11-Meter Renaissance??

[Quiksilver]

Hello group,
Been out of the 11-meter loop for 10+ years, and now just getting back into it. Seems like a lot of folks that left 11-meters years ago, are now getting back in. QSO's and 11-meter traffic seems to allude to my observations. Is this accurate? Or has 11-meters kept it strength over the years.
Aloha!

 

[TM86]

I think it's a combination of factors.

1. The sunspot cycle fueling DX drawing people in. There seems to be a spike in interest around the high point of every cycle.

2. People who were into CB during it's heyday are now retired or retiring soon and so have more time for hobby pursuits. I think this will keep CB alive locally when the sunspot cycle is at it's upcoming low point.

Of course, I could be full of crap.

 

[sp5it]

Traffic seem to be bigger, because of good propagation.
But CB is dying. Slowly and boringly.
In Poland I can listen road channel for days, almost all the time quiet. No cars with antennas, nor on homes.
Mike

 

[unit_399]

Traffic seem to be bigger, because of good propagation.
But CB is dying. Slowly and boringly.
In Poland I can listen road channel for days, almost all the time quiet. No cars with antennas, nor on homes.
Mike

Pretty much the same everywhere

 

[sp5it]

Want CB renaissance? Kill internet and cell phones. Voila. 11m would be as busy as before.
Mike

 

[Crawdad]

Just for giggles about 10 minutes ago, before seeing this thread, I tuned to 11m to see if it was as open and busy as the upper HF bands were today. It was alive and kicking with the usual screaming, f-bombs and threats of gun violence. I heard one normal happy QSO on .375 LSB. All is well.

 

[Rwb]

Want CB renaissance? Kill internet and cell phones. Voila. 11m would be as busy as before.
Mike

i second that motion. im busy n that sunnaB rings n its a fluke call. lately for some reason i sorta shut mine off lots or listed to spotify. only good with them lil phones

 

[BC Coyote]

Hello group,
Been out of the 11-meter loop for 10+ years, and now just getting back into it. Seems like a lot of folks that left 11-meters years ago, are now getting back in. QSO's and 11-meter traffic seems to allude to my observations. Is this accurate? Or has 11-meters kept it strength over the years.

We are at the peak of the 11 year solar cycle right now, so stations from all around the world are booming in. Peaks of the cycle always coincide with an increase in interest from folks. In five years from now there will be only local activity and there will be tons and tons of used radios for sale as people find out there is nobody to talk to without the skip conditions.

A more accurate way of determining the level of overall interest is to count the number of CB antennas on cars and trucks. I'm on the west coast and back in the 1970's and 1980's heyday of CB you would see antennas on 100% of big trucks, and maybe 25% of other vehicles. Now it is 2025 and I only see CB antennas on maybe 20% of big rigs, and very very very rarely on any other kind of vehicle....maybe 1 or 2% of cars and small trucks. You almost never see CB base antennas up on houses anymore either.....lots of ham radio antennas, but not much for CB. Within 100 miles of my base there are maybe a dozen other CB ops, all on sideband, and most of them are only rarely heard on the air. There has been nothing at all, zilch, on AM CB here since the very early 2000's.

TLDR: There is no CB renaissance happening, but skip will be booming for another couple years.

 

[FlyBoy50]

When the gas well drilling crews were in the area 11 meter AM was hopping and you could find talking every where on am. Now the area is dead for 11 meter AM and if it wasn't for skip when it rolls, you might better take a nap. Once in a while if your next to the interstate you can get a radio check but don't hold your breath and truckers don't like to jabber jaw anymore. Times change and people change!