Not sure where you are but I was up until almost 0500UTC (That's 2:00am local time here) and I had a ball on 80m. There were lots of QSO's happening on my end.I worked several guys in the UK and a fellow in France and one in The Netherlands as well as a whole slew of USA operators. I tend to avoid 40m due to the broadcast QRM which is horrendous here at times but I even magnaged a couple QSO's on 20m around 0300UTC. All I have to play with at the moment is 100 watts and an inverted L fed with a tuner. My tribander is out of action for a while.

I look at it this way, you drink and drive, you know its wrong, so when you get popped and hauled in, ticketed and your insurance goes through the roof, THAT WAS YOUR CHOICE! The same for freebanding or whatever one chooses to call it (almost everyone has done it) but again we all know its not legal and its done anyways. When you get caught, you have nobody to complain to but yourself.

You know dynamite can eventually blow up, so if you play catch with it or store it in the basement and your house goes KABOOM, well again you knew that was a possibility. Im just saying we all know its not legal so maybe thats the thrill of it for some being that loudest rebel on the air? There is that chance of getting in trouble so when it happens, was it worth it? Some would say hell yeah, so what, I'll keep doing it. Some would I'm sure cry at the garnishing of paychecks. ITS YOUR CHOICE TO MAKE. I dont care who does what as long as it doesn't effect me .

We see people getting in trouble with this and people don't like it. They think it's right or agree but you still will run your radio where you want. Is there a lesson or warning? Usually not, but when that letter comes then its a problem and considered bullshit! You know it could happen so it is YOUR CHOICE. As far as wanting to make those awesome contacts, just do a little studying and get your ticket, it is easier now then ever.

My son turned 12 a day ago and he's about ready for his test in a few weeks. My wife and 13 year old daughter are doing it as well, all it takes is a little studying, if you are interested.

I like CB radio as well. We have a group that talks everynight and without using high power and we still have fun. To top it off, LSB on the upper part of the 40 channels!! Are we saints? Hell no, but we do have a good time. There are some of us that are amateur operators and alot that are not, never the less, they are still great long time friends. Again the ham ticket, YOUR CHOICE.

As far as late night activity on the amateur bands, listen to 3.843. I can't believe them boys even still have a ticket or haven't GOT ANY CITATION TICKETS for their rawness and stupidity at times. It's no better than freeband or CB craziness but yet I still listen in as I do CB.

I at times get irritated with the ham verses cb wars and slander. Not one group is better than the other, that is for sure, they both smash each other! It's like the Ford verses Chevy arguments, I dont care what anyone else does as long as it doesn't involve me.

RF splatter etc., they all have to leave one another alone, neither hobby will ever be stopped but it seems when a CB operator gets busted it turns into, you S.O.B. amateur operators! We didn't do it. We don't make the rules. We all know them, and if we don't follow them, that is up to us. We all make are own bed.

I like my SSB group on 11 meters, at times though, its tough to hear one another on 12 watts, all in all its still a blast. I just hate seeing stone throwing among CB and amateur operators. I feel stuck in the middle, I mean hell 90% of ham operators started somewhere and thats 11 meters and listening to freeband is what gets alot of people interested in ham radio. You listen and think wow, communicatons here is cool. Contacts can get even better with ham! I love it, it's another radio communications option and it has its benefits. I'll always have my friends on 11 meters and it's fun running these CB's after switching over from the HF and other 2 meter radios ETC.

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""""was not thinking of a cber sat with his makita screwdriver winding round the presets untill his meter said s9+60db from a guy on a handheld 15 miles away""""

hahaha just what I was thinking, get over hollingsworth.

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When I die, I want to go out just like my Grandpa did, in his sleep, and not like the screaming passenger on his motorcycle...

Any way you look at it, CW is a man who holds true to his convictions. He is like the Don Quixote of amateur radio.

I don't always agree with his posts or his stance but I will admit I admire the man for sticking to his guns.

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Radio. The Original Wireless Communication.

Excellence is Expected.
Perfection will be Tolerated.

We must all Agree to Disagree Agreeably.

Outlaw 151, North Alabama.

http://s236.photobucket.com/albums/f...RO151%20Shack/

cb is about dead. and ham is not getting many new operators. we all need to stick togeather or you will not have anybody to talk to.

Odd thing about CWmorse, he was recently on qrz posting something about hams revealing FEMA frequencies. As if the federal government would transmit anything classified without any encryption.

You have to wonder about somebody who hates CB so much.
Must secretly be a closet-CBer.

One thing about 11 meters that just hams just hate is that when 11 meter skip is hopping, 10 meters is deader than a door-nail.
When the sunspots are out, the 15 to 10 meter bands are better than 80, 40, and 20 meters ever could be. And 11 meters gives you that without all the red tape and old-fart baggage.

I must concede though, that having channel 19 on band-F landing on 28.085MHz is a major CB FAIL.

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"Y'all mind hanging back? You're jamming my frequencies" -- Tangina in Poltergeist

You know, CWMorse's posts remind me of Barney Fife's rants on the old Andy Griffith Show.

BTW, anybody who thinks CB is dead or dying hasn't been listening lately. There is massive activity on chans. 1,3,4,12,15,20, and 21 weekdays, and on every channel on weekends. At least where I live there is. Sunspot cycle 24 is just beginning, and over the next 2 years, 11 meter skip will grow like crazy. AND...hordes and hordes of amatuer operators using modified amatuer equipment (read "non type-accepted") will "invade" the 11 meter CB band. And I say, " BRING 'EM ON!" I don't care if I'm talking to a CBer, a Ham, or a truck stop hooker. I just enjoy talkin' on the radio...especially skip. I think it's time to stop the belly-aching about cber this, or ham that, or whatever, and just sit down in front of the mike, put the key down, and enjoy our hobby (which is one of the best in the world).

People like CWMorse don't have an agenda or vendetta. Their problem is that they don't have a life. Or..... what life they have is so miserable that they want everyone else to share in their misery. The best thing to do is ignore him. As far as I'm concerned, people like him aren't worth giving the time of day.

- 399

CW is a retired railroad clerk. I think he does have a agenda but that is just me thinking outload. Yes I think he is a radio rambo on the ham side of the issue. Board I think not. I think he is into airplanes,civil air patrol etc. CW is Just CW he can be helpful if he want's to be. but mostly a complainer of anything that hits his fancy for that day. Just like a old women.

WHAT is that supposed to mean? Looks like more proof that people don't know what they are talking about when it comes to frequencies.

i belive the statement is give an inch they will take a mile. and before anyone jumps im an avid cber and a ham second , but most cbers dont know where freeband ends and ham begins. some hams forget they came from the cb in the first place. the thing is if anyone wants beyond freeband and no trouble a ham ticket is easy enough to get now a days. but finger pointing and cring isnt getting no one no where