Why Do YOU Use an Amplifier?

[loosecannon]

cyberrider,

in a mobile set up, with a barefoot CB radio (4 watt carrier or "dead key") you can expect roughly a 5-15 mile range. obviously terrain will affect this greatly.

so if you consider that by the time you are fading out of someone's receive, you are barely moving their S meter.

if you were to increase your carrier 4x (16 watts), you would now hit that same receiver with an S-1 or so, and would be able to drive a little further before you faded out of their receive again.

once you faded out again, if you increased your power another 4x (64 watts) then you would be back up to S-1 on that person's meter again.

if you did it again, (256 watts) then you would be back at S-1 again.

by looking at it this way, you can see how beneficial it would be to be able to instantly increase your carrier from 4 watts to say, 200 watts using an amplifier.

it's that initial huge increase in power from 4 watts that is the big gain of having an amplifier.

after that, it becomes about money. how much do i want to spend in order to get that next "s-unit"?

if you bought a two transistor amp, you would now have an increase from a 4 watt carrier to about a 50 watt carrier, and it cost you between 100-200 dollars to do it.

that next step up in amplifier will have to be to a 200 watt carrier to get the next S-unit in someone's receive, and that amp is going to cost you quite a bit more money.

also, at this level and above, you have to start considering things like alternator amperage and other caveats that show up when using large amounts of RF.

it's a law of diminishing returns, and it can get expensive quick.

this is precisely why you will see the majority of mobile CB users running either a two transistor, or a four transistor amplifier. it's the most bang for the buck.

hope this helps,
LC

 

[Jay Mojave]

Why do I run a amp, its complicated! As a teen ager at the time of the CB raze in the 1970's we always wanted to talk farther and "Get Out" better. Its human nature to want to do better, and things start to be a drag race in radio.

As the CB radio Service was set up after the Soviet Sputnik Satellite scare in the late 1950's the Eisenhower Administration went Co Co for Coco Puffs to get the country into the Sciences and Technologies in one giant leap. Billions of dollars were spent all over the country to add science, math, chemistry, and shop class's all over the country in junior and high schools. My High School got a new Science Building and new Industrial Arts, shop buildings and more teachers in the Technologies.

And the CB radio Service was made, wisely bypassing the Amateur Radio Service to induce two way radio in a short range radio communications system. Most CB radios in the late 1950's did not have a S-Meter, but when they did add a S-Meter I think the radio drag race started. "How am I ah hittin yeah" "Did that make any difference"......

The CB radio Service has served the country well getting tens of thousands of people interested in Electronics and Radio Communications. I know I am one of them. And on to bigger and better things in work and Ham radio.

I use to have a old Johnson 100 and a Palomar Pulser Amp that did 22 watts, oh what a criminal. Dad use to give me a 20 dollar Bill to run up to the mountain top and advertise the local Sunland Tujunga Ca (just above the San Fernando Valley) CB Break before the Break was held. A very large man a trucker barked out the he wanted to meet that squickey sounded voiced kid that he could hear from San Diego to Bakersfield Ca. That's me sir, he shock my hand and said my amp was a working.

Maybe someone should start a thread on "You know your Linears ah Hummin and ah Buzzin when"

Jay in the Great Mojave Desert

 

[w9cll]

Amp? What is this strange word everyone is talking about?

Ok truth be told I did have one amp, a Sonar BR-21 that did about 50watts. I rarely used it but I did have it. As a ham now I have never found the need for an amp, yes true I don't run 75 meters where you almost need 1000 watts but I have talked all over the world on $15 of wire and a 100 watt rig. It's funny when I start to think about getting an amp I always find a way to talk myself out of it.

 

[357magnum]

I lived in a neighborhood years back before cable TV was in our area , I ran a 10 tube Phantom back then , I got tired of people Knocking on my door complaining and stopped using an amp Completely for years before someone else came ' Knocking " @ my door . Now I live in the sticks and run and old Gray 200 , other than playing in the Super Bowl it does the job for me .JMO

 

[BJ radionut]

playing in the Super Bowl it does the job for me .JMO

Leo: OMFG!
Gave you more credit!
All the Best
Gary

 

[Hurricane145]

It's a great way to get to know your neighbors!!

 

[Dmans]

It's a great way to get to know your neighbors!!

But you can't be expected to be invited over for the cook-out!

73's
David

 

[codeman]

I probably wouldn't like their cooking anyway!

 

[357magnum]

NO Gary , I'm a lot older an wiser ! My Super Bowl days ended over 40 years ago when that amp went south and I was a Smart Arse Kid ! 73 and God Bless , Leo

 

[jon666]

i dont im a mud duck

 

[Handy Andy]

Why use an Amplifier?

You meet people you never knew lived around you - and no offense, some you don't want to meet ever again.

There's the added benefits of winning awards and a certain type of notoriety that follows the "fool with that **** antenna lightning rod" to paraphrase...

Like

Worked All Neighbors - send Xmas cards!
Worked All Houses - (My favorite) be sure to keep extra candy around for Halloween and be extra mindful of others during the holidays - nothing like keeping up with the Jones'...

So be ready to entertain guests that will stop by to let you know you've won - WAH and or WAN - you may get both!

 

[Slowmover]

Today’s Class 8 company-spec trucks aren’t CB-friendly. That any equipment installed by the factory is present solely to keep drivers (by company orders) from messing up truck electronics. It’s not about best performance.

I’ve a five foot Fiberglas ca. 1997 Wilson Silver Load to replace the short factory antenna. On back of cab (579 Pete). Gets about six inches above the 53’ van.

A Uniden 885 Bearcat Hybrid CB/Scanner in the factory overhead where the coax, external speaker and binding posts are located. Then had Ray Brashear (Rays CB Shop, West Memphis, AR) install heavier power wiring plus a disconnect so I could Velcro an RM-Italy KL203P to the radio top. Use of ONLY factory-installed coax & power.

An Astatic D104-M6B at present. The speaker is at far left; lines up with left edge of steering g wheel (Not bad)

Without the amp I’m almost mute. With it, about three miles when behind two others in heavily-wooded Arkansas on the Interstate. Similar forward in other other situations.

My reception distance is somewhat better than that.

Stuck in FL this morning not far from one of the most irritating base operators around. Never shuts up. Ruins the whole thing. If that’s the idea of adding an amp, then it’s too narrow a definition.

I may do more (experiment), but at least a minimum-reasonable TX distance is available.

(In the cubby to the left of the radio is the factory-installed GPS tracking device).



.

 

[w9cll]

Without the amp I’m almost mute. With it, about three miles when behind two others in heavily-wooded Arkansas on the Interstate. Similar forward in other other situations.

Did I read this right? Three miles WITH the amp? Something is seriously wrong with the antenna.

 

[Slowmover]

(Added pic of antenna)

Three miles confirmed. I’m pretty sure of a 5-7/mile conversation when I was approaching an Interstate with a wreck.

Should have been here when I tried with factory piece that was about a foot short of the spoiler. Ha!

On a different model truck with sideview mirror mounts and co-phased 7’ Skipshooters, custom power harness, a few extra devices to clean up noise, etc. 10-15 Miles reliably. Came down to other man’s equipment.

If you wonder why truckers aren’t so enamored of CB, this current truck is an example. Usual factory is a pair on either side of cab.

Pay for truckers isn’t high. Better than many/most unskilled labor jobs, but on-road living expenses will put a hurt on your wallet. So, the expense is a problem.

Second, whom to trust to set the thing up?

Then an idiot like North Tampa who never shuts up . . . .

This thread being about amps, my posts are simply confirmation of earlier comments: I can be heard at a reasonable (useable) range.

I’ve a longer thread on Truckers Report to be specific as to overall system improvements.

.

 

[Tallman]

It's a great way to get to know your neighbors!!

I would rather meet them with out them carrying weapons and torches.
I lived in a apartment and had the crankiest person living down stairs. He would be knocking on my door because somebody was walking too heavy and he could hear it. The sound of a stereo would have him flying up the stairs going crazy on the door. Well we quit using the stereo while we lived there and from time to time he still went nuts about the stereo.

On moving day I laid my speakers face down and did all of the bass boost possible and played the tune "Barracuda" at about 50% power and ignored the door for a couple of minutes. I turned everything off stood my speakers up. He was frothing at the mouth and bug eyed bat shit crazy. The Police showed up at just the right moment and took him away for disturbing the peace. It was another neighbor of his that was driving him nuts. As they were packing him down the sidewalk we could hear cheering and all of a sudden loud music was being played every where. I loved it!