preps
Results 1 to 2 of 2

Thread: Noob questions.

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Colorado
    Posts
    1
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0

    Noob questions.

    OK, so I'm running a CB in my car just for funzies and to sort of break into the radio hobby.

    So, my dumb rear stepped on my mounting bracket while I was installing the radio and bent it all to heck. No biggie a quick trip to the local radio shop and $4 later I'm back in business.

    While I was there someone was asking about getting their radio "peaked and tuned" and the guy behind the counter (who was very helpful and informative for me when it came to selecting an antenna for my rig at the right price btw) said that the particular radio in question could be "peaked and tuned to be 12 swingin' 20" for like
    $30.

    I tried to look it up just via google and all I got were forums with a lot of technical lingo that basically were CBer's and HAMer's arguing with each other over what's good, what's useful, "splatter", legality, "the FCC is gonna getcha" and all sorts of other things where they clearly knew what they were talking about and I was reading a foreign language.

    Now I know that "legally" speaking a CB is limited to four watts on it's designated frequency, but I also know that people regularly break that rule and that unless you're really going out of your way to be a jackwagon the FCC doesn't seem to care/have the resources to enforce any of this.

    So my question is what does this all mean? Is peaking and tuning useful? What does it do? What does "12 swingin' 20" mean? Does this make the radio "sound bad" when you Tx (as claimed by some)? Does it cause the radio to interfere with other things as claimed by some of the HAMer's? Is this just a class war between different radio guys, unlicensed vs. licensed?

    Thanks.



  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Republic of Texas
    Posts
    865
    Thanks
    127
    Thanked 536 Times in 341 Posts
    Downloads
    0
    Uploads
    0
    "Peaked & Tweaked" needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Depending on the radio, it's possible to get one to swing 20w's without turning it into a "splatter-box". Problem usually comes when you take a P&T radio that's peaked to swing 20w's, and then you stick a Amp behind it. That's when you start to become a trashy splatter station that "can" mess with other electronics like TV sets, computer speakers, alarms, and intercoms...

    IMO MOST of the radios coming out of China need a little fine tuning. (peaked & tweaked) this doesn't mean they need to be tuned to get every last drop of power out of them... A good CB Shop should know how to properly tune a radio, without over doing it...But making a 4w "CB" radio key 12w's and swing to 20w's will most likely result in a splatter box that may even end up having a short life span before it blows...

    As for as the FCC is concerned...That's really a non-issue. Back in the 60's,70's,80's and into the early 90's, the FCC was pretty strict on trying to keep everyone on a legal playing field, and issued tons of fines for people caught running excessive power on the CB Band...Not so much these days. Since CB Radio is not all that popular with the general public anymore, and since the FCC doesn't have the man power to track down every single person running illegal power on a CB Radio, you don't really have anything to worry about if you decide you want to run more power than "legally" aloud...

    That's not to say the FCC won't come knocking on your door for running excessive power, "They will", but ONLY if someone complains your station is messing with something electronic of theirs, or your messing with air traffic control, police equipment, alarm systems, or using your station in some other kind of illegal activity... just talking on the radio even at 1500w's is not going to set off red flags at the FCC unless they get a complaint.

    When I buy a "NEW" radio, usually I let the shop I buy from do a simple P&T. (peak and tune) just to be sure the radio is doing what it's suppose to be doing without spewing out a bunch of harmonics and over modulation.


  3. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to JesseJamesDallas For This Useful Post:

    222DBFL (09-08-2016), Mike5511 (12-25-2017)

Visitors found this page by searching for

None

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •