Texas star 667 trouble

[9C1Driver]

Klint, you have to double your power to gain 1/2 of an S unit. So right now if your 667 is doing say 550 honest watts you would have to step up to 1100 watts for anyone to notice.

 

[CCC GGG]

Yep when you realize going from 1500 Watts to 3000 Watts only adds 1/2 of an S unit (3 dB) it sure is pricey when you might not even illuminate the next segment of the far end receiver’s S meter. Even the gain of going from the typical 100 Watts PEP ham transceiver output to the legal max of 1500 Watts PEP is only 11.8 dB or slightly less than 2 S units. Where I’ve found even a few dB, say 6 dB, from tacking a 400 to 500 Watt amp onto a 100 Watt rig, really helps is when your signal at the far end receiver is close to the integrated noise power, such as with a marginal mobile antenna. Just raising the S/N ratio a few dB helps immensely. Whereas if you already have a decent S/N ratio, adding several dB of signal isn’t helpful; interference or ‘shoot out’ competitions notwithstanding. I know a lot of people say life’s too short for QRP but getting through with low transmit power is a cool challenge. On a backpacking trip with limited battery or solar power it’s all you can do. CW wins due to the lower noise power when the receiver bandwidth is narrowed way down.

 

[Slowmover]

Yep when you realize going from 1500 Watts to 3000 Watts only adds 1/2 of an S unit (3 dB) it sure is pricey when you might not even illuminate the next segment of the far end receiver’s S meter. Even the gain of going from the typical 100 Watts PEP ham transceiver output to the legal max of 1500 Watts PEP is only 11.8 dB or slightly less than 2 S units. Where I’ve found even a few dB, say 6 dB, from tacking a 400 to 500 Watt amp onto a 100 Watt rig, really helps is when your signal at the far end receiver is close to the integrated noise power, such as with a marginal mobile antenna. Just raising the S/N ratio a few dB helps immensely. Whereas if you already have a decent S/N ratio, adding several dB of signal isn’t helpful; interference or ‘shoot out’ competitions notwithstanding. I know a lot of people say life’s too short for QRP but getting through with low transmit power is a cool challenge. On a backpacking trip with limited battery or solar power it’s all you can do. CW wins due to the lower noise power when the receiver bandwidth is narrowed way down.

Well put. In a Class 8 semi tractor it can be exceedingly hard (and expensive) to abide by company rules yet work towards best antenna system.

At the end of that, some Watts really help. 40-50W a good start. 100W+ pretty much covers “reasonability”.

One is overcoming truck deficiencies.

That said, it’s funny as hell, IMO, Billy Big Rig is crankin the watts, but he himself cannot hear replies.

DSP in the audio chain is the other step. Necessary, as CB/Export is without it. Overcoming Radio deficiencies.

350-500W in a big truck is a joke. Otherwise an often huge irritant crowding others out. Not effective.

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve answered a question by A Big Radio and wondered why if I can hear him he can’t hear me.

• At 0330 today across flat Houston answered a radio check where air miles was 26.1.

A KL-203 or a bit more will do it.

.

 

[nomadradio]

Moving from 15 Watts to 30 Watts shows the same before-and-after difference at the other end as it would to go from 1500 to 3000 Watts.

Two-to-one boost is the same before-and-after difference no matter the starting point.

73

 

[Slowmover]

In a big truck, going from 4W to 40W will get you heard. Past that is almost only distance.