| Author |
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Chris
| | Posted on Saturday, November 23, 2002 - 3:20 am: | 
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Why is it I can only talk on my radio at night or late in the evening?? The locals i chat with are with in 10 miles of me, and at nite we can chat real good. Its just during the day we cant get out or something. Does it have to do with Skip? and if so what can i do to come over top of them to chat with the locals???
Thanks for any input...
Chris in AZ |
Deadly Eyes
| | Posted on Saturday, November 23, 2002 - 9:25 am: |
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Re Chris
Could you fill in a few details. Describe the kind of antenna you are using? How high is it? What kind of radio are you using? On what frequency/channel? What is the terrane in your area and what is the type around your house?
Fill us in on a few details so we can comment on your particular situation. |
Alsworld
| | Posted on Saturday, November 23, 2002 - 10:24 am: |
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Chris,
I think DeadlyEyes is taking the right approach looking for the technical aspects, so I'm just going to shoot from the hip about the skip you mentioned.
There is a quote used widely about CB radio that goes something like this: "Cb is the best and worst of both worlds. Somedays you can talk all over the world on 4 watts but cannot talk down the street". With that, yes what you describe sounds like the skip just covers you up. Can you hear others from beyond your town or state? Do you notice many pounds (rs units) of noise on your radio meter that quiet at night? Usually, the skip dies down at night and local communications can work their line of sight okay again. It is trying during the daytime, just you and your friends signals are being kind of smothered up by all the extra noise out there. This is fairly predominate during this time of year being we are still in an active sunspot cycle.
Some days though, skip will just die, and you will wonder what is wrong with your radio. It will be so quiet and local communicatios will work just fine. Summer was like that here, talk all day long locally.
Some people try and overcome this with amplifiers but you soon find, even with an amp, covering that 10 miles is still very difficult under the same conditions but now you are tearing up all your neighbors electronics up and down the street. It draws very negative attention and still does not usually solve your problem.
A viable solution may be a set of small beam antennas pointing at your friends location. That does seem to punch through.
Another solution is look toward ham radio with it's much clearer FM. It requires getting licensed and equipment but another world altogether if you choose that direction.
Weather conditions drive a lot of this so it is not the end of life, and there will be days that local conditions will work.
Okay, I better finish this first cup of coffee and shut up. I hope this made sense.
Alsworld |
Chris
| | Posted on Saturday, November 23, 2002 - 6:58 pm: |
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I guess i should have clued yall in ..
Im running a Cobra 25 LTD Classic, 102" whip. I Have 1.2-1.3 to 1 on SWR's across all 40 channels. My Cobra is a am only radio. The terrane is pretty flat. There is some big mountains that surrond the valley but they are 20 & 30 ,miles away. Like I said I have no problems at night. Thanks in advance for your input..
If you need more info let me know...
Chris in AZ |
Chris
| | Posted on Saturday, November 23, 2002 - 7:05 pm: |
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Alsworld,
What you described is right. I can hear folks from all over this beautiful country but cant talk to the locals till night. Im running a mobile in my four wheeler for now but im in the process of hooking up the base station. i knew about the Ham Radio. My Dad is a Ham operator for many years now..Wa4dsd. I will work my way there, i just wanted to start somewhere and get the feel of things first.. Thanks for your input this time and prior times too... |
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