I have a loose understanding of CB but know almost nothing about Ham radio use.
Can we get a knowledge post?
Can we get a knowledge post?
@Jescates, here's a write up I did on my install: https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/cb-install.940/
It might help some. Oh, and don't worry too much about the antenna "waves". Get a 2' Firestik like Jerry mentioned, tune it, and go for it. It's a pretty proven setup for a TJ.
It might help some. Oh, and don't worry too much about the antenna "waves". Get a 2' Firestik like Jerry mentioned, tune it, and go for it. It's a pretty proven setup for a TJ.
5/8 wave CB antennas are what most of us run and with proper antenna mounting, it's easy to get a good/perfectly adequate groundplane on our TJs. The Firestik FS series of antennas, like the FS-2 I run, are all 5/8 wave designs and they're one of the more popular antenna choices for our Jeeps.
What way do you want that post to lean, more technical, how to get a ham license, or more how ham radios are used?
How they are used with a sprinkling of technical info? No need to get deep. I've heard about them being used for various applications but I've never actually looked into it.
CB's use a very tiny portion of the HF band frequency and are segmented as channels. Ham's do not use channels, we have access to Frequencies in the HF, UHF and VHF bands. Depending on what class license you hold, (Technician, General, or Amateur Extra) allows you access to different frequencies in the different bands. Locally here in Oklahoma, they use the VHF frequencies for storm chasing and emergencies. The Ham club I belong to perform services for all types of local events. They had a bicycle race from Oklahoma City to Guthrie Oklahoma, so the Ham operators used their radio's in the chase vehicles and used them to contact medical in case someone fell out for some reason or other. With the crazy Tornado season coming in, the Ham operators use the frequencies to help spot tornado's and help communicate with emergency personnel when we get hit. All that and with HF, you can communicate around the world with very little watts and a good antenna....it's just down right fun!
Good stuff from Jescates. Think of a CB radio as a hot dog and ham radio as a full banquet of everything from hot dogs to prime rib to haute cuisine. CBs operate on 40 distinct channels and can transmit with a maximum power of 4 watts. Ham radios aren't restricted to channels and power can range up to over 1000 watts. Small ham radios like we use in our Jeeps typically have 50-75 watts of power.
Ham radios we use in our Jeeps can communicate directly between the radios, or they can transmit through "repeaters" mounted high up on mountains, buildings, towers, etc. that serve to repeat your transmitted signal over many hundreds of square miles. So if you have an emergency in a remote area and can't raise anyone local on the radio, you will likely be able to find a repeater to make contact with someone or emergency services. If you really get into it, you can connect through repeaters to talks across the US. You can also use some repeaters to gain access to the phone system so you can make an emergency phone call via your small Jeep--mounted ham radio.
Larger ham radios like I have at home operate with more power and at the lower frequencies they use, can communicate long distances. My home radio has 150 watts, a simple wire antenna mounted outside, and I've used it to talk directly to other hams around the world. Hams I personally have talked to on my radio were in Japan, Russia, Pitcairn Island, Vladivostok, Belize, Germany, a whole ton of different countries.
With the added capabilities and power available to you with ham radio, there's more to know more regulations you have to know to operate legally per international treaties... so you have to pass a test to get your ham license. There's a very basic ham license level called the Technician Class which is very easy to earn, its 35 question test is mostly non-technical. You can learn enough to pass that test in a day or over a weekend. Most Jeepers who want to install a ham radio just get the Technician class license which gives you your own unique callsign. There are plenty or resources available to help you get into ham radio via the Technician Class license.
http://www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio
http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed
http://www.arrl.org/getting-your-technician-license
https://www.google.com/search?q=How...ome..69i57.12128j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Ham radios we use in our Jeeps can communicate directly between the radios, or they can transmit through "repeaters" mounted high up on mountains, buildings, towers, etc. that serve to repeat your transmitted signal over many hundreds of square miles. So if you have an emergency in a remote area and can't raise anyone local on the radio, you will likely be able to find a repeater to make contact with someone or emergency services. If you really get into it, you can connect through repeaters to talks across the US. You can also use some repeaters to gain access to the phone system so you can make an emergency phone call via your small Jeep--mounted ham radio.
Larger ham radios like I have at home operate with more power and at the lower frequencies they use, can communicate long distances. My home radio has 150 watts, a simple wire antenna mounted outside, and I've used it to talk directly to other hams around the world. Hams I personally have talked to on my radio were in Japan, Russia, Pitcairn Island, Vladivostok, Belize, Germany, a whole ton of different countries.
With the added capabilities and power available to you with ham radio, there's more to know more regulations you have to know to operate legally per international treaties... so you have to pass a test to get your ham license. There's a very basic ham license level called the Technician Class which is very easy to earn, its 35 question test is mostly non-technical. You can learn enough to pass that test in a day or over a weekend. Most Jeepers who want to install a ham radio just get the Technician class license which gives you your own unique callsign. There are plenty or resources available to help you get into ham radio via the Technician Class license.
http://www.arrl.org/what-is-ham-radio
http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed
http://www.arrl.org/getting-your-technician-license
https://www.google.com/search?q=How...ome..69i57.12128j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Hey yall, I just bought a baofeng BF-F8+ hand held with an extended antenna for communicating with a local jeep club on trails. All im doing right now is listening to weather and a few emergency channels. I got in touch with a local ham club and they are getting me the information and book to study so i can get a license and actually learn the how to's of working a ham radio.
Congrats dude. What I like about the Baofengs, is they are cheap!! If you drop, lose or run over one in your Jeep, for less than 25 to 40 dollars, you can get a new one! I think the Ham Hobby is like our Jeep Hobby. Your going to always want to upgrade to bigger and better. I would suggest using the free online Ham study guides. One that I liked the best was "HamStudy.org". If you have any inkling on wanting to get into HF radio's, I would suggest studying for both Technician and General and take both tests on the same day. And like all the Ham folks in the local club, don't sweat the tests, just study the material and get your license. The real learning begins when after you get the license and start using the radios. Good luck!!
I know absolutely nothing about CBs but feel like I need to install one on my 97 TJ. I went ahead an bought a firestikc LG4M2-B 4ft. Side Mount Antenna with Ngb Kit since it seems lots of folks run that antenna and the ratings on Amazon are very good. So the question is what is a decent CB to pair with it or do I need to look at a ham type radio that can access repeaters etc. I don't really go that remote so thinking a basic CB is good.
[QUOTE="PhantomX, post: 70653, member: 2874 ]do I need to look at a ham type radio[/QUOTE]
From my knowledge the Ham radios are typically for a different application than a CB. I know you know that, but my reason for a ham hand held is to have a communication hobby to learn over time and to keep in touch with emergency situations. The CB radio I actually just bought 30 mins ago and a fire stick, is for fun and sometimes on the trail its a requirement to have one for group communication.
From my knowledge the Ham radios are typically for a different application than a CB. I know you know that, but my reason for a ham hand held is to have a communication hobby to learn over time and to keep in touch with emergency situations. The CB radio I actually just bought 30 mins ago and a fire stick, is for fun and sometimes on the trail its a requirement to have one for group communication.
A Uniden Pro-520XL is one of the most popular and at only $38 on Amazon.com now is a bargain. I've been running one for 20 years now, they're darned near bulletproof. This one... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004VXNI/?tag=wranglerorg-20
I wish you had asked about antennas first before buying the one you did like you asked about CBs first. To put it bluntly, that particular Firestik antenna you bought, uh, well, sucks. It is a no-groundplane style of antenna which does not perform well. Period. NGP antennas are designed for use on vehicles without any steel in them, like fiberglass or wooden boats. NGP antennas are compromise designs at best.
Conventional antennas (not no-groundplane models) designed to make use of the Jeep's inherently excellent groundplane (lots of steel makes for a good groundplane) work about a million times better. Maybe not a million times but you get the idea. The one you bought will technically "work" but it won't work in marginal conditions like a conventional CB antenna will.
This is the style of antenna I would have recommended had you asked first.... a Firestik II FS series which is available in lengths from 2' to 5' though I'd go for a 2' or 3' at the tallest. http://firestik.com/CatalogFrame.htm and click on the Firestik II link. Amazon sells them. Personally I'd go for the Firestik FS-2B (black) or FS-3B which are 2' or 3' tall antennas, depending on what height you want. I prefer 2' tall since it doesn't get hung up on obstacles or need to be removed when I drive into my garage. It also works extremely well even when I am leading large groups of Jeeps around, the tail-end Jeeps always hear my CB loud and clear. You don't need a real tall antenna just to go trail riding with friends.
Jerry no worries on the antenna I am canceling ti now and/or returing it. Amazon is wonderful about returns
I will be ordering the one you suggested as well as the CB radio you suggested. Thank you so much for the reply and always sage advice on all things TJ.
Order the antenna mount too, you'll need it. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IC2T8NM/?tag=wranglerorg-20
Do you have a mounting bracket in mind? This one will work fine, it mounts under the tail light so no drilling is needed. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006D9W2OO/?tag=wranglerorg-20
However, some of its powder coating will need to be removed before you mount it so the antenna will work ok. Post up here or send me a message for a few pieces of instruction on doing to and assembling the antenna mount properly once you receive them and are ready to start the installation.
Do you have a mounting bracket in mind? This one will work fine, it mounts under the tail light so no drilling is needed. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006D9W2OO/?tag=wranglerorg-20
However, some of its powder coating will need to be removed before you mount it so the antenna will work ok. Post up here or send me a message for a few pieces of instruction on doing to and assembling the antenna mount properly once you receive them and are ready to start the installation.
well looks like i made a good buy, I dropped by a LOVE truck stop and picked up a Uniden PRO505XL CB. i dont know how that differs from your 520XL Jerry, but ill bet they are close. A truck driver handed me the FireStik II FS3VB so thats what i bought and was all on sale. I have not bought a mount yet or the coax, but it says use with 18 ft. of fire-Flex Coax. Is it important that i use exactly 18' of coax? also where did you mount your fireStik II
18' is not a critical length of coax cable for the style of antenna we use, though most come in 18' lengths. It can be 15' or 23', it doesn't matter. The 18' length thing is an old wive's tale based on a partial non-thorough RF education that sounds good but isn't true in reality. SOME antennas require a specific length of antenna cable but not the type of antenna we typically install onto our Jeeps.
Mine is mounted on a mount I welded onto my spare tire carrier's mount. This is actually of my previous TJ but it's mounted identically on my present TJ.
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Jerry, if it only actually takes 6' to make it to the radio from the antenna, do ya just coil up the excess and put a zip tie on it and throw it under the rear seat?
That's fine. Some may start screeching and complaining you can't coil excessive antenna cable, that it has to be coiled in a figure-8 to prevent problems, but that's not really an issue for a typical size loop at the frequency our CBs operate at.
I used to take care of an "antenna farm" while in the military and the engineering guides for installing them invariably had us coiling and securing the excess coax cable under the antenna.
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Jerry, I have a soft top, So is it important that the antenna stick above the soft top or does it really matter with a soft top?
Doesn't matter at all, it wouldn't matter with the hard top either. My Firestik antenna is only 2' tall so it doesn't extend up past the roof top either.
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