this is NE iowa 138 im so glad you did a show on skip. im new to cb well its been several years anyway and im glad cb is comming back some what. well thanks again and love your channel keep it up bye! bye! bye!
had a cb as a kid with a linear amp and a 6 foot antennae on the roof. used to hear me through the tv when I'd key down. I talked to people as far away as new york from California. I bought a truck recently that has a little cobra cb radio in it. I'm on here watching videos to refresh my memory before getting into it again. Good memories though.
I always wanted a CB, so my daughter got me one for Father's Day. So I am learning what I can. My wife and I take trips, so I wanted something if cells do not work. I am a four-wheeler , couple years from now we will be RV'ing
Enjoyed my first CB radio experience when I was a little kid. My uncle was a traveling salesman and had one. I had my first CB crystal walkie in HS in 1971. My first Radio Shack base @1988...pawned it. I think I'll find my mobil
I went the nostalgia rout and over payed for an old hr-2510. I plan on restoring it. I am a ham, but always had a ton of fun on CB SSB. One thing I have noticed lately is the increased interest in CB and Ham, I’m sure the crazy stuff going on in the world has contributed to this interest. For the first time in years I have heard people talking locally on 19.
There really is an uptick in interest. I think it's a great thing and for the first time in 6 years, I'm looking to get my HAM ticket back. I let it lapse when I sold my stuff to move here. Now I'm thinking that General class tests my be in my near future.
Farpoint Farms Good luck on the General. I’m sure you won’t have a problem. I started off as a Novice back in the early 90’s since I only had the aforementioned 2510 and wanted to get on 10 meters. One thing that is hard when you do CB and Ham is to make sure you are in the right frame of mind when operating, you don’t want be broadcasting your license on 37 lsb!
Buddy who came through from Hamilton Ontario is awesome. I live in Cambridge Ontario which is only like a half hour away from Hamilton. Who knows maybe I’ll hear you on my Bearcat 880. Karcinogen 436 out.
Growing up in the 70’s my dad had one of the BADDEST CB outfits. Browning Eagle radio, D104 mic, 60 foot tower with beams, and 10K watt linear amplifier . When he keyed down all the neighbors telephone, TV, radios would hear him. He usually talked late at night on ch 6 . He could talk from Akron to Florida or Texas with no problem. He could key down and block or over talk anybody! Even as a kid I was always scared the FCC was going to kick in our door for the 10K watt linear that he had custom made. RIP PR!!!
My dad and I been a CBer from the 1970s and got away from it, and now days I'm back into it,I have a peaked and tuned cobra 25classic,D-104 desktop microphone antenna 34ft,my mom and dad are gone, so I got my friends and CB friends.
Skip was my favorite neighbor when I was a kid had SS396 Impala 4spd that's beside the point great video as usual I've been into skip for many years thanks
@@FarpointFarms Same here, I heard a few Guys calling for You the other day. I tried to get a relay, But only ended up promoting Your channel. Be Safe, and lets keep the hobby alive!
I’ve been so busy with work and family visiting I haven’t keyed up one time for DX the last couple , 3 days . Plus I started back on 5p to 5a today , so that puts a damper on things . But hey ,, all this overtime is going to pay for some Maco beams and an 8 pill hi drive plug in the wall amp , and then ,, I will definitely be in yalls receive !!
i got good contact yesterday on ch 17 i was hitting 799 miles central ca then few hours later before skip rollout in the evening around 9pm in utah yesterday i talking somebody in northern az on 38 LSB he sound very good yesterday.
I had a CB back in the late 70’s when an FCC license was required to talk and at the end of your conversation you were supposed to say your full license number. 4 letters followed by 4 numbers. Still remember mine as well as the numbers of several people I used to talk to.
Very well explained. There seems to be a a lot of confusion with a lot of CB operators and even some HAM operators as well, believe it or not that do not understand how skip works. I'm from the UK and there are a lot of people who think that when you talk from England to the USA, or to France, wherever that when the signal is emitted from their antenna it is travelling directly from them to the other person. I try to explain to them that it's not the case, and when the ionosphere's conditions are right the signal bounces off it. It's about being in the right place at the right time. I will have to show them your video. 73's from the the United Kingdom.
I’ve had some pretty good luck with skip here in the Talladega National Forest area. Im still a newbie but I’ve managed to talk with some good folks in Pennsylvania, Michigan and today I spoke with a gentleman in Southern California…awesome! I have heard people talking all over the country. Maybe I’ll hear you sometime. Im 224 Appalachian Underground on the radio… thanks again for the channel ✝️🇺🇸🤙🏻🅰️
WRDC307 of The Maine Woods, running with a strong cobra29 tweeked n peaked with no shoes.. Keep the shinny side up, the coops are clean, and always CQ for The Georgia Rattler - any time ya run up to camp, catch us in the midcoast Maine area, 19 or 21.. far between, but needed. So put on your shoes, modulate at the high numbers, and maybe find the skip - The meter will say if ya can blow out the glass and knock off the doors? ... big radios in the Northern Frog land do - and see ya when the snow flies! cheers and keep the videos going. CBs are not dying, only the roger beep is.. Semper Fi ..we gone..5X5 ... many thanx for the video and keep em going!... most of this was just me running down memory lane..
Hey White, I am in the Sundre area. Mostly long distance stuff. I made a successful radio check and chat with nothern Texas the other afternoon. I wish there was more local activity. Nice thing about CB is at least there is activity. When I listen to my UHF its bone dry unless i am call km's.
Just want to say Eric your real nice guy wish more guys like you to talk to I watch your videos .There humans on cb radio. Long time cb operator since 1964.👍👍👍👍
I was driving back from Wales in the UK last year (2019) in the late summer (august) and it was pretty regional all the way down to about Southampton on the south coast, and it was like - are these people making it up with these Scottish and Irish accents ? nope, the skip had hit HARD and it was like that for 3-4 days, i would drive to work and the NOISE from skip was amazing, spain, italy was like as if it was 30 miles away. Sadly there were some really bad abusers, but that goes with the hobby. It was great for DX and amazing to hear, as you say, it reallly is one of the best parts of the hobby. Now i'm more inclined for 10M and 6M when i can be bothered to setup a Yagi on 6 for skip, but that doesnt happen often with the solar minimum.
Skip running well in Ireland at the moment contacts in to Germany Finland Sweden Italy France no sign of the US coming in yet. Hope to hear you soon 29vlf21 reg shannon Dublin ireland
I do be around the city now and again I'll keep an ear out if you're still broadcasting call sign Bluntwell IRL . I'm using a midland mobile unit I'm on twitter with the same handle 👍🏻
As much as I wish we had a better license free option in Canada, akin to the rules for GMRS in the USA, part of the allure of CB for me is the old-schoolness of it. I've always liked antiques and historical stuff, and CB is kind of an interesting relic of the late 20th century that can still be enjoyed today. There's something kind of fun about trying to squeeze maximum performance out of a very restricted system. It's hard to explain, but there;s something intriguing about the sketchy, unreliable nature of CB. I mostly use my CB for 4x4, but sometimes I switch it on just for fun to see what signals I can pick up. I've picked up a few interesting ones, and then I try to figure out where the signal is coming from by listening to what they're saying.
@@commonjensen I was living in BC when I originally wrote this, but actually I moved to the countryside near Edmonton last year. Roughly where in Alberta are you, and what kind of activity are you hearing on thr CB? Also what channels are busiest?
I just got my radio up and running. A President Johnny III on a K30 antenna. My goodness, the skip is insane! I hear people on every channel, even channel 9, and some of it is in foreign languages. A lot of it is from other states across the US. I’m in Kentucky and I’ve heard people in Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Mississippi, the Carolinas, and more! This is crazy! Now I just need to make some contacts. I’m not sure what 4 watts can do though. So far I can hear but I can’t seem to get out to anyone.
Hey Eric I watched your videos a lot and this is a good one here I'm being a ham operator for 30 plus years. I started with cb radio that got my hand ticket. I have more fun on CB radio never do the ham I'm like you. I love the long-distance I run a 142 GTL maxed out one of these days maybe we can hook up I run 38 Lower Side (I go by 39 Indiana) 73
My setup is a President McKinley with a Stryker SR-A10 mag mount on my condo's deck. And an RM Italy KL-503. I've only made 2 contacts on SSB. Had better luck on AM. I talked to Bobcat and White Lightning in NC. Also had contacts in Ohio and Illinois. I tried a "Double Bazooka" antenna but the SWRs were too high. Mounted it in several different positions but had no luck. 2.2 on 40 and 3.4 on 1. The mag mount gets 1.0 on 20 and 40, and 1.4 on channel 1. This, after I added a couple of "radials". (I laid 2 spare Wilson whips across the coil housing of the antenna)
@@FarpointFarms I was going to get a Wilson 5000 but decided to try something different. Good thing I did because the Wilson base is sloped. The Stryker's is flat so my "radials" stay put.
Great video! The only reason I ever got a CB radio was to shoot skip and that was in 1977. The first station I ever worked in 1977 was an AM station in Louisiana and I still have his QSL card. I still work DX on all frequencies SSB & AM. I have lots of skip shooting vids on my YT channels. Cheers & 73'3
I was in Provo Utah this past Saturday and I was picking up Mississippi, Louisiana, Colorado, Salt Lake City and St. George UT, and San Diego CA on my mobile unit. I have a Uniden 505 in my truck with a 3 ft. firestick mounted to the bed rail. I tried to send a shout out but didn't get a reply. Not sure if my signal was strong enough to answer those guys. I even switched to my magnet mount antenna and my PRO401HH and was able to pick up their signal when usually this antenna setup isn't good for picking up anything except another car in close range. I use this to loan to friends if we drive somewhere together so we can keep in touch.
When I was a kid my Dad ran a CB shop out of the garage so he had a nice unit in base unit out in the shop with a big antenna on the garage and then we had a big Cobra base unit in the kitchen was a massive antenna on our house. I had an uncle that drove over the road and from Huron Ohio we'd be able to talk to him in Texas a lot of times. I remember having call sign on sideband of wwci 107
Hello Erick, I’ve been watching all yr Great videos, about CB Radio, And sending you a big thanks, for the inspiration to set up a Homebase in Great Britain again. So now I’ve Restored my original Hi Gain silver Rod, To an old colt 720 DX great on The AM and have made lots of Good copies in The USA🇺🇸 Over the last 2 week on mid band channel 6 Amazing .from Cactus jack.. have a good day
Does sideband increase potential for skip? Is there a way to better your chances? More wattage? I am trying to develop a backup comms method for if there is a grid down situation.
Watch your videos all the time ,love the way you explained everything.Ive been in and out of the hobby since the 70s ,i enjoy it now more than i ever did.Hope to make contact sometime . Take Care,Be Safe 73's 514 Ontario Canada
Ol' 786, somewhere around the middle of South Cackalackee... 786 was the last 3 digits of my phone number when I first got on the air. 9 or 10 years old. 40 years ago.
Hello, Eric. We had a lot of Cbr’s here in the 90’s. Most of the people have either passed on or moved out of Chicago. The bands are dead right now. Thanks for another great video. Take care
@@jmanranger7271 It's been a few years but, one of my personal Historical milestones. I was running a four element cubicle quad with my Yeasu FT-101 E pushing a 3kw linear.✌️
5:26 True! At my place I can do better skip than lokal connections. Because of my shitty possibility to place my antenna. I'm surrounded by neighbours and plt stuff. But I had 59 skip connections with 4W on FM between 300 and 700 km these days.
My friend, this is a great video. It’s very relational and it looks like it comes from the heart. I like it so much in fact, I’m going to show it on my channel devoted to trying to help people get into ham radio. I’ll be sure to credit your channel as the content creator. And I’ll tell you the main reason I’m using it… Because it comes from the heart and it shows. As a ham who is not a “CB snob.“ I’d like to help you with one thing with your video. Eskip you’re referring to happen because of the amount of sunspots on the sun and a solar flux index combined with a very low K index which is the Geomagnetic field. The K index is what helps us have a low noise floor. With all that said, on 11 m, where CB frequencies are, it’s very possible to get skip if conditions are right. It’s very similar on the amateur radio 12 m and 10 m bands. What makes it even more impressive is you’re actually using low power Compared Ham radio. It’s also clear you obviously are using a great antenna there. That makes all the difference in the world my friend. With all of this said, I invite you to get your ham license. You can do this. Trust me. I’m not brilliant. I studied hard and was able to get my license. You can do the same thing. You would have an absolute ball! You can talk to people the other continents daily and make friendships that last for life. I’m just trying to encourage you here just a little bit to go for it. I think you’d be great on the ham bands. My channel has over 500 questions and answers on the test in the US for all three license classes. They aren’t a substitute for your study but they can help you. I just truly wanted to encourage you to you get your ham license. You already know a lot of the theory already… You could pass that test! I hope to hear you soon on the ham Frequencies. It would be an honor to meet you my friend. Larry de K7HN
I thought CB radio was pretty much dead. Where I live is close to a Walmart distribution center and there are trucks coming and going day and night. So, I would monitor channel 19 using my Yaesu HF rig, but the traffic was much lighter than I expected. Because of this, I didn't really have an interest in getting another CB. Although, I really like the Uniden Bearcat SSB CB that you're using in this video. Long story short, after watching this video, I tuned around to 27.285 and some of the other frequencies in the CB band that you recommended and was very impressed by the amount of traffic there was on those bands. Hopefully I'll be able to get a 980 SSB sometime later this year. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to contact you someday if the conditions are right. By-the-way, I really enjoyed this video! 73's and keep up the good work!
Skip has been good here in So. Cal...I think lots of folks are turning on their cbs again for the first time in a long time because they are stuck at home. Now that I just got my Solarcon A-99 set up and I've got SWR below 1.5 on every frequency and 4+watts output on am and 14+watts on SSB, I just found out I'm being transferred to the Mid-West...bummer, leaving San Diego for Kentucky. I hope I'll be living on top of a hill!
Ask President to send you their "Texas" antenna for a review. They say it's a 7/8 wave. Would be interesting to see it compared to 1/4. 1/2 and 5/8 wave. And then, if it performs well, send it to me. :-)
I am going to use CB as a off grid com's system but i think it may also turn in to a new hobby at the same time! i am still very new and need to buy (when i can afford it) my first system. is there somewhere to buy a whole kit? or does every area need it's own system?
Great video! I’m a local truck driver in the Seattle, WA area and have been hearing what sounds like skip throughout the day these past few months or even longer. We run Cobra 29 NW Ltd classic radios with no option for SSB, is this what I’m hearing? Thanks for any info!
Yes, that is skip. The sun is having a lot of solar flairs and that can make for some strange radio signals. There is a lot of skip here in NC as well.
@@FarpointFarms Very cool! Thank you for the info! I’m working on getting a base station set up in the garage. Your videos have been very informative and helpful.
Cool vid! I always wondered what antenna and placement would be ideal. I understand dx conditions can be good and they can be bad. But I’ve always wondered if a mag mount antenna could outperform a fender hood mount? Ive used hood mounts for years and talking dx was pretty easy for the most part but when I switched to a mag mount on my roof some times it was amazing other times skip was rolling in @ 9db and I couldn’t make a contract to save my life. I get most mobile antennas for the most part are going to be about the same in performance give or take but it’s the ground plain I’ve always wondered about. Would a roof mag mount outperform a hood fender mount for dx? Again I know different vehicles will make different ground planes. Anyway good video thank you
Antenna placement is critical to good reception! I move mine around to find the best spot. Well, unless it's a 102 and then I'm stuck with it on the rear bumper.
I live in Winnipeg, Canada and I get N. Carolina often. I can't get nearby states like from Minnesota or North Dakota. The signal "skips" over these states from my location. 73's
Hey farpoint farms Enjoy your videos I had a CB many many moons ago back in the seventies lol, thinking about starting up again ,what would you recommend for a CB mobile or base or even handheld and what type of Antenna do u Recommend for " SKIP" ???
Amazing 😉 Erik, I had no idea how good CB radio communication really is and it’s good to know that at some point in our futures we might even be able to talk to each other instead of doing things like this through you tube?????.
Farpoint Farms I think 💭 that it’s better than cool I’d say that it’s fantastic Erik, unfortunately at this moment in time my cb Homebase is yet to be set up but when it is I will most definitely be listening 👂 out for you on the airwaves!!!!!.
How do CB skip chasers find and log each other? I'm used to QRZ for HAM, but clueless where to find a common lookup for made up calls. Is there a commonly used cluster in the US or logging? I'm also curious if people send EQSLs for CB skip and what they use ie. EQSL, LOTW, plain email etc. Thank you in advance for any replies!
We just ask who we are talking with, and I personally like to note it in my log book. I've talked with several guys in Canada more than a dozen times over the years. It's great!
@@FarpointFarms Rgr that. Thanks. Think the key is just roll with it, log if you desire but don’t expect a database lookup or eQSL. I’m torn…. I love the qsl ’s, especially the old CB style ones but will trade it for the relaxed and fun banter and surprise propagation. Now…. I need find a Bearcat and figure out a portable antenna I can throw out in the yard and pick up and put away when done. I have a 7 year old that will be stoked if we get on air! (Me too)!
Just got inherited my grandpa's golden eagle mark 4a. Cleaned it up and everything works great; Just scared to talk to anyone not knowing how to communicate the way they do.😂
Man, don't sweat it. Hop on the air and say hello. There is no secret code to making friends on the air. Just talk about what interests you and see if they like it too!
Numbers come through the noise floor better than a long complicated name. Makes it easier to identify and return that distant contact. The real challenge is to do this barefoot on AM
Just wanted to say thanks for the information you share. I’m going to get Rg213 coax for my base station.. maybe someday I’ll talk skip to you, bearded dragon 73’s
I miss talking skip on the radio. I still have a ground plain . I would love to get back into the hobby. I have records from the mid 90s when I talked on my Cobra 2000 base radio. I miss those sounds on SSB.
So, as I have previously mentioned, I would like to have a Base Station (Powerered with Solar Panels) in my soon to be 200sqft Shed. How would I protect my Equipment from Lightning Strikes? This is ALL NEW to me. I'll probably just use a Mobile C/B Station (as it is cheaper), so the cheaper & more reliable the better! Take care, 🤓 -Thomas Port Orchard, Washington (Just West of Seattle)
I am putting up a vertical dipole using (2) 102 inch stainless steel whips, should this setup ne good for good local reception and skip? My radio is a Galaxy DX959 with sideband? Thank You for the cool videos. This is the"Stepside" from Southern Maryland.
I'm from Australia little town of lithgow not many people on the CB radio and we don't have any shops to repairer no more, a guy who lives in Queensland Australia repairs at his home, i pick up to day New Caledonia, lithgow to New Caledonia is 2,066 kilometers, some people use UHF CB radios but in Australia not many people on CB radios in the 80s and the 90s it was a lot of people now Facebook took over I have been on CB radios in the 1980s to 2000 and many more years
i used to talk alot of skip bk in the day,,,,,,,i might have to hook up my old president hr2510 thats been converted with 40 over and under,,,,,we used to have a club on channel 41 upper side band ,,,,,good ol days
Just a silly question; are there certain times of the day that are better for skip? Do people tend to use certain channels for skip too, and if so which ones? Thanks for the great video.
Skip really depends on solar activity and weather conditions- There is a special science to it- Too much solar activity and there will be no skip due to all the interference.
Definitely remember the old CB radio days you could talk to anyone in the world on a good day. England to Scotland. England to the rest of Europe. The more power I still think the better
nice Chanel, old school, I'm learning a lot with this guy. by the way, my favorite places to have vacations are Tennessee and NC. between cherokee reserves and Gatlinburg ... sugar mountain, area banner Elk. avery county I want a cv radio on my jeep. I need advice about Anthea and radios. my name will be Sierra India Charlie alfa
@FarpointFarms I only know because the guy thanked me for confirming his mic check . Doing my research it seems rare. I'm at 470 feet elevation in nw ontario . Kenora area
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
this is NE iowa 138 im so glad you did a show on skip. im new to cb well its been several years anyway and im glad cb is comming back some what. well thanks again and love your channel keep it up bye! bye! bye!
Welcome to the hobby!
Thank you all
had a cb as a kid with a linear amp and a 6 foot antennae on the roof. used to hear me through the tv when I'd key down. I talked to people as far away as new york from California. I bought a truck recently that has a little cobra cb radio in it. I'm on here watching videos to refresh my memory before getting into it again. Good memories though.
Welcome back to the hobby!!
I have a super star 120fm in the UK could hear all over America 🇺🇸 yesterday from the mountains in Wales was brilliant
Pretty cool!
I always wanted a CB, so my daughter got me one for Father's Day. So I am learning what I can. My wife and I take trips, so I wanted something if cells do not work. I am a four-wheeler , couple years from now we will be RV'ing
That is smart- many parts of the country don't have great cell reception. This is a great way of staying connected/
Enjoyed my first CB radio experience when I was a little kid. My uncle was a traveling salesman and had one. I had my first CB crystal walkie in HS in 1971. My first Radio Shack base @1988...pawned it. I think I'll find my mobil
I went the nostalgia rout and over payed for an old hr-2510. I plan on restoring it. I am a ham, but always had a ton of fun on CB SSB. One thing I have noticed lately is the increased interest in CB and Ham, I’m sure the crazy stuff going on in the world has contributed to this interest. For the first time in years I have heard people talking locally on 19.
There really is an uptick in interest. I think it's a great thing and for the first time in 6 years, I'm looking to get my HAM ticket back. I let it lapse when I sold my stuff to move here. Now I'm thinking that General class tests my be in my near future.
Farpoint Farms Good luck on the General. I’m sure you won’t have a problem. I started off as a Novice back in the early 90’s since I only had the aforementioned 2510 and wanted to get on 10 meters. One thing that is hard when you do CB and Ham is to make sure you are in the right frame of mind when operating, you don’t want be broadcasting your license on 37 lsb!
Buddy who came through from Hamilton Ontario is awesome. I live in Cambridge Ontario which is only like a half hour away from Hamilton. Who knows maybe I’ll hear you on my Bearcat 880. Karcinogen 436 out.
I do hear Canada from time to time- I will keep listening for you
@@FarpointFarms I’ll be listening for you too, cheers! Your videos have helped me a lot already with my CB
Great video. Thanks for sharing. I just passed my Ham radio Technician class exam today. 73s !
Nice work! Glad to hear that you passed the class today
Growing up in the 70’s my dad had one of the BADDEST CB outfits. Browning Eagle radio, D104 mic, 60 foot tower with beams, and 10K watt linear amplifier . When he keyed down all the neighbors telephone, TV, radios would hear him. He usually talked late at night on ch 6 . He could talk from Akron to Florida or Texas with no problem. He could key down and block or over talk anybody! Even as a kid I was always scared the FCC was going to kick in our door for the 10K watt linear that he had custom made. RIP PR!!!
Cool 😢miss those days tore up my small town 😢.getting back into the hobby fcc tye radio .also going back to to tube😢
I’m 23 years old I just got my first golden eagle
I'm from Akron and I used to key down. What was your dad's handle?
@@robertlinear2698Pretty Red
Golden eagle D104's were the best!
I'm 40 and been into radio my whole life as my dad was a CB/HAM operator and even now i still find skip fascinating
I had a voice from California come through on my cb and I’m in Ohio. I have a Wilson little wil antenna on my pickup truck. I was SUPER impressed
That’s skip for you! It’s amazing, especially when you get one from further away!
My dad and I been a CBer from the 1970s and got away from it, and now days I'm back into it,I have a peaked and tuned cobra 25classic,D-104 desktop microphone antenna 34ft,my mom and dad are gone, so I got my friends and CB friends.
Skip was my favorite neighbor when I was a kid had SS396 Impala 4spd that's beside the point great video as usual I've been into skip for many years thanks
Very cool!
Good Video! You've inspired Me. I think I might try and get some of that Skip! Have a good one 707, 73's from 151 SC.
I keep trying for you when I'm able to play. I heard a few SC stations one afternoon, but no luck yet. Take care!
@@FarpointFarms Same here, I heard a few Guys calling for You the other day. I tried to get a relay, But only ended up promoting Your channel. Be Safe, and lets keep the hobby alive!
I’ve been so busy with work and family visiting I haven’t keyed up one time for DX the last couple , 3 days . Plus I started back on 5p to 5a today , so that puts a damper on things . But hey ,, all this overtime is going to pay for some Maco beams and an 8 pill hi drive plug in the wall amp , and then ,, I will definitely be in yalls receive !!
i got good contact yesterday on ch 17 i was hitting 799 miles central ca then few hours later before skip rollout in the evening around 9pm in utah yesterday i talking somebody in northern az on 38 LSB he sound very good yesterday.
I had a CB back in the late 70’s when an FCC license was required to talk and at the end of your conversation you were supposed to say your full license number. 4 letters followed by 4 numbers. Still remember mine as well as the numbers of several people I used to talk to.
Old school! It must have been a great time to be on the air!
Skip was amazing then. It was the hobby that made me want to go into the electronics field. I was so curious as to why this stuff worked. Still am!
Very well explained. There seems to be a a lot of confusion with a lot of CB operators and even some HAM operators as well, believe it or not that do not understand how skip works.
I'm from the UK and there are a lot of people who think that when you talk from England to the USA, or to France, wherever that when the signal is emitted from their antenna it is travelling directly from them to the other person. I try to explain to them that it's not the case, and when the ionosphere's conditions are right the signal bounces off it. It's about being in the right place at the right time. I will have to show them your video. 73's from the the United Kingdom.
Glad to hear my video might be of some use!
I’ve had some pretty good luck with skip here in the Talladega National Forest area. Im still a newbie but I’ve managed to talk with some good folks in Pennsylvania, Michigan and today I spoke with a gentleman in Southern California…awesome! I have heard people talking all over the country. Maybe I’ll hear you sometime. Im 224 Appalachian Underground on the radio… thanks again for the channel ✝️🇺🇸🤙🏻🅰️
I was on yesterday and with the skip I was talking to California
Awesome video Eric it really helped me setup a couple of our radios for me and a couple of my friends
Glad I could help, I hope that you guys can all catch each other on the radio
Hi Eric, you have a lovely polite manner for CB, God bless you my friend. My CB name is Ghost Buster from west Scotland.
That's awesome! I guessed that is what "skip" is - but it's good to have it confirmed. awesome video!
I have got to get my He-Shed finished and get my base station set up!!!
Your wife and kids will never see you again! I just about live out in my garage this time of year so I get it.
I’ve got my man cave set all up! It’s a 12x14 portable building. Got a work bench, little tv with firestick, base station CB set up, and heat and ac.
@@MikesGarage96 just need a 2 post car lift and I will move in with ya lol
@Super-B Yeah, what YOU said!
WRDC307 of The Maine Woods, running with a strong cobra29 tweeked n peaked with no shoes.. Keep the shinny side up, the coops are clean, and always CQ for The Georgia Rattler - any time ya run up to camp, catch us in the midcoast Maine area, 19 or 21.. far between, but needed. So put on your shoes, modulate at the high numbers, and maybe find the skip - The meter will say if ya can blow out the glass and knock off the doors? ... big radios in the Northern Frog land do - and see ya when the snow flies! cheers and keep the videos going. CBs are not dying, only the roger beep is.. Semper Fi ..we gone..5X5 ... many thanx for the video and keep em going!... most of this was just me running down memory lane..
There are some slang terms I've not heard in a long time!
That’s so bad ass! I got a 990 ssb that I’m gonna make a base station out of. Gotta get an antenna and tower still. Thanks Eric! From middle TN
Good pick! They make great base stations!
Hey White, I am in the Sundre area. Mostly long distance stuff. I made a successful radio check and chat with nothern Texas the other afternoon. I wish there was more local activity. Nice thing about CB is at least there is activity. When I listen to my UHF its bone dry unless i am call km's.
I was able to make a contact all the way in Ireland last week- It was incredible- 5 minutes later I could not hear anything. That is the fun of CB
Iam your newest subscriber great videos 555 Clearwater Florida
Thanks for the sub!
Hey guys, Carolina coffee pot here hit me up on the radio . E. Carolina we on the side!!!!
10/4☺
Just want to say Eric your real nice guy wish more guys like you to talk to I watch your videos .There humans on cb radio. Long time cb operator since 1964.👍👍👍👍
I was driving back from Wales in the UK last year (2019) in the late summer (august) and it was pretty regional all the way down to about Southampton on the south coast, and it was like - are these people making it up with these Scottish and Irish accents ? nope, the skip had hit HARD and it was like that for 3-4 days, i would drive to work and the NOISE from skip was amazing, spain, italy was like as if it was 30 miles away. Sadly there were some really bad abusers, but that goes with the hobby. It was great for DX and amazing to hear, as you say, it reallly is one of the best parts of the hobby. Now i'm more inclined for 10M and 6M when i can be bothered to setup a Yagi on 6 for skip, but that doesnt happen often with the solar minimum.
Skip running well in Ireland at the moment contacts in to Germany Finland Sweden Italy France no sign of the US coming in yet. Hope to hear you soon 29vlf21 reg shannon Dublin ireland
56CT004, div 29 very strong at the weekend to Finland
I do be around the city now and again I'll keep an ear out if you're still broadcasting call sign Bluntwell IRL . I'm using a midland mobile unit I'm on twitter with the same handle 👍🏻
As much as I wish we had a better license free option in Canada, akin to the rules for GMRS in the USA, part of the allure of CB for me is the old-schoolness of it. I've always liked antiques and historical stuff, and CB is kind of an interesting relic of the late 20th century that can still be enjoyed today. There's something kind of fun about trying to squeeze maximum performance out of a very restricted system. It's hard to explain, but there;s something intriguing about the sketchy, unreliable nature of CB. I mostly use my CB for 4x4, but sometimes I switch it on just for fun to see what signals I can pick up. I've picked up a few interesting ones, and then I try to figure out where the signal is coming from by listening to what they're saying.
Totally. I do the same thing here in Alberta.
@@commonjensen I was living in BC when I originally wrote this, but actually I moved to the countryside near Edmonton last year. Roughly where in Alberta are you, and what kind of activity are you hearing on thr CB? Also what channels are busiest?
I just got my radio up and running. A President Johnny III on a K30 antenna. My goodness, the skip is insane! I hear people on every channel, even channel 9, and some of it is in foreign languages. A lot of it is from other states across the US. I’m in Kentucky and I’ve heard people in Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Mississippi, the Carolinas, and more! This is crazy! Now I just need to make some contacts. I’m not sure what 4 watts can do though. So far I can hear but I can’t seem to get out to anyone.
We are in the solar cycle for being really active- it should peak in 2025, so skip will be good for years.
Hey Eric I watched your videos a lot and this is a good one here I'm being a ham operator for 30 plus years. I started with cb radio that got my hand ticket. I have more fun on CB radio never do the ham I'm like you. I love the long-distance I run a 142 GTL maxed out one of these days maybe we can hook up I run 38 Lower Side (I go by 39 Indiana) 73
I'll keep an ear out for you!
My setup is a President McKinley with a Stryker SR-A10 mag mount on my condo's deck. And an RM Italy KL-503.
I've only made 2 contacts on SSB. Had better luck on AM. I talked to Bobcat and White Lightning in NC. Also had contacts in Ohio and Illinois.
I tried a "Double Bazooka" antenna but the SWRs were too high. Mounted it in several different positions but had no luck. 2.2 on 40 and 3.4 on 1.
The mag mount gets 1.0 on 20 and 40, and 1.4 on channel 1. This, after I added a couple of "radials". (I laid 2 spare Wilson whips across the coil housing of the antenna)
Sounds like a great setup. Those Stryker antenna's look so cool!
@@FarpointFarms I was going to get a Wilson 5000 but decided to try something different. Good thing I did because the Wilson base is sloped. The Stryker's is flat so my "radials" stay put.
Great video! The only reason I ever got a CB radio was to shoot skip and that was in 1977. The first station I ever worked in 1977 was an AM station in Louisiana and I still have his QSL card. I still work DX on all frequencies SSB & AM. I have lots of skip shooting vids on my YT channels. Cheers & 73'3
Man you can eat a whole day getting caught up in skip land!👍 2234 in the lone star!
Wow super helpful, I was wondering about thus. Thanks
Glad I could help!
I was in Provo Utah this past Saturday and I was picking up Mississippi, Louisiana, Colorado, Salt Lake City and St. George UT, and San Diego CA on my mobile unit. I have a Uniden 505 in my truck with a 3 ft. firestick mounted to the bed rail.
I tried to send a shout out but didn't get a reply. Not sure if my signal was strong enough to answer those guys. I even switched to my magnet mount antenna and my PRO401HH and was able to pick up their signal when usually this antenna setup isn't good for picking up anything except another car in close range. I use this to loan to friends if we drive somewhere together so we can keep in touch.
When I was a kid my Dad ran a CB shop out of the garage so he had a nice unit in base unit out in the shop with a big antenna on the garage and then we had a big Cobra base unit in the kitchen was a massive antenna on our house. I had an uncle that drove over the road and from Huron Ohio we'd be able to talk to him in Texas a lot of times. I remember having call sign on sideband of wwci 107
Thank you Eric for your imformation on cb radios it not dead in 2020 from unit 38 top side Illinois. 10-4
Hello Erick, I’ve been watching all yr Great videos, about CB Radio, And sending you a big thanks, for the inspiration to set up a Homebase in Great Britain again. So now I’ve Restored my original Hi Gain silver Rod, To an old colt 720 DX great on The AM and have made lots of Good copies in The USA🇺🇸 Over the last 2 week on mid band channel 6 Amazing .from Cactus jack.. have a good day
Please what's a cb Radio?
Does sideband increase potential for skip? Is there a way to better your chances? More wattage? I am trying to develop a backup comms method for if there is a grid down situation.
just key- dont ask if the frequencies in use. I love it
Yes, and no one gets butt hurt either.
What is the best channel for skip?
Watch your videos all the time ,love the way you explained everything.Ive been in and out of the hobby since the 70s ,i enjoy it now more than i ever did.Hope to make contact sometime .
Take Care,Be Safe
73's
514 Ontario Canada
Thanks my friend! I'll be out there on the radio!
As always, THANKS ERIC!
Hope you had a great Father's Day!👍
Ol' 786, somewhere around the middle of South Cackalackee... 786 was the last 3 digits of my phone number when I first got on the air. 9 or 10 years old. 40 years ago.
Ha! Man the years just fly by don't they?
@@FarpointFarms Yes Sir, they do.
Hello, Eric. We had a lot of Cbr’s here in the 90’s.
Most of the people have either passed on or moved out of Chicago. The bands are dead right now. Thanks for another great video. Take care
Where at in the City are you? I'm on the Southside and there are a bunch of us.
CQDX calling quarters distant transmitter. Two of my best contacts were Soul South Korea and Tasmania both on 11 m ✌️
Wow! What year was that
@@jmanranger7271 It's been a few years but, one of my personal Historical milestones. I was running a four element cubicle quad with my Yeasu FT-101 E pushing a 3kw linear.✌️
5:26 True! At my place I can do better skip than lokal connections. Because of my shitty possibility to place my antenna. I'm surrounded by neighbours and plt stuff. But I had 59 skip connections with 4W on FM between 300 and 700 km these days.
Hey Eric, great video. It's obvious how much you love CB cause you were ON FIRE today ! Let it burn my brother
Love the vids. Very helpful. Just ordered my 980ssb 😊 maybe I’ll run into you on air. Thanks for all the info
My friend, this is a great video. It’s very relational and it looks like it comes from the heart. I like it so much in fact, I’m going to show it on my channel devoted to trying to help people get into ham radio. I’ll be sure to credit your channel as the content creator. And I’ll tell you the main reason I’m using it… Because it comes from the heart and it shows.
As a ham who is not a “CB snob.“ I’d like to help you with one thing with your video. Eskip you’re referring to happen because of the amount of sunspots on the sun and a solar flux index combined with a very low K index which is the Geomagnetic field. The K index is what helps us have a low noise floor.
With all that said, on 11 m, where CB frequencies are, it’s very possible to get skip if conditions are right. It’s very similar on the amateur radio 12 m and 10 m bands.
What makes it even more impressive is you’re actually using low power Compared Ham radio.
It’s also clear you obviously are using a great antenna there. That makes all the difference in the world my friend.
With all of this said, I invite you to get your ham license. You can do this. Trust me. I’m not brilliant. I studied hard and was able to get my license. You can do the same thing.
You would have an absolute ball! You can talk to people the other continents daily and make friendships that last for life.
I’m just trying to encourage you here just a little bit to go for it. I think you’d be great on the ham bands. My channel has over 500 questions and answers on the test in the US for all three license classes.
They aren’t a substitute for your study but they can help you. I just truly wanted to encourage you to you get your ham license. You already know a lot of the theory already… You could pass that test!
I hope to hear you soon on the ham Frequencies. It would be an honor to meet you my friend.
Larry
de K7HN
I have those same swr, mod/ watt meters from Radio Shack. Bought them new over 40 years ago
I'm absolutely addicted to skip, alway have been. Even though I know how it works, like you said, magic! Ps love your channel!
Ireland, thats cool. Does not seem to be any local traffic? What type of radio and antenna assembly you running?
Antron A99.
I thought CB radio was pretty much dead. Where I live is close to a Walmart distribution center and there are trucks coming and going day and night. So, I would monitor channel 19 using my Yaesu HF rig, but the traffic was much lighter than I expected. Because of this, I didn't really have an interest in getting another CB. Although, I really like the Uniden Bearcat SSB CB that you're using in this video. Long story short, after watching this video, I tuned around to 27.285 and some of the other frequencies in the CB band that you recommended and was very impressed by the amount of traffic there was on those bands. Hopefully I'll be able to get a 980 SSB sometime later this year. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to contact you someday if the conditions are right. By-the-way, I really enjoyed this video! 73's and keep up the good work!
i am getting into ham, cb, gmrs and i am wondering, for my basecamp ham and cb will i need seperate antennas for them?
Yes you will for all 3
@@FarpointFarms thank you i appreciate the reply. i know this video is old.
Love these videos. They are such a great help. Thanks so much!
You are so welcome!
Skip has been good here in So. Cal...I think lots of folks are turning on their cbs again for the first time in a long time because they are stuck at home. Now that I just got my Solarcon A-99 set up and I've got SWR below 1.5 on every frequency and 4+watts output on am and 14+watts on SSB, I just found out I'm being transferred to the Mid-West...bummer, leaving San Diego for Kentucky. I hope I'll be living on top of a hill!
i got central ca yesterday in northern utah on ch 17 am ch6 also lsb38 been rolling since yesterday.
Bakersfield California is hot right now. Lots of traffic on 19, 15, 7 (spanish), 33 (spanish), and a few voices on other channels mainly local chat.
Nice video. Maggie Valley? Just curious.
It might be
Ask President to send you their "Texas" antenna for a review. They say it's a 7/8 wave. Would be interesting to see it compared to 1/4. 1/2 and 5/8 wave. And then, if it performs well, send it to me. :-)
Amazing video thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
752 Vancouver canada here great vid of skip!
Looking into getting my first ever Radio setup at 19
I am going to use CB as a off grid com's system but i think it may also turn in to a new hobby at the same time! i am still very new and need to buy (when i can afford it) my first system. is there somewhere to buy a whole kit? or does every area need it's own system?
i live in Vancouver bc and in 2018 I talked to a guy in LA with my lil pro505xl and a 3-foot antenna the guy in la was coming in loud and clear :)
Great video! I’m a local truck driver in the Seattle, WA area and have been hearing what sounds like skip throughout the day these past few months or even longer. We run Cobra 29 NW Ltd classic radios with no option for SSB, is this what I’m hearing? Thanks for any info!
Yes, that is skip. The sun is having a lot of solar flairs and that can make for some strange radio signals. There is a lot of skip here in NC as well.
@@FarpointFarms Very cool! Thank you for the info! I’m working on getting a base station set up in the garage. Your videos have been very informative and helpful.
I’ve been loving my bearcat 980ss set up in my man cave. 646 upstate South Carolina waving a hand
What antenna would you recommend using to skip talk? Great video. THANKS
Cool vid! I always wondered what antenna and placement would be ideal. I understand dx conditions can be good and they can be bad. But I’ve always wondered if a mag mount antenna could outperform a fender hood mount? Ive used hood mounts for years and talking dx was pretty easy for the most part but when I switched to a mag mount on my roof some times it was amazing other times skip was rolling in @ 9db and I couldn’t make a contract to save my life. I get most mobile antennas for the most part are going to be about the same in performance give or take but it’s the ground plain I’ve always wondered about. Would a roof mag mount outperform a hood fender mount for dx? Again I know different vehicles will make different ground planes. Anyway good video thank you
Antenna placement is critical to good reception! I move mine around to find the best spot. Well, unless it's a 102 and then I'm stuck with it on the rear bumper.
I heard you on am today. In mears Michigan I was offroading on the dunes in my Jeep. I can’t contact you since I don’t have ssb but I could hear.
I live in Winnipeg, Canada and I get N. Carolina often. I can't get nearby states like from Minnesota or North Dakota. The signal "skips" over these states from my location. 73's
i will have to keep my ears on for you- I love when Skip is going wild as you never know where you might make a contact
Hey farpoint farms Enjoy your videos I had a CB many many moons ago back in the seventies lol, thinking about starting up again ,what would you recommend for a CB mobile or base or even handheld and what type of Antenna do u Recommend for " SKIP" ???
Great video , Eric how far apart should gmrs & cb antennas be placed
Amazing 😉 Erik, I had no idea how good CB radio communication really is and it’s good to know that at some point in our futures we might even be able to talk to each other instead of doing things like this through you tube?????.
Pretty cool right?
Farpoint Farms
I think 💭 that it’s better than cool I’d say that it’s fantastic Erik, unfortunately at this moment in time my cb Homebase is yet to be set up but when it is I will most definitely be listening 👂 out for you on the airwaves!!!!!.
How do CB skip chasers find and log each other? I'm used to QRZ for HAM, but clueless where to find a common lookup for made up calls. Is there a commonly used cluster in the US or logging? I'm also curious if people send EQSLs for CB skip and what they use ie. EQSL, LOTW, plain email etc. Thank you in advance for any replies!
We just ask who we are talking with, and I personally like to note it in my log book. I've talked with several guys in Canada more than a dozen times over the years. It's great!
@@FarpointFarms Rgr that. Thanks. Think the key is just roll with it, log if you desire but don’t expect a database lookup or eQSL. I’m torn…. I love the qsl ’s, especially the old CB style ones but will trade it for the relaxed and fun banter and surprise propagation. Now…. I need find a Bearcat and figure out a portable antenna I can throw out in the yard and pick up and put away when done. I have a 7 year old that will be stoked if we get on air! (Me too)!
Ive got many qso on skip with north caroliny. Mostly we have skip innner Europa. 10-4 from south germany 13hn98
Wow- that is really impressive to get it from that far away
Just got inherited my grandpa's golden eagle mark 4a. Cleaned it up and everything works great; Just scared to talk to anyone not knowing how to communicate the way they do.😂
Man, don't sweat it. Hop on the air and say hello. There is no secret code to making friends on the air. Just talk about what interests you and see if they like it too!
Great channel ! I am relocating to interior Alaska. Do you have any knowledge on how effective skip is in the far north?
I'm sure you'd be able to talk skip there as well. The northern lights are what skip is made from!
Numbers come through the noise floor better than a long complicated name. Makes it easier to identify and return that distant contact.
The real challenge is to do this barefoot on AM
AM is a harder game to master. I think there are more guys running power on the AM side of things. My luck hasn't been the best.
@@FarpointFarms and therein lies the challenge my friend. Try it again sometime. 73s from 667 up in the North-East Corner
@@FarpointFarms Sideband is much easier to make contacts and really is much more fun than AM skip. Lots of international stations. Imo.
I learned a lot from you. Thanks!
Just wanted to say thanks for the information you share. I’m going to get Rg213 coax for my base station.. maybe someday I’ll talk skip to you, bearded dragon 73’s
That would be cool
If you're still around what type of microphone is that? i'd like to have that for skip
I was gifted that microphone back 30 years ago, I have not been able to find a part number or anything on it. I love how it adds roger beep to it all
@@FarpointFarms 10-4 bud thanks for replying.
Great one!!!
Thanks!
I got my number from the FCC when I had to BUY a CB license back in the day. Still remember them: KTA3416.
I miss talking skip on the radio. I still have a ground plain . I would love to get back into the hobby. I have records from the mid 90s when I talked on my Cobra 2000 base radio. I miss those sounds on SSB.
2800 . Got down waving. Hey man get back on the air the more the merrier. 2800 Lone Star got down
I hit Belize from Baltimore back in the early 90's.
Awesome. Love the CB videos.
So, as I have previously mentioned, I would like to have a Base Station (Powerered with Solar Panels) in my soon to be 200sqft Shed.
How would I protect my Equipment from Lightning Strikes?
This is ALL NEW to me. I'll probably just use a Mobile C/B Station (as it is cheaper), so the cheaper & more reliable the better!
Take care,
🤓 -Thomas
Port Orchard, Washington
(Just West of Seattle)
We had great skip this past July 2020 due to the thunderstorms. I never heard so much talking on every channel!
I am putting up a vertical dipole using (2) 102 inch stainless steel whips, should this setup ne good for good local reception and skip? My radio is a Galaxy DX959 with sideband?
Thank You for the cool videos.
This is the"Stepside" from Southern Maryland.
I'm from Australia little town of lithgow not many people on the CB radio and we don't have any shops to repairer no more, a guy who lives in Queensland Australia repairs at his home, i pick up to day New Caledonia, lithgow to New Caledonia is 2,066 kilometers, some people use UHF CB radios but in Australia not many people on CB radios in the 80s and the 90s it was a lot of people now Facebook took over I have been on CB radios in the 1980s to 2000 and many more years
Do you just keep going through channels until you reach someone? How do you decide to be on the lsb or the usb?
i used to talk alot of skip bk in the day,,,,,,,i might have to hook up my old president hr2510 thats been converted with 40 over and under,,,,,we used to have a club on channel 41 upper side band ,,,,,good ol days
Just a silly question; are there certain times of the day that are better for skip? Do people tend to use certain channels for skip too, and if so which ones? Thanks for the great video.
Skip really depends on solar activity and weather conditions- There is a special science to it- Too much solar activity and there will be no skip due to all the interference.
Great video it's the reason I keep a radio skip that is
Great video! When is the next live stream? I was doing home chores and missed the last one.
Definitely remember the old CB radio days you could talk to anyone in the world on a good day. England to Scotland. England to the rest of Europe. The more power I still think the better
nice Chanel, old school, I'm learning a lot with this guy.
by the way, my favorite places to have vacations are Tennessee and NC. between cherokee reserves and Gatlinburg ...
sugar mountain, area banner Elk. avery county
I want a cv radio on my jeep.
I need advice about Anthea and radios.
my name will be Sierra India Charlie alfa
Very cool! Those are some nice places in NC
I'm skipping 3000 km first day with cb in my truck with a 20 dollar antenna . My unit is the cobra ld chrome
That is some impressive skip
@FarpointFarms I only know because the guy thanked me for confirming his mic check . Doing my research it seems rare. I'm at 470 feet elevation in nw ontario . Kenora area