CAP Talk

Operations => Tools of the trade => Topic started by: SMWOG on July 18, 2016, 11:49:26 PM

Title: CB radios
Post by: SMWOG on July 18, 2016, 11:49:26 PM
Has any person here used CB radios for CAP?
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: SarDragon on July 19, 2016, 12:11:53 AM
CB radio use is not now, and to the best of my knowledge, has never in the past been authorized for use in CAP. There is one frequency in the 11 meter band that is authorized for use by CAP, but it is not a CB channel. Some older, crystal controlled radio could be converted for use, but even that now falls outside the NTIA specifications.
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: Eclipse on July 19, 2016, 12:48:07 AM
Quote from: SMWOG on July 18, 2016, 11:49:26 PM
Has any person here used CB radios for CAP?

We had one that used to hold the squadron door open.
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: Luis R. Ramos on July 19, 2016, 12:57:10 AM
That was the funniest thing I have ever read in this board in recent history.


;D

Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: Luis R. Ramos on July 19, 2016, 01:00:40 AM
OP, have you even used CB radios? If you have, you should realize why to even suggest use of CB radios for CAP is not the sharpest thing to do to put it mildly.

Actually, this is the funniest idea I have ever seen today on this board.
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: chief2 on July 19, 2016, 01:00:52 AM
Yes had one the crystals were changed in
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: etodd on July 19, 2016, 01:10:56 AM
Would these be ok for short range on a SAR?  >:D

(http://www.yojoe.com/archive/nottoys/images/walkietalkie.jpg)
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: Luis R. Ramos on July 19, 2016, 01:16:22 AM
Ya must be puttin us on!

::)

Read CAP communications publications...

???

Edited to add:

Sorry etodd missed the tone of your reply...
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: Eclipse on July 19, 2016, 01:50:43 AM
Gotta go with these:

(http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g220/sallah4life/february2011blog/217megocommmain.jpg)

Darn skippy I had a set.
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: SMWOG on July 19, 2016, 01:59:00 AM
Are they equipped  with the universal  translator?
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: FW on July 19, 2016, 02:15:04 AM
A long time a go in a CAP universe far away, we used 26.62 MHz for local communications.  My first CAP radio was a "Heathkit" CB, I built in my room (1968).  Ah the memories of getting Mexican radio broadcasts every night...  those were the days ;D
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: helper on July 19, 2016, 02:23:35 AM
WIWAC we used crystal controlled (for the CAP frequency) "vacuum tube" CB radios along with portable "walkie talkies". They were readily available and affordable. We could practice with them and then were able to participate on an actual mission. Please note that this happened a long long time ago!
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: Mitchell 1969 on July 19, 2016, 03:13:27 AM
"Has any person here used CB radios for CAP?"

The answer is "yes." People here have done it. Generally, they tend to be older people.

I remember using 26.620 (CAP frequency) on CB radios. Crystals could be purchased for that frequency but not easily as I recall.  There was also a dork-around - the transmit and receive crystals for a CB frequency (I think it was 10) could be used as transmit and receive for 26.620 by switching CB transmit crystal to act as CAP receive and vice verse. I'm pretty sure it wasn't approved and may have been on the outer edges of the frequency, but I was a cadet and never did the switching. In fact, I didn't even hear about the trick until we stopped using them.

So, yes, have used them. Having said that, of course, the advice is don't.
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: SarDragon on July 19, 2016, 06:28:49 AM
Actually, swapping crystals put the radio right on freq. It depended on the difference in the crystal frequencies being 455 kHz, and the normal channel 10 "receive" crystal being 26.62 MHz.
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: Al Sayre on July 19, 2016, 01:07:51 PM
WIWAC, in the '70's we used CB's with special crystals.  I remember talking to Alabama & Texas nets on "skip" from my home in FL using my dad's great big ground plane antenna, but generally the range was so limited and terrain dependent as to be almost useless.
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: etodd on July 19, 2016, 07:06:16 PM
Quote from: Al Sayre on July 19, 2016, 01:07:51 PM
WIWAC, in the '70's we used CB's with special crystals.  I remember talking to Alabama & Texas nets on "skip" from my home in FL using my dad's great big ground plane antenna, but generally the range was so limited and terrain dependent as to be almost useless.

Late 60s, my Dad had a 70 foot tower with twin beams on top with motor along with a power amp that added a few hundred watts. In Alabama, he talked to Alaska late one night, and a few days later received a notice from the FCC to cease talking that distance. Yes, they actually monitored communications back then. He was proud of that letter and framed it as proof.
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: docsteve on July 19, 2016, 11:24:09 PM
Yes, it was the reverse 10 crystals; also, CB was 5 watts in while CAP was 5 watts out.  I never saw a native 26.620 set, so I'm not sure how many sets actually made it to 5 out. 

A standard shack was a crystal CB set, an HW-18A, and a Gonset.
Title: Re: CB radios
Post by: w7sar on July 28, 2016, 04:18:59 PM
Actually... in the 1970s CAP had a fleet CB license.  The call sign was KUI3001.  I still have a copy of the license in my file of old CAP licenses.  This was a time the FCC still did CB licenses and groups could get a fleet license.  Days long gone and CB no longer used by CAP.

jw