Radio silence”? Sure... then flip on the cab lol!

Now? I use hand held walker talkies in the mud trucks when we’re off roading. But, all the local off road clubs around here are switching to the latest walkies. Forget what they’re called.
Just found it “frs and gmrs”
That what all the locals are switching too, crystal clear and 30-50 mile reach.
Numerous 57L kegs, some propane, one 220v electric with stilldragon controller. Keggle for all-Grain, two pot still tops for whisky, a 3" reflux with deflag for vodka. Coming up, a 4" perf plate column. Life is short, make whisky and drag race!
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Re: CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by nerdybrewer »

goinbroke2 wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:55 am
goinbroke2 wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:50 am Speaking of old... I remember the cb jamboree’s we had back in the mid 70’s. I was a teenager and life was great. I wired my cb’s up in several apc’s (armoured personnel carriers) and my ARV (armoured recovery vehicle) in the 90’s so us tech’s could talk “off line” while on exercise. “Radio silence”? Sure... then flip on the cab lol!

Now? I use hand held walker talkies in the mud trucks when we’re off roading. But, all the local off road clubs around here are switching to the latest walkies. Forget what they’re called.
Just found it “frs and gmrs”
That what all the locals are switching too, crystal clear and 30-50 mile reach.
Well this just pushed me over the edge, went and signed up for my FCC license for GMRS. Next find a good base unit and handhelds. The Midland units get good reviews, anyone have recommendations?
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http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

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Re: CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by HDNB »

the gmrs and frs are short range personal comms, perfect for the 4x4 club, a group of skiers or sledders.

if you want to talk around the globe or across continents, ya gotta gear down to AM low freq stuff.
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Re: CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by nerdybrewer »

HDNB wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:41 am the gmrs and frs are short range personal comms, perfect for the 4x4 club, a group of skiers or sledders.

if you want to talk around the globe or across continents, ya gotta gear down to AM low freq stuff.
I've been doing some SDR experimentation with my laptop and an inexpensive interface and antennae.
Pretty good considering how cheap it is.
Easily found the weather frequency, played around a bit but only receiving.

Interested in GMRS for the easy factor, and portability of course and being able to communicate with friends and family when standard means don't work. SHTF also in the back of my mind.
Cranky's spoonfeeding:
http://homedistiller.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52975

Time and Oak will sort it out.
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Re: CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by contrahead »

The Baker wrote: Sat Mar 27, 2021 4:10 pm In the day you had to learn and pass a test in Morse code but not now so that simplifies it quite a bit.
Yeah, I had a friend that inherited some high dollar Ham equipment from a relative. For a long time the friend was having problems honing his Morse code WPM (words-per-minute) rate (to get or to advance his license). I could see right away that I would have flunked out.

.... --- .-- / -. --- .-- / -... .-. --- .-- -. / -.-. --- .-- ..--..

Code /Decode here:

------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------

Somewhere in the text cluttering up this webpage, it says that the Ham on the key in the video, is sending code at 29 WPM. And that that, isn't fast for the team. That code still sounded awfully fast to me though.
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Re: CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by shadylane »

How now brown cow?

Once upon a time I was pretty good at CW. :lol:
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Re: CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by Yummyrum »

I could never do Morse so I only got the Technical Call license .( VHF and above)

But I did spend a lot if time listening on HF .When I got a Commodore 64 and found out it almost wiped out reception , which was a shame because I had RTTY ( radio teletype) and Morse decoding software but as sone as I turned on the computer , I couldn’t get a clean enough signal to decode .

That was back about 35 years ago when there were hardly any switchmode devices . The television was about the worst creator of electrical interference .
A few years ago I come across some Communication receivers and was disgusted at how noisy the HF bands have become .
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Re: CB-HAM-communication ideas

Post by goinbroke2 »

nerdybrewer wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:00 am
goinbroke2 wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:55 am
goinbroke2 wrote: Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:50 am

Well this just pushed me over the edge, went and signed up for my FCC license for GMRS. Next find a good base unit and handhelds. The Midland units get good reviews, anyone have recommendations?
Story of my life... I’m always pushing people over the edge...lol!
Numerous 57L kegs, some propane, one 220v electric with stilldragon controller. Keggle for all-Grain, two pot still tops for whisky, a 3" reflux with deflag for vodka. Coming up, a 4" perf plate column. Life is short, make whisky and drag race!
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