The 10 Meter Battle

[C W Morse]

As recent as last Spring, it was not uncommon for CBers to be heard on the 10 Meter band. I realize that *some* of it is due to conditions during this sunspot cycle. However, I know that there USED to be quite a lot of decidedly LOCAL activity up and down Interstate 85 which would not be affected by 'skip'. These days one can listen to the lower end of 28 MHZ and rarely hear a trucker transmitting. So I'll ask a few questions for the sake of civil discussion.

Do you think it is due to the lack of "skip"?

Is it due to the discussions about the problem on both CB and Amateur forums?


How about publishing of FCC busts on ham, CB, and truck forums?


For awhile, hams were vigorously monitoring the 10 and 12 Meter bands and reporting visual sightings of people transmitting on these bands to FCC. What impact do you think this had the apparent reduction of illegal transmissions on the 10 Meter band?


Do you think truck drivers quickly spread the word among fellow drivers that this was illegal and FCC was sending warning notices?

What about the notices to companies? What impact do you think this had in, for example, requiring their drivers to remove "export" radios?


I am sure this activity will pick up as the 11 year cycle improves, but the fact remains that, at this time, LOCAL use of the 10 Meter band seems to have greatly reduced and the FCC enforcement against trucks has lessened. IOW, while one may, at times, hear an illegal station far off, there is little or no local action on 28 MHZ.

So, while being civil, what has made the most impact on the problem of illegal operators on the Amateur bands?

73

CWM

 

[Peddler]

I feel nothing,,,,there is also a decided drop in CB useage as well due to the skip cycle. I think the two mirror each other...

 

[Sonwatcher]

I personally don't know anyone that does this though I did hear it happen one time. I think it has more to do with truckers looking for a clean area to talk. I know the cb band during the day is very hard to talk local for all the noise. I would think maybe the drop is more do to whoever has been doing it may have been tipped to it being an illegal band they were in as you said. I've said before that unless a person has been educated to Ham frequencies and their location on the band that I think "where" they are may not be intentional. What I mean is that they may knowingly be out of the cb band but not realize they are in the Ham band. So I think word of mouth may be playing a big part as well as education in the forums for the decrease. I think sometimes we as members of a forum assume that even though we realize there is cb activity in the "freeband" area that there wasn't the problem there has been in the Amateur area.But like I said , before I studied for Ham I didn't know where the Ham area started. Hopefully the decline will continue.

 

[C2]

there was a 10 meter battle?

 

[bandaid kid]

I don't hear a thing. It may be due to having no HF antenna up at the moment......

 

[chipotle]

I monitor 10 meters all the time and hear nothing. I wish it was as crowded as everyone seems to say.

 

[C W Morse]

O

That's just it! IT SEEMS so now. So is it due to the factors I mentioned, a combination of all these things? It used to be I could drive the interstates around here and hear/see LOTS of trucks on 28.085 AM. I copyed ONE yesterday AM and it seemed to be some distance away. If the traffic HAS lessened, that's a GOOD thing!


CWM

 

[chipotle]

Less traffic is a good thing, unless there is no one to talk with. In that case I just slip in a CD.

 

[snoope]

BOREDOM ..


The folks with nothin' to do but listen have gone back to their "REAL" lives The "Spanish" channel runs in cycles up here and the "Big Trash Base" stations are getting bored channel "surfing"...(takes less energy to stay on 19 am )....When needed, "Up a click" still works even down on the lower end of AM land 8) AND I have not been told to "get off my AIR WAVES" yet...
And I can yell 100 yds.,these here Export Magnums can get out near a country mile or 20+ .......40,ROGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE


Snoope back quiet

 

[C W Morse]

BOREDOM ..


The folks with nothin' to do but listen have gone back to their "REAL" lives The "Spanish" channel runs in cycles up here and the "Big Trash Base" stations are getting bored channel "surfing"...(takes less energy to stay on 19 am )....When needed, "Up a click" still works even down on the lower end of AM land 8) AND I have not been told to "get off my AIR WAVES" yet...
And I can yell 100 yds.,these here Export Magnums can get out near a country mile or 20+ .......40,ROGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

But do you even KNOW "up a click" puts you? Just curious.

CWM


Snoope back quiet

 

[embalmer42]

i must admit this is fun to read !!!!!!!!!!!! :roll:

 

[snoope]

I bet if I stay at a Holiday Inn Express,I would know :idea: ....
With the 'lil frequency counter showing "pretty BLUE #'s" we know where we are..and considering we only go "UP" when AM is too busy.. ( to avoid the long winded chit-chatters) We get more work done,material moved and everyone prospers from that 8) ..

Bobby,I'm glad to see you like the "Educational value" of all this :roll: :roll: ...and CW, How is that 'ole Ford doing :?: :?:

And last thing,Do you guys really want me to get my "TICKET" 8) :shock:



Snoope back quiet

 

[freecell]

there are many contributing factors. of course, if they don't
belong there and the radio won't go there then they won't be there.

http://forum.worldwidedx.com/viewtopic.php?p=32061&highlight=vco+voltage+controlled+oscillator#32061

 

[yama junk owna]

Now as far as what it would take to change things, that is a long answer, I think better radios that are cpu controlled would help a lot, ( do away with vr's and that stops the golden screwdrivers) with better radios there could be more channels by using 5khz steps instead of ten, why not use fm on part of the freqs? These are things that can be done and not touch anybody else's freqs. As far as ham goes there needs to be a entry level ticket that is in line with todays world, in that most people are not going to go to the trouble to learn what is now required just to try it, where as if the test was say ten questions common sense type things more people would a least try ham for a while. I know some of you are saying dumb it down, but that is not what I am saying leave the general and everything else the way it is just make it more attractive to the new guy, and when he shows interest elmer him instead of making fun of him! And if he says 10 fer BIG DEAL!!!!!!!


I posted this in another thread but I think it fits here as well. I just don't hear the big problem then or now that 10 meters is susposed to be in to start with!!!!

 

[AudioShockwav]

Freecell:

i have already commented on this once before. kill the VCO @ 27.995 in these export rigs unless the proper license is presented and don't worry about it. that's our pro-active contribution and the closest thing to a solution that i know of.

if the goal is to keep them below 28.000 this is one answer.

I agree with you 100%, but how do we get the "rest" of the shops to do it?
Snoope has a good idea as well with the CPU programed to allow Ten, or Mars/Cap/FB, but not both. So how do we get Mr Ping to have a chip burned?


73
Jeff