shortwave / ham radio work on CB bands?

jgorm · 06-05-2009, 10:15 AM

I'm wondering if a shortwave or ham radio will work on cb bands? what about gmrs bands?. What is it, a 5w limit on CB? Marine radios can go up to 25W. Weak power always pisses me off so i want something with some serious range.

**SirGCal** · 06-05-2009, 10:50 AM

4W, and no, by default they can't. And it's not legal to modify them to do so at their normal power capability. You are not going to get 'serious range' on a CB band, period. Even if you went way illegal and did amp the CB line, you wouldn't hear anyone... it's a one-way thing. You'd be pissing everyone off by talking over many side channels to the one you were on, killing their communications (as well as interfering with emergency vehicles possible, big fine there), interfering with other signals pissing off everyone around using anything electronic, and the only benefit is you can talk further. But you can't hear anyone respond so really what good is it? Nothing but getting yourself in trouble and pissing people off. If you want to talk long range, get a HAM. Your talking-to partner will have to match the equipment anyhow so get him/her a HAM too. Then you can talk around the world in the right conditions. But on the CB band, 5-10 miles is about all you're going to get realistically.

**Jerry Bransford** · 06-05-2009, 10:54 AM

Marine radios can actually go to 75 watts but they are all illegal for use on the ground in non-marine use. CB's maximum legal output power is 4 watts. No, you can't use ham or other types of "shortwave" radios on the CB bands as they are not legal for use there, plus they would likely put out more power than is legal.

GMRS can use higher power than CB but you have to be licensed for their use. Their drawback is their much higher frequency limits them to strictly line-of-site communications and on the trail in our typical SOCAL desert terrains their range is very limited.

Just get yourself a Technician class ham license which only requires a simple 20 question test and go that way. All the other ways you are asking about are pretty much illegal. The Ham Radio Outlet store on Clairmont Mesa Blvd. a half-block east of the 163 has a selection of Technican Q&A/license test preparation books that will quickly teach you enough to pass the easy Technician ham license test. With that Technician license, you can install a 50-75 watt (though you would not be limited to that power) 2m ham radio into your Jeep and have plenty of power.

dieth · 06-05-2009, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgorm

I'm wondering if a shortwave or ham radio will work on cb bands? what about gmrs bands?. What is it, a 5w limit on CB? Marine radios can go up to 25W. Weak power always pisses me off so i want something with some serious range.

If you're thinking of running amateur radio or CB equipment illegally, hopefully you'll be introduced to a federal judge. What pisses me off are illegally operated CBs, Marine or FMRS gear.

If you want to operate high power, study electronics and go through the series of tests required to get an amateur radio license and operate LEGALLY.

jgorm · 06-05-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Bransford

Marine radios can actually go to 75 watts but they are all illegal for use on the ground in non-marine use. CB's maximum legal output power is 4 watts. No, you can't use ham or other types of "shortwave" radios on the CB bands as they are not legal for use there, plus they would likely put out more power than is legal.

GMRS can use higher power than CB but you have to be licensed for their use. Their drawback is their much higher frequency limits them to strictly line-of-site communications and on the trail in our typical SOCAL desert terrains their range is very limited.

Just get yourself a Technician class ham license which only requires a simple 20 question test and go that way. All the other ways you are asking about are pretty much illegal. The Ham Radio Outlet store on Clairmont Mesa Blvd. a half-block east of the 163 has a selection of Technican Q&A/license test preparation books that will quickly teach you enough to pass the easy Technician ham license test. With that Technician license, you can install a 50-75 watt (though you would not be limited to that power) 2m ham radio into your Jeep and have plenty of power.

Thanks for the info. how many jeepers use ham radios? I'm guessing i would need a cb too? I know that place, i bought a scanner there a while back. (super geeks.)

jgorm · 06-05-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieth

If you're thinking of running amateur radio or CB equipment illegally, hopefully you'll be introduced to a federal judge. What pisses me off are illegally operated CBs, Marine or FMRS gear.

whats the big deal? If i talk on a frms without a license how does that hurt anyone? I understand how running a 100w booster on a cb would screw some people, but other than that its just another stupid government tax.

**Jerry Bransford** · 06-05-2009, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgorm

Thanks for the info. how many jeepers use ham radios? I'm guessing i would need a cb too? I know that place, i bought a scanner there a while back. (super geeks.)

Yes, you'd want a CB before buying a ham radio since 99% of the Jeeps use CBs and only a small percentage have ham radios. But more and more Jeeps are getting ham radios since the Technician ham license test is so simple and you can run more power and have far more capabilities than with CB.

**Jerry Bransford** · 06-05-2009, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgorm

whats the big deal? If i talk on a frms without a license how does that hurt anyone? I understand how running a 100w booster on a cb would screw some people, but other than that its just another stupid government tax.

International ICAO law requires licensing of transmitters using certain frequencies with a minimum power level. Since the US is a signatory to that organization, a license is needed for GMRS here in the U.S. It's a cheap no-test license, it's not something I'd sweat obtaining if I wanted to run GMRS. A single GMRS license is good for your entire family since it is a family use oriented license.

**Sccafire** · 06-05-2009, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Bransford

Just get yourself a Technician class ham license which only requires a simple 20 question test and go that way.

Its a 35 question test.

jgorm · 06-05-2009, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Bransford

It's a cheap no-test license,

If it were a free online test i might take it. Otherwise they can dedicate man hours and expensive equipment to triangulate my signal and track me down.

I bet 99% of gmrs operators dont have a license.

**SirGCal** · 06-05-2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgorm

If it were a free online test i might take it. Otherwise they can dedicate man hours and expensive equipment to triangulate my signal and track me down.

I bet 99% of gmrs operators dont have a license.

You'd be wrong. And I could triangulate a signal, especially something like public HAM frequencies, with simple radio-shack stuff and a few minutes... Not that difficult or that expensive. But, there are other ways to do it that require no individual going out of their way... It's just not worth it for such a rediculiously simple test. You don't even need to take a morse code tap test anymore.

dieth · 06-05-2009, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgorm

If it were a free online test i might take it. Otherwise they can dedicate man hours and expensive equipment to triangulate my signal and track me down.

I bet 99% of gmrs operators dont have a license.

Not only would a lot of amateur operators take that challenge and so would the FCC and maybe Homeland Security. Your original post talked about operating at a higher than legal power so rest assured if you did that regularily, somebody would find you.

And the FCC has a special counsel assigned to amateur radio enforcement. Southern California is under the microscope for enforcement actions because of the attitudes like yours and the military installations prone to harmful interference.

**Jerry Bransford** · 06-05-2009, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgorm

If it were a free online test i might take it. Otherwise they can dedicate man hours and expensive equipment to triangulate my signal and track me down.

I bet 99% of gmrs operators dont have a license.

Come on man, you're disappointing me big time here. If you're so worried about the cost of the lifetime no-brainer no-test GMRS license, go down and get an FRS radio that doesn't require a license. It is our license fees that keep our frequencies usable and prevent them from getting out of control and unusable.

jgorm · 06-05-2009, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirGCal

It's just not worth it for such a rediculiously simple test.

If the test is that easy, what is the point?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dieth

And the FCC has a special counsel assigned to amateur radio enforcement. Southern California is under the microscope for enforcement actions because of the attitudes like yours and the military installations prone to harmful interference.

I guess thats tax money well spent! Harmful to the military, are you kidding me? they have EVERYTHING shielded from way higher power stuff than a little 5W walkie talky.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry Bransford

Come on man, you're disappointing me big time here. If you're so worried about the cost of the lifetime no-brainer no-test GMRS license, go down and get an FRS radio that doesn't require a license. It is our license fees that keep our frequencies usable and prevent them from getting out of control and unusable.

Sorry to disappoint you

, but i only follow the rules i think are right.

Who actually gets the money? Is their job to protect users rights? Hopefully they are nothing like the sierra club! Did taking the test really change the way you operate the radio? I'd rather donate money to a private company that fights the fcc than pay a tax to them. (i donate to the access fund to protect rock climbing areas, hands, not tires)
Its not like i'm some kid that will be cussing on the radio, and interrupting others conversations, I have respect for everybody out there and treat others the way i like to be treated. When someone comes on a freq that me and my friends are using, i will ask them politely to find another freq because this one has some heavy use on it already. (i like 20-33) Never had a problem before. Stupid rules and regulations are just stupid rules and regulations, and they mean nothing to me (especially if the chances of getting caught are 0).

**Jerry Bransford** · 06-05-2009, 08:30 PM

Once again, there is NO test for a GMRS license. NO test. The only test is for a ham license which is set aside for hobbiests. And the entry level Technician ham license test is barely a test at all, 20 questions. Plenty of Jeepers are getting it, it's not the big deal you're trying to make it out to be which is, I hate to say again, is really disappointing to me.

But I've grown tired of this since we have a big difference in philosophies over this radio thing. I'm done, do what you want.