Why Do YOU Use an Amplifier?

[Slowmover]

You’re not the first, the other idea was a piece of 1/8” stainless plate extending across to the other side; bolted using factory fasteners.

I priced a piece of 1/8” stainless long enough to connect both fairings. $300+. Maybe I misunderstood. Woof!

OTOH, it’s still intriguing. I don’t know enough to be considered stupid, but got passed by a guy one night dragging a skateboard said he had a dipole setup. THAT would be slick off the fairings. (Let laughter ensue).

In the meantime have to make the short stick work. Stopped at Clays Radio Shop in San Antonio mid-month and ran a checklist on gear and truck with Robert.

While there I persuaded him to do a takeoff of the 579 Peterbilt door-mount exterior mirrors. There are no aftermarket mounts. I’d like to go back to my twin 7’ Skipshooter co-phase.

Early this year we’d done the same for the late model Freightliners. These are the SS result from his machine shop order. The Pete’s will be similar. Medium & Heavy Duty.

The antenna shown on the back of the sleeper in the earlier post pic is now a 5’ Skipshooter on an SS spring on a TOP GUN TECH SS antenna stud. Both antennas get above the trailer 4-5”.

Coax the weak link. (Replacing factory means interior disassembly. Ain’t happening). Have some RG8X with an FME end and weather boot end to replace it. Just haven’t found how to get it thru walls without drilling. The bunk HVAC System has a drain hose under the sleeper. (Wish me luck).

As before: with 50-70W I can get heard.

The back-of-fairing OEM 4’ was pitiful.

I started a thread on TR I’ll expand for the other drivers at my company interested in reasonable (decent) CB performance.

Here, it’s proven:

Uniden 980
RM ITALY KL203
West Mountain Radio ClearSpeaker
5’ Skipshooter on spring

All fits in factory cubby, runs off factory 15A circuit, and can hit 70W. Not 1-2/miles, but 3-5/miles and better (forward). Reception better than that.

The DSP Speaker will give anyone an about-face concerning the receive on these little UNIDENs. (“Thar’s gold in them thar hills!”). Noise? What noise?

Needs a soldered-end set of power lead with disconnects to run radio, speaker and amp off the binding posts. And upgrade amp wiring.

Done

Hear, and get heard.

.

 

[357magnum]

I must say W2 is correct but we all know that ! Antenna , Antenna , Antenna ! When I ran my Moonraker years back during a cycle I chatted WW ! Never ran an amp . No need but Hurricane Gloria put that Big Kite to It's final resting place !

 

[jon666]

never needed a amp. last solar sunspot talked all around the world with 4 watts

 

[binrat]

Life is too short for QRP.
Mike

Hey, that hurts, oh wait no longer QRP. I ran QRP (or should I say near QRP) for 2 years while doing SOTA. Last spring I got skunked on 1 summit. After an hour I only had 3 contacts. Now I'm running 35-40 watts and am making 10-30 contacts per summit. So for me, I use an amp to ensure I get at least 4 contacts after hiking 2-6 miles one way.

 

[jon666]

to each there own

 

[W2EKG]

Because life's too short for QRP.

 

[jon666]

i can talk worldwide on 4 watts. is more of a challenge. then full power
this is why i qrp

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

I can talk local on 4w but when skip is running, I need power to talk local let alone DX.

 

[jon666]

i talk skip all the time on low power.i can bump it up if needed. i have many amps here in the shack.

 

[snow bird]

i talk skip all the time on low power.i can bump it up if needed. i have many amps here in the shack.

I use my little box to hear up the room on cold Days A foot warmer And a coffiee Pot holder LOL

 

[L2]

I don't use one either.

 

[drgrant]

I usually use low power for local stuff unless needed, but when the bands open up... having extra juice on tap is generally a good thing. It makes life a lot easier. There's a big difference in that first thousand watts.

-Mike

 

[jon666]

dont need any more power than what comes out of my radio.
talked all over the world qrp why change now. i admit i have several amps here. never had a need to hook them up. in the car i would use one

 

[357magnum]

jon , yesterday was a good day 40+ db's into NC , no amp on my Cobra 2k , did the same mobile but 250 watts . Then again mobile is a bad habit , I just hit the switch .

 

[jon666]

cool got to get my radios out of storage. getting ready to get out of this hoa