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CB radios

Started by SMWOG, July 18, 2016, 11:49:26 PM

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SMWOG

Has any person here used CB radios for CAP?

SarDragon

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.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

Eclipse

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.

"That Others May Zoom"

Luis R. Ramos

That was the funniest thing I have ever read in this board in recent history.


;D

Squadron Safety Officer
Squadron Communication Officer
Squadron Emergency Services Officer

Luis R. Ramos

#4
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.
Squadron Safety Officer
Squadron Communication Officer
Squadron Emergency Services Officer

chief2

Yes had one the crystals were changed in

etodd

Would these be ok for short range on a SAR?  >:D

"Don't try to explain it, just bow your head
Breathe in, breathe out, move on ..."

Luis R. Ramos

Ya must be puttin us on!

::)

Read CAP communications publications...

???

Edited to add:

Sorry etodd missed the tone of your reply...
Squadron Safety Officer
Squadron Communication Officer
Squadron Emergency Services Officer

Eclipse

Gotta go with these:



Darn skippy I had a set.

"That Others May Zoom"

SMWOG

Are they equipped  with the universal  translator?

FW

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

helper

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!
Mitchell (pre-number) & Earhart (2144)

Mitchell 1969

"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.
_________________
Bernard J. Wilson, Major, CAP

Mitchell 1969; Earhart 1971; Eaker 1973. Cadet Flying Encampment, License, 1970. IACE New Zealand 1971; IACE Korea 1973.

CAP has been bery, bery good to me.

SarDragon

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.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

Al Sayre

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.
Lt Col Al Sayre
MS Wing Staff Dude
Admiral, Great Navy of the State of Nebraska
GRW #2787

etodd

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.
"Don't try to explain it, just bow your head
Breathe in, breathe out, move on ..."

docsteve

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.
Steve Sconfienza, Ph.D.
former captain

w7sar

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
Jerry Wellman, Col., CAP
NHQ CAP Assistant Senior Program Manager
Command & Control Communications
jwellman@cap.gov
(C) 801.541.3741
U.S. Air Force Auxiliary