AM/27mhz CB - any point in getting it going?

Smokey · Post by **Smokey** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 4:24 pm

Hey all.

I just dug out my dad's old CB. Its a AM/27mhz unit. Its old but was good in its day. Is there anypoint in getting it going and installing in my car or sould I save for a more moddern UHF/477mhz unit?

Does anyone still use the 27mhz band?

All advice welcome. I don't know much about CB at all.

Smokey

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 4:39 pm

No no one really uses AM CB anymore... there only real use would be if you and a mate that had one you could use it between each other... but no one seams to get them anymore. The main reason they stopped using them was the sound quality. It is rather hard to be able to tell who u are talking to on an AM CB just by hearing there voice... were a UHF CB it is very easy to recognise someone.

Remember u need the right antenna for AM CB and really to get the best benefit out of it the antenna would have to be SWR'ed in. Almost all UHF antennas come pre-SWR'ed so less stuffing about there.

Stick with the UHF CB... we get upset customers all the time at work because they got an AM CB and no one is on there to talk to.

Dave

fredsub · Post by **fredsub** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 6:47 pm

If its just AM its not much use, SSB some good QSLs at great distance are possible, but you got to know about tuning the antennae, and have an SWR meter...but if you want to get serious with that, you may as well get a ham license.....

Smokey · Post by **Smokey** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 10:02 pm

Ok thanks for the advice guys. It is an AM/SSB unit. I have no idea on how to swr it the antena. Also the main reason for having a CB for me is to communicate w other cars on the road, ie like when we get together off road. So it looks like I'll be looking for a UHF unit.

So now that I know which band I need, what should I look out for, is there anything that I should know about UHF and the available units.

Cheers

Smokey.

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Sun Apr 02, 2006 11:07 pm

Look for a GME brand... they seam better by far... Uniden is second best... anything else i wouldn't bother with. Actual model would depend on where u want to mount it which will effect the physical size u want the unit to be.

Dave

Smokey · Post by **Smokey** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:28 am

Ok, thanks guys! I'll start looking around...

fredsub · Post by **fredsub** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 11:46 am

Smokey wrote:Ok thanks for the advice guys. It is an AM/SSB unit. I have no idea on how to swr it the antena. ......

actually its not that critical, esp if its just car-2-car type distance...cb stuff is low power, so even a bad swr doesn't normally damage the unit.
Main prob is everyone else is on uhf cb

, umm that also means theres no (fewer) d*khds on am/ssb too :P

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