CB Radio 1996 03

MARCH 1996
from the Publishers of POPULAR COMMUNICATIONS
•petting Instant WeatherwormaYour CB

• Using Your CB In ah Emergency
••
GBs and Scanner e A Great Mix!
•Skiing With CB!
•Radar Detectors What You Need To Know
•Product Highlights: The Cobra 2010 GTL
and Shakespeare Super Big Stick
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CIRCLE , 17 ON READER SERVICE CARD
from the Publishers of POPULAR COMMUNICATIONS
MARCH 1996 VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1
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Page 4 Page 6 Page 8
FEATURES Antenna Rotor Installation—Doing It Right 18

The First Time
There's more to installation than bolting the rotor to
Staying Safe Despite Winter's Wrath 4 your antenna and turning the dial.
Find out what to do when winter strikes. By Ed Hammond, WN1I
By The National Weather Service
The Emergency & Backpacking Special 67
CB vs. Ham: There's Room for Both 6 For a few bucks and a few minutes, you can build a
When the chips are down, you can count on folks 27 MHz antenna. Here's how.
with radios to help out. CBers or hams, there IS room By Kent Britain
to work together.
By Bill Simpson, N9NMT
COLUMNS
Instant Weather at the Flick of a Switch CB Applications 20
8
Sidebander's Shack 24
Your NOAA weather-equipped CB is more than a Frequency Fastrack 27
weather report—it's alifesaver! Ask Bill 28
By The National Weather Service CB Report 32
Tech Talk With Gordo 36
CB Clubs—Are They For You? 12 Tomcat's Time Warp 50
From membership certificates to attending meetings, REACTing With Radio 56
CB clubs can be a lot of fun. Here, we present some Truckin' With CB 62
information to help you decide if you should become Northern CB 64
amember or even start your own club. Antennas, Etc 68
By Bob Stanczyk, AIC-969-NY International CB 70
Mobile Electronics News 72
Used CB Radios: Bargains or Baloney? 14 Scanners: User Friendly 76
Thinking about buying a used CB? There are some
things you should know before you go for your wal- DEPARTMENTS
let—Tom Kneitel tells you what they are. Mail Call 3
By Tom Kneitel, K2AES/SSB-13 CB Jamboree and Club News 11
FCC Info 23
The CB Frequency Counter— 17 Trucker of the Month 31
Product Spotlight 42
The Latest Readout
REACTer of the Month 55
A neat accessory—or something you really need?— State of the Month 60
You decide. CBer of the Month 80
By Bill Crosier Over and Out 82
This month's cover: Police take a statement from a Neighborhood Watch Patrol with his CB radio. Picture was made with the help of the Long
Branch, NJ Police. Photo by Larry Mulvehill, WB2ZPL
March 1996/ CB Radio / 1

CB Forum EDITORIAL STAFF
Harold Ort, N2RLUSSB-596
Editor
EDITORIAL Nancy Barry

Associate Editor
Steve Adams Scanning
Ed Barnat, TCA 44 Sideband
W
elcome to the first issue of CB vers to folks who have discovered CB is Kent Britain Antennas
Radio magazine—YOUR CB awonderful way to make new friends and Tom Kneitel, K2AES/SSB-13 .CB Nostalgia
magazine—the only one of its stay in touch. Ron McCracken REACT
kind in North America. Your magazine is I've spent plenty of time over the past Alex McPherson International CB
Larry Miller, KCZ-8847 CB News
exclusively for the CB enthusiast; whether few months getting a superb army of
Bill Price, N3AVY/"Chiseler" O&A
you're into using your CB for getting or columnists together. The names you see Brynly Roberts Canadian CB
giving help while traveling, talking across in the masthead are the best in the CB Bill Simpson, N9NMT/"Highlander" Truckin'
town or exploring the wonders of CB side- business. A sincere thanks and 'turn of Judy Simpson, KAD-9669/N9NSI GMRS
Gordon West, WB6NOA Technical
band. As an added bonus, we've includ- the beam' to all of them for making our
Andrew Yoder Applications
ed columns on the General Mobile and magazine a reality. A special thank you Contributing Editors
new Family Radio Service, and scanning. to John Barrett whose illustrations appear
Both, we feel, go hand-in-hand with CB. in this issue.
BUSINESS STAFF
Notice that we said it's YOUR maga- What's coming up in CB Radio maga-
Richard A. Ross, K2MGA
zine. If there's something you like, please zine? Besides our regular columns, we'll Publisher
let us know. On the other hand, if we're have special features on subjects rang- John Dorr, K1AR
doing something you don't like, let us ing from lightning protection to CB clubs. General Manager
And each month we'll highlight aspecif- Donald Allen, N9ALK
know that, too. And since it's your maga-
National Advertising Manager
zine, we need your input; your shack pho- ic CB product, giving you the latest infor- Frank V. Fuzia
tos, QSLs, articles and ideas. How do you mation available on it—with photos. We'll Controller
use your CB? How has it helped you, a give it a healthy workout, reporting our Simon Schatzmann
friend or a member of your family? Are findings directly to you. Circulation Director
Catherine Ross
you avolunteer channel 9monitor? What Because we CBers like to hit the road
Circulation Manager
are your personal CB experiences help- with our radios, often taking the long way Melissa Nitschke
ing travelers? home, we'll also have special features on Operations Manager
What if you're just getting started in CB? driving safety (we could ALL use a few Denise Pyne
pointers, don't you agree?) and crime Customer Service
A good CB transceiver can cost as little
as $50, to as much as several hundred watch features all designed to let you
dollars. You can get an AM-only rig or full- squeeze out afew more precious days to PRODUCTION STAFF
featured sideband (SSB) CB that often use your radios! Dorothy Kehrwieder
Production Manager
includes features like NOAA weather So whether you're aweekend CBer, a
Emily Kreutz
reception, instant weather alert and a REACT or other volunteer monitor, or full- Assistant Production Manager
multitude of other items to make your time CB hobbyist, it's time to join the mil- Elizabeth Ryan
CBing more rewarding and fun. Have you lions of others who have discovered that Art Director
CB is indeed everyone's radio. Barbara Terzo
shopped around for antennas and acces-
Associate Art Director
sories? Why not also pick up a copy of Susan Oliver
our CB Buyer's Guide, available from our Harold Oil has been an active CBer for Assistant Art Director
Hicksville, New York office. It's got write- 30 years, first being licensed as KCS- Edmond Pesonen
ups on a multitude of antennas, acces- Electronic Composition Manager
0447 in upstate New York. He worked Pat Le Blanc
sories and of course, CB radios. as a radio broadcaster before joining Electronic Composition
If you're one of the many folks who have the Army in 1971 where he served for Hal Keith
re-discovered Citizens Band radio, 20 years in public affairs, his career cul- Illustrator
you're in for a pleasant surprise. What Larry Mulvehill, WB2ZPI
minating with atour near the Kuwait bor- Photographer
began in 1958 and later became the der during Operation Desert Storm. (He
unruly child of the airwaves, CB has took a handheld scanner along—no A publication of
become an inexpensive alternative to
n
one said he couldn't!) His byline has
high cellular phone costs, and an espe- CO Communications, Inc.
appeared in numerous magazines and 76 North Broadway
cially reliable travelers aid, and a great newspapers including USA Today Hicksville, NY 11801-USA.
way to simply have fun. There are no International edition, Stars & Stripes Offices: 76 North Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801. Telephone:
roaming charges, no air time charges, no and Popular Communications maga- 516 681-2922. FAX: 516 681-2926. CB Radio magazine
license required; therefore there's no limit zine. Harold is a member of the
(ISSN 1086-0991) is published monthly by CO Communications,
Inc. Entire contents copyrighted 1996 by CO Communications, Inc.
on the many uses of your CB. Certainly American International CB Club. He CO Communications, Inc., has extended its best efforts to create a
there are some basic federal rules that also enjoys monitoring international
useful and accurate CB Radio magazine. We recognize, however,
that despite this, errors and omissions may occur. Should any be
must be obeyed, but for the most part it shortwave and all kinds of scanner observed, please inform us so that we may correct them in the next
all boils down to using common courtesy communications, especially aircraft.
edition. CO Communications, Inc. disclaims any and all liability
resulting from such errors or omissions.
on the airwaves. And let's be honest, cer- Primarily active on SSB, Harold, SSB- Printed in the United States of America.
tainly there are those bad apples who ruin 596, frequently monitors channel 9 Postmaster: Please send change of address to CO Communications,
the day for everyone else with their on-air from home, and uses channel 19 when
Inc., 76 North Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801.
antics. (After all, it is the citizens band). traveling. He is a licensed radio ama- CO Communications, Inc. is publisher of CO The Radio Amateurs
Your CB Radio magazine is focused on teur (N2RLL).
Journal, Popular Communications, MicroComputer Journal,
Electronic Servicing 8. Technology, CO Radio Amateur (Spanish CO),
avariety of readers, from professional dri- Communications Quarterly, CO Amateur Radio Equipment Buyer's
Guide,C0 Amateur Radio Beginner's Guide, Popular Communications
Communications Guide, and CB Radio Buyer's Guide.
2 /CB Radio /March 1996

MailCall
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The Questions You Ask.
Dear Editor: radio should too. interest grew, Iwould have loved to have
Iwas listening to channel 19 this week- Ialso have interests in VHF and UHF found a CB magazine and still would. I
end and was surprised to hear some real- scanning. Iwas glad to see your article have also been buying Popular
ly disgusting language from the truckers. on this in the CB Buyer's Guide. Ihave Communications on a regular basis and
Isn't there something we can do about also monitored most of the ham bands enjoy it also.
this problem? and am not interested in getting my ama- Steven Felix, N3SDV, Pennsylvania
(M. Opperman, NY) teur radio license. Most of the conversa-
tions were very technical or boring, in my Dear Steven,
Dear M,: opinion. Iam however getting more inter- Sounds like you're into CB in abig way!
You aren't the only one who is offend- ested in single sideband. Ihave enclosed And congratulations on getting your ham
ed, and certainly won't be the last. But a large listing of CB terms that I've com- ticket. I'm finding that there are plenty of
let's clear the air about just who uses piled over the years that you may like to hams who are also CBers. Maybe we
words on CB they wouldn't use around publish in one of your magazines. should say there are plenty of CBers who
their mother—far too many operators, Curtis George a.k.a. "Rocky Raccoon", are also hams.
AND they aren't all truckers! In fact I've Maryland
heard some salty language from some Dear Editor:
women operators. Dear Curtis, Ihave a problem with the article by
What it's all about is aphenomenon of Many thanks for your comments about Jock Elliott in your 1996 CB Radio Buyer's
hiding behind the mic and saying what our 1996 CB Buyer's Guide. We feel most Guide. If all the activity above channel 40
comes to mind. It's alot like the one-brick- CBers share your same interests; getting and below channel 1is illegal, why is it in
short-of-a-full load folks who make the most out of CB radio, whether it's help- your magazine?
obscene phone calls and other odd balls ing others or simply having fun on the J. Leonard, NJ
we must contend with. Our best advice is radio, and VHF/UHF scanning. We're
to ignore them, because like all bad glad to be part of your hobby! Dear J:
apples, eventually they go away and no Be sure to check out page 35 of this Well, J., It doesn't have anything to do
one misses them. issue of CB Radio magazine for your CB with our encouraging or even agreeing
Terms. Thanks again, Curtis. with what some folks do. There will always
Dear Editor: be those wild and crazy ones just "dying"
My CBing days stopped afew months Dear Editor: to get that 90 mph speeding ticket, with-
ago when my new mobile was stolen from Ihave owned and used CBs for the last out wearing seat belts; and there will
our car. The doors were locked, but the 22 years. Ihave installed them in every always be those operators who decide
thief broke awindow and took the CB and vehicle Ihave owned since I was 19 years the frequency spectrum is their own per-
my radar detector. Iread Bill Price's arti- old, but my interest started back in my sonal property. Of course both are self-
cle in the CB Buyer's Guide, but it was younger years. Ihave used CB as atruck- ish, reckless and foolish.
too late for me. Please tell your readers er for years and have since "graduated" And as responsible media (remember,
how important it is to safeguard their valu-
to operating heavy equipment. The com- we didn't create the problem) newspa-
able electronic equipment. Take it out of pany Iam working for have CBs in all the pers, magazines and TV will be reporting
the car when you're away or put it in the machines ...Ihave fabricated clip-on on it. A fresh way to look at freebanding
trunk. By the way, Ireally enjoyed the CB and boom microphones with remote is that it's like listening to Howard Stern;
Guide and have told my friends about it. switches on the machine controls and there's no hard evidence—even from
(R. Johnson, Milwaukee, WI) other small gadgets. This interest in Uncle Charlie—saying it's harming any-
radios led me to get my Tech amateur one. It would, however, be to everyone's
Dear R,: license (N3SDV) and Iam in the process benefit for those desiring to operate "out
Sounds like you've learned avaluable of upgrading. Ijust recently bought my of band" to pursue aham ticket. Let's face
lesson about basic vehicle security. And first SSB CB, which is aUniden PC 122XL. it, between CB and amateur frequencies,
thanks for picking up acopy of the Guide. Beautiful little radio for the price. Now that if there isn't enough out there to keep an
you know where Iam coming from, my operator busy, there's something wrong
Dear Editor: reason for writing is to agree with you that with the operator!
Ihad to write to tell you how much I there is enough interest in CBs for a"CB
enjoyed the CB Radio Buyer's Guide. I Radio" magazine. When my technical
have been looking for quite some time for
a magazine devoted entirely (or mostly)
We invite reader's letters and comments. Write to me at CB Radio magazine,
to CB radio. ...it seems like every type
ATTN: Mail Call, 76 North Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801.
of hobby has its own magazine; I think CB
March 1996 /CB Radio /3

Staying Safe Pespite
Winter's Wrath
Winter brings with it a host of problems—it's important to
know what to do when it strikes.
BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
,.......-
a
W
hether you're headed for the hills include loss of feeling and awhite or pale While waiting for medical help to arrive,
or an outing in the city, being pre- appearance in extremities; fingers, toes, begin warming the person slowly. Warm
pared for the worst Mother Nature ear lobes or the tip of the nose. Once the body core first. If needed, use your own
can dish out can be alife saver. symptoms are detected, get medical help body heat to help. DO NOT warm the
It's no secret that freezing tempera- immediately! In the meantime, slowly extremities first. Doing so drives cold
tures can cause severe damage to rewarm affected areas. However, it's blood toward the heart and can lead to
crops, that pipes can freeze and burst always agood idea to warm the body core heart failure. Get the person into dry cloth-
and ice jams may form in rivers and before the extremities if the person is ing, and wrap them in awarm blanket cov-
streams causing serious flooding. But showing signs of hypothermia. ering the head and neck. DO NOT give the
prolonged exposure to the cold can This extremely dangerous condition, person alcohol, drugs, coffee or any hot
cause frostbite or hypothermia, and can resulting from prolonged exposure to beverage or food. Warm broth is better.
become life-threatening. cold, is characterized by uncontrollable
shivering, memory loss, disorientation,
incoherence, slurred speech, drowsi- Using Common Sense BEFORE
Frostbite and Hypothermia ness and apparent exhaustion. If you're You're aStatistic
able to, take the person's temperature. If
Frostbite is damage to body tissue it's below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, imme- One of the best ways to stay safe in a
when it becomes frozen. Symptoms diately seek medical care! winter storm is to be prepared. Listen to
4 / CB Radio /March 1996

• A Winter Storm Warning means walkie-talkie, your battery power is vital
severe winter conditions have begun or during emergencies. Conserve power by
are about to begin in your area. Stay keeping the volume low and transmitting
indoors! If you're outdoors, try to find for brief periods at a time. IF you don't
shelter and stay dry, covering all exposed hear an immediate response, turn the unit
parts of your body. If there isn't any exist- off for afew minutes.
ing shelter, prepare alean-to, wind-break Make yourself visible to rescuers; turn
or snow cave for protection from the wind. on the vehicle dome light at night when
Also try to build afire for heat and to attract running the engine, and tie acloth (prefer-
attention. If possible, place rocks around ably red) to your antenna or door. After
the fire to absorb and reflect heat. snow stops falling you should raise the
DO NOT eat snow. It will lower your vehicle's hood, indicating trouble. Also,
body temperature. Melt it first! exercise from time to time by vigorously
•A Blizzard Warning means snow and moving your arms, fingers and toes to
strong winds will combine to produce a keep blood circulating.
blinding snow with near zero visibility,
deep drifts and life-threatening wind chill.
Seek refuge immediately! At Home or in aBuilding
•A Winter Weather Advisory means
winter weather conditions are expected If you're fortunate enough to be out of
to cause significant inconveniences and the driving wind and snow, close off
may be hazardous. If caution is exer- unneeded rooms to conserve heat.
cised, these situations should not Placing towels or rags in cracks under
become life-threatening. The greatest doors will also conserve precious heat.
hazard is often to motorists. When using alternative heat from afire-
•Frost/Freeze Warning means below place, wood stove or space heater, use
freezing temperatures are expected and it wisely and properly ventilate the area.
may cause significant damage to plants, If possible eat and drink—but NOT
crops, or fruit trees. In areas unaccus- alcohol. Food gives the body energy for
tomed to freezing temperatures, people producing its own heat and fluids will pre-
who have homes without heat need to vent dehydration.
take added precautions. Whether you're in an unheated build-
ing or cross-country skiing, wear layers
of loose-fitting clothing. You can always
remove layers to avoid overheating, per-
In aCar or Truck
spiration and subsequent chill.
Stay put. Disorientation occurs quickly

in wind-driven snow and cold. Open the Power Lines and Ice
window a little for fresh air to avoid car-
bon monoxide poisoning. Run the motor It's adeadly combination that results in
about 10 minutes every hour for heat. extensive damage every winter—even in
Make sure the exhaust pipe is not blocked the South. Small accumulations of ice
by snow. may cause extreme hazards to motorists
Use your CB! Every few minutes broad- and pedestrians. Limiting your exposure
cast your name, exact location (highway to areas where power lines can fall may
number, direction of travel and even seem like common sense, but each year
state/province) on channel 9. If you feel many people are killed by high-voltage
it's necessary, listen to other channels for lines, either because they were in the
local activity and break in with your emer- wrong place at the wrong time, or they
gency. Remember too, if you're using a attempted to remove downed lines. U
NOM weather broadcasts to hear news
of developing storms, and equip your
vehicle with agood quality mobile CB. If Being Storm-Ready at Home or on the Road
you're traveling, it's a good idea to buy
Have ready:
one with NOM weather channels built-
in. This takes the guesswork out of won- •Flashlights WITH fresh batteries
dering which radio station you've tuned
•Battery-powered NOAA radio and CB
and which weather forecast is for the area •Extra food and water
you're traveling through.
•First-aid supplies
•Emergency heating source/heating fuel
Watches, Warnings and •Fire extinguisher and smoke detector
Advisories AND
•AWinter Storm Watch means severe

•Keep your gas tank near full
winter conditions, such as heavy snow
•Try not to travel alone
and/or ice, are possible within the next
•Let someone know your timetable and plan alternate routes
day or two. NOW is the time to prepare.
March 19961 CB Radio /5

Cf3 vs. Ham:
There's Room for I3oth
When the chips are down, you can count on folks with
radios to help out. Wers or hams, there IS room
to work together...
BY WILLIAM F. SIMPSON, N9NMT
E
ver notice that when a group of CBers and a group of
hams are at a meeting or a hamfest, that there is nor-
mally a very distinct separation between the two
groups? Ever notice that few people are welcome to join both?
Ever wonder why?
The quick answer is that CBers tend to be overwhelmed by
the extensive knowledge of the hams, but nothing could be
further from the truth! Aside from learning the Morse Code,
which MOST hams tend to forget within the first thirty days of
completing the license test, many CBers have aknowledge of
radio theory which often rivals that of Marconi himself.
Emphasis is placed on antenna design and placement, power
supplies and preamplifiers. Even hams could benefit from
some of that knowledge.
The actual reason for the separation of the two groups is that
the hams have forgotten the CB slang necessary to communi-
cate with the CBers. The "smokey reports" and mile markers
are not necessarily required to enter the group, but it certainly
helps to be able to talk the language. Don't believe me? Pop
over to channel 19, and try to decode exactly what the users
are discussing ..or, swing over to the local channel, and join
in the conversation. We've come along way from the 70's ver- The author's Ford chock full of radio gear. Look closely and
sion of "Convoy," but CBers still have alanguage all their own, you'll see the Cobra 29 LTD WX CB, cell phone and even lcom
SOME of which is patterned after the hams' language. After all, amateur radio gear.
A crowded rain-slicked
road is an accident wait-
ing to happen. Bring your
radio equipment along;
that is, both your ham and
CB transceiver. (Photo by
Jock Elliott)

The Radio Shack TRC-493 with digital signal
processing is a state-of-the art CB trans-
ceiver that sells for about $150. Remember,
each type of communications service is
important ...just ask the users.
ceivers means that the CB manufacturers can operate on a

smaller profit margin PER UNIT, since the companies can sell
more units, at a lower cost, and sell more, and so on, etc.
Perhaps, if the hams could find marketing procedures that
would create more demand for the product ...but then Idon't
have to explain this to you!
Another point: Many of us CB radio operators, get akick out
of making DX calls, just like hams do. Sure, there are more and
more hams that use very low power rigs to work a distant sta-
ton, but we all know the hams who fire up the rig, aim the fifteen
elemert beam over the horizon, turn on the power and dim all
the lights within three blocks. Now, admittedly, there are anum-
ber of CBers who do exactly the same thing, but Ican remem-
ber my first DX OSO using astock 4.5 watt Cobra 19, or apower
supply, and mated with a mobile trunk lip-mount antenna, fas-
tened to agutter outside my apartment. With that simple rig in
the Chicago suburbs, I talked to Ohio. Alabama, Texas, Canada,
and Tennessee!
While we cannot compete with the hams for constant long-
range contacts, we CBers can take pride in knowing that we
Darren Leffler reports an accident using his mobile CH radio. too can assist our community with our communications. Deng
adisaster, ALL forms of communication are overwhelmed. While
the public service bands will communicate with each other, and
the hams relay information outside the area, and to other sta-
if we can add a"73" at the end of our conversation, maybe we tions, who will be trying to help those who are not hams; those
can make the hams feel more comfortable, and get them to join without a cop or firefighter nearby, or those who might be
in. .. won't all that expensive equipment designed for 10 meters trapped in acar after an accident? CBers will. Just those folks
slide down the scale to 11 meters? hanging on to that 27 meg two-way, and using it both as atoy
And that brings up another point. We realize that while we and atool.
can purchase apretty decent radio capable of sideband, with Hams will be using their multi-megabucks radios to send infor-
several other bells and whistles for about $250, the hams are mation to other areas, o' to request more help during a disas-
spending twice that for abasic transceiver. Perhaps somebody ter, too. Don't get me wrong, these efforts are important, but
should explain this concept is amatter of the law of supply and remember that CBers will be down in the trenches, working with
demand. Selling more units tends to drive the price per unit each other and the public, with our little "unimportant, unso-
down. But, there must be amarket for the units. We, as CBers, phisticated' equipment.
have already discovered that more people purchasing trans- There IS room to work together.

Instant Weather at the
Flick of aSwitch
Your NOAA weather-equipped CD is more than aweather
report—it's a lifesaver...
COURTESY PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
A
truck driver avoids hours of delays
on the interstate after being alert-
ed by a National Weather Service
radio report of an area on the travel route
blocked by flash flooding.
A boater on aweekend cruise is awak-
ened in the early morning by atone alert
on his CB radio; the specially-equipped
radio picks up awarning of rapidly chang-
ing weather—the weekend is cut short, but
the boat is safely docked well before the
storm hits.
Weather reports and warnings like the
ones mentioned above are broadcast by
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration's National Weather Service
directly to home and mobile receivers
around the clock. Some electronics equip-
ment, including citizen band radios and
scanners, have the capability to receive a
weather radio tone alert signal, triggering
abuilt-in alarm to warn listeners of severe
weather announcements.
Ameteorologist at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction in Camp Springs,
Get In On The Secret! Maryland, reviews a supercomputer model simulation used in preparing weather
forecasts for the United States. (NOAA Photo)
But despite hundreds of common situ-
ations like those mentioned above, NOAA
Weather Radio remains one of the best ern states may give winter travelers im- Now nearly 400 transmitters are within
kept secrets in the United States. And it's portant information about snow, ice and the listening range of most of the Nation's
a costly secret, according to Stanley freezing rain; and boaters in coastal population. In 1975, NOAA Weather
Johnson, NOAA Weather Radio program states will hear forecasts of marine weath- Radio became the only government-
manager. er conditions. operated radio system for providing
"In many instances, NOAA Weather Routine weather information is updat- direct warnings to private homes for nat-
Radio broadcasts advise people of ed every one to three hours, and NOAA ural and technological hazards. It's also
severe weather alerts and warnings Weather Radio broadcasts repeat about the primary source of information for acti-
ahead of the mass media, buying pre- every five minutes. Weather stations vating the Nation's Emergency Broad-
cious extra time for people to react before immediately interrupt regular reports cast System.
dangerous storms hit their areas," said when asevere weather situation requires Currently the National Weather Service
Johnson. "When you're in the path of alive alert or warning. Reports air on one is modernizing, building a network of
something like a funnel cloud, minutes of seven VHF high-band FM frequencies improved radars, satellites, data buoys,
and seconds can mean the difference between 162.400 and 162.550 MHz. supercomputers and telecommunica-
between life and death." NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts tions capabilities aimed at saving lives,
National Weather Service offices tailor began in the 1950s when the old Weather protecting property. But state-of-the-art
their NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts to Bureau started broadcasting aviation technology and accurate warnings and
suit local needs and commercial inter- weather over two stations. In the 1960s, forecasts are of little value if people who
ests. For example, Oklahoma broadcasts stations were added for the marine com- need the information don't get it in atime-
may provide people with alerts about high munity, and by the late 1970s, the system ly manner. That's why the Weather Ser-
winds or tornadoes; broadcasts in north- included more than 300 stations. vice also is modernizing NOAA Weather

A meteorologist with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction in Camp
Springs, Maryland, prepares ashort-range forecast for the United States.
(NOAA Photo)
Radio. Efforts are underway to replace casters must break away from their fore- Service Hydrologist, George McKillop,
1960s-era audio consoles with program- cast duties to go into the broadcast booth. with the NWS Forecast office in
mable, computer-based systems, said Additional transmitters will expand the Brookhaven, New York prepares aNOM
Johnson. The new technology will auto- system's coverage to isolated areas. weather radio broadcast. (NOM Photo)
matically convert weather messages A new system of digital coding will
directly from electronic text to speech and eventually replace the analog tone used
broadcasting at appropriate times. The to trigger receivers with tone alert fea- ings for segments of their broadcast audi-
automated system should help increase tures. A digital burst of coded signals will ence. Listeners will be able to program a
severe weather warning lead times by allow National Weather Service offices to new generation of weather radio re-
reducing delays that can occur when fore- tailor severe weather watches and warn- ceivers to alert them to warnings for spe-
A National Weather Service technician assembles anew gen-

National Weather Service offices throughout the country make eration of weather radio transmitters which will give the NWS
regular broadcasts of weather forecasts and severe weather offices new capabilities for broadcasting severe weather watch-
watches and warnings over NOM Weather Radio transmitters es and warnings to very specific geographic areas, so listen-
using frequencies between 162.4 and 162.55 MHz. Many of ers in other areas won't be bothered by warnings that don't apply
today's CBs are specially-equipped to monitor such broadcasts. to them. (NOM Photo)

Ito emosp
e,..
A WORD ABOUT NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) conducts
research and gathers data about the global oceans, atmosphere, space, and sun,
o
11ORR
and applies this knowledge to science and service that touch the all our lives.
NOAA warns of dangerous weather, charts our seas and skies, guides our use o
and protection of ocean and coastal resources, and conducts research to improve
25 \is(
our understanding and stewardship of the environment which sustains us all.
A Commerce Department agency, NOAA provides these services through five
major organizations: the National Weather Service, the National Ocean Service, ()r
E
the National Marine Fisheries Service, the National Environmental Satellite, Data
SIRME
and Information Service, and Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research; and
ounianeorr OP
numerous special program units. In addition, NOAA research and operational
activities are supported by the Nation's seventh uniformed service, the NOAA
Corps, acommissioned officer corps of 400 men and women who operate NOAA
ships and aircraft, and serve in scientific and administrative posts.
For further information: NOM Office of Public Affairs, Room 6013, Herbert Clark be used for communicating relief infor-
Hoover Building, Washington, D.C. 20230. Phone: (202) 482-6090. mation after such disasters, said Edward
Gross of the National Weather Service.
"Our goal is to someday have aNOAA
Weather Radio in every home, just like a
smoke detector, and in all schools, hospi-
cific geographic areas, and screen out and state and local governments to tals and other public gathering places,"
warnings for other counties in the same expand NOAA Weather Radio into an "all- said Gross, who heads the Weather
listening area. hazards" network. All-hazards broad- Service's Office of Industrial Meteorology.
New partnerships are developing casts would air warning information on "It'll give people the kind of information
between the National Weather Service, earthquakes, volcano activity, and man- they need to safeguard themselves and
other federal agencies, private industry made hazardous conditions, and would their homes during adisaster."
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CEter for
CE. Jamboree and Twenty Years—
Club News Ham For
Nineteen
A C5 Events Calendar
This month a special thanks to Hazel Indiana 4-H Building and benefits the
Darrin "Buckeye Bear" and her husband, Special Olympics.
Donald for sending in this photo and letter There's plenty going on, too. On Friday
about their Traveling Knights jamboree. night they have a king and queen con-
test. On Saturday join the group for ahuge
M
ore than 70 people attended the breakfast. In addition there's entertain-
"Traveling Knights" Jamboree, ment and a king and queen dance. A
held in Florida last November. church service will also be held by
Proceeds of more than $2,200 were "Popeye" and "Olive Oil." Grand prizes
used for food and toy baskets for needy will be awarded.
area families. On September 13, 14, and 15, the
Pictured here is "Buckeye Bear" and Clowns Incorrigible will hold acamporee
Donald Darrin, president of the Traveling in Ocala, Florida. Contact Donald Knerr
Knights presenting the Clowns CB at 325-854-9533. You can also call "Skip"
President "Doc" (center) a plaque. at 325-629-3162.
The event also featured an appearance Then in October, the Ding-A-Lings will Doug Williams, ham and CBer demon-
by the King of the Top 20 Jamboree for hold a camporee at Green Acres strates his GE rig. (The antenna on his
1995, "Yogi Bear" from Michigan. Campgrounds. in Dover, Florida. For trunk is his ham antenna). Note the plas-
more info, on the Dover event call Cliff tic case where he stores the CB. (Photo
Collins "Johnny Reb" at 813-677-6956. by Harold Ort)
The National Top 20 is Remember, we can't possibly know
Coming in June! about ALL the CB jamborees, so if you
have an event coming up, please drop us oug Williams was aCBer when CB
For information about the gigantic a line at: CB Radio magazine, CB Jam-
was at its peak. He still uses CB
National Top 20 Jamboree contact Larry borees, 76 North Broadway, Hicksville,
when traveling, especially on
"T-Bone" White at 11 Center Drive, NY 11801. While you're at it, why not take
those trips between Florida and New
Muncie, IN (phone: 317-288-6759). It's afew photos and send them to us with a
held from June 21-23 at the Tipton, short article. York and on vacations. He said. "I use a
portable GE with a small mag mount
antenna.. it's great. Iplug it in and go."
Doug's talking about the rig he keeps
in its plastic case that's used by so many
travelers in an emergency. Most folks
don't use the small mag mourt antenna
at highway speeds, but Dcug's antenna
is asmall rubber duck that stays put. "It
keeps me entertained on the road.
Believe me, there's entertainment be-
yond belief, especially through the
mountains of Tennessee where the
truckers tell tall tales on the radio."
While Doug travets with his CB set to
channel 19, he's also an active ham. "I
became a ham about a year after dis-
covering CB," he added. He continued,
"1 love them both—CBing really got me
into ham radio, but unfortunately there
are lots of people going overboard run-
ning lots of power. They dort need it,
and besides it causes interference, ruin-
ing communications for everyone." Of
course Doug's talking about tnose folks
running excessive power on 11 meters,
right?

CI3 Clubs Are They For You?
They've been around since the dawn of C. They come and they
go, 12 Ut most importantly they bring people together...
BY BOB STANCZYK, AIC-969-NY
..r
.he success of any CB club is not
always measured by how many
members it has, but how close knit
an organization it becomes. A CB club
needs leaders who are going to stay with
it and not drop out of sight when needed.
The leaders, just as in any organization,
must keep everything under control and
appoint people who are willing to use their
own personal time for the good of the club.
Starting AClub THIS IS 70 CRR77FY THAT HAROLD ORT
is a Member in Good Standing of

The easiest way to start aCB club is to
first acquire agroup of CBers together on THE AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL CLUB
craidd 1.1.,1.1, h.,/frio4weye w+.1 4. 46. ehdiírà
aspecific channel, either AM, sideband
ild//1. feed/n1..”Ays,
«lac/ aSeedlieru tr/41.4 //a Reh, and tordialene. eyntuealinn..

or both. Secondly, you must decide if you I
NM INIM WHEREOF, We /1(1 ,.0 etèleted 6. crtud«!
want the club to be local or if you would Mc ditdy tude.tieiri ten» lag riaturadiree.
enjoy expanding it to other states and
other countries.
eel f6f-n_
Naming your club is the arduous part.

Also deciding on a unit numbering sys-
tem for members is important. For
instance, I am AIC-969-NY, which are my
unit numbers for the "American Inter- The membership certificate of the American International Club.
national Club" (the AIC standing for the
name of the club, the 969 my member-
ship number and NY for the state where
Ilive). Each club has its very own system. your local printer very inexpensively. QSL police, having acertain channel and time
AIC was first termed "The Queens cards may also be ordered from the clas- each week or month to check into anet,
Sideband Club" until we started receiv- sified ads in the back of magazines such having achannel set aside so members
ing members from other states and coun- as Popular Communications. will be able to reach other CBers any time,
tries. However, as long as you maintain a Membership requirements and dues and being able to contact friends who
specific club strategy and keep it in order, vary with every club. Some clubs just want will help out in a personal emergency
it will not fail. you to fill out an application, whereas oth- (downed antennas, etc.).
ers require you send them a certain
amount of QSL cards, verifying contacts
Membership Certificates, Cards from different countries. Dues range from Meetings
and Newsletters a simple $5 membership fee to dues of
$15 or more yearly. Some clubs even have "in-person"
Others aspects to think about are Always rent apost office box for all your local meetings. These can be held by
whether or not you want to have mem- club's mail. This makes it easier for peo- chapters in different states or countries.
bership certificates and cards, QSL ple to remember your address, especial- As in all meetings, the minutes of the pre-
cards, membership lists, newsletters, ly when talking "skip" when your time may vious meeting would be read and sent to
membership requirements, dues, etc. be very limited. headquarters. Many clubs have jam-
General membership certificates can be borees or coffee breaks where members,
purchased at astationery store or by mail. families and friends meet for barbecues,
They can be used until you acquire Emergency Monitoring and Nets dances, etc. Some clubs assist local
enough funds (or get avolunteer) to draft charities by charging fees to these
aclub certificate. Membership cards can CB clubs can be very helpful with end- events, or with raffles; the proceeds then
be personally designed with logos and less possibilities such as monitoring cer- go to the designated charity.
other graphics. They can be printed at tain channels to help motorists and Ifeel that one of the most significant

Some people want
CB radio. Some
MC-969-NY
just don't want an
8foot steel antenna
on the roof of
their car...
AMERICAN Introducing...
the ultra-compact
INTERNATIONAL CLUB Firestik 'Designer Series'
HEADQUARTERS CB antenna. At 14 inches
QUEENS COUNTY, NEW YORK CITY tall this Firestik is small
in size and big in
USA performance.
NEW YORK CITY * Cellular look-a-like
* 180° fold-down mount
* Works with all CB Radios.
The official club card of AIC-969-NY. This club, like many others, offers its members
special prices on 0SL cards. In this case, $14.75 gets you 100 cards 'Firestik' Products
2614 EAdams St
Phoenix, AZ 85034
aspects of a CB cluo is the people you ity members. Need Isay more? (tel) 602-273-7151
will contact from all over the world who If you'd rather not start your own CB (fax) 602-273-1836
share your interests. club, but would like to join one, try find-
Again, a CB club doesn't need a mil- ing alocal one in your area, or for starters, CIRCLE 54 ON READER SERVICE RD
lion members to be successful. Take for contact the American International Club.
example the American International Club; If you're interested, ask for an application
it has less than 500 members. Iregularly by sending a self-addressed stamped
keep in touch with members in the U.S. envelope to: Bob, AIC-969-NY, Chief
and overseas! We have amonthly column Executive Coordinator, American Inter-
for an international CB newsletter (CB national Club, P.O. Box 720811, Queens,
News/Voice). So don't be concerned NY 11372-0811. If you start your own, or
Stand out from the crowl
about the quantity of members, but rather already have aCB club, drop us ashort and be heard with our
the strong interaction on the part of qual- note telling us about your club ideas. • best- sounding handheld
microhphone.. the Asti:,
D1041strift'
0
0"$3 9.
9
Phone: 408.998.2355
woo S. Bascom Ave San Jose, (a 95128
CALL FOR
BEST PRICES!
(904) 879-9044 or -9045
P.O. Box 96 U.S. Highway 1 South

Used CI3 Radios:
13argains or 13aloney?
To buy or not to buy, that is the question .
BY TOM KNEITEL, K2AES/SSB-13
E
ver think about buying a used CB
radio? There's no shortage of them.
They're offered at flea markets, cof-
fee breaks, radio conventions and club
meetings, at CB dealers, and from clas-
sified ads in hobby publications. My
guess is that about 60 percent of all CB
radios sold eventually are put up for
resale. The most popular reasons are
because the owner got anewer or better
model, dropped out of CB, or the radio
became almost or completely unusable.
A sharp person who happens to be in
the right place at the right time, can often
pick up afully functioning gem at agreat
price. On the other hand, someone who
didn't know enough could end up poor-
er, but wiser, from the experience. The
classic example is the CBer who went to
acoffee break and was offered adeluxe
$500 sideband station at less than half
price. The set was in its original carton. It
had barely been used, he was told, when
its owner los.t his job. Now he needed
cash and had to sell at a sacrifice. The
radio was absolutely beautiful—brushed
aluminum, black satin, and without a
scratch. This was the deal of a lifetime.
When the fancy sideband radio was
taken home and plugged in, it failed to
work. When the set was opened up, it was
discovered to have nothing inside, just a
brick to give it heft. It was a worthless
empty shell, probably adummy intended
to be used as adealer's counter or win-
dow display. He learned the hard way two
important things about buying used CB
equipment: First, buying aused CB radio
from a total stranger has inherent risks.
Second, if it sounds too good to be true,
it IS too good to be true.
Yet, CB horse trading is an old and CB coffee breaks, club meetings and other gatherings are great places for locating
honorable art. There are winners and used equipment offered for sale. This photo was taken at the Manassas Jamboree
losers, and it is definitely something you afew years ago.
will want to master, knowing the traps
and techniques. ably have been gathering dust for more CB equipment. The bad news is that if you
than 15 years. They can't legally be used aren't acollector, you may not know which
Things to Keep in Mind any longer, so they are of value only to is the most desirable equipment. The
collectors. In fact, those 23 channel good news is that most of the time, those
For starters, there are still some old 23- radios that date back into the 1960's selling the stuff aren't collectors and don't
channel CB radios surfacing. They prob- could be worth a lot to avid collectors of know its value either, and think it's trash.

buy a new radio, if at all possible. Used
radios are best suited to those on very lim-
ited budgets or who are only casually
interested in CB radio. Alternatively, con-
sider a used CB for non-critical installa-
tion in a small boat or beat up old truck.
Or get one as asecond set for stand-by
use. It might be away to upgrade to that
dream deluxe SSB base station that
would be too costly if purchased new.
The best place to buy aused CB set is
from a reputable CB dealer. Many will
take sets in trade, and sell the better ones.
They hope that you'll continue to do busi-
ness with them, so their used equipment
will probably have been checked out by
their service techs and certified to work.
Any equipment offered in "as is" condi-
tion, however, should be avoided since
they think it may not work, and don't claim
that it will.
Dealers charge more for used equip-
ment than people selling at flea markets,
coffee breaks and club meetings. Be
immediately suspicious of people wan-
A used CB rig is ideal for non-critical installation, like abeat-up old truck that doesn't
dering around trying to unload a single
stray far from home. CB rig because they desperately need to
raise money to pay for Granny's kidney
(or pancreas) transplant. Chances are
Unless a23 channel set looks like it has ly and bothersome to repair than owners
that radio was sitting under the dash-
been run over by a truck, it's got to be feel it's worth. They simply opt to replace
worth offering $5 or $10. Forget about board of some stranger's parked car only
them with anewer or better model. That's
an hour earlier.
whether or not it works. one motivating factor for some sets arriv-
You'll notice that such used radios
When it comes to 40 channel CB radios, ing on the used market, so another oper-
never come with power cords. Some no
you are dealing with radios that could pos- ator ends up with the former owner's
longer have serial numbers. It's the tip-off
sibly be as much as 19 years old. In fact, repair problem. By then the radio may
of arip-off. Sure, you can get anew power
an older better grade 40 channel CB radio have already ayear or two's worth of use
cord, but do you want astolen radio?
may have already had several owners. and its share of external scars, so it looks
Assuming that the radio looks legit,
Less expensive CB radios that start abit worse for the wear
there are other considerations. Is it acur-
developing problems may be more cost- My first recommendation would be to
rent model, or one that was discontinued
several years ago? Some radios have
been manufactured using chips and
other components designed specifically
for them, but several years after the radio
has gone out of production those com-
ponents may no longer be available. The
lack of those components to repair the
equipment could be why someone is
looking to unload aset.
In any event, you would hope that any
piece of used equipment would come
with its documentation, such as an
owner's manual, and hopefully a
schematic. At least it should still be avail-
able from the set's manufacturer. You say
the manufacturer went out of business, or
can no longer supply a schematic?
Unless the set is very special, like a
Browning or aTram, keep on shopping.
There are books containing worthwhile
information for modifying, peaking and
enhancing the performance of CB radios.
CBers who follow those instructions can
end up with improved gear. Problems
arise when operators who don't know
what they're doing attempt to devise their
Among the best bargains in used equipment are rare old CB radios highly prized by own cockamamie "improvements." They
collectors. This choice collection is owned by Terry McNeill of North Carolina. can mess up their equipment so badly
March 1996/ CB Radio /15

that it becomes easier to sell the radio
than try to repair. Like the guy who told
me that his radio never worked right after
he decided to randomly peak or tighten
down all the "loose" screw adjustments
he could locate.
Some used radios may be described
as being reconditioned. Better find out
exactly what that means. It implies that
the CB has been put on aservice bench
and checked out by aqualified commu-
nications technician who certifies that
everything has been done to make it oper-
ate to the manufacturer's specs. That
means aligned, faulty parts replaced or
repaired. In truth, it may mean no more
than the set was externally cleaned up to
improve the appearance of its cabinet.
And don't be overwhelmed by the radio
being in its original carton. Istill have the
original cartons from radios Ibought
years ago. What does the original carton
prove that causes used equipment buy-
ers to be impressed?
Here's the thing. You want to know that
the radio works, and you want to test it in
your home or car. If the radio doesn't work
or has problems, you will be wasting your
money. See if you can get the seller to let
A small portion of the valuable Browning CB radio collection assembled by the
"Browning Collector" of Pittsfield, Mass Some of the rare CB equipment was locat-
ed inexpensively at flea markets and coffee breaks.
you try the set for 24 hours, based upon covering the set, or clinching the deal.
a good faith $5 or $10 deposit and writ- Iwatched one brave CB horse trader I
ten agreement to purchase the set if it is know stoically wa'k away from negotia-
found satisfactory. You want to try it on tions for an expensive rare Stoner SSB
SUPERHAWK your turf, with your antenna. base station he was aching to own. It was
Goldenrod
When you get on the air, begin con- just strategy to get the stubborn seller to
45 Spyder A+ tacting stations known to you, asking how lower his price. It worked! The seller
Broadband Hi
you sound and see what kind of range it chased my friend down the aisle shout-
powered MOBILE
has compared to your existing radio. ing, "OK, come back, it's adeal!"
Check AM and SSB modes, and try dif- No matter how many wonderful things
WHITE LIGHTNING THUNDER 8 ferent channels across the band from the the seller says about the radio, remem-
The Four Element Hi Gain low end to the high end. Make certain the ber that some may either be exaggera-
Antenna Bi -Directional unit operates on every channe. Some tions or white lies. Keep in mina that
OMNI dead channels could mean PLL prob- claims about a used CB radio aren't any
Electronically lems or a bad channel selector. more reliable that the person making
Steerable As for price, it's negotiable, and hag- them, so if the seller is unknown to you,
gling is obligatory. If the price is ridicu- risk is involved. This isn't the time for a
lously low, don't buy. But if it's reasonable, leap of faith. Remember that you are
And, also,
no matter what the guy asks, it's at least being asked to take something off his
NEW QUAD
LIGHTNING 6 25 percent more than he expects to get. hands that, for whatever reason, he no
LIGHTNING 8 Offer him no more than half of his asking longer finds useful.
THE most price, pointing out its many defects. Notice Just hold your ground. and hope he
POWERFUL its scratches, dents, missing knobs, man- comes down to less than 75 percent of
CB base in the uals, etc. Say that your friend at the com- his original asking price. Be sure to
world today! pany who made the radio told you it's a demand a written bill of sale containing
discontinued mode: that never sold well the seller's name, address, phone num-
ALL SE PATENTED rotary beams are true quads and
OUTPERFORM their counterparts (quad/yagl types). because of senice problems. Say some- ber as well as the serial number of the CB
SE's patented SFS matching system makes SE QUADS one else is offering one in better condition radio and price. If you get any guarantee,
the most technologically advanced antennas in the
world today.
than his and for less money. Act indiffer- make certain it's also in writing.
If your dealer doesn't have SIGNAL ENGINEERING, ent. Have your wife there to keep saying There are gems and junk in the land of
write or call for full specs. DEALER inquiries invited.
it's atotal piece of junk and waste of money used CB radio equipment. Horse trading
MasterCard, VISA. AMEX, Discover
at any price. No matter how oadly you are is serious business, and there are pitfalls
SIGNAL ENGINEERING dying to own the radio, resist the tempta- for the naive. Pay attention, and you'll
155 San Lazaro Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 tion to giggle with delight at finally dis- emerge awinner.
(408) 733-1580

The C13 Frequency Counter The
Latest Readout
A neat accessory—or something you really need?
You decide...
BY BILL CROSIER
model PDC 256 which is asix-digit con-

tinuous readout counter that allows the
user to read an operating frequency with-
out transmitting. It is not atrue frequency
counter. This type is actually displaying
the PLL synthesizer of the CB, allowing
the frequency to be displayed while in
Para - ON receive mode. It operates on 12 Vdc and
Dynamics has afive inch high green LED display. It
is hard wired inside your radio and
requires installation by aqualified person.
This units' frequency range goes from
The ParaDynamics PDC 250 Frequency Counter. (Courtesy ParaDynamics Corp.) 20.000 to 29.999 MHz and installs in most
frequency synthesized SSB/CB radios.
Combination Frequency
0
ne item you might consider on which counter you buy, what you use
adding to your CB radio station is it for and how it is used. Counter/Multi-Function Meters
afrequency counter. A frequency The simplest units are small, 12 Vdc
counter is adevice that displays the fre- powered external devices that are daisy Then there are the combination fre-
quency you are using, usually in MHz. quency counter, multi-function meters.
chained in the antenna feedline. The
There are many different types and op- These can be five or six digit displays,
ParaDynamics PDC 250 is one example.
tions available, depending on the appli- and usually have RF power, SWR and
It has a five-digit LED readout that only
cation and your needs. modulation meters built-in. These meters
displays the frequency when you key your
are beneficial because everything is in
Some of the new CBs on the market transmitter. This means that if you were
one box and only requires one link in the
come with a frequency counter built-in on channel 20 and you key the mic, your
antenna feedline. Otherwise you might
But, this is not new technology. Radios frequency display would read 27.205,
have your CB hooked to your frequency
like the Cobra 2000 had the freauency and when you unkey the mic it would dis-
counter which could be hooked to your
counters built-in, and they haven't been play 00.000. Its range is from 3.5-250
watt meter which would be hooked to your
manufactured in years. In fact, they're no MHz. This type can be used for both
antenna!
longer available. However, radios selling mobile or base installations, if you pro-
The more accessories you chain
today with frequency counters are usual- vide the 12 Vdc power supply. These
together increases the potential for pos-
ly a company's top-of-the-line models units are okay, but can only give you a
sible problems. Problems with coax
and are more expensive. Why? It's be- basic reference due to the number of dig- jumpers and proper placement of the
cause of the frequency counter. its it displays. devices in the antenna feedline must be
For more accuracy, you might consid- overcome. However, if properly done,
er asix-digit unit such as the JB 1004 by there is nothing wrong with installing a
Why Have One? Wawasee. It's asix digit, 12 Vdc unit that counter; some people prefer them. It all
comes with a power pack, so it can go depends on your needs and preferences.
What's so important about afrequency mobile or base. It has half-inch LED num- So give some thought to your operating
counter, anyway? Well, it depends on bers and afrequency range of 100 Hz to conditions BEFORE you put down your
how you use one. A frequency counter 50 MHz. This is another one that will only hard-earned money for features you may
used by some folks could be just a neat display while the transmitter is keyed up. or may not want. Depending on your
accessory that adds to the appearance It is also connected via coax jumper, needs, you can expect to pay from $50
of their station. To others, it is aprecision daisy-chained in the antenna feedline. to $300 for afrequency counter suitable
piece of test equipment. So, it all depends Another type is the ParaDynamics for use with CB raoios.

Antenna Rotor Installation
Doing It Right The First Time
There's more to bolting the rotor to your antenna and
turning the dial ...
BY ED HAMMOND, WN11
A
s more and more CB operators
experience the ease and enjoy-
ment of today's CB band, the
desire to deliver agood signal to its des-
tination via a rotary beam or quad is
becoming quite popular.
Very simply: you need aquick and effi-
cient means of rotating to your beam or
quad into the proper direction.
In the old days we either had ahole in
. •
the roof with asteering wheel in our radio
room (a.k.a. "The Armstrong Method) or f
we ran outside to turn the whole assem-
bly—not a pleasant task in the winter,
especially up North!
Today a wide assortment of compact
and highly efficient rotors are available.
From TV types in the $50-$60 range to
:e00e
quality commercial rotators that are able
to handle 15-20 square feet of projected
wind loading, such as agiant Moonraker
CB antenna. The Telex Hy-Gain Ta//twister antenna
Proper selection and installation of a rotor is designed to turn the big ones.
good antenna rotator requires you to With a list of specifications, including
know the Rules. Here goes: LED control indicators on the control unit
Rule 1. You Must Know the Windload and along-life machined steel drive gear
of Your Antenna It's already been cal- system, it's great for large CB antennas.
culated by the manufacturer's rating in (Photo Courtesy Telex Hy-Gain)
foot-pounds. For example, asmall 3-ele-
ment yagi on CB might only be 4 foot- tect your equipment from powerline
pounds, requiring a small TV-type rotor. spikes. Hooking up to a water pipe is a
On the other hand, a giant quad array temporary safety link at best. Always use
rated at 14 foot-pounds might require a #10 gauge copper or larger wire and a
hefty high-rated amateur radio rotor, like minimum of 4to 6foot ground rod.
the HyGain Tailtwister. Rule 4. Properly Mount the Rotor for
Rule 2. Always Use a Rotor-Bearing Long Service If you want it to stay put
Above Your Rotor To Minimize Stress and last afew years, it must be put in its Don't want to use a rotor? Consider an
on The Rotor Itself This is especially final position properly. It sounds simple antenna like the Signal Engineering
important if you have a long mast. enough, right? But you wouldn't believe Company's Thunder 8XB. It's nearly
Example: Imagine trying to hold a10-foot the stories Iheard from hams and CBers 15 feet high and includes acoax switch
pole vertically with only one hand. It's alike who ignored proper installation only to change directions. It weighs about
pretty tough and very unstable. But with to lose their total investment. 11 pounds. (Photo courtesy Signal
two outreached hands, three or more feet Always mount the rotor either inside Engineering Company)
apart, you're like the Rock of Gibraltar! your tower, and use a thrust bearing to
Rule 3. Ground, Ground, Ground As minimize the bending moment, OR if you
in your antenna installation, if your rotor cannot use atower, locate the beam just inch or less pipe to your rotor or a
diagram shows an earth grounding point, above the rotor on avery short mast. sleeve/thrust bearing on your tower top-
DO IT. Also today's solid state controller Here's an example: Atypical 3-element per section is aNECESSITY.
requires that you use ahigh quality, fast- vertical CB beam antenna creates a Having worked for alarge ham anten-
acting movistor surge protection, to pro- bending moment of 1,700 lb. ft.—a 12- na manufacturer, Iknow the Number One

Bahamas by now. Improper cable con-
nection is the Number One cause of rota-
tor problems.
Rule 8. Have aRegular Maintenance
Schedule Test your rotator system on the
bench PRIOR to making the big installa-
tion in the sky. Wouldn't it be easier to find
a problem (if one indeed exists) in your
garage, rather than if it's 50 feet in the air
with that monster quad resting on it? (and
your CB friends laughing!)
Good DX, and I'll be "seeing" you on
the CB channels.
Helpful Tip
Always remember to observe safety
precautions and common sense when
putting up ANY antenna. Keep it away
from power lines! ALWAYS do abasic
site survey first to ensure, among other
things, if the antenna falls, it won't touch
power lines. While you're putting up that
Here's arare look inside an Emoto 1105 rotor. All rotors are NOT created alike. Always new antenna, keep your coax cable
talk to your dealer, being sure to tell them the size/type of antenna you're planning runs as short as possible to cut down
on loss.
on using. (Photo courtesy EDCO)
cause of antenna mechanical failure was

the use of large booms from rotator to
antenna—we call it antenna suicide!
Rule 5. Use The Proper Wire Size It
all depends on the length of cable need- -
ed between the control box and the rotor. CB Equipment For Sale: Browning. TRAM. DAK, CPI,
Courier. Johnson, Siltronix, Varmit, DNA, Eagle, Heathkd,
While #22 gauge might be OK for a40-
J.B. - C.B. Transceivers, Amps, Antennas, Towers,
50 foot run, a 200 foot length must be Microphones, Meters, Electronic Parts, Tubes, Schematics
heavier (size 18 or 20 doubled together) Diagrams and Much More....
Advertis e
PRE-OWNED CB EQUIPMENT
to avoid damage to your rotor from volt- fiv
e
For sale, wanted to buy, will trade.
age drop. Too long arun will cause your New & used. Dedicated to CBers worldwide
cable to heat up and will eventually burn 2323 Delprado Blvd. Info 1441.693-SOLD
up your expensive motor. Const.lt the Sulk 13
Belden Wire Comoany or Columbia cable Cape Coral, FL 35390 ADS 1.800.850.5141
for more information.
Rule 6. Check the cables on the
tower/mast top for proper length Rotate
your beam through a 360 degree com-
plete rotation. The cable loop should be RADIO BUYER'S CLUB
long enough to avoid binding, but not Name Brands *** Lowest Prices
droop into the tower below it. Be sure to Send for application or call for details
secure the coax above and below the ••
rotator with UV protected electrical cable J •

and plastic wire ties. 757 Highway 98 E., #14 -189
Also, the rotor cable exiting the rotor Destin, FL 32541
box should be protected, making ashort (800) 888-4417
downward run prior to secureig it to the
tower or mast. This creates a "rain-drip"
and avoids getting rain into your rotor and
causing immediate damage!
Rule 7. Write Down Your Wire Con-
nections Besides using the proper wire
size to avoid motor burn up, it's equally
important to write down all connections. LP ELECTRONICS
Example: Red to #1 terminal, white to #2 CB Repair & Service
terminal, etc. If Ihad five bucks for every Unlike this operator, you should always Expert Technicians
rotor destroyed by CBers AND hams due remember to mount your rotor INSIDE the 20 yrs Experience
to hasty hookups where "I assumed" tower and use a thrust bearing to mini- Have Questions?
Questions ?
means $ lost, Iwould be retired in the mize bending movement. Write or Call Us at 516-447-1487
10356 Waverly Ave. Iloltaville, NY 11742

Cf3 Applications •imam BRIM
PRACTICAL USES FOR CB RADIO By Andrew Yoder
This month: Skiing and CE3—Having Fun and Staying Safe
W
elcome to the first column of CB
Applications. Well be talking
exclusively about the many
applications for CB as a viable commu-
nications medium. As a result, don't
expect our column to talk about antenna
radiation patterns (that's for Kent
Britain!), transceiver modifications, or
schematics for linears. Instead, expect
columns on practical (and possibly afew
not-so-practical) uses for Citizens Band
radio, and activities that can be signifi-
cantly aided or improved by using CB
radio. For the most part our column will
be almost anti-technical--just expect
plenty of ideas and uses for CB radio.
Of course if you have any ideas or
applications that you have tried or regu-
larly use, please feel free to send them to
me. CB radio has 1,001 uses (but Idon't
have the space to list them all here and I
can't sing them in a song or recite them
backwards), so the experiences of many
will certainly help to provide more inter-
esting applications. Also, photographs
(preferably black and white) of these
activities will be helpful to make this col-
umn more interesting. Besides, you might
soon become tired of seeing the same
CBers from southern Pennsylvania! I'm
not sure whether I'll be able to return the
photos that are sent in, so be sure to order
double prints of anything you want to
keep permanently.
To contact me and this column, just
write to: CB Applications, CB Radio
Magazine, 76 North Broadway, Hicks-
ville, NY 11801-2953 USA. Or if you have
an idea you would like to see covered in
this column and you are on-line, you can
send an e-mail to ayoder@delphi.com.
This e-mail address might be changing
in the upcoming months, so keep read- A quiet cross-country skiing trail leads to South Woodbury, Vermont. This tranqui
ing. Ican't promise a response to all scene can change quickly, so be sure to bring your handheld CB along for an added
questions, but Iwill try. If you send ques- measure of safety. (Courtesy Vermont Travel Division)
tions via the U.S. Postal Service, please
enclose an SASE or two International tor Tom Kneitel of Popular Communi- write about and have an excuse to play
Reply Coupons (IRCs) so Ican write cations fame. By the early 1980's, the CB with CB radio again.
back. Ialso check into the alt.radio.CB radio fad died down and the magazine
usernet group on the Internet from time featured columns on clandestine and
to time, so Imight see your ideas posted pirate radio listening on the shortwave Skiing and CBs: Ski-Bing
there as well. bands. This magazine set me off in
search of those "elusive" shortwave sig- The mountains of southwestern Penn-
Andrew Who? nals. Being more of awriter and alisten- sylvania aren't hotbeds of social activity.
er than a talker, I've spent much of my There aren't many people, the roads are
So, who am I? Ibecame interested in free time over the past decade listening bad, and the winter season seems to last
CB radio and tried it for the first time in to, writing about, and DXing shortwave for most of the year. Unless you have a
the mid-1970's (probably around 1975 or broadcasters. After writing hundreds of four-wheel drive truck, chances are that
'76) while I was still rather young. The first shortwave columns and newsletters and you'll be stuck for aweek or more out of
radio magazine I bought was S9, with edi- about a dozen books, it's refreshing to the year, and sometimes even if you can

get out, it's not worth the risk or bother. In it's best to be very quiet and whisper only sle. You would have to stop, put down
areas like this, you either learn to enjoy if necessary. As a result, the typical CB your poles, pull out the CB, pull up the
the snow, you find plenty of interesting might scare off most wildlife. Some hand- whip antenna and talk.
indoor activities to occupy your time, or held CBs have an output jack for head- Better yet, some electronics compa-
you go stark-raving mad. Iopted for the phones and an input jack for a micro- nies, including some surplus dealers, sell
first two, and later Imoved out of the area! phone. If you have CBs of this type, you headset microphones—a pair of head-
While Iwas living there, Iacquired an could plug in a pair of headphones to phones with a tiny microphone that
interest in cross-country skiing. That area reduce noise. extends on a wire toward your mouth.
is perfect for skiing—there is enough long Still, the headphones could be a has- With this equipment, you can just put the
term snow to develop astrong base and
the region is etched with many old log-
ging and coal roads, and state forest
trails. Idon't know the exact mileage, but
it seems as though there are more miles
of these unused trails and roads than
actual state and interstate routes.
Unlike Nordic and Alpine countries of
Europe, the people of the Allegheny
JG 3 + 3STAR
Mountains of Pennsylvania don't rely on
skiing or snowshoes for transportation. I JGAR PISTOL
guess that's because most of the region
isn't besieged by snow for half of the year
(only the school district Igrew up in),
because it wasn't settled (for the most
part) until the early to mid-1800's, and
because most of the settlers—mostly Irish
and German—weren't from skiing back-
grounds. Regardless, even if the popular 0 1114E FIELD
culture doesn't dictate skiing for trans-
portational purposes, the weather does
encourage it for recreation.
Although there were afew downhill ski
resorts in the area, this type of skiing
seems like a good way to ruin a knee or
break an ankle. Besides, the fees are hard- <ct
e JO
ly inexpensive, the drive is somewhat long,
the amount of exercise is not that great,
it's more of asolitary sport (difficult to talk
with others while doing it), and the inter-
esting sights are replaced by narrow man
made slopes, packed with people. So, my
Dad and I, plus afew uncles and cousins,
/GUNN
opted for cross-country skiing.
te noc's
Bring the Handheld CB
JG-4
As mentioned, cross-country skiing is CONVENTIONAL
great exercise—hence the proliferation of
the Nordic Track exercise machines.
Also, there's plenty to see: great views,
interesting wildlife, and some winter veg-
etation. CB radio perfectly interlaces with
cross-country skiing because it's handy
to be able to communicate while skiing,
but if the distance between skiers is far,
it might not be too easy.
Of course, it's best to use a handheld
Route 1Box 32C, Old Hwy 82.
portable CB transceiver for communica-
tions. These sets are low-power (usually Ethelsville, Alabama 35461
anywhere from about 100 milliwatts to one (205) 658-2229 fax (205) 658-2259
watt output), but they are still handy for
communications up to about one mile or Hours: 9am -5pm (CST) Tuesday -Friday
abit less. To avoid interference from other
hobbyists—at powers this low, you prob-
Other Models & Sizes Available in 10 or 11 Meters
ably won't interfere with them—pick a
quiet channel for communications. Call or send $2 for Complete Catalog and Pricing of Antenna
When spotting animals in the woods,
DEALER INQUIRIES, PLEASE CALL
March 1996 / CB Radio / 21

handheld CB in a backpack (or even
Velcro it to the back of your coat) and ski
with the whip antenna extended, as long
as there are now low overhanging
branches. Then, whenever one of your
skiing partners talks on the CB, you will
automatically hear it without having to
stop or make noise in the woods. And if
your CB has a voice-activated (VOX)
switch—if it doesn't, a number of com-
panies sell tiny inexpensive VOX switch
kits for two-way radios—you can talk qui-
etly into the microphone without stopping,
touching the CB, or making much noise.
Great for Emergency

Communications, Too
In the world of ski-B'ing, the CB is also
tremendously useful for emergency com-
munications. Those criss-crossing roads Cross country skiers gather near the Timberline Lodge in Oregon. Staying in touch
and trails over Mt. Davis could easily bewil- with other members of your group is easy with ahandheld CB radio. (Courtesy Oregon
der all but the most knowledgeable of res- Tourism Division)
idents. At least one deer hunter has died
from cold and exposure after becoming
lost in the mountains. Even if you are ski- medical problem that requires immediate
ing in areas that you even think you know attention. For example, during one ski trip,
my uncle went speeding down a hill and
suddenly a steel grid bridge, one with a
surface made of a steel-grid pattern that
SAVE
allows snow to fall through the holes, yet
is strong enough for vehicles to drive over,
appeared in his path. He wiped out,
scratched up his skis, and could have
been seriously injured. A CB could have
TIME
been useful to radio for help if he had been
injured or to notify others who didn't know
the bridge was ahead.
So, ski-B'ing can be both afun hobby
and a lifesaver. The only difficulties that
For fast, accurate you might encounter are buying the units,
service, please if you don't already have ahandheld CB,
remove the peel and keeping the headsets in a comfort-
able position under a ski hat. A minor
off label used to
problem is that hard breathing might key
address your the VOX unit on and annoy everyone in
magazine, and your ski group. After awhile though, prop-
attach it to er positioning of the microphone can cure
that problem.
the Reader
Ihope you enjoyed our first installment
Service Card, of CB Applications. Remember, feel free
the Address to contact me with positive or negative
Change Card Walkie-talkies allow you to have fun
feedback, ideas, stories and photo-
graphs. Until next month, I'll be looking
or to any
u
outdoors with your friends. Some hand-
forward to hearing from you.
correspondence helds, like this Maxon Systems HCB-30,
provide NOAA weather reception at
you send us
the flick of a switch. (Photo Courtesy
regarding your Maxon Systems)
subscription. Andrew Yoder was an active CBer in the
mid-1970's. Currently he writes on com-
Mail All munications topics, including shortwave
Correspondence To: well, the CB could save your life if you broadcasters. Andy has just begun to use
become lost in the woods—especially on CB radio again. It's been abusy time for
CB Radio Magazine
avery cold day. And even those familiar him; he's written hundreds of shortwave
76 North Broadway with the region could still require emer- columns and newsletters and about a
Hicksville, NY 11801 gency assistance, in case of an injury or dozen books.

FCC CI3 Station
Information
Where Can IGet A Copy of the CB or to any specific individual or organization.
R/C Rules? (CB Rule 7and R/C Rule 7). These radio
Contact the U.S. Government Printing services depend upon all operators being
Office, Superintendent of Documents, cooperative. Keep your communications
Mail Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402- short. Never talk with another station for
9328 (Phone 202-512-1800) for price and more than 5minutes continuously. Wait at
ordering information. The rules are pub- least one minute before starting another
lished annually in the Code of Federal communication. (CB Rule 16).
Regulations, Title 47, Telecommunica-
tions, Part 80 to End. While operating a Which CB Channel May IUse For
CB or R/C station, you need to know the Emergency Communications?
FCC's Rules for proper use. Violation of You may use any CB channel. ACB sta-
these rules can result in afine and loss of tion transmitting messages concerning
your authority to use the CB or R/C Radio the immediate safety of life or the imme-
Services. Violation of the Communica- diate protection of property must be given
tions Act, moreover, can result in a fine priority regardless of the channel. (CB
and imprisonment. Rule 7) However, because CB channel
9 is reserved for emergency communi-
For What Purposes May IUse A CB cations and for traveler assistance, it may
or R/C Station? be your best choice.
You may use your CB station for two-
way, short-distance voice communica- Must IIdentify My CB or R/C Station?
tions for your personal or business activ- You are not required to identify your sta-
ities. (CB Rule 1.) You may use your R/C tion. The FCC encourages you to identi-
station for one-way, short-distance non- fy your CB station while your are using it.
voice communications to operate de- If you once held a CB license, you can
vices by remote control. (R/C Rule 1.) use that call sign. Otherwise, you can use
Expect to reach about one to five miles. the letter K followed by your initials and
residence zip code or an organizational
Can IRaise The Power Output of My name and unit number. (CB Rule 17)
CB?
Absolutely not. You may not attach a May IUse My CB or R/C Station in
radio frequency power amplifier (linear or Canada?
(Editor's note: The following information linear amplifier) to your CB transmitter. Yes. When in Canada, however, you
is reprinted from the FCC's Fact Sheet PR- (CB Rule 11.) When your transmitter is are subject to the rules of the Canadian
5000, Number 200, dated April, 1993. We modified internally, its type acceptance Department of Communications, not
have not included in-depth information is canceled and you forfeit your authority those of the FCC.
about R/C Rules.) to use it. (CB Rule 10 and R/C Rule 10.)
Is There Another Personal Radio
Can Iget aCB or R/C (Radio Control) How High May IPut My Antenna? Service For Short Distance Two-Way
License? The highest point of your CB or R/C sta- Voice Communications?
No. The FCC ceased issuing licenses tion antenna must not be more than 20 Yes. The General Mobile Radio Service
for CB and R/C in 1983 because licens- feet above the highest point of the build- (GMRS) is available to individuals. You
es were no longer serving a useful pur- ing or tree on which it is mounted, or 60 will need a license for a GMRS system
pose. CB Rule 3authorizes you to oper- feet above the ground. There are lower comprised of one or more stations. GMRS
ate you , Citizens Band (CB) Radio height limits if your station is located with- systems are used to facilitate the activi-
Service Station, and R/C Rule 3 autho- in two miles of an airport. No height ties of the licensees and their family mem-
rizes you to operate your Radio Control restrictions apply to an antenna mounted bers. See Part 95, Subpart A of the
(R/C) Radio Service station, from places on a vehicle or a hand-held transmitter. Commission's Rules, 47 C.F.R. Section
where the FCC regulates communica- (CB Rule 8and R/C Rule 8.) 95.1-95.181.
tons. There is no age or citizenship
requirement. CB Rule 9prohibits anyone On Which Channels May My CB The above are general answers to the
from using aCB station, if the transmitter Station Transmit? questions most frequently asked about
is not type accepted for that function. CB Channel 9 may be used only for emer- the Citizens Band (CB) and Radio Control
Rule 3 and R/C Rule 3 prohibit the fol- gency communications or for traveler (R/C) Radio Services. For complete infor-
lowing from operating a CB or R/C sta- assistance. Your CB station is authorized mation, see the Commission's Rules for
tion: foreign governments; representa- to transmit on any of 39 CB channels when the Citizens Band (CB) Radio Service, 47
tives of foreign governments, federal it is clear of on-going communications with C.F.R. Section 95.401-95.428, and the
government agencies; or persons who which your station could interfere. CB Commission's Rules for the Radio Control
have been issued a cease and desist channels must be shared by all CB sta- (R/C) Radio Service, located in 47 C.F.R.
order which is still in effect. tions. No CB or R/C channel is assigned Section 95.201-95.225.

Sidebander's Shack
WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THOSE CS SIDEBAND CHANNELS By Ed Barnat
What Is Sicleband Anyway?
E
ver wonder what those strange
sounds frequently heard on the
higher channels of your CB are?
Those distorted needle-pinning, growl-
ing, grumbly, buzzing noises that sound
like a nearby station bleeding over from
another channel, but really aren't? It is sin-
gle sideband, often called sideband or
just plain SSB. And if you want greater
range, better operating conditions and
more dependable performance from your
CB, then SSB is for you!
Just What Is Sideband?

If you are one of the people reading this
and wondering just what the heck side-
band is, don't feel bad. You are far from
being alone. While anyone and everyone
who is at all acquainted with CB is, know-
ingly or unknowingly, familiar with its AM
(amplitude modulation) mode of trans-
mission and reception, there is another Here's your trusty columnist giving thumbs up after another great CB SSB contact.
side, actually two sides (or modes) called He's using a Cobra 2000 GTL and his Webster's Dictionary.
the sidebands.
Let's look at aconventional AM signal,
which really consists of two sidebands good nozzle to the open end of the hose. the end of the hose. There may not be as
and a carrier. Without getting terribly Then turn the faucet back on to approxi- much water coming out, but the "range"
technical, you should remember that a mately where it was when we tested the should be noticeably greater. The same
carrier signal doesn't contain anything; open ended hose. By adjusting the noz- holds true for your CB signal when you
no modulation (voice audio) or anything zle, you can dramatically increase the use sideband.
else. It's just there, taking up space. On distance that stream of water will fall from Technical efficiencies aren't the only
either side of the carrier is a lower and
upper sideband. It's these sidebands that
contain the audio modulation—your
voice. If the carrier is eliminated you're left
with the two identical sidebands (USB
and LSB), each of which contain the same
audio information. What you're doing by
using either USB or LSB is to effectively
concentrate all the CB's legal power into
that particular sideband; no wasted
power and afull 12 watts (PEP) for your
to really put out asignal!
One way to picture this is to go out in
the yard (not recommended in sub-zero
weather!) and play with the garden hose.
Start with just the hose—no attachments.
Connect one end to the faucet and turn it
on. Voilà! Just about all the water enter-
ing the hose from the faucet is pouring
out the other end of the hose. It doesn't
squirt very far and even if you turn the
faucet up full, the stream will still fall pret-
ty close to the end of the hose. For the
purpose of our demonstration, picture Another view of Ed's "Shack" shows afew scanners and console where he provides
this "stream" as the signal sent out by an daily traffic report for the Capital District region of upstate New York. His CB, as you
AM CB. might guess, comes in especially handy for his live reports. The CB is essential for
Now, turn the faucet off and attach a the traffic reports. It's the heart of the system.

Guess what radio is in this SSBer's vehicle and win something
free from us. Notice the extension speaker below the Uniden
PC244 rig for added volume and audio clarity.
This perfect-looking SSB shack is complete with auto-dialing

mega-number telephone, flashlight and scanner. What more
could anyone want?
benefits of SSB. Arguably, there is amore "Sideband?" they ask when Iquery It was during the "CB Boom" of the late
important one. That is the higher operat- them about the capabilities of their rigs. 60's and early 70's. Sure, Ihad walkie-
ing and social skills level of the average 'What's asideband and how would I know talkies as a kid. But now, at last, for the
SSB operator. And that often plays alarg- if Ihad one?" Then the search begins. first time, Iwas in possession of a full-
er role in getting the job done than does Slowly but surely we work through .the power, full-feature (or so Ithought) mobile
the extra power. Sure, even SSB has its knobs, dials and switches on their radios. CB hooked up to a power supply and
share of jerks. Do you know any sizable Vo'ume, squelch, RF and mic gain, roger base antenna. In other words, after years
group of people that doesn't? But for rea- beep, echo and even those funny little of wannabeein, Iwas finally "on the air"
sons Ican't fully explain, operator for custom switches that get you the "extra" and raring to go.
operator, you'll find more congenial and cnannels, but more often than not they are Unfortunately, the locals it seems,
considerate people on SSB than on any missing the telltale controls we were look- weren't that anxious to let me. Iwas imme-
radio service Iknow—even amateur. It ing for; the AM/USB/LSB mode selector diately taken back by the fact that, while
seems to have been that way on CB SSB and clarifier controls. there were what sounded like hundreds
from the start. Or the occasions when Iam able to of people on every channel, it appeared
By the way, it never ceases to amaze determine that the radio in question is that not one of them would give you the
me how many people there are—even s;deband-equipped, I know that this time of day or even let you know that your
long time CB owners — who are unaware operator will be able to communicate over radio was working. In fact, the only thing
that sideband CB even exists, let alone distances and under conditions far they seemed willing to do was give you
what it is or how it is used. That's ashame, beyond the capacity of any standard AM- grief, or worse, if you asked. I
was already
because not only is a CB without side- only CB. Practically speaking, for exam- suffering from asevere case of mic fr4ht.
band not a"full-feature, full power" radio, ple, ;n emergency and assistance corn- Their rebukes and rebuffs weren't help-
but .f you are not using SSB you are prob- mun ,cations, this extra ability can make ing at all!
ably missing out on some of the most the difference between getting or not get- Ihad come too far, worked too hard and
exciting and interesting experiences that ting an important message through. On waited too long to stop now, so Ikept try-
radio—any radio—has to offer. occasion this can mean the difference ing. Eventually, joy of joys, Iwas able to
Irun a little club in upstate New York between life and death. On alighter note, make contact with someone who really
that encourages channel 9 use. As part tne additional range and dependability seemed interested in sharing a few
of my duties, Iget to register the new sideband offers can multiply their oppor- words. Immediately a new problem
members and walk them through a sim- tunities to enjoy our richly diverse hobby. arose—where could we talk? There were
ple questionnaire. Just the basics; name, already four breakers, two conversations
address, phone number, handle, call and some fool with anoise maker on the
signs, home charnel and equipment. The My First Exposure To SSB channel we were using. Obviously we
process usually goes pretty well urtil we would have to find another one because
get to the part about their equipment. Iremember my first exposure to SSB. this one was packed. The only quiet air

between channel 1and 23 (that's all we
had in those days) was on channel 9and
one other channel. "Take it to 16," Isaid,
and off we went.
We were only a couple of passes into
the chat when we drew our first breaker.
We tried to ignore it, hoping he would go
away. He didn't. "Uh, excuse me for
breaking in, fellas," he said, "but you're
on asideband channel." "What's aside-
band channel?" Iasked. "They are chan-
nels that sideband operators have volun-
tary confined their operations to," he
explained. "This is so they don't disrupt
AM communications," he continued.
Then he showed us what he meant.
Suddenly my radio roared and growled
with a bleed type noise that shot the s-
meter through the red zone so hard it vio- The Radio Shack TRC-465 mobile AM/SSB CB is as versatile rig—it's compact and
lently bounced as it slammed repeatedly agreat performer. (Photo courtesy Radio Shack)
against the far end of the scale. Obviously
whoever or whatever this sideband was
could indeed disrupt radio communica-
tions at will. "So if you don't mind," he con- confusion and congestion. Istill didn't dismay of its supporters, it hasn't. Why?
know what sideband was, but Iwas cer- In part it is because the radios are more
tinued, "could you folks please take it to
tainly impressed. Icould tell by its obvi- expensive and alittle harder to use. But
another channel?"
ous power and the gentlemanly Ican't help feeling that a lot of the rea-
We did, and soon lost each other in the
demeanor of the operator that sideband son is because most people just don't
was different from anything I had encoun- know what they're missing. Truth be
tered in my brief time on the CB. It was known, sideband may even be losing
different in ways that Iwanted—indeed, ground. More and more SSB operators
needed—to know more about. are migrating to the outbands. Others
Over the weeks and months that fol- are becoming licensed amateurs and
lowed, Ilearned that the sidebanders had abandoning the band altogether. With
voluntarily developed, and were follow- the set-aside frequencies used for side-
ing, a mostly unwritten "Gentleman's band in many areas under used and
Agreement" of operating codes and unprotected, AM is relentlessly and
practices. This "agreement" went above, understandably creeping onto SSB fre-
beyond and occasionally contrary to the quencies. If the trend continues, it is con-
official FCC rules. Nationally sidebanders ceivable that we could loose them all.
MM-1015 had adopted channel 16 and locally they And that would be ashame, not only for
"Super Broad Bander" also worked 17 and 23. They also domi- present day operators, but for those who
Magnetic Mount, nated something called the "outband." have yet to arrive.
68" High The then forbidden illegal space above
channel 23.
Coming Up
MM-1001
"Deluxe Mag Mount"
Getting On Sideband So, in the months ahead, God willing
Magnetic Mount,
and with your help, we'll look at and think
45" High
It took alittle time for me to save enough about what sideband is; where it is and
to get my first sideband rig. In fact, sev- where—if anywhere—it could or should
SNGP-4-SM eral years passed. By then CB had be going. Are you thinking about becom-
"Stainless Steel become legal on all 40 channels. Locally, ing a sidebander? Great, do it and then
Body Side Mount" channel 17 had fallen to the AMers and let me know what you find. Are you an
23 was soon to follow. An active SSB com- experienced sidebander? Well, that's
41;14e;
14 munity, however, still dominated channel even better because Ineed your tips,
68" "Master Blaster" 16 and 36 through 40. The outbanders pointers and stories. If you are amember
Capacitive Hat had migrated to an area from just above of asideband club, be sure to pass along
Design With channel 40 to just below the lower end of news of your organization, nets, meetings
Weather Band the 10 meter amateur band. All in all, it and events. Whatever your interest in
was well worth the wait. For in the end, SSB, Ilook forward to your questions,
We offer afull line of quality
becoming a sidebander opened the comments, suggestions, QSL cards and
stainless steel and fiberglass
mobile antennas for CB, doors to some of the most interesting, shack photos. Write me in care of the
Marine, Scanner, and Cellular enlightening and enjoyable times Ihave magazine or on the internet where my
ever spent on the radio. addresses are edbarnat@global 1. net
Marvel Communications Co., Inc. You would think that with all it has and TCA44@aol.com. Better yet, if you
6000-D Old Hemphill Road
going for it that SSB would have long ago can, catch me on the radio!
Fort Worth, TX 76134
replaced AM as the standard mode of Until next month ...
(817) 568-0177
CB communication. Obviously, to the 73's Ed
FAX (817) 293-4441

Frequency Fastrack
GENERAL MOBILE AND FAMILY RADIO SERVICE NEWS By Judith Simpson, KAP-9669,
A Comparison of UHF Radio With CD Radio
U
HF Frequency Modulated radio...
featureo in a CB magazine!? Comparison: GMRS FRS
Unbelievable! CB radio for the most
part, is amplitude modulated, and is in the License required Yes No
HF (high frequency) band. It sits right next Power limitation 50 watts 0.5 watts
door to the amateur radio 10 meter band. Emission type FM FM
So how can UHF (Ultra High Frequency) Antenna Unspecified Integral, no gain
radio be compared to, or considered to be Transceiver type Unspecified Hand held
CB radio? And what good is it to people Frequencies available 462.550/467.550 462.5625
using CB? Why should we even talk about 462.575/467.575 462.5875
other bands since we have the 40 chan- 462.600/467 600 462.6125
nel, 11 meter CB radios, plus upper and 462.625/467.625 462.6375
lower sideband? 462.650/467.650 462.6625
462.675/467 675 462.6875
Easy Answers 462.700/467.700 462.7125
462.725/467.725 467.5625
Let's try to answer these questions very (Note: These are 467.5875
simply. The FCC divides the Personal paired frequencies 467.6125
Radio Service into three separate entities allowing simplex 467.6375
authorized by Part 95 of the FCC Rules. use of the 462.m< 467.6625
and afourth will probably be created with half of the pair, 467.6875
in the near future. The three current class- and also use of the 467.7125
es are RC (Radio Control, which we will 462.yyy side of the
NOT discuss), CB radio (Class D) and FRS frequencies.
GMRS (Class A, General Mobile Radio
Service). We anticipate that the Family
Radio Service (FRS) will be added as a
fourth class soon. While CB radio does
operate on AM, the other two operate on exponentially. Manufacturers soon real- ing was suggested by the FCC but was
FM in the 462 MHz frequency range. This ized the potential for sales. left as an option for the mamfacturers.
column will attempt to concentrate on the Recently severe! manufacturers have The concept is still very new to the mar-
GMRS and new FRS, although references petitioned the FCC to de-license the ser- ket, but we anticipate that these low
to CB will inevitably creep in for compar- vice, and to allow access to all eight power transceivers would be priced in
ison purposes. GMRS frequencies. Licensed GMRS the range of $1004150 each, initially. As
users, a'ong with several public service more manufacturers enter the market, it
organizations, pointed out that licensed is conceivable that competition could
General Mobile Radio Service ard unlicensec users in the same portion drive the price down slightly. As of this
(GMRS) of the radio spectrum had the potential writing, we have no information concern-
for mutual interference. It would result in ing the specs for the transceivers. Stay
Although GMRS has been apart of the the same type of chaos existing on the 27 tuned ...next month we'll have more
Personal Radio Service for many years, MHz bands. The request to the FCC has information on the FRS.
interest seemed limited to a few individ- since been modified to create a new
uals and several public service organi- "Family Radio Service" operating within
zations. While there was no requirement the GMRS bands, on frequencies near For more information on
for knowledge of radio systems, such as those of GMRS users, but with limited
those required by the amateur radio ser-
the GMRS or FRS, contact:
power. (See Frequency Charts)
vice, users were required to obtain a The FCC envisions the Family Radio
REACT International
license for a relatively insignificant fee. Service to be utilized by small groups at
P.O. Box 998
Many commercial operations turned to a mall, or perhaps a family outing to
Wichita, KS 67201
GMRS in an attempt to save rather sig- enable individuals to maintain contact
nificant sums when compared to the cost over short ranges. Other potential uses
Personal Radio Steering Group
of licensing and frequency coordination would be for a child to maintain contact
P.O. Box 2851
in the business bands. In 1989, in an with home while playing or returning
Ann Arbor, MI 48186
attempt to return the service to :ndividual home from the bus stop, or for hunters,
use, the FCC prohibited businesses from campers or hikers nthe field
J.A. Simpson
licensing in the GMRS bands, although The hana held radios would be 0.5
12766 Tyler Avenue
the current business users were allowed watts, and would have a no-gain, verti-
Waukegan, IL 60087
to continue their use of GMRS radio. cally-polarized antenna, which would be
GMRS radio use began to grow rather an integral part of the radio. Selective call-

Ask Bill
ANSWERS TO YOUR MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED CB QUESTIONS [3y Bill Price
W
elcome to the first "Ask Bill" col- My family asked that same question. I difference of .001 MHz or 1 kHz (Kilo-
umn. Since it's a question and began life as aCoast Guard radio opera- Hertz). That's a thousand Hertz (cycles
answer column, let's start right off tor and have operated CB radio since per second) which is about afoot to the
with aquestion Lafayette introduced the Comsat 25. I've right of middle "C" on apiano keyboard.
been alicensed radio amateur since 1973, 1000 Hertz (Hz) is an audible tone, much
How could the first issue of amagazine and Ihave worked in the commercial com- like amusical note, and it's well within the
have a Question & Answer column? munication industry since 1979. Ipresent- range of human hearing. When your radio
Where would the questions come from? ly "tweak television stuff" for a large uni- receives the two signals which are 1000
•
John Doe, 123 Maple St., Anytown, versity near our nation's capital where they Hz apart, that 1000 Hz tone is reproduced
USA let me chip golf balls into a30-foot satel- right through your speaker along with the
lite dish just to hear the clang. Also, Iuse two people talking. The lower the note you
How indeed, John. When Isigned on the same size floppy disks as the editor. hear, the closer the two transmitters' fre-
to write this column Iknew full well that I'd quencies are to one another; the higher
be faced with just that sort of tough ques- Why do Ihear a sort of electronic the note, the further apart they are. It is
tion from astute readers. In keeping with "whistling" when some people key this principle of heterodyning on which
my tradition of either giving honest their mike on AM CB? most of today's radio receivers operate,
answers or making something up, I'm H.P.M., Newington, CT using along-proven design called super-
going to go for the honest answer on this heterodyne or superhet.
one—the questions in this month's col- Sure—try to throw me off base with a
umn came from three sources: serious question. There are several Dear Bill: Ijust added 50 feet of RG-8
answers to that one. The first is that some between my radio and my antenna (I
•Some have been lying around the edi- people actually do whistle into their mikes moved the set to another location in
torial offices just waiting for a place This helps them observe and measure the my house). My Standing Wave Ratio—
where we could answer them (that's output of a single-sideband (SSB) radio which used to be 1.6:1—is now 1.1:1—
one of the reasons our editor decided The question, though, deals with AM CB my needle doesn't budge. I've been try-
to run this column). radios, which operates quite differently ing to get it this low for years, and now
•Some are questions which Iwas asked from SSB rigs. With AM, the whistling you it just happened. Any idea why?
over and over again—sometimes sev- hear is the result of aphenomenon called D.M.Q. Hazleton, PA
eral times aday— during my tenure as heterodyning, and it's one of the easier
a technical support manager for an radio phenomena to understand. It hap- You've stumbled upon the secret of the
antenna manufacturer. pens when two AM radios are "keyed" universe, DO—you have achieved low
•Some are made up. In lieu of shelling (their mic buttons are pressed) at the same SWR without expending any effort. Some
out the high six-figure income Ihad in time, on the same channel—both within people tune and tweak their antennas until
mind, the editor has allowed me to range of your receiver, and your receiver they wear out the setscrew and still can't
invite my friend Dr. Safety and afew of hears them both. get below 1.5:1 (which, by the way, is fine),
my other imaginary playmates to join We'd like to think our radios are perfect, while you have eliminated your SWR with-
me here from time to time with their but it just ain't so. Each is slightly off fre- out so much as an adjustment. Here are
questions. He has also agreed that for quency (but don't worry—they're well two rules that will explain how you did it:
each "Ask Bill" column Iwrite, he will within the tolerance required by our All transmission line (including your
give me an undisclosed amount of RG- friends in Washington and Ottawa). In a RG-8) has an inherent quality called loss.
8and achicken. perfect world, if they were both tuned to That means that some of the power you
channel 1, both radios would be trans- put into it turns into heat, and never makes
So what's so special 'bout you? How mitting on exactly 26.965 MHz. Here in our it to the antenna.
come they picked you to write a CB less perfect world though, one of the Antennas are never perfect; they
Q&A column? radios might be transmitting on 26.9655 always reflect some of the power back
Mary Smith, Yourtown, OH. MHz and the other on 26.9645 MHz—a down the transmission line toward your

radio. The relationship between your Your mobile rig—any mobile rig—can to use acar battery in your house. Doing
transmitted (forward) power and this be used as abase station, so long as you so may cause toxic fumes, an explosion,
reflected power is expressed as your can give it the 12 Vdc it wants. To do this, and even cancellation of your homeown-
standing wave ratio or SWR. you could bring your car into your house ers insurance at a time when you might
Here's the interesting part: The trans- (dangerous and inconvenient), Run a need it most."
mission line not only turns some of your wire from your car's cigarette lighter into
power into heat on the way out to the your house (merely inconvenient), or buy Yo—Big guy—I've heard that antennas
antenna, it also turns some of the reflect- what's known as a 12 Vdc power supply are reciprocal—that they have exactly
ed power into heat on the way back from (convenient, safe, and your dealer will as much gain for receiving as they do
your antenna. Now that you know this, you love you). Iknow that a battery, such as for transmitting. If that's true, how
can lower your SWR to 1.0:1, which is acar battery, is apower supply, but that's come Ican hear some people but they
absolutely no reflected power by simply not what I'm talking about. Like so many can't hear me when Icall them?
adding more transmission line (coaxial things in the electronics industry, power J.S.N., Benton Harbor, MI
cable) between your set and your anten- supply is a misnomer. Only the sun is a
na. Although this would give you the power supply; all other gadgets are mere- You're right, J.S., one of the few
appearance of the much sought-after ly power converters, but alas, ours is not absolute truths .n this world is that all
SWR-free system, the loss imposed by a perfect world. DC power supplies are antennas do have exactly the same gain
the line would reduce your outbound gadgets that plug into your 117 Vac elec- for transmitting as they do for receiving—
power—the part that gets to your anten- trical wall outlet and have terminals which and exactly the same directivity, too, so
na—as well. The moral of the story is that you can connect to your mobile rig, which antennas will never contribute to the sit-
an SWR of 1.5:1 or so is fine, and you wants 12 Vdc. The two parts of the equa- uation you describe. There are major and
should never have any more line than it tion I've left out so far are the power rat- minor differences in the rest of transmit
takes to reach your antenna. ing of the power supply, and whether it's and receive systems, though, and those
regulated or unregulated. Regulated differences do contribute to the situation
Hey Bill—Why are base-sets big, and power supplies, whose output voltages you mentioned.
mobile sets so small. Why can't some- remain constant at 12 Vdc even when you Let's say you and station XYZ each
one make a base set as small as a draw the maximum available current from have identical antennas. Lets also say
mobile rig? them, are both more desirable and more that your transceivers each put out exact-
S.K., Queens, NY expensive. Unregulated power supplies, ly the same power, and you each have
whose output voltage drops as you ask exactly the same kind and length of trans-
Base sets are big because most peo- them for more watts, are okay if they have mission line, and even your coaxial con-
ple have plenty of room for them, so enough excess rating ("headroom") and nectors are the same. The only difference
there's no pressure on the manufacturers cost less (refer to rule #1, which reminds between your station and station XYZ is
to make them smaller. Ialso suspect that us that there are no free lunches). that your receiver is more sensitive than
making aset big (and putting alittle heft Besides choosing between regulated his. That can happen, you know, and it's
to it) makes the a purchaser feel like he or unregulated, you must choose one with one of the reasons you want a quality
or she is getting more for their money. a sufficient rating (in amps or watts) to transceiver—so you get a good receiv-
Mobile sets must be made small, be- power your rig properly. Even if you er—one that's both sensitive and selec-
cause most cars are pretty small. Man- choose a regulated supply, you should tive—those are the two most desired
ufacturers can and do make mobile rigs consider getting a power supply that's qualities in areceiver. Often, though, the
with just as many features and just as capable of giving you about 20 per cent reason you can hear a station and that
much quality as their base stations, and more power than your rig requires (that station can't hear you is that they have
the only thing they leave out is the AC rating is either stamped on the back of more output power than you do. Not
power supply, which converts 117 Vac the rig or listed in the owner's manual), everyone follows the rules, eh? There's
house current into the 12 Vdc that the because you don't want to push any also a situation in which both stations
radio needs to operate. (Even base sta- device to or near its limit. If you go with could be exactly equal right down to the
tion radios convert 117 Vac house current an unregulated supply, consider head- color of your microphones, and station
to low-voltage DC—it's what transistors room of about 50 per cent. XYZ still can't hear your answer. That
and ICs are designed to use). A word from Dr. Safety: "It is not wise would be when he has a higher level of

noise—static and interfering signals—at solder down into the tip. You can even when traveling cross country. Does
his or her location than you do at yours— flow some around the braid-crimp on anyone make a "voice disguiser?"
so when this happens, don't feel as if some UHF connectors—it's trickier than JS ,Long Island
you're being ignored. at the tip, but not impossible.
Hey, J.S. never fear. There are such
Dear Bill: Iknow that CB frequencies— Bill—are there some laws of physics things, but no one would talk to you if you
around 27 MHz—are part of what's that apply differently to CB radio than used one, because most of them raise or
called the HF or High-Frequency spec- to the rest of the world? lower the pitch of your voice. None of
trum. How come all the radios and Dr. Safety, Bealeton, VA them change the quality of your speech,
antennas have "UHF" connectors. Isn't though. Do you ever wonder if there are
UHF above 300 MHz? Dr. Safety! What asurprise—I thought truck drivers from Long Island? Count on
R. Van H., Jarrettown, PA you were vacationing at the OSHA con- it—there are thousands of them. Have
ference. There are several areas we'll you ever wondered how many of them talk
Right you are, Van—the PL-259 (male deal with where the laws of physics will at with a drawl, though? Yep—all of them.
least be bent abit. The one that comes to It's so easy to do that you'll notice that
plug) and SO-239 (female socket) used
British rock groups quickly learned to put
in virtually all CB radios are called UHF mind right now is astrange one that Iper-
sonally discovered somewhere around on aU.S. Country &Western sound when
connectors—even by their manufactur-
needed. Practice into a cheap tape
ers. I don't know of anyone who would use my 30th birthday. It's the one in which the
recorder, and listen to yourself before you
a UHF connector at UHF frequencies. In pitch of your roof increases in direct pro-
try it on the air. Don't worry if you fail the
fact, most radio pros would not even use portion to your age. When Iwas in my
first two or three times, though—remem-
them at VHF frequencies—from 30 to 300 twenties, Ihelped my brother put a roof
ber, unless you practice from your base
MHz, though they're fine for CB use, so on the family homestead. Itap-danced
station at home—no one will know it's you!
don't worry about them. my way through several squares of shin-
Remember too, that if you have some-
We could start aradio campaign to call gles without acare. On my 30th birthday,
thing important to say, the world will beat
them "HF Connectors," but Idon't think Ihad occasion to climb my own roof,
a path to answer you. Imagine if you
it'll catch on until all the world's other ills which my brother swears has the same
announced that you knew what mile
are cured. pitch as the roof we replaced. I was bare-
marker the hundred-dollar-bill shipment
ly able to fasten the bracket to the chim-
bounced from the armored car. Make
Dear Bill: Is it okay to use "crimp-on" ney and find my way back to the ground. sure you have something to say that
connectors with my SSB rig, or should Shortly after my 40th birthday Iwas someone else wants to hear.
Iuse solder-on connectors? helping afriend paint his house and had
J[2), Basalt, CO occasion to go onto his roof. Again, the Dr. Safety reminds you that solder con-
pitch was a6-in-12 or 22.5 degree pitch, tains lead, which is toxic. You should never
Crimp-on connectors are fine. So is my but this time Ihad to decline completely. leave it where children can get at it, never
Oldsmobile—but it's not aFerrari. Solder- At the rate I'm going, by the time I'm 60, put it in your mouth, and always wash your
on connectors are always better than I'll have to use rock-climbing gear just to hands when you're finished handling it.
crimp-on, but for many applications, scale asidewalk. You should also dispose of it in aproper
crimp-on connectors are fine. You would (Bill, But I'll bet you a New York pas- manner, and remember that acurious pet
never notice the difference between trami-on-rye that if someone put a free might be tempted to eat scraps and splat-
them and solder-on connectors—if multi-band radio on that same roof, we'd ters which remain after you're finished. If
they're put on properly. I'd never use a both nearly kill each other to get there you don't know how to solder, it's easy to
crimp-on connector for VHF or UHF first!—Editor) learn. Most of us have afriend who knows
applications, but a properly-assembled how, but if you're either really mean or live
crimp-on connector is fine for CB opera- Dear Bill, in the desert, you can pick up agood sol-
tions in the HF spectrum. Want to make My New York accent (cuppa cawfee) dering guide with some simple safety
crimp-ons even better? Sweat a drop of keeps truckers from answering me rules at your favorite radio store. •

Trucker of the Month 11111111111
CUR SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS By Bill Simpson, "Highlander"
We Salute "boss Lady" çathy

enjoys playing with her new niece, and in meeting new people. CB is something I
her spare time breeds, raises and trains really enjoy."
rather large dogs; rides horseback and Do YOU know a driver that should be
also target shoots. "Between work, the nominated for "Trucker of the Month"?
house, the dogs, and the drive to my sis- Send us a couple of pictures along with
ter's house," she laughs, "I really don't as much information as possible. Who
have time to chat on the radio, even knows, maybe the next "T.O.T.M." could
though Iwould love to spend more time be you! We're watching ...
"Boss Lady" Kathy using the CB. (Photo

by Bill Simpson)
°D) L
H
3-322,11)
,_,
P1
I
n this fast-paced world, every occu-
pation has pressures. Yeah, guys and
gals, even dispatchers have pressure! Now there's an easy way to organize and keep copies of your favorite
(I'm not sure exactly what their pressure magazine readily available for future reference.
could be). Except for being a football Designed exclusively for CB Radio by Jesse Jones Industries, these
coach in the Big 10 or SEC, few jobs are custom-made titled cases and binders provide the luxury look that
as pressured as the courier business. makes them attractive additions to your bookshelf, desk or any location
For afee, courier companies contract in your home or office.
to pick up a package, envelope, skid or Each binder/case is covered with durable leather-like material: title cn
truckload at one point, and deliver it to is hot stamped in gold.
another within minutes through traffic. All Whether you choose cases or binders, you'll have astorage system o
this despite snow, rain, the Columbus that's durable and well organized to help protect your valuable copies
Day Parade or some demonstration in the from damage.
downtown area. While we can acknow,
Quantity Cases Binders
edge (very begrudgingly) that dispatch-
ers in this field have agreat deal of pres- One 8.95 $11.25
sure, we also tip the hat to afew of those Three S24.95 $31.85
in management. Six S45.95 $60.75
Pictured is "Boss Lady" Kathy, Op-
erations manager for one of the more Add S1.50 per case/binder for postage and handling.
prestigious courier services located in Outside USA S3.50 per case/binder. (U.S. funds only)
metro Chicago.
Boss Lady has absolutely no qualms
about jumping in a truck or car to take CB RADIO
care of business, if needed. "The cus- Jesse Jones Industries, Dept. 95 CB
tomers have priority, no matter what. I can't 499 East Erie Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19134
promise that I'll always make the delivery,
but if that's what it takes ..." she said. She Please send cases; binders Enclosed is $
continued, "I started as an order taker H Charge my: (Minimum $15)
years ago, then got some insight into the
problems our customers face ...their Li AMEX H Visa E MasterCard E Diners Club
problems become our problems, until the
problem is solved. If we can find away to Card # Exp. Date
satisfy the delivery point, we'll do it. Many Signature
of our drivers have 10 or more years expe- Print Name
rience and take late deliveries personal-
Address
ly. Idon't have many hours in the trucks,
but I'll take one out if necessary! I've No P.O. Box Numbers Please
made deliveries myself in the past, and City/State/Zip
I'm sure that I'll do it again." PA Residents add 7% sales tax Allow 4to 6weeks delivery
On a more personal note, Boss Lady

irceopar
YOUR SOURCE OF CB NEWS AND HAPPENINGS
Compiled By Larry Miller, KCZ-&&47
d
CD Coast-to-Coast
A CB Story
If highways carry the lifeblood of this country, then Interstate 75
in Georgia is amajor artery. Pulsing with traffic from the time it
leaves Tennessee in Chattanooga, the road gathers speed in
six lanes, connecting metropolitan Atlanta with Macon and
Valdosta before finally dumping its load at the Florida border.
CB plays amajor role in the lives of the people who ride the
road here. Even if the rest of the country said that CB died in
the mid 1970's, no one here went to any funeral. CB is as much
a part of their day as pulling on their jeans and going to work.
It has saved lives, been that helping hand along the way and
for many, been away of killing off those long hours on the road.
On June 8, 1994, however, CBs light went dim, if only for a
moment. The story comes from Doug Monroe, a writer at the
Atlanta Constitution.
Debra Carey took her usual position on 1-75, heading north
out of Atlanta. The speed was high, alittle more than most dri-
vers would be comfortable with, and traffic was heavy. Up
ahead, Carey noticed two trucks playing games with ared pick-
up. She couldn't tell what was going on, but she did notice that
one of the trucks had the letters "CTI" on it.
Writer Doug Monroe takes over at this point. "Up the road,
Mitch Dutto of Cartersville said he heard avoice on the CB radio
say, "CTI, we've got ared pickup wanting to play games with us.
Why don't you come up here and see what you can do with him?"
The big rigs forced the pickup to change lanes, Carey said.
"Then, I saw ajolt." Dutto said he heard the CB voice say, "That's
it! You got him!"
Carey continued to watch in her mirror. What she saw horri-

Send Lawyers, Guns and Money
Most of your neighbors don't care if you you may even hear from alawyer. Internet. If you use acomputer, be sure
have a CB antenna on your roof. They Don Stoner of Clearwater, Florida, has to check out http://www.hamweb.com/-
realize that CBers perform valuable pub- been fighting with his condominium sjl/STONER/ANTENNA.html.
lic service in time of emergency. But association for five years over the anten- A word of warning: If you are consider-
there are always some warped busy- na on his roof. The condo association ing the purchase of a new home, check
bodies that enjoy causing trouble. says that the antenna must come down; to see if the home comes with any restric-
Antennas, they feel, are an "eyesore" and Don says that the demand is an uncon- tive covenants. Your real estate agent
God sent them to earth specifically for the stitutional violation of civil rights. He is should be able to tell you, but be sure to
purpose of clearing rooftops of America. fighting back. In fact, you can read the get the answer in writing! It may make the
If you are unfor:unate enough to live near entire story—including Don's on-line difference between carefree CBing and
one of these insufferable do-gooders, book called, "Condo Wars"—on the years of untold hassles and expenses.
A CB Story (continued)
fied her. "I saw the red pickup truck com-

plete a45-degree angle and go over the
median. Isaw fragments of car flying." SIMPLY A CLASSIC
The CB voice returned to the air. "CTI,
you just put the pace car into the wall." The Famous Crystal D104 Family!
A third voice came on the channel.
"CTI," it said, "You just caused that
wreck. You need to pull over." No one
slept well that night. The next day, Dutto
read in the paper that Sal Camacho of The ASTATIC SILVER EAGLE Equipped With ETS Circuitry
Woodstock had been killed on l-75 when features the original 1)104 Super Talk-
The Silver KEagle and the Night KEagle
Power microphone with arugged transis-
his pickup truck crossed the median tor amplifier. The D104 uses a metal
are new versions of the amplified D104
microphone. These microphones feature a
and entered oncoming traffic. The CBer sealed crystal, combined with an extra
unique End of Transmission Signal (ETS)
large diaphragm that gives the D104 a
picked up the phone and called Georgia with two different and distinctive sounds.
distinctive sound that has been the
State Police. He was later called on to standard which all others have been
The first sound is aMorse code "K" which
is the universal telegraph abbreviation
testify in court about the accident. compared for many years. The Silver
Mr "over". The second switch selectable
Eagle is solidly constructed of brass and
It took over two years, but last month sound is amulti-tone burst. The unique ETS
die cast zinc. and features an American
Royce Simmons, the driver of the "CTI" circuitry has the following features:
Eagle embossed on the back of the D104
truck, was convicted of first-degree head. The mic is then polished to mirror DUAL RELAYS: Eliminates the annoying
finish and bright chrome plated. receiver pop that other "roger beep -
vehicular homicide. He faces 17 years The ASTATIC NIGHT EAGLE has all microphones cause on electronics
in prison. Joshua Condon, the second of the features of the SILVER EAGLE switching radios.
trucker, was not charged, but has been with aunique new finish. The main mic
1.ONG BATTERY LIFE: The ETS circuit
body is done in aluxurious black, while
named in a civil suit filed on behalf of the press hars, locking clamp, and grille
is only engaged when the microphone
is un -keyed.
Camacho's children for "procuring" screen are polished and bright brass
plated. The NIGHT EAGLE also features FAIL SAFE DESIGN: When battery
Simmons to "help him clear the lane."
and American Eagle embossed on the power becomes low, the microphone
Other than waiting for Simmons to hack of the D104 head. automatically reverts to nonnal non -
actually be sentenced or for the results ETS operation to allow time to replace
the battery.
of the civil action against Condon, the
story is over. And like many stories, it has SWITCHABLE 20 dB PAD: Useful to
prevent over modulation and feedback
both its bright and dark side. CB, it is
Dependable Base Station on "hot" radios.
true, was the instrument through which
The ASTATIC 1104C is an amplified high
the deadly road game was coordinated. gain ceramic desk microphone. It feature
But it was also the means by which the easily accessible tone and volume controls
to help customize the sound of your voice for
perpetrator was brought to justice. best results on any radio. The I10.4C uses
Today, things aren't very different on astandard 9 volt battery and has arugged
1-75. Traffic is still heavy and perhaps a die cast zinc base and ABS upper
housing. The 11 04C amplifier and
little too fast. Big rigs jockey for position 6wire cable make it compatible with
Specially designed
for single side band
with their smaller passenger car cousins all modern radio transceivers.
but capable of excel-
on the long strip of asphalt that divides lent performance on all
the state in two. And people use their
Astatic
communication equip-
ment. The hase is at-
CBs, just like any other day. A little good, tractive high polished
a little bad, and a lot that falls some-
341 Harbor St., Conneaut, OH 44030
chrome finish with grip-
where in between. to-talk and push-to- talk
operation. The IODAL head is
(216) 5911111 FAX (216) 5915395 capable of a90 degree head tilt with
adjustable tension.
CIRCLE 52 ON READER SERVICE CARD 33

CB Hero Lookie-Loo Gets
Clipped
The story of CBer Al Kinney is "all door of his neighbor's house. Kinney
good." When the Los Angeles resident used his CB to contact a base unit who
stepped out of his car after work last in turn notified the police. When arrest- A Jacksonville, Florida man who
month, he received astanding ovation— ed, the suspect's car was loaded with repeatedly showed up at the scene of
literally—from his neighbors. Kinney got stolen goods.
police calls was arrested and charged
the applause after neighbors found out Kinney's neighbor's didn't always
with illegally monitoring police radio traf-
that he was responsible for the arrest of appreciate his radio hobby. "There were
fic. Forty-one year old David Randall
aburglar who had been plaguing the area a lot of times when Igot funny looks or
for over ayear. complaints about TV interference. Itold Boyd, a self-employed window washer,
According to reports, the 34-year old them that some day they'd be glad they violated a city ordinance that prohibits
assembly line worker was returning had aneighbor with two-way capabilities. monitoring police from either a motor
home from his job when he noticed a Now several of them have gone out and vehicle or abusiness. Monitoring from a
suspicious man standing at the back bought their own CBs." home is still permitted. Police respond-
ing to a burglar alarm spotted Boyd's
FCC Budget Cuts Father of CB Wins scanner mounted in his car. They also
saw a five-inch TV screen mounted on
Award the dash, which is atraffic violation. Boyd

was released upon posting bail.
A Welcome
According to reports coming out of
Washington, the FCC has taken amajor
shellacking from Congress. Budget Al Gross, the man who many call the
reductions are so severe that FCC head
Reed Hundt characterizes them not as
"Father of CB" has been presented with
aspecial award at the headquarters of
Donation
cuts "but amputations." Already the FCC the International Telecommunications
has laid off 10 percent of its staff. Union in Geneva, Switzerland. Dr.
Continue this way, he says, and there will Pekka J. Tarjanne, Secretary General of
be "hundreds and hundreds of immedi- the ITU, presented Gross with aspecial K-40 Electronics recently donated 50
ate terminations here at the Commission. medallion in recognition of his "pio- CB radios and antennas to the REACT
The Agency would be paralyzed." program. "We're strong believers in
neering contributions to mobile, per-
So what does that mean for CBers? REACT activities, and wanted to show
sonal, wireless telecommunications
Freedom from Uncle Charlie and even our continued support through this dona-
now in use worldwide." Gross was also
anarchy of the airwaves? Or a leaner, tion," said K-40's president Peggy Finley.
given an honorary, permanent mem-
meaner FCC looking for even more rev-
bership in the ITU. The K-40 CBs and antennas were
enue from fines? It's hard to tell, but
In 1948, Gross was given the FCC's given to the groups that had the most
Hundt does give us ahint. He's aware of
go-ahead to merchandise the first hours monitored in the past year.
the FCC's legendary ability to raise cash
citizens band radio in the United States. REACT's office manager, Deanne
and calls the FCC "the biggest cash
In March of that same year, Gross was Earwood said that "some radios will be
cow" in the entire history of government.
For now, however, the big cow is cry- awarded the country's first CB used for communications in the Kansas
ing the blues. M0000. license-19W0001. Special Olympics."
Getting Together
We're beginning to hear from CB groups across the country. Be sure to drop us anote and let us know what's going on with
your group. You can also be apart of our Media Monitoring Team by watching your local newspapers for articles involving CB
radio or CB radio operators. When you see something about CB in your local newspaper, send it in. Our address is Box 360,
Wagontown, PA 19376. Be sure to include your name and address if you want your name to appear in this column.
A Great Offer—At CB Radio magazine, we know that many of you are involved in working with local law enforcement agen-
cies, whether it's in traffic control, Town Watch or just keeping an eagle-eye on the community. We also know that the two
worlds—CB and police -often talk in two entirely different languages. CB's jargon is not always the same as the police. That's
why we've put together awallet-size card listing of the official APCO 10-codes. APCO is the Association of Police Communications
Officers. This is the complete list—not just some of them—printed on a rugged laminated credit-card size ready for instant
access. We've got acouple hundred of these ready and printed up for you. All you need to do to get your copy is to send $3.00
to Larry Miller, Box 360, Wagontown, PA 19376. We'll get it out to you right away.

CI3 Codes and Jargon
The following list of CB codes and jargon was sent to us from Granny lane Right (slow) lane on a highway
Curtis George of Maryland. Thanks, Curtis. While we haven't Green Nothing going on
included your entire list, Curtis, we're running the more impor- Green stamps Money (also speeding fines)
tant items Grip on me Receiving my signal
Hammer Accelerator
10-4 Affirmative (ok) Hammer lane Left (passing) lane of highway
10-5 Relay message to Handle Name you use on CB
10-9 Say again Home 20 Home location
10-10 Negative (no) How about it If you heard me, please reply
10-12 Stand by (stop) How about you If you heard me, please reply
10-16 Reply to message Kiddie Stage Coach School bus
10-33 Accident Landline Telephone
10-36 Correct time Local information Information about an area
10-43 Information (directions)
10-55 Intoxicated driver Local Yokle Local police
10-77 Estimated time of arrival (ETA) Mo Town Detroit, MI
On the side I'm listening but not talking
Advertising Police with lights on Parking lot Car carrier
Back door Anything behind you Pickle park Truck stop
Back-em-down Slow down Pick-'em-up Pick-up truck
Bean store Truck stop Picture taker Police with radar gun
Bear bait Speeder Piggy bank Toll plaza
Beat the bushes First vehicle in convoy Plain wrapper Unmarked police car
Bear cave Police station Pony express Mail truck
Bear in the air Police helicopter Pregnant rollerskate Volkswagen Bug
Bedbug mover Moving van Queen City Cincinnati, OH
Big 10-4 Iagree with you 100 percent Ratchet jaw Someone who talks all the time
Big Apple New York, NY Reading the mail Listening but not talking
Big R Roadway Rig The CB radio
Big road Interstate highway Right Back at Ya Same to you
Big Windy Chicago Rocking horse Safe place in convoy
Blow your doors off Passing very fast Roger Iagree
Bobcat Truck cab (not pulling atrailer) Roger-D Iagree with you 100 percent
Bone box Ambulance Sandbox Six-wheel dump truck hauling sand
Bring it on back I'm listening for your reply Sandwich lane Center lane of multi-lane highway
Buster Brown UPS Shake the trees First vehicle in convoy
Cash box Toll booth Shakey Town Los Angeles, CA
Chicken coop Truck scales Smokey State trooper
Clean Nothing going on Smoke with ears Police listening
Coal bucket Coal truck Stage coach Over road 'pusses
Container Tanker truck Steel City Pittsburgh, PA
Cornflakes Consolidated Freight Lines Super slab Interstate highway
County Mountie Sheriff Spy in the Sky Police helicopter
Crystal clear Your signal sounds good Thermos bottle Tanker truck
Disco lights Lights on top of emergency Threes & Eights on You Hugs & kisses, see ya later
vehicles Thunder chicken Ford Thunderbird
Double nickel Speed limit 55 mph Tiajuana Taxi Market state police car
Do-it-to-it Nothing going on Walk it on back I'm listening for your reply
Evil Knieval Motorcycle What am Ihitting you with? Give me an S-meter reading
Feed the bears Getting aticket What's your 20? Where are you located?
Forty-two Affirmative (ok) Willy Weaver A person all over the road (possible
Four wheeler Passenger car drunk)
Got your ears on If you heard me, please reply
March 1996 ICB Radio /35

Tech Talk With Gordo r II Ill II
EXPLORING THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF CITIZENS BAND By Gordon West
Digital Signal Frocessing Cuts the Squeals

dimmers in your shack—they too have CB radio amplitude modulated signals
igital signal processing is afabu-
switched from a bulky rheostat to a new may be either double sideband or single
lous new technology that may
digital dimmer. That new CD player is all sideband, but both types of emissions are
change the way you listen to weak
digital, leaving the term "analog" in the plagued by noise that rides along with
signals on CB radio single sideband.
Imagine pulling in another SSB signal history books. these waves and into your receiver. It's
Think of analog as the big polished tough to cancel out the noise because
loud and clear and having your radio
automatically lock onto and notch-out an wood banister at your grandparent's most noise is amplitude modulation, just
house. When you were kids, you would like the human voice.
offending AM heterodyne carrier? And on
take the analog way down from the sec- A CB transceiver fitted with an external
those rare days that the band is not open
ond floor to the first floor. Think of digital or internal digital signal processing filter
for skywave contacts, imagine the bene-
as steps leading from the second floor to will take the incoming analog signals and
fits of turning on a DSP filter and watch-
the first floor. Analog is smooth, and the apply them to sampling circuits that gen-
ing the background noise drop from S7
digital steps are in tiny increments—but erate a staircase-type wave form illus-
down to S3, with scarcely arumble com-
the results are the same as going from trated in Figure 1. Digital signal process-
ing out of your speaker until an actual sig-
one stage to another stage, ultimately es may take arough incoming signal and
nal comes on the air!
arriving at the same place. create adigital format that could cut down
CB radio waves travel through the air on noise by as much as 3dB, or half the
The Big Switch at 300 million meters per second. They noise level. Any noise that might be pre-
are analog. If you could look at the waves sent on the analog signal between the
The world of electronics and radio com- on an oscilloscope or spectrum analyzer, sampling periods is simply bypassed.
munications is switching from analog to you'd see they have peaks and valleys The term "sampling" simply refers to
digital, maybe without your even realizing that represent frequency in cycles per the digital process of creating numbers
it. Remember the old days of an automo- second—abbreviated Hz—and there are out of an analog wave form, sampling at
bile radio volume control that you would also amplitude modulated waves that are regular intervals to break up the incom-
twist by hand? That rheostat, technically an analog wave form resulting from your ing analog wave form into hundreds and
called a potentiometer, is now replaced modulation into a microphone. Your FM thousands of time-discrete points. A CB
by atiny switch and digital chip that will stereo receiver tunes into an analog sig- transceiver with a built-in digital signal
increase or decrease the volume every nal, frequency modulated in stereo by a processing filter, such as the new Radio
time you push the button once. The light nearby FM transmitting station. Shack TRC-493, contains an analog-to-
DSP logic may soon allow you to run your radio entirely by
computer. DSP chips are apowerful new way to reduce interference.

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tailor the DSP response for specifically
canceling an annoying interfering signal
or heterodyne.
The BIG improvement in CB reception
is when you add an external tunable dig-
ital signal processing filter to your exist-
ing CB transceiver, and work the trans-
ceiver on either upper or lower sideband.
Here is where DSP for CB radio really
begins to shine.
The external digital signal processing
filter network works at the audio output
stage of your CB transceiver, and does
not require you to do athing on the inside.
While audio filtering is not near as effec-
tive as the VERY expensive intermediate
WM111111111111 lllll 1111111111111_1 I
frequency DSP demodulation and pro-
Time (Ti -Tn) cessing, audio DSP filters are readily
available and can bring you relief from
random noise and heterodyne within sec-
The digital signal is rounded off to the closest step voltage each time the analog sig
onds after asimple hookup.
nal is sampled, called DSP "quantization." (Courtesy Craig Clark, KR6T)
Skilled Adjustment Needed

digital converter which yields a binary tiple notch capabilities within the audio fre-
number representing a sampling of the quency pass band that automatically But these filters don't magically and
amplitude values. An 8-bit AID converter seeks out annoying heterodyne whistles automatically clean up the channel you're
would give one of 256 values from the and cancels them completely from the listening to. While the relatively inexpen-
incoming analog wave form. audio output stage. You don't even know sive Radio Shack DSP AM mobile radio
The modern DSP receiver would also there is an AM heterodyne carrier nearby! can be clicked into aslightly lower noise
contain a programmable digital filter that For AM double sideband CB radio use, floor and aslight reduction in whistles and
would allow the operator to select the we found that the Radio Shack advanced whines, it may truly take your skilled
desired audio pass band. This program- digital signal processing in their TRC-493 adjustment on an external DSP noise fil-
mable enhancement to digital signal pro- offered some advantage in pulling out ter to do the job.
cessing could allow the radio operator to weak AM signals that would otherwise be Example: If you're on channel 38 and
specifically select band pass filtering to covered up by random power line noise there are some low adjacent channel
eliminate low, mid, or high heterodyne and an occasional heterodyne whistle. In rumblings slopping over from the next
tones to cope with changing interference the Radio Shack CB transceiver with channel up or down, cut out the low tones
conditions on the 40 channels. Several "advanced DSP", you either switch it in with your DSP filter and enjoy relief. If
shortwave radio manufacturers offer mul- or out without any additional capability to you're on SSB and someone comes up
Author West adjusts an audio digital signal processor system for

SSB CB base stations.
DSP notch filter capabilities can cut SSB interference from asteady
interfering AM heterodyne.

with abig carrier on AM, aDSP filter can 4091 Viscount Street
notch out the annoying tone. Filters with
Memphis, TN 38118
two notch capabilities offer twin tone
annihilation. (901) 794-9494
"Noise reduction function examines a Fax: (901) 366-5736
characteristic of signal and noise called
correlation, and dramatically filters out ANTENNAS •POWER SUPPLIES •CABLE ASSEMBLIES
the undesired noise," commented atech- HIGH PERFORMANCE and MADE IN U.S.A.
nician at Timewave Technology. "Ran-
dom noise such as white noise or static ALL MACO BASE STATION ANTENNAS are made of aircraft alloy 6063-T5
gets a slight improvement with DSP. aluminum tubing-.050 guage. NOTE! To prevent fatigue failure,
Speech is moderately correlated and no holes are made in any boom or element.
may be dramatically improved and sep-
arated from background noise. Pure
tones like CB heterodynes are highly cor- MACO M107C
related, and they can be eliminated
almost completely with notching capabil-
7-element "Maximum"
ities of awell-designed DSP filter system," Beam
the technician continued.
That same DSP filter could also work on
your shortwave receiver to narrow band
signals like OW and digital modes. The
filter simply connects between the radio
and speaker, and 12 volts run the inside
MAXIMUM BEAMS
SINGLE AND DUAL POLARITY, YAGI CB BASE STATION ANTENNAS
Sources of Audio DSP
available in 3, 4, 5, 6, 7& 8element
Filters
for CB or 10 meters; vertical or horizontal.
HAL Communications Corp.
1201 W. Kenyon Road
P.O. Box 365 Call or write for free catalog and name of reseller near you.
Urbana, IL 61801-7373 CIRCLE 56 ON READER SERVICE CARD
Phone: 217-367-7373 audio DSP filter is agreat way to go if you

will take the time to play with the knobs to
JPS Communications
cancel out the offending noise, pumping
5720 Capital Blvd.
up the familiar voice you are looking for
Raleigh, NC 27604
over the airwaves.
Phone: 919-790-1048
No, DSP won't open up the band where
Kantronics, Inc. the ionosphere is not cooperating, but it
1202 E. 23rd Street will sure help you sort through all of the
signals that are on single sideband when
Lawrence, KS 66046
Phone: 913-842-7745 conditions get crowded. And even that
simple on or off DSP system in the new
MFJ Enterprises This JPS Communications, Inc. unit, the Radio Shack set can make a difference
P.O. Box 494 ANC-4, cancels locally-generated noise to quiet the clatter of your mobile CB
Mississippi State, MS 39762 from power lines, computers, TV and installation. Digital signal processing—a
Phone: 800-647-8324 electrical equipment. When used with a good way to hear more and to tune out
transceiver, it must be installed at the annoying interference!
Radio Shack lower RF level of the transceiver.
(local addresses and phone numbers) (Courtesy JPS Communications, Inc.)
Coming Months
Ramsey Electronics, Inc. chips which actively make up the digital
793 Canning Parkway In the next few months we'll be explo ,-
signal processor system.
Victor, NY 14564 ing some technical topics such as SWR,
Phone: 716-924-4560 coax transmission lines and lots more, so
stay tuned. If you have atechnical topic
Timewave Technology Down the Road With DSP you'd like discussed, send me a letter or
2401 Pilot Knob Road postcard, c/o "Tech Talk With Gordo."
St. Paul, MN 55120 In the future, you'll see more and more
Phone: 612-452-5939 CB transceivers going to some stages of Gordon West, WB6NOA has been an
digital signal processing. As analog elec- amateur operator about 40 years. Gordon
And there are others, but these seven com- tronic stages are modernized to digital has been conducting seminars and radio
panies are well known for their $100-300 pro- stages, the addition of DSP filtering may classes for more than 25 years. He is
grammable DSP audio filters which have be as simple as adding just one more chip president of Gordon West Radio School,
proven themselves as popular additions to to the entire motherboard. And for those Inc. He and his family reside in southern
CB/SSB transceivers. of us with older SSB CB transceiver base California. Gordon is a marine electron-
stations and mobile units, the add-on ics specialist and consultant.

Product Spotlight
THE STUFF THAT'S OUT THERE—AND HOW IT WORKS [3y Harold or-t, N2RLL, 555-5%
The Cobra 2010 CD base Station

ITEM: Cobra 2010 GTL WX AM/SSB CB
Base Station With Weather Alert
SPECIFICATIONS: Full-featured, 40-
channel base CB radio with frequency
counter, weather channel reception (with
alert mode), instant channel 9, dynamic
front-mounted base station mic with
coiled cord (battery included), two sepa-
rate lighted meters; one for signal
strength and RF power, another for
SWR/MOD; ANL, noise blanker, channel
indicator with mode, rotary volume,
squelch, RF gain, mic gain, voicelock
(clarifier control) and SWR calibrate con-
trols. (Unit also operates from 12 Vdc with
provided power cable).
DIMENSIONS: (HWD) approx. 4 1/2" x
13" x9 1/2". Weight approx. 10 lbs.
Out of the box the 2010 comes ready
to operate. All you need is agood anten-
na and afew minutes to learn the radio's
basics and install the provided 9volt bat-
tery into the microphone. It's that easy. The Cobra 2010 GTL WX is afull-featured AM/SSB CB. Here's the 2010, also show-
Let's get back to the box for amoment. ing the professional-looking and feeling Cobra desk microphone. The instruction
A quick way to tell how much acompany manual includes wiring instructions for users interested in using adifferent mic with
cares about its finished radio product is to the 2010. (Courtesy Cobra Electronics Corp.)
look at the packaging; how well protected
is it from the inevitable bumps and bruis-
es that occur in normal shipping and han-
dling? In the case of the Cobra 2010, it You know how some electronic equip- 2010 instructions explain EVERYTHING,
could probably have survived an elephant ment manuals never really make any so there's no guesswork about what con-
stampede! The radio itself was packaged sense? I'm talking about the gibberish trol does what.
in aclear plastic bag, the protruding front that often results when Japanese is trans-
controls were uniquely protected from the lated into English. This easy-to-under-
rigors of the mail room by cardboard and stand manual had none of that "baloney." The 2010 Basics
bubble wrap. Even the gooseneck micro- You won't need aquick foreign language
phone was securely wrapped in card- course this time, folks. It didn't take long to realize the 2010 is
board (in its separate box) and the man- Let's face it, most CB radios, and the a professional CB. Every so often a CB
ual/warranty paperwork was neatly 2010 is no exception, aren't difficult to fig- comes along with the controls and front
enclosed in a plastic envelope. ure out, even without amanual. Connect panel thoughtfully organized—this is one
Why mention the quality of packaging? a good outdoor antenna, (I'm currently of those radios. Each control is labeled
It's simple—you've plunked down your using a Shakespeare—see our High- with large enough letters so it can be read
hard-earned bucks for a CB radio that, light), put the battery in the mic, plug it in in dim light. The controls themselves have
when it arrives on your doorstep, or it's and you're on the air. But there's always agood, positive feel and are easily turned
unwrapped and checked at your local that one easily missed piece of informa- or pushed—even if you have monstrous
dealer, shouldn't be scratched, dented or tion that can make your CBing more plea- fingers—without inadvertently resetting
crunched. (It's our job as user to give it surable. Take for example learning that another nearby control.
the "used" appearance a few months the noise blanker and ANL push-button Some CBs—and even amateur radios
down the pike!) Our Cobra 2010, need- functions are inoperative when in the I've had—just don't "feel" right. Maybe
less to say, arrived in perfect condition. "weather" mode. It's in the manual on the designer had an urge to see how
page seven. It sure saves time and frus- many knobs and buttons could be put on
The Manual tration by reading about it BEFORE firing a pint-sized radio cabinet. Maybe they
up the radio. had 20-20 vision and assume the rest of
The manual is 21 pages long and What if you see "ANT" in the lower left the world does, too. But Cobra's
includes everything you'd need to know of display window? No, it doesn't mean approach is clear: They thought of the
to get started in CB. It includes alittle bit your antenna is connected, it's an indi- radio-using world outside the lab and
about NOAA (National Oceanic and cation of aserious SWR problem with your beyond the draftsman's table.
Atmospheric Administration) Weather antenna system. Those little, often-over- The 2010 is housed in a black metal
Radio and plenty on learning the ins-and- looked differences between CBs are usu- case with a top-mounted speaker with
outs of the 2010 itself. ally explained in the manual. The Cobra plenty of good clean, loud, crisp audio.

You can have the best radio in the world,
but without good audio, it's worthless.
Some folks would opt for using an exter-
nal speaker regardless of the quality of
the audio, but most of us, Ibelieve, would
rather not be bothered with an external
speaker unless the radio will be used in
anoisy environment. Believe me, the vol-
ume on the 2010 is outstanding! There is
an external speaker connection on the
rear of the unit.
Looking at the front of the transceiver,
the first thing that catches your attention
is the large 3/4-inch channel display. You
don't have to squint or get out amagni-
fying glass to read the channel you've
selected. It's brightly lighted, too. There
is no bright/dim switch; it's something
that some users might like, but that's a
minor, if not downright picky observa-
tion, anyway.
The layout of controls on the 2010's front panel is impressive. At number "7" notice
Adjacent to the channel number is the the frequency display. This drawing, taken from the instruction manual, is typical of
nearly 1/2-inch frequency display. The
the detail throughout the instructions. (Courtesy Cobra Electronics Corp.)
display window also shows the mode
(AM/LSB/USB); receive/transmit indica-
tor; and at the push of a button, a four-
digit clock. When in the "WX" (weather) the 2010 is considered to be the Cobra net. The flexible mic stem stays where you
mode the clock is displayed. In the CB replacement for the aging 2000 GTL. put it, unlike some I've seen that seem to
mode (either AM or sideband) toggling Upon power-up the display shows the have amind of their own. The push-but-
between the clock and frequency display current channel number, frequency, and ton controls on the base of the unit work
is simply accomplished with the push of mode. If last used to tune the NOAA equally well; the left is for a brief trans-
abutton. weather, it will display the WX mode and mission, and right one locks for longer
The two meters, one for signal strength current time. A quick push button away is transmissions. The locking button
and power, the other for SWR and MOD instant access to channel 9. unlocks with asecond downward push.
are well-lighted and highly visible, even at Like most areas of the country, there Typically, Irarely trust built-in SWR
arms length. Rounding out the front panel are always afew wahoos with linears who meters. So, I connected my own separate
controls are push buttons for instant chan- inevitably misbehave on channel 10 or meter between the 2010 and antenna.
nel 9 access, weather reception and a 11, usually completely obliterating Surprisingly the readings were nearly the
headphone jack and of course the larger incoming communications on 9. There same on both meters! By simple repeat-
rotary tuning and volume controls. are acouple of these "operators" within a ed on-air use and comparison with other
few miles of my location. Sure enough, by CBs I've owned, my feeling is the S-meter
On the Air With the 2010 early evening they were at it on channel on the 2010 gives an accurate indication
11. On either side of 11, both channels 10 of incoming signal strength—at least as
When first plugging in the radio, a and 12, their signals would have nearly good as any other S-meter indicator,
momentary loud alert-sounding tone is rendered any meaningful communication whether it's bargraphs or an analog meter
heard. This power-on-self-test of the very difficult to conduct. However, on such as this one. (An old fellow once told
weather alert circuitry is normal; it's the channel 9, two channels away, while still me that S-meter readings "don't matter
same 10-second tone you'll hear when noticeable, their higher-powered signals anyhow, cause the most important thing
the Weather Service transmits their warn- were only aslight problem. If Ihad need- is, can you hear 'em?") He was probably
ing tone. This is one aspect of the radio ed to render assistance to a caller from right. Regardless, the 2010's meter is
that isn't mentioned in the manual. the nearby Garden State Parkway, it easy to read and "feels" right. The same
Anyway, how often do you plug and sub- would have been possible. This attests to held true for the SWR calibrate and actu-
sequently unplug aradio? the good selectivity of the Cobra 2010. al SWR meter-reading. My independent
With the provided 9 volt battery Ijumped up to channel 19, ahotbed of meter gave the same reading on lower
installed in the base of the great-looking drivers with CB radios—some probably channels and only an insignificantly high-
microphone and using a good outdoor running excessive power. "Wolverine" er reading on channel 40.
antenna, it was time to check out the and Italked for acouple of minutes, giv-
Cobra 2010. ing way to mobiles passing along smokey
Back afew years ago Iused aCobra reports. With the Dynamike (mic gain) and On Sideband
142 GTL; it's a super CB; sideband, Dynamike Ultra (on-mic gain) at the mid-
SWR/MOD meter and all. But for me, way point, he reported my audio and Without changing the mic and gain
there's no comparison between the new modulation was "sounding great." There controls, Iswitched over to channel 38,
2010 and either it or the older Cobra 2000 was no need to ask him for asignal report; LSB. There's a lot of sideband activity in
GTL. Each predecessor had it's own several other mobiles repeatedly called many areas of the country, my New
unique quirks. The 142 GTL's controls me, one even wanted to know my high- Jersey 0TH is no exception.
were awkwardly mounted and unusually way mile marker! A quick call to a couple of operators,
peculiar to use. The 2000 GTL, while a The gooseneck-type microphone's one some 20 miles distant, was met with
superb CB, was similar. Clearly, though, base is black, matching the radio cabi- aresponse from one of them. Like on AM,

the audio report on the 2010 was superb. only if more people would get NOAA- threatening or severe weather is in the
With three small knobs on its left, and equipped in their homes and cars. area, they'll postpone the test).
three on the right (not including the large The Cobra 2010 GTL WX not only tunes
tuning knob), the clarifier (voicelock) con- all seven NOM weather frequencies—so
trols are positioned perfectly. Using the there's sure to be astation in your area— The Bottom Line
center-positioned fine tuning control it also features the NOM alert tone. When
brought Steven in crystal clear. Inoticed the National Weather Service broadcasts The Cobra 2010 GTL WX is a worthy
an intermittent raspy buzzing sound a 10-second alert tone, the 2010 will successor to the 2000 GTL. It puts out a
mixed with his signal, so I pushed the ANL sound the alert tone, EVEN IF THE CB IS solid 3.9 watts on AM and an SSB signal
button in, and the interference virtually TURNED OFF, signaling the user to turn that reached all the way to, well, let's just
disappeared. The incoming signal wasn't on the NOM weather to hear the emer- say it works very, very well.
affected—still clean and crisp. gency broadcast. It's a great combina- Both the CB and weather audio was
The 2010 has dual voicelock clarifier tion; an outstanding CB transceiver cou- loud enough to be heard and understood
controls, one set inside the other. One is pled with NOM weather reception—sort in an adjacent room.
for "coarse" adjustment, the other for of like having two lifesavers in one pack- The squelch, typically an often-
"fine." They each operate independently age! It's important to also know that, annoying control that, on many radios,
and work on AM signals, too. The fre- according to Cobra's chief engineer, Jeff needs to be continually re-adjusted, is
quency display changes slightly when Feldman, Cobra radios that include the responsive and can usually be set once
either control is adjusted. weather alert tone feature will only sound and forgotten.
the tone for the typical 10-second dura- All-in-all, the 2010 is a superbly
tion transmitted by NOAA. Some designed, solidly built CB that should be
Weatherband Reception receivers may sound the tone continual- around along, long time. The unit retails
ly (imagine being away all weekend). for $660 and is available from a number
NOM weather transmissions abound Also, remember that NOM transmits a of CB dealers. Cobra's toll-free number is
all over the U.S.A. They're a lifesaver— test of the system on a weekly basis. (If 1-800-262-7222.
The Shakespeare Super Dig Stick Base Antenna

ITEM: The Shakespeare Super Big tective device can protect against all haz-
Stick/Gold Band Series 176 GBSU Base ards ..." BEFORE erecting this or any
CB Antenna other antenna, always do a simple site
SPECIFICATIONS: Two-section fiber- survey. While this may seem meaningless
glass 16-foot vertical omni-directional CB to many of you, remember this fact: Every
antenna. Pre-tuned to CB frequencies year would-be CBers (and hams, too!)
and handles 1,000 watts. are killed because they didn't take prop-
A super-sturdy mailing tube protected er precautions. If the antenna falls and
the Big Stick during the transit from the comes in contact with power lines, you
factory in North Carolina. It weighs about can be killed. Just because the antenna
seven pounds and is easily assembled. is made of fiberglass doesn't GUARAN-
Here's the ideal antenna from a com- TEE you'll be spared.
pany that's been around since 1965—the Imounted the Big Stick on two 10-foot
Big Stick line is nothing new, just tried and poles obtained from Radio Shack. You
proven. Let's take alook: can also visit your local TV antenna folks
or hardware store for similar poles.
ALWAYS use heavy-duty poles for
Assembly mounting ANY antenna. Why erect aper-
manent antenna and use inferior grade
The white fiberglass antenna comes lightweight poles? It doesn't make sense.
unassembled in two sections. Detailed What I particularly like about the
instructions are included, as are all nec- Shakespeare Big Stick is that there are
essary hardware, including mounting no protruding radials. Truthfully, I've
brackets for attachment to up to a 11/2" always liked the Big Sticks. They usually
pipe. It's recommended that the antenna give anear-perfect SWR and are easy to
be assembled outdoors; 16 feet is longer assemble. Plus, they give you awhopper-
than you might initially visualize. Simply of-a-signal and hear equally well!
place the 3/8" lock-washer between the Remember, this is a16-foot long anten-
two sections and screw them tightly na. What looks easy to handle while lay-
together. Slip the black rubber boot down ing on a picnic table or patio during
over the assembly and it's ready to be assembly, is downright squirrely when
mounted. The entire process took less The Shakespeare Big Stick antenna.
mounting to the pipes. Isuppose it's pos-
than ahalf-hour. You'll only need asmall sible to mount the antenna first, then (Photo by Harold Ort)
adjustable wrench to tighten the top sec- attach your coax to the antenna. This way
tion to the bottom. you're not dragging 50 feet of coax (Sometimes it's more interesting to watch
The rubber boot is designed to provid- around your yard during final assembly your family observe you going through
ed limited protection from electrical to the mast. Idecided to attach the coax the motions than it is to actually work on
shock. As the instructions note, "no pro- the night before, inside the house. the antenna!)

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Won Ca
• 11,h4,6$1, Yew Gob,. 2010 GTL WYK
Getting "the boot" to slide down the fiber-

glass antenna requires a couple of min-
utes and some patience. Otherwise, the
j-1̀ 1113 antenna is as easy as 1-2-3 to set up.
(Courtesy Shakespeare Electronics, Inc.)
ing of the silicone stuff over the Coax Seal.

Here's the hard part: Let it dry overnight
and install your antenna the next day.
CBing is having fun. Meeting Once mounted to your mast or poles,
people. Jamborees. Staying in check the installation carefully. In the
wind the antenna will sway back and forth.
touch with your community, and
Does it come in contact with your house?
so much more. Make sure you've properly guyed the
CB Radio brings to you all the CB antenna installation just below the base
Radio fun, more CB Radio variety, of the Big Stick. If you can't install guy
wires, lower the antenna or consider adif-
more CB Radio excitement than A look at the base of the completed
ferent mounting method. KEEP IT AWAY
you ever thought imaginable. assembly. The antenna mounts to a
FROM POWER LINES, AND ENSURE
pole/mast using the provided hardware.
THAT IF IT FALLS, THAT IT WON'T COME
loin the Fun! (Photo by Harold Ort)
IN CONTACT WITH POWER LINES!
Subscribe Today! The Big Stick Test

Subcription Rates Once the Big Stick is in place outside,
Ji year- $21.95 it's nearly impossible to properly weath- Somehow I knew it would work well, and
erproof the coax connection. So in the it certainly did. In fact it was used with the
2 years -$39.95 comfort of agarage or living room where Cobra 2010 GTL WX (see our Product
the temperature is pleasant, attach the Highlight on the 2010). The SWR is the
EJ 3 years -$59.95 coax and finger-tighten. Then with agood lowest I've seen in a long time; 1.2:1
Canada/Mexico—One year $31.95. two yea, $59.95. three years pair of pliers, tighten it some more. Be across all 40 channels! It rained the day
$09.95. Foreggn—one year $33.96. two years $53.95. three years
$95.95. Foregn Aff Marl—one yr $111.95. two years $159.06. three careful not to do amacho-tightening-job after installation, so Ichecked the SWR
years $239.95
on the coax. Time now to get out some again. It was only slightly higher, espe-
Payable In U.S. dollars only.
goop. Iprefer using Coax Seal, available cially on the channel 40. Of course your
at your favorite electronics retailer or SWR depends on lots of factors, includ-
(Please Pont Clearly)
through many of our advertisers. Now is ing the condition of your coax, the con-
Name the time to work afew minutes to ensure nection and proximity of other metal
Address
a professional installation. Coax Seal is objects to the antenna, including rain gut-
great stuff for keeping out moisture, but, ters and other antennas.
City
it, like everything else in life has acouple Signal reports from distant stations
State Zip of rules that must be followed. What your were great! One mobile on the parkway
wrapping or sealing must be clean, dry even asked my mile marker. All-in-all, the
D Check or Money Order Enclosed and free of grease. And, it should, for your Shakespeare Big Stick 176 GBSU is an
Bin to: D MC D Visa D AMEX D Discover
own sanity, be used in temperatures outstanding omni-directional CB anten-
above 65 degrees or so. Carefully mold na; the signal is potent and it pulls in those
Acct it around the PL-259 connector at the distant stations with ease. The suggest-
Expiration date: base of the Big Stick and then check your ed retail price is $85; an 18-foot version
CB Radio Magazine handy work to make sure it's completely costs $100. Shakespeare sells the Big
76 N. Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801 covered. Then (this is my personal pref- Stick through dealers nationwide. For
FAX 516-681-2926 CB 3/96 erence, because moisture is an SWR more information you can call Shake-
killer) get some silicone-type goop at your speare Company in Newberry, SC at 803-
For Fastest Service Call hardware store. Wearing those dispos- 276-5504. Tell them the folks at CB Radio
1-800-853-9797 able plastic gloves, smear a good help- magazine sent you.
Note: Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of first issue.

The Solarcon Thru-Glass Ct3 Mobile Antenna
NEW ITEM!
ITEM: Solarcon Antenna Research Thru-
Glass CB Antenna (CB-TG)
SPECIFICATIONS: Half-wave voltage
fed CB antenna requires no ground
plane. Works on 10 and 11 meters and is
tunable for lowest SWR. Features 16 feet
of RG-58/U coax with soldered PL-259
connector. The 24-inch removable whip
is composite wound.
Solarcon Antenna Research makes
many fine CB antennas, including the
famed A-99 and A-3000 Series antennas.
With the introduction of their latest anten-
na, the Thru-Glass antenna they've got
another winner!
The antenna is packaged in abright red
and white molded plastic-on-cardboard
container. All parts of the antenna and
A simple turn of the whip adjusts for best
cable are visible for a quick inspection
SWR. (Photo by Harold Ort)
before you decide to buy. What looks like
aquality antenna also proved to be one.
The Solarcon Antenna Research Thru-
I installed the antenna on the front wind-
Glass (CB-TG) antenna. maybe we want to, but garaging the vehi-
shield of our car. As with any thru-glass
cle dictates otherwise).
antenna, never install it over electrical As we drove to north Jersey on the
defroster wires or metallic tinted glass. nut to ensure the whip stays put. On our Garden State Parkway, signal reports
The instructions are on the back of the test vehicle using aRadio Shack CB trans- from other drivers on channel 19 were as
box. Simply clean the outside mounting ceiver we achieved an SWR of about 1.5:1 good as with alarge magnetic-mount CB
area with the provided alcohol pad and on the high channels and slightly lower on antenna I've previously used. Incoming
then dry. Peel the paper backing off the channel 1. That's pretty darn good con- signals were strong, too.
foot of the antenna, then push and hold sidering the affect my nearby AM/FM car I'd recommend the Solarcon Thru-
the mount firmly for afew seconds to the antenna probably has on the SWR. Glass mobile CB antenna for acouple of
outside windshield. Inside the car, the Remember, any antenna that's less good reasons: First, it's easy to mount
matching coupler box attaches in the than 102" is always acompromise when AND attain agood SWR across the band.
same way. Be careful, though. Where you it comes to both receiving and transmit- Secondly, it's arugged, well-constructed
first touch the antenna or coupler box to
ting—rubber ducks included—regard- American made product that will give you
the glass is where it will remain. The mate- less of the quality of the CB. But how many years of reliable service. It retails for $66
rial Solarcon has used to hold antenna to of us want to drive around with a102" whip from Solarcon Antenna Research, P.O.
your windshield is superb. Don't worry
sticking off the rear bumper? (Well, Box 176, Holland, OH 43528.
about it flying off at highway speeds!
There's also asimple screw/nut adjust-
ment that allows you to adjust the vertical
angle of the antenna. It tightens firmly and
doesn't move in the wind at highway
speeds. A word of caution about hitting
gerà
UMMell
;717,
RF Limited DEALERS
low-hanging branches, etc. with this AC-7000U/D
antenna. It's a minor drawback, but in THE ULTIMATE OF CB RADIO
having such a sturdy whip (and unlike
BASE MICROPHONE
stainless steel trunk-lip or magnetic-
mount assemblies) there is no flexibility.
•4band equalizer EQUIPMENT
•3stage compressor
Striking abranch or inadvertently whack-
W ANTED
•Output level control
ing the antenna at the carwash could •Call for more details!
damage the antenna.
ES-9200
ECHO REPEATER Wholesale Only To Dealers!
How Does It Work? w/ROGER BEEP
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Exceptionally well, it turns out. There's •5LEDs
MAIL OR FAX COPY OF
asmall nut used for up and down adjust- •Talk Back
•Prewired RETAIL TAX CERTIFICATE TO
ment of the whip. (Instructions for testing
•ECHO LEVEL •EARPHONE JACK DNA Distributing, Inc.
and setting the SWR are also included).
•ECHO DELAY •MONITOR GAIN
Simply turn the whip assembly about one
•MIC GAIN •ON/OFF BYPASS 2885 Mellonville Ave.
complete turn one way or the other for the
best SWR., then tighten alower hex-type For Catalog and Ordering Info, Sanford, FL 32773
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Tomcat's Time Warp xi •••••
OUR COLUMN EXPLORING C13'5 EARLY YEARS By Tom Kneitel, K2AE5, 555-15
How We Got Here From There—A CE3 History Lesson
C
an you guess within three years
when CB was first proposed? Hard
to believe it was more than 50 years
ago! Yes, CB was formally filed with the
FCC on January 15, 1945 under the title
Docket 6651. It was discussed in July of
1945 by FCC Commissioner E.K. "Jack"
Jett in his Saturday Evening Post article,
"Phone Me By Air."
Commissioner Jett described the
FCC's original concept of CB radio as a
UHF service with "possible uses ...as
broad as the imagination of the public. .
can devise." He saw minimal rules and
regulations in the hopes of encouraging
"ingenuity in design and utilization." In
this respect, Jett felt that only afew min-
imum traffic rules would be established,
and that restrictive rules would be used
only if an imperative need was shown. He
saw CB as a radio service where there
would be no channels designated, and
where rural stations would be allowed to
run high power. FCC Commissioner Ewell K. "Jack" Jett, who is generally credited with being the first
Fact is, atrial of UHF CB did happen in to suggest the creation of a CB service. That was in 1945.
the early 1950's. "Class A" stations were
more along the lines of commercial two-
way radio. "Class B" was the poor-man's had several models, so did Stewart brought the FCC to the conclusion that
walkie-talkie version intended for the gen- Warner. They had regenerative receivers they needed another approach on adif-
eral public. Ipromptly obtained a Class and flea power transmitters. You could ferent band.
B radio license, receiving the strange shout further than you could communi-
callsign, 2A0305. cate on Class B. Poorly performing equip- Enter, Class DRadio
A few Class B radios were eventually ment, limited marketing, and a service
marketed for use on 465 MHz. Vocaline that the public never heard of finally That is when Class Bwas dumped and
The appearance of CB callbooks, beginning in 1959, was her-

alded by CBers, but taken as abad omen by the FCC.
International Crystal's Class D radio was famous because it

was one of the first sets sold. CBers nicknamed it "The
Tombstone." It had asingle-channel transmitter and tunable
single conversion receiver.

DA I
WA
Truck 27 Log
CB 27MHz
Vehicular Twin
Antenna
5/8 wave twin vehicular CP-10
antennas with large band. Cigarette lighter
The whips are made of
plug. 10A max.
glass fibre with logarith-
mic charge and supplied with lead wires.
with steel mirror mount New design en-
which makes the
sures perfect
installation easy on the
vehicle. Tuning can be contact
made by acting on the
PS-50TM
special sleeve placed at
the bottom. They are Daiwa's lightweight,
particular suitable for compact, and highly
fitting on trucks and
caravans. efficient power
supply. 5.2A Max.
Tornado 27 5/8
CB 27MHz Base CI\1-410M
Station Antenna Compact meter
5/8 wave antenna for base station made of for mobile and
anti-corrodal aluminum tubes and supplied
with jointing sleeves of polythene to
base use.
guarantee aperfect waterproofing. Covering: Freq:
Strong and easy to install, it allows 3.5-150M Hz
very good links.
Echo Power
EM-500
Microphone.
Space Shuttle 27 PL
Power: 9VDC
CB 27MHz Vehicular Antenna
• In/out and
5/8 wave vehicular antenna specially
power supply
conceived to support hi-powers. The coil,
circuits are
made of big section copper wire, is protected
provided with
by apolycarbonate clear cover completely
water-proof. New in design and technology, . high frequency
it is supplied with 8ground plane radials to filters to protect
get the best resonance. The conic whip is of from RF
black chromed stainless steel and the base, interference.
realized in chromed brass, is very strong and
CI\1-1C11
complete with abig rubber washer.
Magnetic Mounts
MAG 145 Pl. Efficient, cross needle metering.
Overall dimension
The CN-101 series offers a high
of 6.3" and comes
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cable. Covering:
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E. F. Johnson's Messenger was apopu-
lar early CB radio sold nationally.
the FCC set about creating Class D CB

radio on 27 MHz. The Class D band was
outlined in FCC Docket 11994, released
in 1957. The proposal was afar cry from
free-wheeling Docket 6651, establishing
These CB club members proudly display awonderful e.c.i. Courier transceiver. This
23 specified operating channels, and
radio wasn't pretty, but it was aband blaster, and had atriple conversion receiver.
specifying that the Class D radios were
intended only for short range "business
or personal use."
Stations were limited to 5 watts input, It was aslow start, and not many appli- Manufacturers viewed Class D with
with tight antenna height restrictions. cations came in. But by January, they had enthusiasm. Early CB radios ircluded
Class D stations would operate only with- increased to 600 per month and word was models from Vocaline, E.F. Johnson,
in strict limitations on the length and nature spreading that people were having fun General Radiotelephone, Po ytronics,
of the communications to be permitted. with CB radio. Idashed right out and got Gonset, lmernational Crystal, Heathkit,
Class D was not intended to be a hobby aClass D license, receiv ,ng the 1959 call- Globe, Hall crafters, Raytheon, Lafayette,
radio service, nor used for what the FCC sign 2W1965. Iwas on the air the very and e.c.i. Courier. In those days, sets were
considered non-substantive messages. next day. As May rolled around, the FCC clumsy, bulky, vacuum tube models.
Stations could contact only their own was receiving 6,900 requests for licens-
mobile units. After protests from the ama- es per month.
teur radio service, which objected strenu- CBers began exchanging QSL cards.
ously to the FCC's plan for replacing their Soon enough, one company brought out
Hey, Wait!
11 meter band with Class D CB, the new aCB callbook. It continued in annual pub-
It didn't take long for the FCC to realize
band was opened in October, 1958. lication until 1965.
that their locating the CB band on 27 MHz
during a high-point in the DX cycle was
an invitation to their regulations being
ignored. Four months after the band
opened, in December 1959, the FCC
issued a somber Public Notice No.
81482. This stated the agency's surprise,
shock and dismay that CB operators were
shooting skip. calling CO, sending non-
substantive messages, exchanging sig-
nal strength reports, and engaging in
hobby-type communications in violation
of FCC regulations. The FCC must have
felt that would end the prob em. Not so.
There would be no way of stuffing the
genie back into the bottle.
Modern CBers aren't the original ratch-
et jaws. Just like today's CBers, opera-
tors more than 35 years ago also enjoyed
making new friends on the air. Moreover,
they participated in their hobby while
under the FCC's gun. During CB's early
era, the FCC's monitors cranked out tens
This early CB shack features several early CB rigs, including units from Globe and of thousands of dollars worth of fines
Lafayette. The CB radio at the upper right is a Heathkit "Lunchbox," which had a every month to CBers caught working
regenerative receiver. skip, talking more than five minutes, and

proved to no avail, as the service contin-
ued to expand. Even so, after 15 years,
CB radio's members remained a core
group of communications insiders in the
U.S. and Canada (where it was known as
the General Radio Service). The general
public still had never heard of CB.
The mid-1970's truckers' strike, nation-
al speed limit, and apparent fuel shortage
were asimultaneous series of events that
brought CB wide public attention.
Suddenly, EVERYONE wanted to be aCB
operator. CB instantly became the focal
point of songs, magazines, movies, TV
sitcoms, board games and books.
There were countless CB clubs, cof-
fee breaks, and jamborees. CBers
jammed the channels and were drawn
from every facet of society. Everybody
had a CB "handle" and understood CB
trucker's lingo. Every car on the highway
seemed to be sporting a CB whip and
How about these Buddy modular units? In the center is a Buddy RC-11B tunable looking for asmokey report. Every home
receiver. At the right, there's aBuddy TX-11B, which operated on six channels. These had abeam or ground plane perched on
were sold primarily in southern California during the early years of Class D. its roof. CB radio had become an unqual-
ified success.
communicating with stations other than pily exist without paying any attention to
their own units. that agency. This turn of events brought FCC's Woes
Clearly, CB had become the only FCC about several FCC modification attempts
radio service ever to invent its own unau- to tighten the CB regulations in efforts to Manufacturers and importers of CB
thorized rules and regulations, then hap- seize control of the runaway service. This radios seemed to spring up almost
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General Radiotelephone's MC-5 was a
popular early multi-channel transceiver
with atunable receiver and large S-meter.
instantly as license applications flooded

the FCC to the tune of nearly 500,000 per
month. The FCC found itself understaffed,
under-financed, and with a history of
being unable to adequately control the
freewheeling CBers. The agency decid-
ed to put teeth into their regulations by
announcing that CBers who violated them
would be henceforth be considered
"criminals." The agency would seek
"criminal sanctions" against them via the
offices of the United States Attorney. This
heralded a series of high-profile FCC
monitoring blitzes in major cities ard was
covered in the news media. The intention
was to scare CBers. It didn't. What's
worse, the U.S. Attorney was indifferent An bulky vacuum tube CB radio under the dashboard took up much more room than
to pressing criminal charges against amodern solid state rig.
operators working skip, using VFOs or lin -
ears, and those fleeing the chaos of the
23 crowded channels by taking tneir
chatter "upstairs" to illegal non-existent
channels above channel 23. legalizing most of the practices it had ufacturers. But it slowly rebuilt itself
spent nearly 20 years fighting. Many throughout the 1980's. It continues to
felt this marked the FCC's acknowledg- evolve into something new, alot more fun,
If You Can't Beat'em ment of the loss of ability to control CB and more useful than ever.
radio. The agency decided to conve- Over the coming months, our column
The FCC license computer couldn't niently look away and simply pretend will give you an inside look at those wild
keep up with the huge influx of CB appli- there wasn't a happy, wild, rowdy and and woolly early years, including the
cations. Several times it issued thou- uncontrollable party taking place out crazy antics and operators that drove the
sands of duplicated callsigns, or crashed there in radioland. This talking festiva' FCC crazy. We'll examine obscure and
completely. It had been an exercise in continued unabated until about 1979, amazir g transceivers you'll hardly
bureaucratic futility, anyway. That's when the novelty of CB began wearing believe ex sted, and the hidden origins of
because CBers had stopped using call- thin on mi lions of operators as sudden- channel 9's emergency status. You'll
signs in favor of CB handles and sde- ly as it had started. learn about the controversies centered on
band numbers. Manufacturers thought the glory days CB channel numbering, on the meanings
By 1977, when there were about 20 mil- would never end, but by 1979 they found of 10-codes. We will visit long-forgotten
lion American CBers, the FCC gave up on themselves sitting on stacks of CB equip- clubs and jamborees, and share with you
requiring individual licenses for CBers. ment that they couldn't sell. A lot of them bizarre CB novelty items that were mar-
They announced that the band was being went out of business, as did many CB keted during CB's past.
expanded from 23 to 40 channels. More- shops. CBs ranks again began to slim There isn't enough space here to men-
over, the rules were liberalized to permit down to acore group. By the end of 1981. tion everything to be covered in the
local hobby communications, although the once-chaotic CB channels had months ahead. If you enjoy CB now, you'll
they stopped short of allowing skip-shoot- returned to the point where you could get all the more from your hobby when
ing. Enforcement efforts were reduced to actually get a shout across town on the you have abroader understanding of how
the point where only the most blatant AM channel of your cnoice. we got to where we are now. You are invit-
offenders were hassled, particularly those Between late 1958 and 1981, CB had ed to send me photos. questions, QSLs,
operators running very high power, caus- gone from nothing to becoming the most or memories of CB between 1958 and
ing interference and those who strayed off amazing cultural phenomenon of the 1982. See you next time.
the 40 authorized channels. 1970's decade. Then it became aban-
The beleaguered FCC ended up doned by the public, the media and man- Tomcat!

REACTer of the Month
OUR SALUTE TO THOSE WHO VOLUNTEER 5y Ron McCracken
Congratulations REACT
R
EACTer Bill Riley, N3SNU, has been monitoring CB emer-
gency channel 9with aseries of REACT Teams for over
two decades.
That's right! Bill's lengthy REACT career began at Norfolk,
Virginia in 1973. He was stationed there with the U.S. Coast
Guard. Bill later became acharter member of Tidewater REACT,
aTeam that is well-respected in REACT circles. Tidewater and
Bill are still proudly serving REACT and the public with their
safety communications.
When Uncle Sam shipped Bill to Cleveland for astint in 1976,
he served with two Teams: Cuyahoga County REACT and later
Hillcrest REACT. Eventually Bill was posted to USCG Head-
quarters in Washington, D.C. It didn't take him long to search
out Prince George County REACT in Maryland, getting active
once again with his fourth Team. This fellow is a serious
REACTer!
Next, Bill was off to New Orleans for awhile. After four years,
however, he returned to D.C., and to Prince George REACT,
where he continues to serve.
Bill's new amateur radio qualifications make him particularly
valuable to his Team. He is able to operate in the amateur bands
Here's Bill at the controls of his CB from the Riley's home in
to benefit both the public and his Team. That capability is invalu- Maryland.
able, particularly in disaster situations. Many REACT volunteers
are joining Bill as they acquire ham tickets.
One of his most memorable emergency CB calls is one he
made rather than received. Driving home from the base in 1974 grabbed the mic and alerted one of his fellow REACT monitors
on busy multi-lane Military Highway, Bill was startled to see a to the dangerous "fun" going on. Needless to say, police were
group of kids roller-skating toward him in heavy traffic. He not at all amused. Bill believes he may have saved several lives
that day.
Another call he is proud to have assisted with came from a
trucker on the D.C. Beltway a couple of years ago. He was
reporting apossible heart attack involving another motorist. Bill
passed the call to authorities and hopes that CB helped save
another life that day.
Impaired drivers endanger us all. Bill and other REACTers
appreciate reports concerning this situation. However, Bill cau-
tions us not to chase an impaired or reckless driver.
Recently a caller did, regularly reporting the high speeds
involved and the streets they were crossirg. The caller
became as great a menace to public safety as the drunk he
was pursuing.
His reports to Bill gave the plate number, but not the state. He
could not hear Bill requesting the information for police, so his
dangerous chase was wasted. In the D.C. area, asta:e is as vital
as the plate number. It's wise to always include it nyour reports.
"Concentrate on airing complete, correct information repeat-
edly over channel 9 in any emergency," Bill urges. He contin-
ued, "Leave chases to the proper authorities." That's sound
advice from aseasoned REACT veteran that can save you alot
of heartache.
Retiring from the USCG in 1992, Bill is now a professional
ventriloquist. With his wife, aprofessional clown, they entertain
at children's parties and community events. If you visit USCG
Headquarters in D.C., you may see one of Bill's puppets, abuz-
zard. It's the Headquarters mascot created by Bill, and it con-
tinues to serve.
Congratulations on being our first "REACTer of the Month,"
Bill Riley, our first REACTer of the Month is pictured with his wife Bill Riley. Best wishes for many more years of helpful service to
Pamela, aprofessional clown. Bill is aprofessional ventriloquist the public through CB and amateur radio. You are a credit to
and amember of the Fellowship of Christian Magicians. your organization, both locally and internationally.

REACTing With Radio
NEWS AND INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE VOLUNTEERS By Ron McCracken
Using Your Skills To Denefit Others
L
ike excitement? Want variety? Think
you'd enjoy putting your radio to work
in the service of your community?
REACTing may well be the answer for
you. Civic-minded volunteers work
together as Teams to make their com-
munities safer. Young and old, male and
female, healthy and physically chal-
lenged, they pool their radio skills to ben-
efit others. In the process they have fel-
lowship and more fun than you can shake
astick at.
This column will report on REACT con-
tributions to safety wherever they may
occur. It will give you a snapshot of the
many and varied ways REACT Teams
serve. Hopefully it will inspire you to join
their ranks and create a team to serve
your community.
Volunteers are becoming more essen-
tial by the day. Governments are just now
realizing that tax dollars can't buy every-
thing. REACT volunteers have been serv-
ing communities everywhere for nearly
REACTers from four Ontario Teams cooperated to work a fire fighter "muster" that
35 years. Let's look at some of the ways
attracted large crowds. Here they gather at the new REACT& Thomas mobile comms
they help make adifference.
center to de-brief after the event.
Oklahoma City
Did mention of that name send shivers est to the disaster site knew before the handle on the situation. They didn't need
up your spine? call came that something was terribly more casualties on their hands.
REACTers from three neàrby Okla- wrong. The shock wave made it plain as Day two, however, as fatigue and lim-
homa Teams were activated by Emer- it shook their homes. ited manpower took their toll among
gency Management authorities moments Initially REACT assignments were nat- police, the uniformed REACTers were
after the disaster occurred. Those clos- urally limited until the professionals got a assigned. They would provide traffic con-
trol at four major intersections on the dis-
aster perimeter.
Their radio capability enabled them to
maintain communications with one anoth-
er and with the Emergency Management
Command Post. They could quickly check
a vehicle's authorization to proceed into
the actual disaster area.
REACT relieved police on April 20,
1995. They worked their assignments on
16-hour shifts until they were authorized
to stand down on May 5. A fourth
Oklahoma REACT team and a Kansas
team assisted in maintaining this gruel-
ing schedule.
Sometimes when a REACT team re-
sponds to an alert it gets alot more than
it was expecting. We mentioned fellow-
ship and fun. Did we mention that some-
times it can involve a lot of hard work?
K-40 Rewards REACT Efforts

Emergency vehicles of all types were at the St. Thomas, Ontario fire muster. This
"ambulance" just looks like one. It's actually chock full of extra trauma equipment REACTers volunteer millions of hours
and supplies for use in major emergencies. monitoring CB emergency channel 9.

They do it for our safety. Sometimes it
seems thankless.
K-40 Electronics surprised 50 dedicat-
ed REACT Teams with new radios and
antennas. The 50 REACT Teams that had
tallied the highest number of channel 9
monitoring hours each received a K-40 Oklahoma Highway Patrol
CB radio complete with the famous K-40 TROOP B HEADQUARTERS
antenna. Teams qualified in three stan- 9191 EAST SKELLY DRIVE
dard categories used by REACT TULSA, OKLAHOMA 74129
International, Inc. for various competi- June 7, 1995
tions. This allows small and large Teams
to compete on an equal footing.
Usually Teams know in advance about
rewards, etc., but this gift from K-40 was Mr. Keith Fronko
a complete surprise to the deserving Skiatook REACT
Teams. Recipients were scattered across 1013 Last 13Ist Street North
Skiatook, OK 74070
the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada.
Nice gesture, K-40. And great moni-
Dear Keith•
toring, Teams
Iyyould like to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude for your organization's Safety
Break. The travelers on 11.S. 75 had a refreshing opportunity to stop at 126th Street North and
Drop-In Emergency
"take -a-break'.
Emergencies crop up even in the mid- We will never know how man> injunes or lives were saved. However, your determination to
dle of Team meetings. REACT Kettle brave the sun, rain, and wind was truly a noble and effective effort. The members of the
River (WA) heard acommotion outside its Skiatook REACT Club can rest assured someone had a safe holiday journey because of this
meeting place and went to investigate. generous program.
Two local ladies had found an elderly
man sitting in his pick-up truck in the mid- If Ican ever assist you in anyway. please call upon me.
dle of the road. He was suffering muscle
spasms. They brought him to the REACT
Sincerely.
meeting to receive emergency first aid.
He was aCanadian. REACTers stabilized
him and decided to escort him to a
Canadian hospital across the nearby bor- 21 T Larry Jackson #74
der in British Columbia. Supervisor
Kettle River contacted his wife by Troop B
phone. She felt it would save time if her
son met his dad at the border, so the
Team used CB radio to alert its person-
nel, already enroute to the border, to
change its plans. Commendations like this letter to REACT Skiatook, Oklahoma from the Oklahoma
Happily, only driving fatigue seems to Highway Patrol are great morale boosters.
have been the cause of the spasms. The
elderly man recovered after some rest.
Kettle River resumed its meeting after its
medical mission was accomplished. We
did mention excitement and variety?
GMRS Radios To The Rescue

REACT Teams use a variety of radios
in their work.
Two Canadian Teams recently opted to
add GMRS* radios to increase their com-
munications capabilities. No sooner had
they done so than acall came requesting
help with a search for an elderly
Alzheimer victim.
REACT Don Valley, Ontario and REACT
Lake Simcoe members were spread all
over the map that weekend. One Team
was hosting a mall safety display. The
other team was scouting the route for a
First-rate REACT Grand Island mobile comms center attracted lots of visitors at the
*Canadian Teams use aUHF business band that recent REACT Convention in Omaha, Nebraska. Teams share how-to tips on fund-
parallels the U.S. GMRS service. ing and equipping projects like this one that benefits the public.

Serving the Miami area brings the addi-
tional challenge of language. To meet that
challenge, the Team has recruited mem-
bers who speak Spanish, French,
Russian and Italian in addition to English.
Foreign languages can make you a real
asset to aREACT Team in your area, too.
REACT in Cyberspace
Communications is the name of the
game. REACT Teams are using every
means at their disposal.
Using the internet is the latest addition.
Teams can communicate over vast dis-
tances using this new facility. You can
keep current, too. The address is:
"react@wichita.fn.net".
REACT Rose City, Ontario has aHome
Page you can also check out for infor-
mation. That address is "http://www.win-
com.net/REACT/". We'll keep you posted
On-the-job training pairs junior and adult Dodge County, Nebraska REACTers for on new Internet developments in REACT,
"Victory 95" parade duty. The Junior REACT program enables youth to contribute to so stay tuned.
safety and learn communications skills.
Cooperation is REACT By-Word
Often REACT Teams get requests to
work events that are beyond their man-
power to handle. That is when coopera-
tion kicks in at REACT.
REACT St. Thomas, Ontario needed
help recently when their fire fighters host-
ed a "muster." Quick to respond to the
request were REACT Stratford, Don
Valley and Lake Simcoe.
Major events give Teams opportunities
to establish bonds and develop skills they
will need in future disaster situations.
REACT Safety Breaks

REACT Grand Island, Nebraska displayed its emergency comms unit for visitors. An
idea exchange is a valuable part of any REACT convention. Prevention is a key element in the
REACT program. Teams host hundreds
of Safety Breaks at rest areas along high-
Red Cross car rally. They quickly altered ways every holiday weekend. Free coffee
Police and the family were amazed.
their schedules. lures tired drivers off the roads for ashort
REACT had located the man in about two
break in their journeys.
GMRS radios enabled the Teams to hours in acity of that size! Soon he was
Local businesses help by donating the
communicate by repeater over distances safely home and spared another cold
that would have been impossible for CB. goodies REACTers serve to travelers.
night outdoors. The two TEAMS were
The initial alert came at 1 p.m. The 83 Highway departments in many states
amazed too, and proud of those new
year-old man had been missing for three help by erecting signs to alert drivers to
GMRS radios that made it all possible.
days. He was lost somewhere in Toronto, the Breaks. Truckers spread the word on
acity of three million. channel 19 so no one will miss out.
REACT Skiatook, Oklahoma is typical
Members of both Teams headed for Virtual United Nations
Toronto enjoying clear radio communi- of the REACT Teams that engage in this
important safety project. The Team
cations although they were widely sepa- REACT Metro-Dade, Florida was born
received a warm letter of appreciation
rated. The two REACTers nearest the in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew.
area where he was thought to be were from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for its
Many REACT Teams can trace their ori-
dispatched directly to two neighbor- safety efforts. Assisting police is one of
gins to some catastrophic disaster or to
hoods where the man had once lived. alesser emergency in their communities. the biggest satisfactions you gain as a
Both had detailed descriptions. REACT volunteer.
Since Andrew, REACT Metro-Dade has
Two possible sightings were ruled out worked over 100 assignments in cooper-
immediately by radio without approach- ation with local public safety authorities It Can Get Hectic
ing the individuals or alarming them. At and other volunteer agencies. Regular
3:30 p.m. word came across the radio, "I exercises increase their readiness for the REACT Teams occasionally get re-
have the gentleman in my car." real thing. quests to help at two events the same

Coming in future issues of CB Radio magazine:
day. You can count on it happening.
REACT Douglas County, Nebraska Articles on:
assisted by Dodge County, got asurprise •Backup Power to keep you on lhe air •Lightning protection tips
while handling communications for a •Curing interference problems •New Product News
large "Victory 95" parade celebrating the caused to lys, stereos and phones •more Product Highlights
end of World War II. The Nationa Weather
Service placed the Teams on alert for a Interested in writing?—Want to write for CB Radio magazine?
severe thunderstorm watch in the midst Do you have article ideas for upcoming issues?
of the parade.
Only a few high wind gusts material- Write to us at:
ized, but nerves were alittle tense. While CB Radio Magazine, 76 N. Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801
a nuisance, surprises like this are exact-
All CB, GMRS, and scanner related feature ideas will be considered.
ly what occur in disasters, too. Having an
opportunity to deal with one before adis-
aster is actually ideal practice for Teams.
You just don't want too much practice of
that kind, though.
Having Fun Learning

Annual international conventions bring
together REACT volunteers from around
the world. Folks who attend can make life-
long friends and learn much from speak-
ers or other Teams' experiences.
REACTers gathered in Omaha,
Nebraska for the latest convention. As
you read this, planners are hard at work
in Silverdale, Washington getting ready
for this years event.
World's Most Powerful CB

Ontario REACT Teams began planning
in October for the 1997 convention they
will host. Travel to interesting places to
meet interesting colleagues and learn and Amateur Mobile Antenna *
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State of the Month
OUR SALUTE TO THE STATE WHERE SERVICE 15 TOPS 5y For McCracken
Way To Go Wisconsin!
W
isconsin REACT Council certain-
ly merits the honor of being our
first "State of the Month." After all,
Wisconsin is the latest recipient of the "K-
40 Council of the Year Award." It's not
Wisconsin's first K-40 Award either.
Back in 1978, when Wisconsin REACT
Teams were weighing the pros and cons
of forming a Council, who would have
imagined their decision could lead to
this? After two planning sessions, Teams
met for their first official REACT Council
meeting in October. They have never
looked back!
It speaks volumes about this REACT
Council that its first treasurer, George
MacDonald, is still treasurer after 17
years. Wisconsin has modified its gov-
erning structure over the years to meet
The sign says it all. Billboards advise motorists of REACT's presence on CB emer-
Teams' changing needs. Its flexibility is
likely one key to its success. gency channel 9, and invite them to get involved, too.
Lance Luedtke, Wisconsin's first coun-
cil president, was later elected one of the
first Field Directors to serve on the Board
of REACT International. Numerous other
Wisconsin REACTers have also served
the parent organization in various capac-
ities over the years.
The Council launched a newsletter in
1980 to keep Teams informed between
quarterly meetings. That newsletter has
since brought honors to Wisconsin for its
high quality. It began as a mimeograph
publication, but now utilizes the latest
computer graphics with color.
At the ripe old age of eight, Wisconsin
decided it was about ready to tackle host-
ing aREACT International convention. In
1989 it did, and in fine style. Afterwards,
Teams were repaid the funds they had
generously advanced to the Council to
finance the convention, a gift was made
to REACT International, and asmall sur-
plus remained for the Council.
Wisconsin held annual one-day state
conferences for several years. In 1987,
Council substituted aweekend camp-out
for the conference. It continues, and now Safety and visibility are paramount for Wisconsin REACTers on duty. Here, bright
attracts REACTers from neighboring orange jackets help motorists and the general public to identify them easily.
jurisdictions each year.
The Council has produced aStarter Kit
for prospective Teams, aWelcome Kit for
newly-formed Teams, a State Patrol REACT International convention since ients honored by REACT International
directory and Generic By-laws to help 1979. Its REACTers have served on most were Jacki and George MacDonald back
Teams with governance. It has also committees at the international level. ir 1985. Their untiring service to REACT
issued publicity materials to assist Teams Another former Wisconsin Council presi- continues adecade later.
and the public. To its credit, all of these dent, Jacki MacDonald, retired from the Numerous K-40 Awards have been
Wisconsin gladly shares with other REACT International Board in 1994 after earned by the Wisconsin Council, its
REACT Councils and Teams. serving for two terms. Teams and REACTers over the years.
Wisconsin has had delegates at every The first Eugene Goebel Award recip- Kette Moraine REACT, REACT Services

Diversified and Waukesha REACT have
distinguished themselves in the program.
Larry Fry and George MacDonald were
K-40 Award winners in successive 1992
quarters; another first.
Already the Wisconsin Council has its
eye on hosting the 1998 REACT
International convention once again.
What a great 20th birthday party that
would be! Wisconsin will also be cele-
brating its sesquicentennial that year.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin REACTers take
time to relax at their Council meetings as
they tell channel 9 "war stories." They
have their share. Imagine getting reports
of amissing manhole cover or achild joy-
riding on an earthmover, or adisoriented
man rolling down 1-294 in his wheelchair.
All were actual calls!
Besides humor, cooperation is what
makes Wisconsin REACT Council go.
Cooperation and idea-sharing among
member Teams translate into similar
cooperation with authorities.
Safety Breaks endear Wisconsin REACT Teams to travelers and police alike. Brief State Patrol Sergeant Charles Warren
stops, fresh air and astretch make drivers more alert to continue their holiday trips. commented, "They've been very helpful
in just about every facet of what we do."
Fred Dasher, State Patrol Senior
Dispatcher added, "REACT has been
extremely helpful to law enforcement over
the years -no doubt about it."
What more can be said? Fine work,
indeed, Wisconsin REACT Council
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Tourism) (970) 667-9527

Truckire With C13 - II BM II II II
THE PROFESSIONAL DRIVER'S CE3 RADIO PLACE TO I3E By Bill Simpson, "Highlander"
Let Me Introduce Myself.
A
s an ex-road driver and current 65!" Very few drivers had licenses at that Midwest, Isimply grabbed my trusty ole'
local driver, perhaps I'm really time even though licenses were required Cobra and asked for directions to the loca-
reaching to try to discuss CB with until the mid-1970's. We simply installed tion. Many times Iused channel 9 while
the current OTR guys and gals, but I don't the radio, hung an antenna off the mir- others required channel 19 or some other
think that trucking has changed much rors, and drove away, hoping we could channel. The point is, Iwas able to get
over the years, and besides, we're NOT find someone to talk to and trying to find directions to every stop within minutes,
going to get technical. This column will the next stop. rather than having to wait while someone
be simply designed to have fun, share And then "The President" lowered the "checks amap," as I've heard on some of
experiences, talk about the good,—and speed limit, and the price of fuel went sky the other bands. To aroad driver who is—
bad,—times we've had. If the high high.. .if you could find any! With the oil a. doing 60 MPH and b. is on atight sched-
mucky-mucks will let us, maybe we can crisis the CB really became important ule—three minutes wait while someone
have acouple of contests along the way. overnight. We HAD to make delivery looks at aroad map COULD mean that the
BUT ...this will only work IF YOU get times, and we HAD to find fuel . .and exit is suddenly two miles behind you and
involved with me, meaning SEND LET- then the Teamsters struck! (I'm not going the next exit is eight miles ahead. That's a
TERS AND COMMENTS!! to get into the right or wrong of that situ- quick waste of half an hour on the logbook,
First of all, let me introduce myself. A ation; we ALL did what we felt we had to AND the clock!
Tennessee native, Iwas born and raised do at the time!) Iwas driving down South. Isuppose that Iwas rather lucky since
in the South, transferred to the Chicago We really didn't have the problems that the stops Iwanted were rather high pro-
area 20 odd years ago; that's six years were being experienced in the North. I file and not in ahuge town. I've heard dri-
and 1.5 million miles OTR, and 14 years think that we all began to realize the vers come into the Chicago area and ask,
and nearly amillion miles driving locally. potential of the CB, and became more "Does anybody know how to find the XXY
Iwas using aCB in 1964 when there were dependent on it, too. After all, being able company? Idon't have an address!!"
only six channel rigs and we could talk to find fuel, or bypassing a potentially Wow! Chicago itself only covers 120
for 20 miles on four watts. In 1968, when nasty situation, made adriver reach over square miles, and the suburbs are only
Iwent over the road for aprivate carrier, and pat that "radidio" fondly. about 5000 square miles. Unless the
Iinstalled my first CB using it as we all do, In 1973 Iwas offered the chance to company is VERY well known, the next
to merely chit-chat across the miles. I move to Chicago and open anew distri- words on the radio are almost always,
really didn't think of it as atool, valuable bution point to better service our cus- What's the address?"
in many different ways. Oh sure, Ilistened tomers. Remember, this was a private But back to my move to the Midwest.
to and gave smokey reports, and tried to carrier, with only certain specified stops. Remember, Iwas a Southern boy, not
help other drivers find the Woolworth to Idrove atruck to Chicago, unloaded my used to ice, snow, cold, fuel gelling, or
unload, or the next truck stop, or to get furniture and reloaded two days later for chill factors. My first experience was atrip
around the scales at the state lines. Ireal- the customers. Iknew the towns Ihad to to the Michigan snow belt. Ispent nearly
ly did not. and Idon't think other drivers visit ...but had only avery slim idea of eight hours driving from South Bend to
had realized the full potential of the CB. the locations of the customers. Ihad an Grand Rapids and back to Chicago in a
We simply talked on the radio and thought address, but no clue as to the best way (in my opinion) heavy snowstorm, listen-
we were hot shots because we could to get to my stop! ing to the other drivers comment on my
holler, "Breaker 19, for a north bound l- As Iapproached each town in the upper speed (about that of a riding lawn
Photos by Bill Simpson
Jevik driver John Crowley "Organ Donor" on 1-94 in the Chicago

"Stonehart", aSouthland driver's Cobra radio. suburbs.
62 • CB Radio 1996 Buyer's Guide

mower), my driving technique (my knuck-
les were white for three days), and my
overall stupidity (why the heck is this idiot
out here, anyway?), and discovered that
there was no snow west of the
Indiana/Michigan line! No longer a hot-
shot ROAD DRIVER, Islunk back to my
terminal very chastened.
My overall point, Isuppose, is that we
have learned to use the radio over the
years for many different things; smokies,
weather, chit-chat, fuel stops, scales, solv-
ing many of the problems of the world (our
politicians should spend at least two
weeks every six months on the road ...
we could solve all their problems), direc-
tions, accidents, dates, insults, tall tales,
personal problems, and "pleasehelpmes-
tayawake" problems. Have we exhausted
all the possibilities of CB radio?
During the next months, we will be ask-
Shown using aPresident rig, here's the "Deacon" of RyanIV of Prince, George. ing for your input; questions, comments,
snide remarks, true (and perhaps not-so-
true) anecdotes (for some of the drivers,
such as Wally and Freddie, that's the
same as "stories"). While we can't always
promise to print every story, we sure will
examine them closely, and do our best.
My theory is, the more stories Ican use
from you road drivers, both guys and
gals, the less Iwill have to do—since I'm
basically very lazy ...
Seriously, with the approval of the mag-
azine management, for each letter we use
concerning truckin' and the way YOU use
(or have used) CB, we will send you asub-
scription to our CB Radio magazine.
Simply send your ideas, suggestions,
thoughts, nastygrams, or letters to:
"Highlander", c/o CB Radio magazine, 76
North Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801.
Fellow roadrunners, Ibid you adieu,
until next month ...
Here's the "Sheik", aRegens driver using his Midland CB.
73s, Highlander
W.F. (Bill) Simpson is a native of

Tennessee. He was first introduced to CB
radio in 1964 and has used two-way com-
munications of some sort ever since. He
got his first ham call (WN4ATE) in 1965,
CB call KCF-7177, and GMRS call KAD-
7146. Bill joined REACT in 1982 after
being saved by a REACT member while
in Minnesota. He has written for The
REACTer. Bill presently serves as
President of Wisconsin Council of REACT
Teams. Bill, N9NMT and his wife Judy,
N9NSI have five kids ...er ...young
adults, all out on their own leaving plenty
of time to travel and meet friends inter-
ested in communications, CB and
REACT. He loves camping, flags and
From the road a view of sunrise over lake Michigan. communications for motorsports events.

Northern CI3 II II II Ill II Ill II
CE3 NEWS AND VIEWS FROM CANADA Brynly Roberts
Talkin' Dirty
0
uglielmo Marconi, an Irish-Italian,
transmitted the world's first radio
signal across his dad's backyard
near Bologna, Italy 100 years ago this
October. Another first for Marconi took
place at Glace Bay, Nova Scotia with the
successful reception of a radio signal
from Britain, and in 1920 the Canadian
Marconi Company made the first transat-
lantic radio broadcast from Signal Hill,
Newfoundland to the SS Victoria.
From this fortuitous beginning in
Canada, Canadians quickly became
hooked on wireless communication to
cover the vast open spaces which makes
up most of Canada. With a population
density of less than seven people per
square mile, compared to 73 in the U.S.,
and with 98 per cent of Canadian homes
with telephones, Canada is one of the
world's foremost users of electronic com-
munications. Also, with 90 per cent of its
population within 200 miles of the U.S.
border, Canada remains economically,
and some will say even culturally, influ-
enced by the United States.
That's why Canadians embraced
Citizens Band radios in such numbers
during the 60's, and continue to do so As a fellow remarked to me the other ing how many other people are turned off
today. Sales of CBs remain brisk accord- day, "CBs are okay if you can put up with by what they're hearing on their CB, and
ing to local suppliers—this in spite of the all the garbage and filthy language." are switching to alternative means of
wide acceptance of the cellular phone Since he appeared as if he might know communication. Ialso wondered why
and the increasing number of business his way around afew cuss words himself, some people think buying aCB somehow
channels in use. Canadian CBers from all Iwas alittle surprised by his sentiments, gives them the right to spout their noxious
walks of life are buying up the little work- but he was upset, even to the point of pric- banality over the same frequencies the
horse, but are they very happy with what ing some amateur radios as an alterna- rest of us are using.
they're hearing on CB these days? tive to using his CB. CBs were sort of a male thing at one
Apparently not, when they are forced to Later on in the day our conversation time; women and kids didn't get to play
listen to alot of people talkin' dirty. came back to me, and Ibegan wonder- with daddy's CB. But times have
Dianne Roberts of Lethbridge, Alberta, loves the TRC-481 CB

Brynly Roberts of Lethbridge, Alberta, a city of 70,000 about almost as much as she loves her little poodle, Jasper. Would
50 miles north of the Montana border. Brynly started using CBs you believe Dianne is 25 years old and has a diploma in
in the late 60's and now has acouple of TRC-481s. Handicapped Services?

Jacob Hofer, amember of the Hutterite Brethern colony near Local four-wheeler Tony Theriau says his CB-equipped rig is
Enchant in southern Alberta, says their TRC-438 makes farm- ready for action in spite of the rust. Tony has been using CBs
ing easier. Local Hutterite colonies are not usually allowed the for 17 years and once used the call letters XM233321243. That's
luxuries of radios, television or other entertainment devices. apretty long handle!
Cindy Raab of Edmonton, Alberta is no stranger to aKenworth The unsolved mystery for most Canadians: Why Snowbirds
or her TRC-8501 CB. abandon their $250,000 homes in October to spend up to six
months living in atrailer, even if it's parked in the inviting warmth
of Arizona.
changed, with families of ranchers and we're dealing with. These people appar- regulations were ever to be introduced
farmers to vacationers at the cottage rely- ently feel the need to express their deep- into this country. Iknow of one fellow,
ing on their handy, inexpensive little est feelings without fear of being account- protesting the introduction of seat belt
radios to keep in touch. How much longer able, and the CB presently offers the laws into this province, who drove around
are they prepared to expose their lamily same anonymity as atoilet stall. town every day with the end of the car's
to the darker side of CBs? CB users were at one time regulated seat belt dragging on the ground. He was
Of course this may not be a problem through licensing and call letters which hoping the police would arrest him, giv-
in the more remote areas of the country allowed offenders to eventually be ing him his day in court. "I don't like the
where there is less radio traffic, but tracked down. However, all you have to government tellin' me what to do," he
where it is, and whoever is responsible, do these days is plunk down the price of would announce proudly.
it's getting too much for some people. a CB, plug it in, and you're on the air- Maybe none of us like being told what
Whether it's afew working stiffs shooting waves, apparently to do as you please. to do, but we usually end up doing what
off at the mouth when the job isn't pan- There's certainly nothing wrong with we're told for the simple reason it makes
ning out, or the ever-present chatterbox allowing CBs to be available to everyone sense. Most of the legislation in our lives,
idling away afew hours of their otherwise without the bother of licensing or monthly from gun laws to highway speed limits,
boring lives, they are causing aproblem charges which other forms of communi- are there to protect us from our natural
for other CB users. cation require, until of course, CBers inter- destructive selves. Iguess we would all
When you consider that talking dirty on fere with the pleasurable use of someone like to pack agun for protection and break
CB requires about the same mentality as else's CB. This raises the question, should the speed limit to save alittle time, but the
scrawling silly little obscene messages CB owners be regulated again? laws are there to protect the violator, as
on toilet walls, we get a picture of who It's easy to imagine the foofraw if CB well as innocent bystanders.

Keith Lane, right foreground, owner of the Willow Lane Ranch in southern Alberta, herds a few cows with help from summer
guests from Germany. Many ranchers in the area use CBs to help out with ranching operations.
Federal governments in the U.S. and assuming that militant CB users didn't riot We really don't have to keep talkin' dirty.
Canada are presently attempting to draft and storm the government, is the task of In the coming months, we will be
legislation which could establish the licensing and regulating billions of CBs exploring CB in Canada; I welcome all of
means of regulating television broad- too prohibitive? Control of radio receivers your comments and letters. Before you
casts into homes. This will allow parents and transmitters proved quite effective seal the envelope, why not send us a
to censor television programs they don't during the second World War, at least photo of you or your family at the CB
want their children to watch. Even the here in Canada. With the efficient use of microphone? See you next month. •
cable companies are getting into the act. computers today, the task would be min-
Rogers Communications, Canada's imized considerably. Brynly Roberts is afreelance writer since
largest cablevision company, is making Gun control, nasty words in these parts retiring from teaching, his articles have
preparations to offer their customers the of Canada, is being accomplished most- appeared in The Western Producer, a
V-chip, a Canadian programmable ly through point-of-sale regulations, a weekly agriculture paper; Western
device that allows parents to delete lengthy process that will allow gun own- People, Lethbridge Living magazine, and
unwanted shows from their television. ers to eventually be monitored. The sys- the Financial Post magazine as well as
All this in spite of the fact that the on/off tem can easily be applied to CB radios, other publications. Brynly taught pre-
control continues to be the most effective but only under the expected protests of apprentice electronics at the high school
form of censorship for televisions or any many of the CB owners. level for 17 years and night classes in intro-
other electronic means of communica- However, another problem in the CB ductory electronics at the Lethbridge
tion. But legislation, and devices like the world has been that the radios have sel- Community College. He has also taught
V-chip, would go even further toward pre- dom been taken as seriously as other Electronics transfer credit programs at the
venting the passive viewer, such as akid forms of communication. While frequent- college. Brynly was also in the radio/tele-
left home alone from viewing what the par- ly described as atoy, ahobby, afad, and vision repair field for 12 years. During that
ents consider unfit to watch. produced in the form of those monstrous time he also taught first-year radio/televi-
By the very nature of CB, any user also little $9.95 jobs passed out as kid's sion apprentice courses. Before getting
becomes a passive listener to whatever Christmas presents, the CB has always into the repair field, he spent eight years
is coming over the channel as they await suffered the "poor cousin" image. It doing power line construction.
calls from friends or relatives. They don't appears as if the CB has never quite Brynly has been a leader in the Boy
want to listen to the garbage, and they grown up, and that's asad statement of Scouts, volunteer fireman, volunteer
don't want their kids listening to it. fact for many CB users. ambulance driver and acted as sound
However, they may be in the mood for a So what's in store for the future of CB? technician for local drama groups. He
few regulations as a means of cleaning Its fate and welfare relies directly on the and his wife Carol have been married for
up the airwaves to protect themselves owner/user if we want to keep taking 40 years and have raised four children,
and their families from being exposed to advantage of all it offers. We don't need the youngest of which is 25. He also has
the language they themselves don't nor- Big Daddy government to control CB five grandchildren. An ardent biker, he
mally use. radios, but we do need to practice alittle logged nearly 125,000 miles in about
If legislation were introduced, and self-control and clean up our language. eight years, traveling across Canada.
66 /CB Radio IMarch 1996

The Emergency and 13ackpacking
Special
For afew bucks and few minutes, you can build a 27M Hz
antenna. Here's how...
BY KENT BRITAIN
Coax
Any Length
The homemade Backpacker CB antenna. For afew bucks and alittle time, this can
be your emergency antenna.
I
fyou're like many folks, there will come Your "counterpoise" can be held on
atime when you need an emergency with tape, wire ties, heat shrink tubing, or
CB antenna that's simple to make and even garbage bag ties.
fun too. This antenna is avariation of the Tie fishing line or another heavy string
Bazooka antenna that's been around for to the tip of your new antenna and hang
over 50 years. It costs only afew dollars it from atree limb. Don't use wire because
and works as well as a quarter wave it really messes up your SWR. Higher is
ground plane. better, but you'll have to carry more coax
and also find a higher tree. Try to find
Construction something high enough to at least get the
end of the "counterpoise" off the ground.
(Photos by Kent Britain)
Take 25-50 feet of RG-58 coax and strip Route the coax to your CB and have
the vinyl jacket off nine feet. RG8 will work, fun!
but it's kind of heavy. There are two ways
to build the counterpoise. You can work Materials List
the center conductor out of the braid or
cut it off and solder the braid you stripped 20-50 feet of RG-58 coax
off or another piece of wire to the shield 1PL-259 connector
and run it back along the coax. Again, trim String or fishing line The real thing ready to use suspended
it to nine feet. Cable tie, tape or garbage bag ties from anearby tree.

Antennas Etc. II II al II II
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO PUT OUT A GREAT SIGNAL By Kent Britain
Let's Talk About Vertical Antenna basics..
H
ello CBers. Over the last 10 years 102 inch whips? That's to allow for the
Ihave published articles and even
abook about antennas. Your edi-
spring and mount. WOW
tor, Harold, has asked me to do aseries Loading Coils
of monthly columns about CB and scan-
ner antennas. So over the coming months There are three places the loading coil
we'll cover awide range of antenna top- can be mounted—at the base of the anten-
ics, such as verticals, SWR, dB's and na—a base-load; mounted somewhere
reader's letters. It's your column, too, so along the center of the antenna—a cen-
let's talk. Write that letter! ter-load; or even mounted at the top of the
For awhile Iran asmall CB shop in Ft. antenna for atop-load. (See Figure 1)
Worth, Texas. It was there that Iheard
some of the most fantastic claims and
rumors about antennas, how they work,
The Top-Load
and what you do to make them better. I'm
Over 75 years ago, experimenters
really looking forward to this chance to
learned that atop-loaded whip radiated
clear up some of these "Antenna Fairy
better than any other loaded antenna. So
Tales." Let's get started.
a3foot top-load works better than a3foot
11011%
Let's talk about vertical antenna
center or a 3 foot base-load. The prob-
basics. It's asubject of major concern for
lems with a top loaded vertical are all
all of us who want to put the best possi-
mechanical. A top-load needs far more
ble signal on the air.
wire in the load than any other type of
Your CB radio automatically thinks
loading coil. So the load is bigger, heav-
every mobile CB vertical antenna is 1/4
ier, and catches more wind. The anten-
wavelength long. Some special antennas
na has to be stiff enough to support this Here's avehicle that doesn't make many
use amultiple of 1/4 wavelength, such as
top heavy antenna, and a stiff antenna trips through the bank's drive-up window.
1/2 or 3/4 the wavelength, but it's always
related to 1/4 wave. has a bunch of problems going under That's a 102" whip on the roof. Remem-
A 108 inch whip is a little awkward on trees, into garages, and at the car wash. ber, the longer antenna is better.
awalkie talkie, so most of that 108 inch- (Photo by Kent Britain)
es is wound into a coil. This coil or load The Center-Load:
shortens the actual length of the whip, but tom section of the antenna is stiff, but the
your CB radio still thinks the antenna is While not quite as efficient as a top- top section can be made out of some-
108 inches long. So, if the antenna needs loaded whip, the Center Load is perhaps thing flexible. A thin stainless steel rod is
to be 108 inches long, why do they sell the most popular vertical whip. The bot- very popular.
Quarter
Wave
Short Antenna
Highly Loaded
TOP CENTER BASE

LOAD LOAD LOAD Lightly
Loaded
Whip
Quarter
Wave
Whip
CH 1 CH 40
FpLire 1

The Sirio ML 145 MAG magnetic-mount
CB antenna is a base-loaded design.
The whip is made of stainless steel.
(Photo Courtesy Sirio Antenna)
The flexible stainless steel "stinger"

makes it a lot easier to drive through low
hanging tree branches, or go on into the
garage. If you make the antenna a few
inches longer, the efficiency of the anten-
na goes up and it now works as good as
atop-load.
The Base Load

By putting the load at the base, all that
weight is now down low. The rest of the
antenna is just alightweight flexible stain-
The Hustler RTM is a center-loaded
less steel whip.
mobile magnetic-mount antenna. (Photo
This type is cheaper to make and also
Courtesy Hustler, Inc.)
let's you park in the garage. Again the
longer the antenna, the more efficient it
is. By making abase-loaded antenna just
1or 40. They could build a6inch high CB
a little longer, it can work just as well as
antenna, but you better tell them the exact
atop-load.
channel you plan to talk on.
The Bottom Line, LONGER ANTENNAS
The Real World WORK BETTER! (But make more noise
when you hit things!)
Advertisers like to put alot of claims in Check out the Shakespeare 5055-1 top- We will be happy to answer any anten-
their advertisements. They talk about loaded fiberglass core antenna. Being a na questions that you may have. Perhaps
TalkPower, gain and so forth. But as apro- top-loaded design makes it agreat per- you have special installation circum-
fessional antenna designer, Ioften cringe former! (Photo Courtesy Shakespeare stances. Chances are if you do, so does
at some of the amazing claims some com- Electronics) someone else!
panies make. Remember: Whatever the Just send me your letters and ques-
load, or whatever they make it out of, a4 tions to: CB Radio magazine, 76 North
foot long whip will usually out-talk a3foot Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801.
one point now. As avertical is loaded, it
long whip. A 5 footer will get out better
is tuned to afrequency. As you tune away
than a4footer, and a102 in. quarter wave
from that frequency, the antenna doesn't Kent Britain is a commercial antenna
will work best.
work as well, power is reflected, and SWR designer and professional antenna con-
goes UP. As you can see in Figure 2, the sultant He also owns and operates an
What's Coming Up more loading, the more the antenna antenna range, regularly testing anten-
wants to work on only one frequency. So nas from 50 MHz to 24 GHz. For four years
In a coming month we will devote an alittle 18 inch mag mount tuned to chan- Kent taught college courses on micro-
entire column to SWR, but Iwant to cover nel 19 doesn't work very well on channel wave and antenna theory.

MI II Ill al MI II
DX INFORMATION FROM AROUND THE WORLD By Alex McPherson
CI3 Spanning the Globe
W
ere going international, present- the other side of the world are welcome. ing for sunspot cycle 23 to pop up. As far
ing the best DX information avail- Make it YOUR column! as specialists are concerned, we'll not see
able anywhere. You'll also get any progression until mid-1996. For the
news, views and comments from almost time being, all we can do is either sit down
every continent. This MUST be your inter- The DX Scene and wait, or climb on the roof to optimize
national forum, where all CB enthusiasts our antenna systems. However, this
worldwide will meet. Club info concern- For starters, we'll take a look at the DX doesn't mean use more power, as many
ing DX activity, news from your friends on scene where everyone is impatiently wait- DXers do. Just remember that it's illegal in

most parts of the world (if not all!). toward friendship between CBers world- including 44 SG/DX (South Africa), 64 SD
The lack of sunspots has almost no influ- wide and, obviously, legal Citizens Band 0 (Senegal), 170/14 RC 360 (Burkina
ence on propagation distances. It mainly in those countries where CB operators Faso) and many others. Next month I'll try
reduces Maximum Usable Frequency are considered pirates. to get in touch with an Algerian Alfa Tango
(MUE) and, therefore, band openings. As If the event ever takes place, CB Radio operator who seems to be very active. I've
far as 27 MHz is concerned (right at the magazine will be represented. Anybody also been told that his QSL card looks
top of the HF spectrum), best results are interested? Your ideas are welcome. great! We'll publish it, promised.
obtained during the afternoon. Again,
there are only afew directions in which you South America
may point your antennas and best results News From Europe
are obtained with beams—not high power. Back to our side of the Atlantic Ocean,
We'll take a detailed look at 27 MHz If you're looking for a rare one from
24 CA/DX is on the air from Panama. QSL
propagation predictions every month in Europe, you could try beaming to the
is via 1 CA 003 Giancarlo (see above
this column. Any questions on the sub- northern part of the continent and listen
info). Giancarlo seems very busy with
ject, don't hesitate to write to me. for 171 AT/DX on Svalbard. The station
QSL cards and is also manager for 88
has been on the air since January and is
CA/DX operating from Cuba.
supposed to be there until July this year.
CB In Germany QSL for 171 AT/DX is via Adam, 161 AT
065, P.O. Box 79, Wladyslawo 84 120. A Asian DX
German Citizens Band enthusiasts are one dollar contribution is requested.
now entitled to use digital modes on cer- Still in the northern part of Europe, you Giancarlo is also managing cards for
tain channels, including packet radio. may listen out for station 304 SD 0 who 180 CA/DX transmitting from Oman. The
Over the past months, the market has vir- has also been on the air since the begin- station is not on the air very often
tually exploded as specialty shops are ning of the year. This Estonian expedition because 11 meter activity is illegal in this
now selling packet modems to connect should be around until December 1997. country. Other recent operations on 27
between acomputer and CB set. Most of QSL is via John, 30 SD 044, P.O. Box 136, MHz have taken place from 94, 102 and
the equipment is derived from amateur Castellon 12080, Spain. The usual one 151 (Iraq) divisions, mainly with Greek
gear and all this is totally legal! Many dollar contribution would be appreciated. QSL managers.
operators using CB at home are now International DX Group "Belgium Radio
using packet. Specialized clubs are orga- Contact" had problems during 1995 with Antarctica
nizing the network over the country and the Belgian police. Club president 16
everything seems to be working fine. If BRC 001 is back on the air and the club A Polish operator is on King George
you don't believe me, tune into channels is alive and well, including the BRC QSL Island signing 200 TOC O. He is supposed
24 and 25 and listen for yourself. service. More about this in next months to be there for another few months, but all
One of the latest inventions of aGerman column. Members may get in touch with depends on his work. QSL is via P.O. Box
CBer is the TV modem. Just plug it into their club at the following address: 35, 80325 Gdansk 37, Poland. Contri-
the mic socket of any CB set and there Belgium Radio Contact, P.O. Box 33, bution is asked for by the operator.
you go broadcasting TV pictures! The 3271 Zichem, Belgium.
modem has a built-in black and white From European Russia, 50 EB 0is very
active every weekend. QSL is via 1EB 31
Heard of Heard Island?
camera and small monitor for receiving
your correspondents pictures. I wonder if Luciano, P.O. Box 37, Eboli 84025, Italy.
You may have heard of ... Heard Island
the FCC would make such equipment Luciano has many demands for QSL
these days. Activity from this island is only
legal over here ... cards, so please don't forget to include
authorized if you have aham license and
All these "new" modes make Germany the usual contribution.
many more official papers signed by the
the most liberal country when it comes to If you're looking for some activity from
Australian government. Some fake sta-
CB regulations. German CBers are also ex-Yugoslavia, maybe 327 CA/DX is
tions, mostly from Italy, have been send-
supposed to obtain 40 additional chan- already in your log. This station is appar-
ing DX info concerning Heard Island to
nels. Additionally, aGerman telecommu- ently operated by aUN soldier who trans-
specialized publications all over Europe.
nications authority spokesman has mits from Croatia. QSL is via 1CA 003
Just note that all 11 meter activity from
recently said that "European regulations Giancarlo, P.O. Box 19, Casalette 10040,
Heard Island is absolutely forbidden.
are not acceptable for German CB enthu- Italy. Contribution is necessary. Giancarlo
You'll also need a helicopter and plenty
siasts." At the same time, many European is also QSL manager for 328 CA/DX from
of money to land there. So don't waste
countries are now adopting the new 40 Slovenia, mostly active during the week.
your QSL cards on any so-called
channel FM-only standard. This is what From Bosnia, you may hear 331 CRS
DXpeditions on Heard Island.
we call "harmonization"! 028 who sends his QSL card first. So don't
bother asking him any address on the air.
That's All Folks
CB Day—Worldwide!
News from Africa Here ends February's International CB
French Minister of Cooperation, column. Next month, we'll talk about more
Jacques Godfrain, is one of the three mil- The latest news from the African conti- CB apparatus from around the world,
lion French CB enthusiasts. Last summer, nent comes from Groundwave, the world- propagation for DX enthusiasts and of
at the French CB Federation annual gen- famous DX bulletin. One of the editors, 26 course I'll be looking for the finest news
eral meeting, Mr. Godfrain told me that he AT 029, has been to Zimbabwe where he and DX information that you'll see
would like to put together aWorldwide CB signed 85/26 AT 029. QSL is via Ground- nowhere else than in CB Radio magazine!
Day. He's in touch with over 70 countries wave, P.O. Box 17, Kenilworth, Warcks, Your questions, info and other comments
around the world and said he'd be glad CV8 1SF, United Kingdom. Contribution are welcome. Until then, take care.
to organize meetings all over the planet. is also necessary for this rare one.
This unique opportunity could lead Many expeditions have been on the air, 73/51, Alex
March 19961 CB Radio / 71

Mobile Electronics News •
A LOOK AT TECHNOLOGY FOR THE ROAD
This month: Telecommuters, R[31)5 and

Radar Technology
Home Offices and Telecommuters to interested broadcasters around the U.S. Additional contracts
are being received daily by the EIA. RDS agreements have been
Now Commonplace
made in nine additional markets, including Anaheim/Santa Ana,
Boston, Cleveland, Denver, Minneapolis/St. Paul, St. Louis, San
A
sRoss Perot might put it, "that giant sucking sound you
Diego, Seattle/Tacoma and Washington, D.C. The EIA cam-
hear" is the sound of jobs moving from traditional work-
paign provides RDS capability virtually cost-free to any FM
places to home, mobile and other "virtual offices."
broadcaster in each of the top 25 U.S. radio markets. In
Structural changes in the U.S. economy, combined with a
exchange for the RDS equipment, software and training, the
dazzling array of new electronic products and services, have
EIA seeks advertising or underwriting credits to be used in con-
quietly transformed the way we work and live. As recently as a
centrated consumer awareness promotion periods predeter-
few years ago, those who chose to work at home were regard-
mined for each market. In addition to consumer awareness pro-
ed as exceptions, if not eccentrics. Today, those who run home-
grams, the EIA plans education programs for retailers,
based companies, lelecommute' or complete their work at
advertisers and consumers in each of the targeted markets.
home are fast approaching majority status.
According to Gary J. Shapiro, group vice president of
Sales data provide clear evidence that home information
EIA/CEG, "our manufacturers are convinced the RBDS will
products represent the largest and fastest-growing consumer
deliver ahost of new features that will benefit consumers, includ-
electronics category. The latest sales figures for these items to
ing the ability to relay useful control and display to their radios."
U.S. dealers totaled $17.6 billion in 1994.
RBDS technology allows broadcasters to transmit radio text
If the proliferation and widespread acceptance of the home
as digital data on an inaudible subcarrier. Individual radio sta-
office were not remarkable enough, both technologically and
tions are able to purchase an RBDS encoder for as little as just
even sociologically, aparallel development has been the emer-
under $2,500.
gence of the mobile office. Many of today's businessmen and
Among the specific services that can be offered through
women not only run home-based enterprises, but also have the
RBDS broadcasters to their listeners whether at home or in their
option to manage their business affairs while traveling or oth-
cars are:
erwise outside the confines of their offices.
Arguably the most important item in the mobile office arse-
•show the call letters of the station
nal is the cellular telephone. Some 5.7 million mobile phones
•tune by program format (Top-40, Country, Sports, etc.)
worth $1.5 billion will be reported sold to dealers for 1995, EIA
•show song titles and artist names
estimates. More portable and less expensive than ever, mobile
•switch to alternate frequencies (for continuous reception of
telephones allow the on-the-go executive to stay in close con-
network programming on long trips)
tact with the office or client.
•automatically announces emergency and traffic bulletins
The portable computer is another key piece of mobile office
•supply paging information
equipment. Those cumbersome portables of yesteryear have
•provide business and navigation data
evolved into lightweight yet powerful laptops and notebooks
offering a full range of PC capabilities from routine word pro-
Broadcasters, for example, would be able to send and con-
cessing to transmitting faxes and e-mail messages.
sumers receive text transmission, enabling radio stations to
identify themselves by call letters and frequency, convey infor-
mation about the recording artist and song/album titles, and
Radio Broadcast Data System News feed clock synchronization signals.
In addition, broadcasters could interrupt in-car CD and cas-
The new Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS) was recent-
sette players with traffic or emergency alerts.
ly introduced in several major U.S. media markets as part of an
The RBDS technology could also become akey part of asuc-
industry-backed effort to bring this innovative digital technolo-
cessor to the Emergency Broadcast System. RBDS makes pos-
gy to the nation's consumers and broadcasters. Currently more
sible anew-generation system that would not only transmit infor-
than 60 top FM broadcasters have joined the Electronic
mation when people are listening to their radios, but actually
Industries Association/Consumer Electronics Group (EIA/CEG)
could turn on radios in the middle of the night to alert them to a
Radio Data System (RDS) promotional campaign. These sta-
potentially devastating storm, for example.
tions, located in 16 of the top 25 radio markets, constitute a20 While car radios would feature an eight-character digital dis-
percent increase in the total number of stations using RDS in
play, home RBDS receivers will offer a64-character display mak-
the United States.
ing possible the transmission of stock quotes and other financial
As we go to press, the EIA has made scheduled promotion-
information, sports scores and statistics, weather reports and
al presentations to FM broadcasters in the first seven of the
even brief commercials.
planned 25 top radio markets—Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth,
Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and San
Francisco. More than 125 RDS presentations have been made (Above courtesy the Electronic Industries Association)

The Escalation of the Speed behind the patrol car in the same lane and
behind in the opposite lane (to try to nab
Enforcement Arms Race
those who speed up again after passing
by acop car going the other way). Many
BY RADIO ASSOCIATION
detectors now offer the capability of
DEFENDING AIRWAVE RIGHTS
checking for radar both in front of and
(RADAR)
behind your vehicle.
The trend in police speed enforcement
technology is crystal clear: They don't Getting the Fastest Vehicle
want you, the driver, to know when your
speed is being monitored. It's been true Newest among the birds is Kustom
since radar first appeared in a police Signal's Eagle, which employs digital sig-
cruiser parked behind a hedge and it nal processing (DSP) claimed to more
remains true today as lawmen stand on accurately identify the fastest vehicle in
The Whistler 1170 SW Laser detector
highway overpasses aiming lasers at us. traffic. Instead of fixating on the strongest
responds to laser and Superwideband
But Americans are very innovative. target (which can be the biggest or clos-
radar signals. (Courtesy Whistler Co.)
Every time police come out with a new est vehicle) in agroup, the Eagle is said
weapon in their anti-speeding arsenal— to be able to cut through the "noise" to
whether instant-on radar, radar that can find which car is going fastest. The unit
move from one point on its assigned fre- can monitor the speeds of vehicles trav-
quency to another, radar-detector detec- eling in the same direction ahead of the
tors or the newest rage, laser guns—dri- police car, those approaching from the
vers acquire effective countermeasures opposite direction and those approach-
of their own. Today's tiny detectors are ing from the rear. It can also double as a
true technological marvels that quickly VASCAR unit, allowing the operator to
and accurately scan for every known type calculate speed by timing avehicle as it
of radar and lasers. They simultaneously travels aknown distance.
look ahead of and behind the vehicle. On
top of all that, they boast undetectable Photo Radar
"stealth" features and are incredibly
affordable for the amount of technology The only other thing worth mentioning
packed into them. on the microwave front is photo radar.
There is no arguing that some speed- This highly automated marriage of aradar
limit enforcement is necessary to remind ifications as asuper-wideband. Again, a gun, camera and computer is good only
us all to drive more reasonably and safe- check of detector features shows that this for generating enormous numbers of tick-
ly. However, the irony of this technologi- threat has been covered, too. ets. Instead of being pulled over at the
cal escalation is that the evidence shows The Hawk, meanwhile, has the ability time of the alleged infraction, you get a
that enforcement is most effective when when operated from amoving patrol car notice in the mail saying you can either
it is most visible. In other words, amarked to check the speed of vehicles in front of pay up, identify who was driving (if not the
car sitting for all to see in the median, the cruiser and going in the same direc- owner) or show up in court to contest the
shooting conventional radar far down the tion, approaching from the front, directly speeding citation.
road, is going to do a whole lot more to
encourage compliance and improve
safety than the typical instant-on ambush
or laser sniper.
Radar Roundup
So what is the driver up against these
days? On the radar front, most of the effort
has gone into defeating radar detectors.
For instance, the hand held battery-pow-
ered Stalker uses digital processing to
operate at a specific spot within radar's
wide Ka band. The manufacturer offers
police different chips that can move the
Stalker's operating point to a different
spot on the band or otherwise keep astep
ahead of detector technology. Detector
manufacturers were quick to pick up on
the trick and dealt with the Stalker through
advances in scanning capabilities.
Radar manufacturers seem to have a
penchant for naming their products after
things that fly. The MPH BEE 36A oper-
ates in the Ka band between 33.4 and
34.4 GHz, known in the war of the spec-

Getting Your Vehicle Ready for the Road
Regular Maintenance is the Key to a Good Driving Machine...
BY JENNIFER ORT
While the attitude of some people may be, "as long as it

takes me to my destination, that's all that matters," to most of
us, owning a vehicle means more than knowing it gets you
from one place to another. Your vehicle needs regular main-
tenance. It's also been said that to have a quality operating
and sounding mobile radio, you've got to have aproperly-oper-
Winter Survival
ating mobile in the first place.
Mike Morrissey, spokesperson for the American Automobile Kit Checklist 7
Association says that simple maintenance is the key to keep
avehicle running properly.
"Some ads claim that certain cars can go 100,000 miles Flashlight
before the first tune-up. But people still need to look at every-
thing from time to time," Morrissey said. "There's always aneed
for maintenance."
To help ensure abetter on-road experience, Morrissey rec-
%BP Blankets
ommends following the AAA 14-point plan that explains, rather
El lee. Booster Cables
simply, the necessary steps for basic vehicle maintenance:
LII
we
Under the Hood Warning device, such
as flares or reflective
1. Check the anti-freeze/coolant level weekly. Newer cars
have see-through reservoirs with level markings. Top off with triangle
a50/50 solution of permanent anti-freeze and water. Caution:
Do NOT remove the pressure cap when the engine is hot.
e ffleis Small bag of abrasive
2. Inspect belts monthly. Replace worn, glazed or frayed
belts; tighten when they have more than one-half inch of slack
r
material, such as
,
when depressed between the pulleys. Replace bulging or rot- sand or cat litter
ten hoses and tighten clamps.
3. Check transmission fluid while the engine is warm and
running. With the parking brake engaged, shift to drive, then Cloth or aroll of
to park. Remove dipstick, wipe dry, insert and pull it out again. paper towels
Add fluid if needed. Do NOT overfill!
4. Check oil every other time you fill up. Remove the dip-
stick, wipe clean, insert it and remove again. If low, add oil. » Ithe8eitealaSmall shovel
5. Check the air filter every month or two. Replace it when
it's dirty or as part of atune-up. It's easy to reach-right under
the big metal "lid."
6. Check brake fluid monthly. First wipe any dirt from the
brake master cylinder reservoir lid. Pry off the retainer clip and 11. Be sure all your lights are working, including brake lights,
remove the lid. If you need fluid, add the approved type and turn signals and emergency flashers. Keep them clean.
check for possible leaks. 12. Keep tires inflated to recommended pressure. (It helps
7. Keep windshield washer reservoir full. When topping off, to have your own gauge). Check for cuts, bulges and exces-
use some solvent on arag to clean off the wiper blades. sive tread wear. Uneven tire tread wear indicates misalign-
8. Check the battery monthly in cold weather, weekly in hot ment or out-of-balance wheels.
weather and daily on long trips. Make sure the cables are 13. Look for signs of oil seepage on shock absorbers. Test
attached securely and free of corrosion. Check fluid level. If shock action by bouncing the vehicle up and down. The car
yours has filler holes, add water as needed. Note: Do NOT should stop bouncing when you step back. Worn or leaking
smoke or light amatch near abattery. shocks should be replaced. Always replace in pairs.
9. Check the power steering fluid level once amonth. 14. Look underneath the vehicle for loose or broken exhaust
clamps and supports. Check for holes in muffler or pipes.
On the Outside Replace rusted or damaged parts.
Morrissey said in one year alone there were 26.8 million calls
10. Inspect windshield wiper blades whenever you clean made to AAA for emergency road service. Most people called,
your windshield. Replace worn or brittle blades. Wiper blades he said, "Because their car just didn't start—but running out
should be replaced at least once ayear, more often if smear- of fuel and getting aflat tire were reasons, too." That's why fol-
ing occurs. lowing these 14 points can save people time and money.

Legal questions about this ticket-by- make it increasingly effortless for police local governments, our best advice is to
mail scheme, a preference for face-to- to catch people driving above the speed drive with astate-of-the-art detector and
face enforcement by police and allega- limit. Add to that the fact that researchers to keep an ear open for reports of bear
tions of ticketing for profit all have kept have found that many, many speed lim- sightings over your CB. We contend that
camera radar from spreading beyond a its are set considerably lower than they instead of encouraging you to become a
very few locations in the U.S. It has, how- should be, so that most traffic is travel- speed scofflaw, a radar detector helps
ever, been used throughout Canada and ing above the limit, but below the maxi- increase your awareness of what's going
in other countries. The radar transmis- mum safe speed. Also factor in the real- on around you on the road. And who can
sions can be rather difficult to detect due ity that countless municipal and state argue that being alert, aware and
to the low power of the transmitters and governments are always looking for informed as you drive is abad thing?
the fact that the beam is shot more across, ways to make their revenue match their Actually, we have been working dili-
than down the road. expenses. The result is that it's very easy gently on a system that will allow your
to cross the line between enforcement radar detector to alert you to nearby road
ALook At Lasers for safety purposes and enforce- hazards such as stopped school buses,
ment as a means of generating income road construction, icy bridges and work
Grabbing the most headlines these for government. zones, plus tell you when emergency
days are speed lasers, which use pulses Unless you enjoy contributing at ran- vehicles are approaching. Sound excit-
of light instead of microwaves to calcu- dom to the coffers of various state and ing? We'll tell you more about it next time.
late speeds. The main advantages, from
the officer's point of view, are that at typ-
ical ranges, the laser's beam is acouple
R&R COMMUNICATIONS INC.
2312 CARPENTER ROAD
feet across, where radar's beam would
be covering a couple lanes or more. WILMINGTON, DE 19810
Lasers are also invisible to radar detec- (302) 475-1351 OR (302) 475-1352
tors. The narrow beam is a mixed bless- *SPECIALIZING IN SALES, SERVICE AND MODIFICATIONS.
ing: While it allows the operator to be more *CUSTOM WORK AVAILABLE*
sure of the target, it can take marksman- *WE HAVE 27 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE CB. MARINE. POLICE AND FIRE
like steadiness to keep the beam aimed SCANNERS AND 2WAY RADIO BUSINESS. THERE ARE 2FULL TIME FCC
properly. Even though you can buy up to LICENSED TECHNICIANS ON DUTY TO HELP YOU WITH
three radar units for the price of one laser, ANY QUESTION OR PROBLEM YOU NEED SOLVED.
this technology is spreading steadily.
*WE ARE A FACTORY LICENSED WARRANTY REPAIR STATION FOR:
There are lots of myths about lasers,
including those disseminated by police. COBRA, MIDLAND, K40
Here are afew FACTS: *WE CARRY A FULL LINE OF CB AND 10 METER RADIOS SUCH AS:
•The range is typically much shorter than COBRA, UNII)EN. MIDLAND. RANGER, GALAXY, CONNEX, MAXON.
radar (about 1,000 feet.) Manufacturers *WE CARRY THE BEST IN SCANNING RADI OS SUCH AS:
claim ranges up to 2,500 feet. UNIDEN BEARCAT, AOR(ACE)
• They are greatly affected by atmos-
pheric conditions. Their range can be cut *WE CARRY A FULL LINE OF METERS, ANTENNAS ANDACCESSORIES SUCH AS:
to just afew hundred feet on acloudy or WAWASEE, VALOR, PARA DYNAMICS, ANTENNA SPECIALIST, GIZMOTCHY, MACO,
foggy day. WILSON. K40. HUSTLER. SHAKESPEAR. SKIPSHOOTER. FIRESTICK, FRANCIS.
•A laser can only by used from a sta- ANTRON. MIDLAND, IBC, TRUCK SPEC, WORKMAN. ETC.
tionary position. Watch for the cop on the WE CARRY A FULL LINE OF MICROPHONES SUCH AS:
overpass, shooting speeders and radio- ASTATIC. TELEX, COBRA, GALAXY. SADELTA
ing descriptions to chase cars.
*WE CARRY THEBEST AND ONLY THE BEST IN RADAR DETECTORS:
•They post no threat of eye damage when
B.E.L. TRONICS #1 AND AMERICAN MADE
one is pointed at you.
•Though they appear to be susceptible AMPHENOL CONNECTORS, COAX ALL 99% SHIELD
to fewer mistaken readings than radar, POWER SUPPLIES SUCH AS: ASTRON AND PYRAMID
errors can be made due to refraction, ANTENNA TUNERS SUCH AS: MFJ, MACO ANI) PDC
reflection and diffraction. FREQUENCY COUNTERS, EXTERNAL SPEAKERS, SWR METERS,
•Lasers CAN be detected. Radar/laser SWITCH BOXES, DUMMY LOADS 10-1500 WATTS, TVI FILTERS,
combo detectors are commonplace now. PHONE FILTERS, HOOK UP WIRE FROM 24 AWG TO 4AWG
And sooner or later somebody (with or MOUNTING BRACKETS FOR ALL MODELS
without abadge) will tell you, "If your laser AND ALL ACCESSORIES POSSIBLY NEEDED! Almilimmlimm
detector goes off, all it means is that NO SALES TAX IN DELAWARE -UPS SHIPPING ANYWHERE IN THE
you've been caught and it's time to start CONTINENTAL U.S., CARRIBEAN I.S.. SOUTH AMERICA. CANADA, MEXICO
reaching for your license and owner's
card." It's true that in many instances your ADD YOURSELF TO OUR MAILING LIST
laser detector will give you less warning rName:

than its radar-seeking counterpart. Yet R&R COMMUNICATIONS INC.
Address:
because of reflection and dispersion, a
laser detector can ferret out signals from HOURS ARE:
arange of up to two miles. In short, if your
laser detector gives even the smallest MONDAY 10AM -8PM Phone#
peep, it's best to immediately check your WED. THURS. FRI. 10AM -5:30PM Interests
speed and start paying close attention to
SATURDAY 10AM -4PM
your surroundings.
Today's stealthy enforcement tools SUNDAY AND TUESDAY -CLOSED SEND TO: R&R COMMUNICATIONS INC.
2312 CARPENTER ROAD
WILM. DE. 19810
Scanners: User Friendly
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF SCANNING VHF/UHF 13y Steve Aclame
What's So Special About Scanning?
5
canners in a CB magazine? You
bet. CBers use scanners and vice
versa. But why do folks use scan-
ners in the first place? WRONG WAY
DRIVER HEADED TOWARD YOU! FLEE-
ING FELON IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!
Are those reasons enough? Is your life
worth ahundred dollars or so? Scanning
is an answer and an attitude. It's about
knowing what those sirens are for, where
those fire trucks are going and why traf-
fic is so backed up. It's about having infor-
mation in real time, unedited and uncen-
sored; having more control of your life by
using technology you don't need to
understand to use effectively. Scanners
are tools, like acellular phone, television,
CB or computer.
Getting Organized
Since scanning is primarily a solitary
pursuit, information is its life's blood. In Part of the CAD (computer-aided dispatch system) of the California Highway Patrol.
coming months we'll be exploring all
aspects of scanning including controls
and features, 10 and 11-codes, maps
and map reading for following the action, advisor fo' the real tough stuff), Mr. Art do Ineed? Art responds to these ques-
jargon, acronyms, abbreviations, public Mayoff, has over 25 years o£ sales and tions with his own—What do you want
safety organization, emergency kits, service experience in scanners, CBs and your scanner for? What are your inter-
antennas, 800 MHz trunked systems, amateur radio. He tels me the most often- ests? Do you want to use it in your car'?
scanning and the law, setting up your asked questions when baying ascanner Do you want to power it from your car?
scanner's banks and much more. for the first time are: How far can Ihear? Art tries to determine if the buyer needs
This month is a good time to organize Who can Ipick up? How many channels 800 MHz capabi ity and if they want to
your scanner notes to have everything
handy in one place. Computer printouts,
3x5cards, three-ring loose leaf binders
are all useful. Pick any system you're
comfortable with and that you'll keep
using. Simple is better. Computer files are
agreat way to organize, but it's still eas-
ier to read hard copy. Besides, you'll
need your notes awayfrom your desk. I've
condensed my frequency guides into
computer printouts and use a combina-
tion of loose leaf binder plus 3x5cards
for specific events and for sticking in my
pocket. Tailor your notebook with index
tabs for your scanning interests; police,
fire, news media, government agencies,
etc. You might want sections for codes,
abbreviations, acronyms, and magazine
articles. Large three-ring plastic sleeves
hold your equipment manuals as well as
maps. A spring clip holds frequency
guides and legal pads for notes.
Buying AScanner?
The screen on the right is for the CAD. Reports are generated there. The left screen
My local scanner dealer (and technical shows units available, their status and location.

Coming Soon ...
CB Shop—Your CB
Radio Classified
Center
Welcome to CB Radio magazine.
As you know, we are just getting start-
ed as your monthly magazine for all
your CB needs. So that we may better
meet the needs of our readers and sub-
scribers, we are now accepting clas-
sified advertising for future issues.
Our Advertising Rates are as follows:
Non-commercial ads are 3C cents per

word, including abbreviations and
addresses; minimum charge $6.00 per
issue.
Ads from firms offering commercial
products or services are $1 00 per
word; minimum charge $20.00 per
Training is an ongoing process at the California Highway Patrol's Golden Gate
issue.
Communications Center in Vallejo.
Boldface words are $1.20 each (spec-
ify which words.)
Leading key words set in ALL CAPS at
no additional charge.
All ads must be PREPAID IN FULL at

time of insertion (NO MONEY—NO AD)
Visa, MasterCard, American Express,

Discover and personal/bank checks
are accepted.
A 5% discount is offered for prepaid 6

time insertions.
ALL ADS MUST BE TYPEWRITTEN

AND DOUBLE SPACED
Approval: All ad copy is subject to

Publisher's approval and may be mod-
ified to eliminate references to equip-
ment and practices which are either
illegal or otherwise not within the spirt
or coverage scope of the magazine
The business office of a California Highway Patrol officer. Closing Dates: The 5th day in the third
month preceding date of publication.
(for example: March 5th for the June
take it on the road as well as listen at with complaints. Most often heard is: Ilost issue). Any ads received after that date
home. He asks enough questions to be the instruction manual. How do Iprogram will be published in the following issue.
sure a potential buyer won't quickly out- the darned thing? And—I used to be able
grow anew scanner. Once he determines to get ...and Art will find that it's locked Because the advertisers aid equip-
a buyer's needs, Art recommends and out of the scanner's memory. Sometimes ment contained in CB Shop have not
demonstrates a few scanners that meet an agency will change frequencies. The been investigated, the Publisher of CB
those needs. He shows them handhelds, buyer then thinks something is wrong with Radio cannot vouch for the merchan-
base/mobile and base stations. Although the scanner. Another frequently asked dise that is listed there.
price is often afactor, most buyers opt for question is why a user can't hear both
one of the recommended scanners. sides of a particular conversation. Art Please direct all correspondence ano
explains that they may not be on a ad copy to:
repeater and one station is out of range
After The Sale Questions or they may use asystem in which each CB Radio magazine CB Shop
side uses a different frequency. Most of 76 North Broadway
After the sale, buyers sometimes return these problems and questions can be Hicksville, NY 11801

Remember
When...
A comparison of scanner features will help you make an informed buying decision.
Pictured here are three Uniden hand held units.
Frank Bartholomew, formerly 2W3637

holds acouple of old CB relics. (Photo
by Harold Ort)
H
ere's Frank Bartholomew of
Lincroft, New Jersey. Look
closely, all you antique CB radio
collectors. He's holding two relics of the
earliest days of CB. On the left is a
Lafayette HE-20a; on the right is a
Lafayette HE-15 AC (which still works!).
Frank recalls the days when CB was
different. He said, "Our call letters were
2W 3637. Things were different back in
the late '50's when my father and I were
on the radio from East Keansburg, New
Jersey." He continued, "We used to talk
to people on Staten Island Iremember
The Base Station in Concord. California has alarge selection of CBs and scanners to
a fellow named Larry from Port
choose from. Visit your local full-service dealer to see the latest in radio technology.
Monmouth, NJ. We had a good time."
There was little interference back then.
"We'd also operate mobile from our easily addressed by your fu l-service long to develop some understanding of
.49 Plymouth with a huge whip anten- dealer. Rarely is the scanner defective. what police do on our behalf and to appre-
ciate and applaud their efforts. We hear
na," he said.
the professionalism of officers and dis-
Eventually both he and his late father Starting From Scratch and patchers, the experience and wisdom of
got out of CB because of discourteous
Appreciating Police Pros sergeants, the endless license plate
operators.
checks, domestic disturbances and
But Frank still remembers those QSL Next month we'll start from scratch and seemingly rout ne calls punctuated by the
cards that came from other CB opera- talk about scanners as radio receivers, unexpected, the high-speed pursuits,
tors. "I remember our farthest card covering the basic functions. We'll look at armed robbery-in-progress calls and bar-
came from Puerto Rico," Frank said. the frequency spectrum, what it is, what's ricaded suspect situations. Think about it
out there, how its' allocated and how to for a moment: Scanner enthusiasts may
use it. have the best understanding of police
Since much of our scanning involves work outside of the police.
monitoring police calls, it doesn't take Does the current trend of police-bash-

If you enjoy radio communications
you'll love....
POPULAR
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What can you hear? Plenty. Scanner listeners scanned the grounding of the U.S.S.
Enterprise in San Francisco Bay.
The World's largest, most

authoritative monthly magazine for
ing trouble you as it does me? If police In the coming months we'll be explor-
work becomes socially unacceptable, as ing all aspects of scanning. Taking an Shortwave Listening and Scanner
military careers once were, who will want interest in public safety is certainly one of Monitoring. Read by more active
to do the job? Will the best and brightest them. We'll also touch on things we'd like listeners than all other listening
quit going into law enforcement? Will the to see in the next generation of scanners, publications combined!
very people we seek to eliminate from including rechargeable NiCd battery
police ranks become eligible candidates packs for handhelds that slide in and out SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
through alowering of the standards to get rather than being hardwired; search
enough recruits? Are we looking for solu- modes that will take multiple inputs to
tions or blame? When police officers run search around data channels or an open POPULAR
amok, let's support swift and sure meth- carrier in the middle of a search band; COMMUNICATIONS
ods to censure, discipline or weed them lockout review for all scanners with more 76 North Broadway, Hickyille. NY 11801
out, but let's not condemn all. Con- than 20 channels (cycling through 200 or
demning without offering solutions or more channels to remember what you SAVE UP TO 43%
acceptable alternatives is easy, but is locked out is a drag!); adjustable delay Get fast home delivery of Popular
also counter-productive. Public safety feature so time lag of repeaters and emer- Communications and save $12.45 a
should be the number one function of gency traffic tones can be compensated year over the newsstand price. Save
government. Let's equip and train police for; a built-in, adjustable gain, pre-amp even more on 2or 3year subs.
properly to do atough job. Let's look for with BNC fitting; and hand held scanners
solutions (training, screening, counsel- with a light that goes on with the push of El 1year -12 issues $22.95
ing, closer supervision, accountability), abutton and goes off when pushed again. (Save $12.45)
not blame. The alternative to having III 2years -24 issues $41.00
police is anarchy. There are some things (Save $29.80)
we can do. One way to show support is We're Interactive! D 3years -36 issues $60.00
to write letters to the op-ed page of your
(Save $46.20)
newspaper, citing good experiences you This column is interactive. Send your
have had from police officers and sup- technical tips, anecdotes, questions, Canada/Mexico—One year $32.95, two years $61.00,
porting well conceived departmental three years $90.00: Foreign—one year $34.95, two years
comments, photos (no Polaroids,
$65.00, three years $96.00, Foreign Air Mail—one year
reforms and budgets. There is a lot of please), schedules of events and any- $82.95, two years $161.00, three years $240.00.
good that goes on by police officers. We thing unusual and of interest about scan- Payable in US dollars only
MUST cite the good as well as the bad. ning to: Scanners: User Friendly, CB (Please print clearly)
Another way is to go on a police ride- Radio Magazine, 76 North Broadway,
along and meet the officers in your area. Hicksville, NY 11801-2953. There is a Name
Let them meet a resident of their beat in three month lead time in publishing your
Street
circumstances other than the worst. Ride- letters and photos, so please be patient.
alongs are enlightening and put per- By the way, be sure to pick up acopy of City
spective on what you hear on your scan- the CB Radio Buyer's Guide and the
State Zip
ner. Most departments offer ride-alongs, Popular Communications Guide, both
tours of communications centers, recruit- available from 1-800-853-9797. See you Bill to Mastercard •VISA •AMEX •Discover
ing events with demonstrations and open next month.
houses on aregular basis. Call the Public Account number:
Affairs or Watch Commander's office of Steve Adams is a management consul-
your police department for details. I've tant and aretired Command Master Chief
found them eager to show off their depart- Petty Officer (E-9), USN, with a back-
ments. Use these opportunities to see for ground in weapons systems and opera- Expiration date:
yourself. Let's help make law enforce- tions. He has been ascanner enthusiast
Note: Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of first issue.
ment noble again! since 1980.
I . 800 - 853 - 9797
March 19961 CB Radio / 79

Caer of the Month rign•il
OUR SALUTE TO TOP-NOTCH CERS By Bill Price, A/K/A The Chieeler
eet "The Virginia Creeper"
T
his being the premier issue, since you haven't yet had a
chance to nominate anyone for the coveted office of CB
Radio magazine's CBer of the Month, and since there's a
fair amount of lead time between the typewriter and the finished
magazine, it'll probably be a few issues until information sent
by readers can find its way into print. Until then, I'll be writing
about people who Irun into in my travels.
If you know someone worthy of the honor, try to get acouple
good clear B&W or color picture (slides don't work too well) and
tell us what makes this person so special. You'll need to give
us awhole shipload of information about the person so we can
do anice write-up such as the one you see here. If, like sever-
al of us here at the editorial offices, you are astudent or grad-
uate of the National CB Writer's Institute of the Air correspon-
dence course (Monday and Wednesday evenings at 7PM on
channel 32 USB), you might like to interview your candidate and
write ahighly polished piece such as the one that follows, mak-
ing you the envy of your peers—just remember, clear photos,
no dangling modifiers, and don't say ain't!
AL BUTLER, a/k/a The Virginia Creeper

Al has never been one to operate abase station—says he's
never operated a CB that was plugged into a wall outlet—so
you'll notice this page is devoid of pictures of Al's "shack." With
the narrow doorway from the garage into the family room, we
didn't think it was wise to bring Al's pickup into the house, so Al Butler, "Virginia Creeper," and his dog Cinder using their
we shot our pictures outside in adrizzle that yielded nicely sat- mobile CB in Virginia. (Photo by Bill Price)
urated colors and clothing.
He's not as active on the air as he was when he was a pro-
fessional driver—Al might be what you'd call a"Past Master" at top-of-the-line AM rig. Iasked Al why he chose to spend the
this stuff, having retired from professional driving back in 1987. big bucks for a40 channel AM rig. "Listen," he said, turning on
He did continue driving a"mobile lounge" at Dulles International the rig. "You'll hear why." He was right. It didn't sound like any
Airport outside the nation's capital, but he came home in 1992 CB I'd heard before. "I call this my family radio. You take my
to grow roses, do favors for his friends, and spend time with his other rig—or any AM rig without digital signal processing—and
wife, Nona (a/k/a The Texas Rose, who Iwill announce right half of what you're listening to is whistling and squealing—het-
here can out-cook the average person and is afar sight pretti- erodyning—it's a terrible racket—particularly on channel 19.
er than Al. After afew miles it'll get so annoying you'll either turn it down
When he gets behind the wheel, though, The Virginia Creeper or turn it off—you might as well not have aradio at all. Iwant a
still tunes to channel 19 and listens for old friends from his con- radio 1can listen to and still play a Ralph Stanley tape while
tract mail-hauling days. Al says he doesn't remember the last we're riding—you can't do that with athree-dollar radio."
time the radio was tuned to another channel. Al has some other preferences in his daily life, including:
Icould tell Al was still a professional driver at heart when I FAVORITE FOOD Salt-cured country ham
asked him if he remembered his first rig. "Sure—just like it was FAVORITE FAST FOOD A Big Mac
yesterday," he told me, "It was aChevrolet C-90." When he saw FAVORITE OVERPRICED SNACK "Snobby little jars of
my puzzled look he said, "I guess you meant my first radio." pickled watermelon rind"
"It was some kind of GE 23 channel deal—it was solid state, FAVORITE BEVERAGE Cherry Coke
but back then 'compact' meant it was about twice the size of FAVORITE MUSIC Bluegrass
today's radios. It worked for years, and if Ihadn't lost it when FAVORITE STRETCH OF HIGHWAY The Pennsylvania Turn-
we moved out here I'd probably still have it today," he said. "I'm pike, heading westbound from Harrisburg
sure it's still workin'—wherever it ended up." FAVORITE STATE TO DRIVE THROUGH Texas ("It's flat and
Al's got another old 23 channel transceiver in his pickup. straight, and the bears don't bother you much.")
"Sometimes Iwish it would break so Icould get anew one like IF YOU COULD LIVE ANYWHERE IN THE United States—IN
Iput in the car," he said, "but it's been so reliable Ican't part THE WORLD, FOR THAT MATTER, WHERE WOULD IT BE?
with it." Ituned around the dial and Ihad to agree—no scratch- "Right here in Virginia," Al answered without hesitation.
iness to the controls, decent audio, and good signal reports "Any particular place—the mountains? The seashore?" I
from the guy Ispoke to. It was a basic 23 channel rig with no asked.
frills, and Ihad to agree—it was ashame it worked so well. No—I mean right here in Bealeton," he said, pointing at the
The radio in the family car, however, is adifferent story. Neatly kitchen table where we sat.
mounted under the dash is a Radio Shack TRC-493—Tandy's FUNNIEST THING YOU EVER HEARD ON CB: "I was haul-

ing mail up into Pennsylvania and my friend Sundance (who thing about him was that while we were sittin' around talkin', his
was from PA) was driving behind me for agood stretch of the voice sounded just about as normal as yours and mine, but
trip. We passed a bus displaying a Charter sign in the lighted when he spoke on the radio he all-of-a-sudden had this big deep
window above the windshield and Idecided to have some fun. voice that'd make James Earl Jones sound like Dennis Day.
Ifigured the bus driver would play along, so Ipressed the mike Iasked Al if he had any other radio interests—ham radio,
button and said, 'Sundance—you're from around these here scanners or shortwave. "No—not really. I got aCB when Ibegan
parts. Where do you suppose this town of Charter is? Imust driving trucks in 1971 because CB radio served a purpose—
have seen about adozen buses all heading there. Is it atourist still does. Ijust never got interested in other kinds of radio. I
attraction around here, or what?" never owned a radar detector, either," Al said. Iasked if that
"Sundance played right along. He came back to me and said, was achoice he made on moral grounds.
'Golly, Creeper, Idon't exactly know. Ithink it's over near "Nope—strictly economics—most of my driving was here in
Pittsburgh, though.' By that time the bus driver joined in, and Virginia, and they're illegal here. Ijust couldn't see spending
instead of playing along as we had expected, he explained very enough money for a good one, then not being able to use it
carefully and in great detail what charter meant, explained how except for a few miles in Maryland, West Virginia, and
people could hire a bus and go anywhere they want, and on Pennsylvania. Besides—good ones were expensive—still are."
and on about the entire concept of chartering a bus, covering "DO YOU HAVE A BRIEF MESSAGE FOR THE FCC COM-
the history of charter bus travel from the day the first one opened MISSIONERS?" (Assuming they still have jobs by the time this
its doors. goes to press.)
"Once Iquit laughing long enough to speak into the mic, I "I'd like to see 'em get rid of all the amplifiers and make it a
called Sundance to see if he was still with us. Iheard him key level playing field out there."
his mic, and he made a few snorting noises Irecognized, but Ithen tried to trick Al by asking him, "What's the one thing
try as he might, the man couldn't stop laughing long enough to you'd hate for all the world to find out—the one thing you'd hate
get aword out. It wasn't 'til the next rest stop that we were able to see in print?" Ithink he was just about to answer when his
to stop laughing long enough to swallow asandwich and drink wife called in from the other room, "Don't answer him, Al—He's
acan of soda." probably going to sell this to one of those tabloids at the check-
NICEST PERSON YOU EVER WORKED ON CB: That would out stand!" She had me there.
have to be alady who called herself "Maw Squaw," somewhere In spite of Nona's wise assessment of my journalistic scru-
off US 15 near Emmettsburg, PA. She always talked to us mail ples, Al did allow me one last question:
haulers, and she was always a friendly voice on an otherwise "YOU'VE GOT THIS ONE CHANCE TO TELL THE WHOLE
lonely trip. There was also a guy named Grumpy who used to WORLD OF CBERS ONE THING—WHAT'LL IT BE?
haul mail over the same route as Idid—that's Grumpy like Al's reply? "Clean up your language—there's mamas and
Disney's dwarf—on the air his wife goes by Snow White. Funny children out there."
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Over arid Out 111I 1111 III • III
CE3 HUMOR By 13111 Price
Don't Forget the Nightgown, honey!
I
met Norm shortly after he had learned
why it's not agood idea to mount a102
inch whip antenna on the roof of acar.
He was just signing off with Charlie, a
county sheriff with aCB radio in his patrol
car, as he pulled into an all-night gas sta-
tion. It was past midnight and Norm was
clutching the address of some guy sell-
ing a Lafayette Comstat 23—a state-of-
the-art rig back then. He was to meet the
seller at 598 S. Grant St. when the guy got
home at 2a.m.
Norm headed for the cheap pump
when he saw bright flashes in his mirror
and realized that his new antenna had
knocked out five of what he later count-
ed to be 72 fluorescent tubes. As alarge
attendant came out yelling, Norm suc-
cessfully escaped, and in doing so dark-
ened the entire station with his new anten-
na, but not before the attendant noticed
that Norm's car was almost identical to
his own. about the broken lights and closed the by such alovely young lady. In the dark,
Across town, in the second-floor bed- station early that night. He had swapped he figured the nightgown was merely
room at the front of her parents' home at shifts with another attendant and had four some rags put there to protect the trans-
598 S. Grant St., Shirley Maralko waited days off for his honeymoon, which would ceiver. Shirley screamed when she heard
nervously in the dark for her fiancee to begin as soon as he picked up his bride- Norm's voice and backed out of the car,
toss pebbles at her window. Just that to-be. When he drove down South Grant grabbing the box containing her life sav-
morning they had firmed up plans to Street, he was annoyed to find the park- ings, which spilled (you saw that coming,
elope. Shirley's parents couldn't stand ing space in front of her house occu- didn't you?) onto the sidewalk. A large fig-
her suitor, who had played defensive end pied—by a car that looked just like his ure lumbered across the street toward
for his high school for three years run- own, but with a big whip antenna on the Norm's car, by this time recognizing
ning—all of them as a senior—and had roof. Without making the connection to Norm as the perpetrator who'd left him in
finally gotten afull-time job. the incident at the station, he drove past the dark, while Norm only recognized
Earlier that evening, Shirley had the house, turned around, and headed impending danger following the scream
dumped her gallon jug of pennies and back to an empty space across the street. and drove off quickly with pennies spilling
wrapped them in 152 rolls and stacked Norm waited quietly, his engine idling out of his open passenger door.
them in the bottom of acardboard box— to power the tubes so he could speak to The two lovebirds began questioning
it would come in handy on their honey- Charlie on his CB. Norm would meet each other loudly about the situation amid
moon, she reasoned. She placed her new Charlie for coffee once he picked up the some 7,500 pennies, and Norm sought
nightgown on top of the box of pennies, "new" rig. refuge in Charlie's patrol car while they
then lay in the dark with her bathrobe over When she heard the tapping and saw had coffee and donuts. He and Charlie
her shorts and blouse, awaiting her the station wagon at the curb, Shirley for- wondered why the girl had brought a
lover's signal. got her glasses and felt around for the brand new nightgown to Norm, and
Fate steered Norm to the only available box. Not wanting her parents to be awak- asked each other what kind of person
parking place in front of the Maralko home ened by continued tapping, she quickly would advertise a CB, then send a half-
at 10 minutes to two. As he backed lugged the box down the stairs and out naked girl out to deliver it, then run away
sharply, his wheels hit the curb and he to the car, still wearing her bathrobe. screaming. They were not surprised
jabbed the brakes, setting his monster Norm saw the box lifted into the pas- when Charlie's radio announced a dis-
antenna into gyrations, its tip inscribing senger window of his car, reached over patcher's call sending city police to
circles some 13 feet in the air. The and set it on the seat. He was more than investigate a loud domestic incident at
Maralko's house was set right against the surprised when Shirley got in and sat the Maralko address.
sidewalk, so the antenna's little anti-stat- down, but without the dome light (to know Charlie had just taken a bite of donut
ic ball tapped Shirley's window repeat- Norm is to expect alack of everyday con- and amouthful of coffee when Norm told
edly, waking her from her light sleep and veniences) Shirley was not surprised by him about the incident at the gas station,
setting her plan into motion. what she saw, which was merely a blur- and Norm had to help clean the inside of
Shirley's fiance was no less anxious to ry shadow in the driver's seat. the cruiser's windshield. Charlie sug-
get his hands on Shirley than Norm was As Norm opened the box and set the gested that Norm anonymously send
to get his hands on aComstat 23, which nightgown aside, he told Shirley what a restitution to the station's owner to keep
is why the new attendant left abrief note surprise it was to have the radio delivered his conscience and his record clear. •

ADVERTISER'S
INDEX
Astatic. 33
Bob's CB 10
CB City International, Inc. 61
CB Radio Buyer's Guide 83
CB Trader, The 19
CRB 53
CO Books & Video 30 EXCLUSIVELY for

CO Merchandise 84, Coy. Ill CB enthusiasts,
Cobra Electronics Corp...Cov. IV
whether you're just getting
DNA Distributing, Inc 10
started in CB or you're
an old-timer, this is the
Discount Electronics 13
Guide for YOU"
Durham Radio Sales & Ser 61
EDCO 45, 51 POPULAR COMMUNICATIONS

Electronic Equipment Bank....81
CB Radio B r's Guide
Firestik Antenna Company 13
ART1CUES • PRODUCTS
JO GUNN Enterprises 21 • PHOTOS • DEALERS
Jesse Jones Industries 31 Be part of the CB scene—If you've got a CB, this is YOUR Buyer's
Guide—chock full of how-to articles from antenna installation and safety,
LP Electronics 19 to getting the most from your CB.
Loveland CB 61 We've got the U.S.A.'s CB authorities—Tom Kneitel, Jock Elliott, Ron
McCracken, Bill Price and many others all IN ONE BIG CB Buyer's
MACO Manufacturing 41 Guide! They'll tell you how to be part of the fun, safety and security CB
brings everyone!
Marvel Comm., Inc. 26
Popular Communications 79 ++FULL CB PRODUCT LISTING++

All the CB transceivers; base, mobile and walkie-talkies, many with photos
Quement Communications 13 -ALL with suggested retail prices -AND dozens of miscellaneous acces-
RF Limited 49 sories, from antennas to microphones to complete your CB installation!
R & R Communications 75 BONUS information Articles and photos on:

•Tips on getting AND giving help on Channel 9
AND product listing.
SS Electronics 19 GMRS, The General
•Buying aCB — What You Need To Know
•Packing A Punch, Legally — All About
Mobile Radio Service:
Signal Engineering 16 Gain and Antennas
Serving your community
•Sideband — Your Ticket to Increased
US Scanner Publications 53 in time of need. Range and More Fun AND MANY MORE
Valor Enterprises, Inc. Coy. II $3.95 at your CB dealer or newsstand

(add S2.50 shipping and handling for mail or phone orders)
Wilson Antenna, Inc. 59
Mastercard. VISA, American Express. Discover accepted
Send card number and expiration date with order.
Reach this dynamic audience
with your advertising message,
contact Don Allen, N9ALK at
opular Communications
217-344-8653, FAX 217-344-8656. 76 N. Broadway, Hicksville, NY 11801.
FAX 516-681-2926
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10
Available in T-shirt on/y
back
ir
THE CO BACKPACK
This useful rugged
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Available in Navy,
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Catch this collectable

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CO 50TH ANNIVERSARY Limited Editior
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50% poly, 50% cotton,
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Available in Navy,
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Rndric)
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CO AMATEUR RADIO
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T& Sweat sizes. L. XL. XXL (add 52). Polo Shirt Oty Item # Color/Size Price Total
sizes L, XL Please add S2 shipping for orders
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This generous 43" arc Hicksville, New York 11801
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MCNISA'AMEX/Discover Account
rainy days. Red and
Account # Expires _
white panels with ama-
Name Callsign
teur radio design folds
Address
and fits into amatching
City
sleeve. State Zip
Country
"The Legend Lives On.
Jock Elliott -Contributing Editor, Popular Communications, September 1995
Introducing Cobra's new 2010 GTL WX

40 Channel Altil/SSB/WX CB base station
TUNING
Everybody knows about the

Legendary 2000GTL
It was simply the best Features
am/ssb cb base 2010 GT1 WX
•Selectable 7 channel NOAA Weather Receiver
station....until now! • Receives Emergency NOAA Weather Alert
Warnings. Sounds weather alert tone during
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The new standard, the • Large LCD Displays Channels. Frequency. 24 HR
Clock, Rx/Tx, Antenna Mismatch, AM/USB/LSB
2010 GTL WX is everything •Separate HEADPHONE and EXT speaker jacks
the 2000GTL was and a • Includes 2 panel meters for convenient

monitoring of POWER. SWR. MODULATION.
whole lot more.

and SIGNAL STRENGTH
• Switchable ANL, NB
• Dual range VoiceLock for convenient SSB operation
At Cobra, we build • Dynamic Base Station power microphone included

• FCC/UL listed
products that
Legends are
made of! &Cobra®
J n
Official
Sponsor
©1995 COBRA ELECTRONICS CORP 6500 W. Cortland St., Chicago, IL 60635 (312) 889-8870

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What are some of the products advertised in the magazine?

What are some of the products advertised in the magazine?

What are some of the clubs and organizations mentioned?

What are some of the clubs and organizations mentioned?

MARCH 1996

from the Publishers of POPULAR COMMUNICATIONS

•petting Instant WeatherwormaYour CB

U.S. $2.95 CANADA $3.95

Citizen's Band VECTRONICS TM

It's no wonder Valor is considered the Communications Industry's Leader in Antennas

-`--)Valor Enterprises, Incorporated - We Support The Communications Industry!

MARCH 1996 VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1

Page 4 Page 6 Page 8

FEATURES Antenna Rotor Installation—Doing It Right 18

March 1996/ CB Radio / 1

EDITORIAL Nancy Barry

2 /CB Radio /March 1996

The Questions You Ask.

March 1996 /CB Radio /3

BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

4 / CB Radio /March 1996

Stay put. Disorientation occurs quickly

•AWinter Storm Watch means severe

March 19961 CB Radio /5

BY WILLIAM F. SIMPSON, N9NMT

6 / CB Radio /March 1996

ceivers means that the CB manufacturers can operate on a

March 19961 CB Radio /7

COURTESY PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

8 /CB Radio /March 1996

A National Weather Service technician assembles anew gen-

March 1996 /CB Radio /9

DEALERS OF: $49.95+ shipping

CERTIFICATE TO : At The Mie Connector And Locate The 12 Volt DC Line.

DNA DISTRIBUTING, INC. Visit Our Retail Store

10 /CB Radio /March 1996

March 1996/ CB Radio / 11

BY BOB STANCZYK, AIC-969-NY

Starting AClub THIS IS 70 CRR77FY THAT HAROLD ORT

is a Member in Good Standing of

«lac/ aSeedlieru tr/41.4 //a Reh, and tordialene. eyntuealinn..

Naming your club is the arduous part.

12 / CB Radio /March 1996

CIRCLE 61 ON READER SERVICE CARD

March 19961 CB Radio /13

BY TOM KNEITEL, K2AES/SSB-13

14 /CB Radio /March 1996

March 1996/ CB Radio /15

16 / CB Radio /March 1996

model PDC 256 which is asix-digit con-

March 19961 CB Radio /17

18 / CB Radio /March 1996

cause of antenna mechanical failure was

rotator with UV protected electrical cable J •

CIRCLE 55 ON READER SERVICE CARD

This month: Skiing and CE3—Having Fun and Staying Safe

20 /CB Radio /March 1996

March 1996 / CB Radio / 21

Great for Emergency