Northcutt114 Posted Sunday at 03:12 PM Report Posted Sunday at 03:12 PM 1 hour ago, WRTC928 said: Ignore him. Anything you paid less than $1,000 for isn't a "real" radio to him. The rest of us actually live in the "real" world. I would have liked this post but apparently "I can not give any more reactions today." As to your advice. I plan to. Reference my avatar. Quote
SteveShannon Posted Sunday at 03:16 PM Report Posted Sunday at 03:16 PM Just now, Northcutt114 said: I'm familiar with the button and it is on my radio. It removes tones, too? I thought squelch and tones were different? Matching tones (CTCSS or PL) or codes (DCS or DPL) are both ways of squelching the audio. The other way is commonly referred to as “carrier squelch” where the radio requires the signal to surpass some level before unsquelching (desquelching? I’m not sure what the verb is). Pushing the “Mon” (short for “monitor”) opens all forms of squelch so you can hear anything that is on the frequency. WRUU653 1 Quote
Northcutt114 Posted Sunday at 03:18 PM Report Posted Sunday at 03:18 PM 1 hour ago, WRTC928 said: I don't know what radio you have, but I have the upper (50 watt) channels duplicated with CTCSS/DTCS tones for such a contingency. It's not perfect, because when the tone opens your squelch, you still may pick up the other traffic on the frequency. It also requires that your buddy program his radio the same way. Still, it mostly works because if you're traveling with someone in another vehicle, likely you're close enough that your signal will "beat" another signal originating further away. Gotcha. So the same with CB. You know, all you radio dorks are about to have another member in the fold. I've been talking on CBs for almost 30 years and I never gave it a single thought. They were just channel numbers, not frequencies. Then awhile back I got the President CB in my Jeep and started noticing mHz numbers below the channel numbers. That got me thinking and then I started digging into HAM and GMRS and slowly began realizing why 4 watts was the limit on CB band because HAM techs were in that band on HF and talking across the country. So essentially the Kilowatt Klub on CB is bypassing the FCC in the same way the Pistol Brace Bois are bypassing the ATF and NFA. And then I realized that I really don't have enough contempt for federal regulation. But I digress... WRUU653, SteveShannon and Bogieboy01 3 Quote
Northcutt114 Posted Sunday at 03:22 PM Report Posted Sunday at 03:22 PM 1 minute ago, SteveShannon said: Matching tones (CTCSS or PL) or codes (DCS or DPL) are both ways of squelching the audio. The other way is commonly referred to as “carrier squelch” where the radio requires the signal to surpass some level before unsquelching (desquelching? I’m not sure what the verb is). Pushing the “Mon” (short for “monitor”) opens all forms of squelch so you can hear anything that is on the frequency. You know, for someone who is "too good to help people [and] just want[s] to complain about them not knowing anything but, don't [sic] want to help, just start crap," you're remarkably helpful. I was only familiar with the latter part of the definition, the "carrier squeltch" side of it. Today, I have learned a thing. WRUU653 and SteveShannon 1 1 Quote
UncleYoda Posted Sunday at 03:55 PM Report Posted Sunday at 03:55 PM 43 minutes ago, Northcutt114 said: It removes tones, too? I thought squelch and tones were different? It doesn't remove them from channel memory; it suppresses them while you hold the button down. Squelch and tones are different ways of suppressing audio, but they do interact through that magic monitor button. Ain't radio fun! Quote
Northcutt114 Posted Sunday at 03:57 PM Report Posted Sunday at 03:57 PM Just now, UncleYoda said: Ain't radio fun! More and more, every day! bscabl 1 Quote
AdmiralCochrane Posted 21 hours ago Report Posted 21 hours ago Just traveled thru 5 states in 4 days and heard 4 conversations on 19 along the way. One was 2 guys headed to the boat ramp, one was a traffic info request (info was abundant on CB 19) A truckload of frozen chickens was spread across the highway about 40 miles east of Memphis. Quote
WRUE951 Posted 21 hours ago Report Posted 21 hours ago On 8/17/2025 at 4:04 AM, WRTC928 said: Atlanta is a big enough place that I wouldn't be at all surprised if you were in range of two or more repeaters on the same frequency with different tones. program one of your buttons for squelch defeat.. or Monitor SteveShannon 1 Quote
WRUU653 Posted 13 hours ago Report Posted 13 hours ago 6 hours ago, AdmiralCochrane said: Just traveled thru 5 states in 4 days and heard 4 conversations on 19 along the way. One was 2 guys headed to the boat ramp, one was a traffic info request (info was abundant on CB 19) A truckload of frozen chickens was spread across the highway about 40 miles east of Memphis. Do you have an AM/FM CB and if so did you notice anyone using FM? Lscott 1 Quote
Lscott Posted 13 hours ago Report Posted 13 hours ago 57 minutes ago, WRUU653 said: Do you have an AM/FM CB and if so did you notice anyone using FM? Good question. SteveShannon and WRUU653 1 1 Quote
Jaay Posted 6 hours ago Report Posted 6 hours ago On 8/16/2025 at 5:07 PM, WRUB205 said: OK, Has any GMRS frequency been nailed down yet as THE Travel frequency? They ALL are, when you pick one and you're going somewhere ! Lscott 1 Quote
marcspaz Posted 4 hours ago Report Posted 4 hours ago 9 hours ago, WRUU653 said: Do you have an AM/FM CB and if so did you notice anyone using FM? I have an AM/FM CB. Had one for years. I've never heard a single random station on FM. I had two friends who also have one. They are the only reason I knkw the FM part of the radio work. Most of the time, we end up on SSB so we can use the 12w output, but AM is pretty much king. And that is only when we are in metro areas during the work day. The rest of the time, CB is dead. Northcutt114 1 Quote
nokones Posted 4 hours ago Report Posted 4 hours ago 4 minutes ago, marcspaz said: I have an AM/FM CB. Had one for years. I've never heard a single random station on FM. I had two friends who also have one. They are the only reason I knkw the FM part of the radio work. Most of the time, we end up on SSB so we can use the 12w output, but AM is pretty much king. And that is only when we are in metro areas during the work day. The rest of the time, CB is dead. Same here. I haven't heard anyone on FM. Quote
Northcutt114 Posted 3 hours ago Report Posted 3 hours ago 9 hours ago, WRUU653 said: Do you have an AM/FM CB and if so did you notice anyone using FM? To shore up what the others are saying, I also have an AM/FM CB and no, there is no one using FM. Sometimes I leave it on FM and I can pick up AM to see if it sounds any better but it mostly just sounds muddy. I don't suspect FM is ever going to catch on in CB. Quote
dosw Posted 3 hours ago Report Posted 3 hours ago On 8/16/2025 at 4:07 PM, WRUB205 said: OK, Has any GMRS frequency been nailed down yet as THE Travel frequency? GMRS came into being in 1987. The FCC officially recommended GMRS channel 20 (462.675 MHz) with a 141.3 Hz tone as a travel channel in 1988. This recommendation was removed in 1999. That means that there has not been an official "the" travel channel in 26 years. Given that's the case -- that the FCC *removed* the recommendation for a travel channel 26 years ago -- "nailed down yet" seems to be wishful thinking. There isn't an official travel channel. There isn't any de facto travel channel. There is the suggestion, from some, that 19 be the travel channel. Its adoption has not reached a critical mass sufficient to make it matter what people suggest and recommend. And north of "Line A", would be irrelevant anyway. In every area I've used GMRS in, there is not much rhyme nor reason to how the channels are used. People turn on their radios, pick a channel, and go. And on almost every paved road in the US where there's any hope that one of the 300k GMRS licensees in the country will happen to be listening within range and willing/able to respond, there is much more likelihood that cell phone service could summon AAA, a tow truck, police, an ambulance, or some other quick-responder in shorter time, with less confusion, and using established and tested infrastructure (cell towers, dispatch systems). The technological climate that existed when a designated travel channel was recommended does not exist today. The only areas lacking cell coverage today are areas with populations so sparse that it's also highly unlikely you'll find someone monitoring 19 within propagation range. If you are in a group, agree to a channel to use. WRTC928 1 Quote
Davichko5650 Posted 3 hours ago Report Posted 3 hours ago 1 hour ago, nokones said: Same here. I haven't heard anyone on FM. I've heard and talked to 3 people on FM CB. 2 were arranged with friends, the other was trying it out when the 3 of us were talking and joined in the round-robin we had going. I'm thinking it may slowly catch on but so far not much out there. OTOH, I've worked a lot of (mostly) Stateside FM on 10m so it is a given that DX is possible, so mayhap there'll be some UK/EU users to be heard. But the lower power limits might make that that a bit less likely? SteveShannon 1 Quote
Davichko5650 Posted 2 hours ago Report Posted 2 hours ago 18 minutes ago, dosw said: The technological climate that existed when a designated travel channel was recommended does not exist today. The only areas lacking cell coverage today are areas with populations so sparse that it's also highly unlikely you'll find someone monitoring 19 within propagation range. If you are in a group, agree to a channel to use. As is the case up north where we go. Cell Service is spotty to no-existent. We have a Landline at the Cabin. We use GMRS there for Mobile (auto and pontoon) for general chatting and contacts.("lunch is ready", "how's the fishing?", "Grab some bread and a dozen more minnows.") Were we to need help, 911 is right there to call on the LL. And if perchance the LL is down, there's a couple of pretty good 2m repeaters I can hit with better than average chance someone is listening. In the 8 years we've used GMRS up north, I can count on one hand the number of others using it that we've heard on the air, and definitely have never heard any traffic on 19 or 20 when travelling up there and back, or while in the area. SteveShannon 1 Quote
SteveShannon Posted 2 hours ago Report Posted 2 hours ago 24 minutes ago, dosw said: GMRS came into being in 1987. The FCC officially recommended GMRS channel 20 (462.675 MHz) with a 141.3 Hz tone as a travel channel in 1988. This recommendation was removed in 1999. That means that there has not been an official "the" travel channel in 26 years. Given that's the case -- that the FCC *removed* the recommendation for a travel channel 26 years ago -- "nailed down yet" seems to be wishful thinking. There isn't an official travel channel. There isn't any de facto travel channel. There is the suggestion, from some, that 19 be the travel channel. Its adoption has not reached a critical mass sufficient to make it matter what people suggest and recommend. And north of "Line A", would be irrelevant anyway. In every area I've used GMRS in, there is not much rhyme nor reason to how the channels are used. People turn on their radios, pick a channel, and go. And on almost every paved road in the US where there's any hope that one of the 300k GMRS licensees in the country will happen to be listening within range and willing/able to respond, there is much more likelihood that cell phone service could summon AAA, a tow truck, police, an ambulance, or some other quick-responder in shorter time, with less confusion, and using established and tested infrastructure (cell towers, dispatch systems). The technological climate that existed when a designated travel channel was recommended does not exist today. The only areas lacking cell coverage today are areas with populations so sparse that it's also highly unlikely you'll find someone monitoring 19 within propagation range. If you are in a group, agree to a channel to use. Tthe Line A restriction no longer exists. I agree with everything else you said. Quote
Lscott Posted 2 hours ago Report Posted 2 hours ago 28 minutes ago, Davichko5650 said: But the lower power limits might make that that a bit less likely? Can't tell that when on channel 6, The Super Bowl. Quote
WRTC928 Posted 2 hours ago Report Posted 2 hours ago I have AM/FM CB in my truck. My town is on I-35 south of Norman OK, and I do hear some traffic on CB, but none of it has ever been on FM. I suppose some might consider its hypothetically shorter range a detriment, but I think mostly nobody is on it because nobody is on it; i.e., why use FM when there's nobody to talk to? There are a couple of companies (sounds like maybe a gravel company and something else) near me that use CB and for that purpose FM would probably be superior. Quote
dosw Posted 2 hours ago Report Posted 2 hours ago 3 minutes ago, Lscott said: Can't tell that when on channel 6, The Super Bowl. Oh I've listened across the CB range using an SDR where it's easy to see the spectrum use. And wow, not just channel 6, but a few others are totally overrun with people who have to be causing brown-outs in their towns when they key up. The funny ones are where you see a big swoop across several channels every time they key up, finally landing on their desired channel, which they fill so broadly that they spill over into adjacent channels. The swoop is wild though. What kind of crazy equipment is sweeping through several channels on its way to landing where it is supposed to be? Quote
WRTC928 Posted 2 hours ago Report Posted 2 hours ago 36 minutes ago, Davichko5650 said: I've heard and talked to 3 people on FM CB. 2 were arranged with friends, the other was trying it out when the 3 of us were talking and joined in the round-robin we had going. I'm thinking it may slowly catch on but so far not much out there. OTOH, I've worked a lot of (mostly) Stateside FM on 10m so it is a given that DX is possible, so mayhap there'll be some UK/EU users to be heard. But the lower power limits might make that that a bit less likely? If it's going to catch on, it will probably gradually grow from something like this -- using it to talk to other people who are part of your group. Eventually, if people hear activity on FM, they may start to use it. Quote
Lscott Posted 2 hours ago Report Posted 2 hours ago 5 minutes ago, dosw said: The swoop is wild though. What kind of crazy equipment is sweeping through several channels on its way to landing where it is supposed to be? Remember those people claim it's a communication hobby. Really? Quote
Davichko5650 Posted 2 hours ago Report Posted 2 hours ago 15 minutes ago, Lscott said: Can't tell that when on channel 6, The Super Bowl. Never heard FM there. Mostly AM Mudduckers... Quote
AdmiralCochrane Posted 3 minutes ago Report Posted 3 minutes ago Nothing on FM. The only traffic on AM was during traffic jams. Seems like many truckers still have CB's but are only using them to communicate the location of a jam and which lanes are open. 4 times during my trip. Quote
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