for new mobile CB'ers please read dont be a MUD DUCK

[gorilla]

hi, im new, my set up connexhp3300w/tx & rx upgrades, ast.636 mic, wilson1000 magnet antenna
swr tuned to CH1:1.2, CH 20: 1.05, CH40: 1.05. with that said its been 6days since i set mine sys. up.
i noticed rather quickly, that i'm way under powered. 40 watts isn't good at all. i hear many people on , but there in other states. I try everyday to chit chat. from morning to night. it's so frustrating. after 30 minutes i turn it off.
i honestly thought i'd be able to get right on & with 40watts talk alot.
not the case at all. i have decided to install a texas star350. hopefully with this ,i'll be able to use the cb.
so to make a long story short, if you want to get into this hobby. remember to power up. it will be a whole lot easyier
to chit chat. i know i wont be #1 nor a monster, but i'm hopeful that it will help.
i also understand that rookies are pushed to the side, & many will not even respond.
but if your loud & clear & able to transmit & recieve a bit of distance. eventually they will notice you.
just my .02cents, i truely hope this helps someone, right out the box.
regards,
gorilla

[SweetPee]

What you hear on the receive is always going to be like that. I can "hear" more than I can talk to. It has to do with "conditions/skip". And that is an ever changing deal. There are days you can take 4 watts and talk all over the US. Other days it seems like I struggle to get the next county over. And this is all while running a TS DX500v. Frustrating as hell sometimes, but that is just the way it is. You got to keep trying.

BTW... Be careful using your radio with a TS350. As I am sure you might know already they do not like to be driven hard or by much. 1 to 2 watts is all DK. But that is a very well respected amp. Good luck and keep keying.

[str8stroke]

Um.......so may ways to respond to this post. I think I will start with, 40 watts is a fair amount of power and if USED PROPERLY, one could make some really good contacts. With more experience you may find a thrill in trying to make contacts with lower power rigs? I know I sure do. I am famous for calling my handle a 100 times on a stock radio just to see if I can get my name called! When I hear it come back, I am pumped up! Of course like others, I have called my name 100 times with 500 watts and heard nothing come back! lol

BTW, "Chit Chating" with skip can be rather difficult at times even with kilowatts! Mother nature runs the show there.

Ok, so back to what I wrote up there "Used Properly". I have heard many of people with "lots o watts" never get their name called. Why?
Normally because:
A, their rigs sound terrible
B. they just sound stupid (too much echo, roger beeps etc)
C. they key at the wrong times ( we have a local with a loud radio, but he never stops calling to hear a response)!
D. call on the wrong channels (trying to dx on ch 6 with 40 watts will be frustrating)
E. they have a screwed up receive on the radio, cheap antenna, cheap coax, improper power supply, ground loops, etc..
F. call a bunch of different things, like bunch of funky numbers, then some name along with numbers and so on
G. other members can prob fill in here! lol

Just hang in there and keep at it. No one ever learns it all, but experience can sure make it fun. BTW, we have local running almost the exact same rig you are, with the exception that he has it hooked to a Imax 2000. He gets out talked all the time by smaller rigs. Never forget this, Watts aren't everything!

Cool, 73!

[gorilla]

hi, i hope we all keep trying.
i do get a skip, it's cool, no its very cool.

i'm not giving up, just powering up a bit, to see if it helps.
i got to try, its a horrible feeling.
im trying my best, without stepping on anyone.
1 thing down here in the bikini state is there is ZERO respect for others,
everyone steps on everyone. this wasn't to much of a issue years ago.
but systems have come a long way. back than it was a $1 a watt.
and now it's cheaper, go figure.
beginner in learning,
gorilla

[Night Crawler]

You should of got a sideband radio contacts are easier to make and you would be making a lot more of them without the need of extra power.