It's official... CB'ers run newer radios than I own.

I set up my old JRC 515 twins on the computer desk last week and I've been tuning the bands looking for whatever activity I find worth listening too. The twins were in storage for a few years, and I decided I should either sell them or at least have them set up for use. Alas, I discovered the pickings on the upper ham bands and SW were rather bleak. Besides some CW practice I've listening on the higher HF bands looking for openings. Ten was dead, so I quickly did a pass over the CB band. Only activity I found were a bunch of guys discussing how to calibrate their 2.5kW Bird "sleeves." These guys were all using amps (no surprise) and Icom 73o0 transceivers. What a waste. Guess the days when they ran FT-101 rigs are long gone. LOL!

 

Yes, surprisingly 40 years ago when FT101's were last sold, is almost half a century!

 

I thought there was a 5w in/4w out power limit? You mean to say they were operating illegally?
Well, I never heared of such a thing 10-4.
Beep.

 

You add equal parts of lack of enforcement and no integrity and flavor the mix with more money than brains and that is the result. For the CB to ham progression, add a few memorized answers to multiple choice questions in a test and here we are.

 

They were a veritable font of technical knowledge. I was mesmerized. Can't wait to tear apart my Birdwatter and fix it.

 

I though CB was a large part of ICOM's target market... Amp makers too.

If they could include a " Enable CB " switch it would be easier than " Cut the green wire " for " AUX "...

 

I had to Google it. They have to remove a few SMD diodes to open the coverage. I think my Paragon II involves cutting a wire, but I never desired to get on 60 meters to try out that new band.

 

Indeed. However, memorizing a pool of 428 questions would be slightly more than a "few". For my part, it's the fact that this pisses you off that makes me smile.

 

Isn't it the ORANGE wire you cut? Oh, wait... I'm color blind. (Maybe that's why I washed out of the bomb squad.)

 

It 's clear you are the one "pissed off" here.At least a few thought it funny enough to like it.

If you feel you fit the stereotype and offended by it, who's fault is that?