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View Full Version : Los Angeles area looking for help



Lostpinky
03-06-2016, 12:29 PM
Hello everyone, I am looking to set up radios to talk to my buddies as we travel off road in the SoCal mountains. We started with the FRS radios but they only seem to travel about 1/4 mile. I stepped up to a Bearcat980 with sideband but the CBs seem to only travel about a mile. I have done a ton of reading online and it is either over my head technical stuff or very simple "how to set your SWR" stuff. I don't even understand how or what the sideband does. Where do I start? I am in the Los Angeles area. Do you know anyone here that sells radios or can help?

FATKAT
03-08-2016, 11:08 AM
I use a 980 as a base and for a time only had a mag-mount antenna on the roof of my truck to work with. I managed to talk skip from Ga. to Main and could get out 20 or so miles in some directions. I have hills blocking me in other directions so yea the mountains will case some shot falls with distance.

222FL
03-08-2016, 11:59 PM
It's all depends on your antenna. If it's a 3-4ft one versus a full 108" whip, then yes you aren't going to talk or hear very far. You need to look into a good antenna setup. This is the most important part of the dust men besides the radio. Not sure what vehicle you are using, but Breedlove mounts and Sirio performer 5000 antenna is my recommendation for a good antenna setup. I have talked out to 20-30 miles on SSB with my 980 in the flat land of FL. Furthest I have gotten is about 35 miles. Then I fade out. This is on SSB. Using a Breedlove one hole 3" hard mount and a Sirio performer 5000 mounted on top of a ford van. Your results might not be as good as mine due to the large metal roof the van has as I am not sure what type vehicle you have. Sirio sells a trucker type series that a longer bottom shaft can be added to and made into a nice bush antenna I would think. That or just a regular one mounted on the roof if possible. The physical length of the antenna and the way it is setup will determine how far you are able to transmit and receive as well as a bunch of other things like terrain, height and so on. But look into a good antenna setup. The longer the antenna the better. Or as close to 108" as you can get. JMHO. And don't forget to get good coax as well as connectors.