| Author |
Message |
    
Stone66
New member
Username: Stone66
Post Number: 5
Registered: 7-2014
| | Posted on Saturday, December 20, 2014 - 3:07 pm: | 
|
I live in Albuquerque nm and I can talk coast to coast with no problem but CANNOT get anything north of me, ie Colorado, Wyoming, ND,SD,... Is it the rockies that are holding me back or what??? Tell me what you guys think |
Keithinatlanta
Senior Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 1024
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 22, 2014 - 5:55 am: |
|
Well Stone66, that is a good question. In my business travels, sometimes I get signals north to south or east to west. Conditions change, change, change. But with so much in the atmosphere any more, who knows. If I am in Kansas, pretty much the skip signals all go over me. If I am home in Atlanta, depending on whether I am close to the big power line stuff, I can get stuff from all over the country. I know this does not answer your question, but that is sometimes just what happens.
One other point, remember, someone has to be on the radio talking. Maybe they have their beams pointed east to west?
Keith in Atlanta
CEF 150 |
Keithinatlanta
Senior Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 1025
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, December 22, 2014 - 5:59 am: |
|
By the way, I love your city, so beautiful. A lot of times in my business travels, I go from Dallas to Amarillo, TX, then cut northwest towards New Mexico and go through the northeast corner to come out at Raton Pass. Guys and ladies, if you have never made that trip you are missing some of the prettiest country in the USA!
Keith in Atlanta
CEF 150 |
Revpo
Advanced Member
Username: Revpo
Post Number: 739
Registered: 7-2006
| | Posted on Monday, December 22, 2014 - 8:40 am: |
|
Sounds like a great place to travel and visit. I have been to TEXAS a few times DALLAS/FT WORTH but never to NEW MEXICO.
MERRY XMAS KEITH.
CEF795
73
REVPO/DOCTOR/CEF 795
Wavin a hand from the cornfields of INDIANA
|
Press_man
Advanced Member
Username: Press_man
Post Number: 817
Registered: 5-2008
| | Posted on Monday, December 22, 2014 - 4:44 pm: |
|
Howdy Stone 66 and welcome to the Forum!
My son lives in Albuquerque (Rio Rancho).
Yeah; it's the mountains. What antenna you running. Likely need one with a different take off angle. 833 wrote an articles that are well worth the read.
http://www.copperelectronics.com/cgi-bin/discus4/discus.cgi
73 Pressman
|
Stone66
New member
Username: Stone66
Post Number: 6
Registered: 7-2014
| | Posted on Monday, December 22, 2014 - 5:49 pm: |
|
I agree Keith and I try and get out on the Harley as often as possible, but I think the problem goes a lil deeper than beam direction and conditions... None of my local buddies, and there are some big stations here, ever talk to Colorado either. We have all talked as far NW as B.C, as far NE as Maine, as far SE as florida and Jamaica and all over Cali, but nothing comes in from the direct north, or goes out. Could be a propagation phenomenon or it could be those damned rocky mountains... What ever it is has us all stumped in NM... Happy travels |
Keithinatlanta
Senior Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 1027
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, January 08, 2015 - 5:16 pm: |
|
Hey everyone. Happy New Year first of all. I used to live in Denver back in 70's and talked a lot both local and skip. However, that was the 70's not today with so much stuff in the atmosphere like we have today with satellites and computers and who knows what all.
I get so put out sometimes when driving through Kansas cause I cannot get hardly anyone even on 19 to come back to me from an 18 wheeler, much less hear skip. When I run I 25 from Fort Collins all the way down to Pueblo or Raton Pass, it is the same: usually very quiet. Part of it could be that there are just not that many radio operators in Colorado. Just a thought. Once in a blue moon the skip will come from the high country to Atlanta, but not very much.
And again, beautiful country in New Mexico and Colorado.
Keith in Atlanta
CEF 150
Where it is still cold outside today |
Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 2156
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 14, 2015 - 4:37 pm: |
|
keith that could be alot of things .
1 being no one on air
2maybe the local channel u once knew no uses any more .[scan the band]
3could be just the time u going thru there
around here its usually dead in evenings.but
early in the morning theres usually about 8-12
differnt locals
4skip [dx] is just conditions its either there or not .ya cant make ya own dx although some say ya can..lol
5 location- where ya at could have a small effect too.
best advise i know is try different times different channels ssb if u have it.[more and more locals here are switching to ssb.]
if all this fails try 38lsb thats where im at
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
454 [dx numbers]
38lsb
|
Emil
New member
Username: Emil
Post Number: 1
Registered: 3-2015
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 - 8:33 pm: |
|
I live in the same area just south of Albuquerque and I have made contact with folks to the north on 20 meters. I had to lower my antenna significantly to make contact since I was relying on short distance skip and was essentially trying to send my signal at a high angle.
I haven't really tried on 10 or 11 meters, but I have noticed that I receive less signals from those areas than from areas to the east or west. I would suspect that the mountains and your relative location with respect to those areas is playing a role in the poor reception conditions. Might try actually lowering your antenna if you are trying to make contact with someone up north. That's how I reached Wyoming on 20 meters. |
Richiek
Junior Member
Username: Richiek
Post Number: 22
Registered: 4-2008
| | Posted on Friday, March 13, 2015 - 8:47 am: |
|
I recently renewed my interest in radios after taking about 20 years off. I am slowly building up my equipment.
This past week I have talked to NY & California. Back in the 90's I had a better antenna and a little more power than now and NEVER could reach California no matter how I tried. Now with just an A99 leaned up next to my house and a SS3900 EGHP and a little over 100 watts I was able to reach the west coast.
I have always found it amazing how that works! I love talking skip and that's why I got back into radios. |
Emil
New member
Username: Emil
Post Number: 2
Registered: 3-2015
| | Posted on Friday, March 13, 2015 - 3:06 pm: |
|
I am new to the forum. I started out with 11 meters about 20 years ago and then got my amateur license about 10 years ago and sort of got away from CB. However, I just ordered an A99 myself to use on 10 and 12, and I'm also considering running 11 again with the same antenna since I'll be using a tuner on 10 and 12 meters.
I don't believe NVIS really works for 11 meters, but with 20 meters I was only able to contact states to the north of me like Wyoming after lowering my antenna and transmitting my signal almost straight up. I use a dipole on 20. |
Revpo
Advanced Member
Username: Revpo
Post Number: 745
Registered: 7-2006
| | Posted on Friday, March 13, 2015 - 8:44 pm: |
|
That A99 will work great, I have a IMAX up and it works wonders on 10 meters EUROPE in the mornings, WEST COAST in the afternoons, and South America later, and off/on PUERTO RICO and Honolulu, and that is with 60 to 70 watts.
See you on 28.400
CEF795
73
REVPO/DOCTOR/CEF 795
Wavin a hand from the cornfields of INDIANA
|
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 2322
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, March 14, 2015 - 4:29 pm: |
|
On 10/11 meters (CB band), it is ALL about the conditions. Since NVIS doesn't work on CB band, you are relying strictly on conditions, and not your antenna setup.
Back in the 1980's when the solar cycle was really hot, us kids used to talk skip on our Radio Shack 2 and 3 watt CB walkie-talkies.
Your radio 'Mythbuster' since 1998
|
Keithinatlanta
Senior Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 1029
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 15, 2015 - 8:49 pm: |
|
Tech 833, I thought you were old. Now I know: you are young.  When I was 11, back in 62, I bought a Brand spanking NEW Lafayette cb walkie talkie. We pumped out a WHOPPING 100 MILLIWATTS of POWER!!!! Then in 1973, after moving to Denver from Atlanta, I got the real bug and got into it big time. For those new to the forum that might not know, back in those days, you had to be 18 years old to have a walkie talkie that produced 1 Watt of power. And you had to have the license to go with it, once again being 18 years of age to get one. FCC rules and regs. But when I got my first Lafayette, a HB 525 23 channel mobile with power supply and base antenna, I had moved up to the high rent district. PS Tech 833. I just turned 64 last Friday.
Have a super week every one!!
Keith in Atlanta
CEF 150 |
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 2323
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 16, 2015 - 2:24 pm: |
|
You have almost 20 years on me, Keith.
When I was playing with those CB walkie talkies, licenses were required. However, the FCC also allowed you to use the unit with a "temporary license" which consisted of "K" followed by your first and last initials and your zip code. For us kids, "temporary" was subject to interpretation.
By then, a lot of people weren't even IDing anyway, just using handles, so nobody really asked.
I wasn't about to use ham callsign on the CB band! So, there was a lot of anonymity. A lot of kids my age had a CB walkie talkie and a few even had base stations at home. It was quite popular then.
Your radio 'Mythbuster' since 1998
|
Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 2188
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 16, 2015 - 6:19 pm: |
|
i had a 3 channel radioshack walkie talkie with extendable antenna and a built in tiny load. was probaly in mid 80s. only thing i remember is
one channel was cb ch. 14 and i talked to some older gentlemens on bases . they couldnt believe i was on a walkie talkie.wish i could find those.
keith has 20 years on me
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
454 [dx numbers]
38lsb
|
Tech833
Moderator
Username: Tech833
Post Number: 2325
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, March 19, 2015 - 1:48 am: |
|
Dale-
That evil online auction site has them listed all the time.
FYI- They all came with channel 14 crystals, for some reason.
Your radio 'Mythbuster' since 1998
|
Press_man
Advanced Member
Username: Press_man
Post Number: 829
Registered: 5-2008
| | Posted on Friday, March 20, 2015 - 10:32 am: |
|
Well guys;
Looks as though Keith and I are the Old F@&ts on the thread. Gort and Klatu abandoned me here in '52. I keep looking for the mother ship, but, alas, they have forgotten all about me. I can't reach them on 2/10/11/6/ so I keep looking and building antennas and playing.
Got a pair of WTs for 11m I need to repair. I got started with a 23ch Midland mobile and Antenna Specialist base-load in my Chrysler Newport. If it was real quiet at night I could RX/TX 32 miles away. When DX came in the day, I couldn't hear any locals at all. Back in '73-'74 on AM/w 5 watts, I could hit the Portuguese Colonies in S. America easier than a local 5 miles away. That was when FCC finally let us have 40ch. The then 23 was so full of heterodine noise, ch 6 sounded like one huge squeal.
Your turn!
73 Pressman
|
Dale
Senior Member
Username: Dale
Post Number: 2194
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, March 22, 2015 - 8:31 am: |
|
thanks tech 833. it had a 3 selector switch labeled A,B,C.one of them was ch.14.came with
a extenadle antenna with a small coil in center
if i remember correctly.
pressman @ my parents house they live on top of a big hill in this very small town i live .i could talk to these older guys on any given night.but no one around my parents had cb antennas so i cant say how far i was talking
back then i listened alot more then talked.parents still live at same place its a great dxing location
dale/a.k.a.hotrod
cef426
cvc#64
454 [dx numbers]
38lsb
|
