what do i need to listen to the truckers on D-star,also what frequenceys and antenna ?
was good skip earlier this evening on 11m
How's the CB bands tonight ?
I'm listening to the Digital modes tonight listening to truckers on D-Star and it dawned on me that there are a lot of Truckers these days on Digital and the CB'ers are probably using maybe Zello ?
It would be nice to see more Lorry Drivers in Ireland on CB but I can't remember the last time I say a CB Antenna on a Lorry in Ireland.
No worries m8
I missed your post.
skip hopping on 11m now
No the Chameleon MPAS 2.0 is a portable Ham Antenna, 17 foot tall, works amazing really for it's size, I leave it on the front lawn all the time and connected to the FT-891 in the sitting room, Have got some amazing DX on it especially on 20m in the evenings in the Summer, North, Central, South America and Australia a couple of times all with 100w and 4 radials which is far less than optimal.
I noticed when I added the extra 3 radials performance improved especially on 40 m where it's never going to be a performer anyway, I got it for a right bargain from Martin Lynch a lot less than they usually go for so think it was a mistake.
When I added the radials SWR went up as ground losses were being reduced this is normal,
I hope to add a proper vertical sometime, maybe a hustler 6 BTV or 43 foot vertical but you really need an auto tuner at the feed point or losses would be huge over coax.
I've a new top section for it,but I'm not what I used to be with regards height and going up on chimney lol is chameleon like a web sdr ??
Yeah very interesting conversation lol.
Seems the IMAX 2000 isn't what it used to be due to it being shorter in length.
I'm heating them about the same as you madlad,but as I said before top section of my imax 2000 is missing.
Nice video of the rag chew lol
I haven't put back up the Bonito Loop Antenna yet but that antenna was better than the Megadipol for locals especially above around 14 Mhz.
So how can you hear them Bassy compared to the above video ?
Can any of ye Lads hear them better than I can with the Chameleon MAPS 2.0 ?
I hear them much clearer on the Chameleon MPAS 2.0 17 foot vertical.
I'll check it out now if they're still on.
locals in kilkenny on 27.535 usb now
"t was back in November when Bell's CB Radio had published a statement that they would not sell the I MAX 2000 antennas because their personal inspections and measurements had verified thirteen out of fourteen antennas were much shorter than 24'.
You may be correct about the new antennas being butchered. No one knows when Solarcon sold-out and maybe the work force left and new workers came in. If the antennas were mass produced on an assembly line, having a fabrication jig is a must so as just about anyone can build and assemble the antennas. We will never know the truth why the antennas are shorter."
Maybe they're not so good now then ?
Are these the correct frequencies for the 40 channel cb as I've forgotten them thanks guys.
IMAX 2000 here for over ten years great antenna and great for locals and dx
I've reading a bit on the imax 2000, screams inefficient with such a wide bandwidth, antennas shouldn't have a wide bandwidth without a dip and increase at band edges.
I read where those using the ground plane kit noticed narrow bandwidth which means the antenna is more efficient.
Low SWR doesn't mean efficient or good.
Let me know if you hear any locals on tonight I'll fire up the FT-891 on the Chameleon MPAS 2.0 and see if I notice a difference vertical to vertical.
Put a antron 99 or IMAX 2000 you will hear both locals and dx
11m hopping again tonight lads, continentals, I could hear that one or two people were on from EI but couldn't hear them at all but the people they were talking to booming in 59+ so as I was saying earlier, EFHW or dipole will probably greatly increase your chances of making local contacts, a dipole as inverted V up around 35 feet be a nice cloud warmer, should work a lot better for local coverage.
The only way you're probably hear locals is through ground wave if your close enough.
That's very true mate.
Yeah a dipole and vertical are the way to go, the thing is that most CB'ers seem to be using verticals, I really don't know why because they're not really for local coverage, unless they're only interested in DX, you'd have to be quite close to the other Person I think especially these days on 11m.
Get an amp with good reviews because some of them could be poorly designed and cause a lot of spatter which can really effect people a few Khz up or down from where you're transmitting.
Cheers for the update, when I did cb before I mostly used it for dx I was thinking of setting up a full wave dipole aswell and have both connected to a switcher box. Then one thing I don't have as yet is an amp.
40 watt SSB, Should get you to the continent anyway, might need more juice. Local conditions are not great though, too much skip good for DX though.
Think it was around 2 weeks ago I heard a lad from Jamaica come in on 11m.
Those CB antennas, do the have radials ? I know for the Ham antennas they are essential night/day difference to performance especially TX.
It would be good if some of you CB'ers could try out a INV V Dipole or EFHW for better local coverage, I think the low angle radiation is just too low for local CB coverage and so many local signals could be bouncing over our heads.
I have great success using EFHW 49:1 for the Ham Bands, good DX and NVIS in a sort of sloping inv L.
I do know though that on 20, 40 and 17m if I connect up the Chameon MPAS 2.0 and swap between EFHW and Vert the signals are way down on the vert but the DX can be a lot clearer on the vert with just 4 x17 foot long radials. I've even got to Australia on 20m with that and 100w on 20m.
Haven't been able to get mine yet I thought I could but plans fell through so hopefully within the next few days or a week anyways it's a HR 5500 with a silver rod 5/8 antenna. Have a baofeng uv-5r to listen in to the ham radio.
Was just listening via the malahit SDR 2 and the Bonito MA305 with optional longer whip.
For yapping on the Ham bands I got the Yaesu FTDX-10 + EFHW antenna and FT-891 and Chameleon MPAS 2.0 vertical I use from time to time. How about your setup ?
The FTDX-10 won't transmit on 11m, not sure about the FT-891.
Good to know there are still some about, what type setup do you have.
Some FM signals are booming in.
11m booming tonight. I hear no locals but I would expect them to be skipping over me anyway unless they were close enough to catch some groundwave.
South east
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