A year - AND a little change.

It's been a year since I posted here...a LONG year in many ways.


I'm going to start posting all of my radio and electronics blog items over here on KZD6545.


So....I was a CB'er before I became a ham.  I'm not shy about admitting that.  A LOT of the hams I most respect were CB'ers at one time or another.  I can think of 5 off the top of my head that I've know for over 30 years.

Anyway, both services fulfill a need. 

CB- For goofing around on a radio (frankly) without the hassle or commitment of a license...and mostly for professional drivers (truckers).  It's the "lowest common denominator"....been around forever and in a lot of vehicles....Semi trucks, other over the road trucks, 4x4 trucks, and a lot of motorcycles...my GoldWing has a 40ch. radio.  Seems to somehow stand the test of time. Radios are very inexpensive.

Yes...it has short range...5 or 10 miles give or take.  It has a lot of interference when the band "opens up" to distant stations around the country and world at times.  Good antennas for CB are relatively large.

For my CB-type needs....vehcile to vehicle communications, I use CB sometimes, but prefer to use FRS or GMRS if the equipment is available.   However, FRS and GMRS just have NOT caught on with the truckers or others on the road (as far as I've observed), even though I think it might be better suited.  There are pockets of MURS radios on the radio.  (That's even better suited when done on VHF).


Ham Radio...is really nothing like CB radio....other than they are both "radio" services and the "hobby" component plays into both to varying extents.   Ham radio has MANY different frequency bands that are used for different purposes and communications distances.  Ham radio operators (properly licensed) are allowed to use MUCH more power than is allowed in CB, FRS, GMRS or MURS.

Ham radio can be used for just "talking" or for working distant and foreign stations, or for experimentation or:
-emergency communications
-antenna study
-designing, building, testing and repairing your own equipment
-restoring vintage equipment for use on the air
-backup communications for those in the wilderness
-operation over satellites
-microwave frequency operations
-many people enjoy working foreign stations in other languages ...some for the international camaraderie.
-some hams enjoy handling "traffic" ....it's a message relay system for emergencies that's often drilled with personal "fun" messages during non-emergency times.
-contesting - seeing how many stations you can contact, how many counties, how many states, etc.
-some just want to get on the air and talk to friends around the area, state, country or world.
-it's an excellent way for kids (and adults) to learn geography and world culture if you are "into" working distant stations.
-some, like me, are into getting the most distance with the least power and equipment.
-some like a big station with a lot of power
-some folks that spend a lot of time on the road (including many truckers) enjoy having someone to talk to wherever they are and whenever they are on the road...day or night.