CB Radio Talk

I'm just curious about something. When I listen to channel 6 "The Bowl", I often wonder how much power it takes when they compete or stamp on each other. Does anyone know what kind of power it takes down there to be heard? I'm guessing 5KW but I could be wrong.

hmmmm?
the power it takes could be anywhere from barefoot radio to 100,000 watts and then some more
it just depends on mother nature

Those (big boys) on the bowl might use 5k for a driver. Most drop the maul with about 50k at least

yah no kidding
makes my Varmint xl 1000 driver and the 5 tube Heathkit look like a palomar amp at times

thats all you need, you know it all depends on mother nature like you said, thats a sweet little set up.

One of the big dogs here in town pushes 175,000 watts. He's going for 250,000. Now this is coming from him a few other guys. If he's really pushing that much I don't know.

CamoRedneck wrote:One of the big dogs here in town pushes 175,000 watts. He's going for 250,000. Now this is coming from him a few other guys. If he's really pushing that much I don't know.

according to that arrl book thingy
he needs to be able to create more power than the 250,000 watts fo even a s-unit increase.
i say build it and key it then let them watch.

hahahahaha. ntmd. yep cause in order to make that needle on the receiving end move 1 s unit your gonna need such and such more power. not that the other guy with a little bit power just cut your lips off and made the tape but that one needs such and such power to be able to see a difference. yeah so when he goes from 175 kw to 250kw he wont see a change. hahaha. ok.

Dont want their power bill. And speaking of power, most residential is only 220...And the transformers wont handel that current, nor the wires probably, So how do some of them big dogs run it? do they have commercial power, or what?
Most the boys ive heard and talked to on the bowl are in the 20 - 50 k max range. But i have seen mobiles 125k....

These power claims are awesome entertainment. Keep em coming. If you generate an honest 1Kw carrier and modulate that to just shy of one hundred percent, and transmit over a 5/8 wave antenna you will get your name called.

Century21 wrote:Dont want their power bill. And speaking of power, most residential is only 220...And the transformers wont handel that current, nor the wires probably, So how do some of them big dogs run it? do they have commercial power, or what?
Most the boys ive heard and talked to on the bowl are in the 20 - 50 k max range. But i have seen mobiles 125k....

Exactly. I was gonna say most were full of crap. There's no way they have the power coming to their house to support those numbers. Hell, a 3 phase setup wouldn't push those numbers. Can we say "B.S."?

Btw, I agree with Gunny. At one time I had a good setup and pushed a little under a true 1kw carrier into a modified Moonraker 4 at 50 ft, and got my name called every time I keyed the mic. It's fun for a while, but to me, it's just boring. Everyone is different with their hobbies. I'm sure some like to sit in that chair for 30 years and do it, but to me it's a monotonous activity. These days I'm about quality over quantity. I've found joy in QRP operations as a "game".

linx wrote:

Century21 wrote:Dont want their power bill. And speaking of power, most residential is only 220...And the transformers wont handel that current, nor the wires probably, So how do some of them big dogs run it? do they have commercial power, or what?
Most the boys ive heard and talked to on the bowl are in the 20 - 50 k max range. But i have seen mobiles 125k....

Exactly. I was gonna say most were full of crap. There's no way they have the power coming to their house to support those numbers. Hell, a 3 phase setup wouldn't push those numbers. Can we say "B.S."?

Btw, I agree with Gunny. At one time I had a good setup and pushed a little under a true 1kw carrier into a modified Moonraker 4 at 50 ft, and got my name called every time I keyed the mic. It's fun for a while, but to me, it's just boring. Everyone is different with their hobbies. I'm sure some like to sit in that chair for 30 years and do it, but to me it's a monotonous activity. These days I'm about quality over quantity. I've found joy in QRP operations as a "game".

Well said linx, a contact on 10 meters with about 100 watts sideband now thats fun. Although yesterday I talked to a guy on my galaxy 33hml and just a little wil antenna in Arkansas from NC that was cool.

I only do 4 watts.... Anything more would be illegal?

yeah i too think 250,000watts is bit much. I would guess a nice 3-5kw amp and a good 16x-20x beam would pretty much own. Conditions still required for dx. though i've heard crippled lizard out there with his dual stacked quads from up on a the hill near napa valley cali down here in phoenix when there was no conditions, i'm sure it was all beam and elevation.

just remember 1kw into a laser 500 is equivlent to about 50kw pointing right at you.. this antenna is a 60x power multiplication according to maco.

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its not always about watts out of your amp. =]

933 RiffRaff
in the stickers

even though there are a few stations nationwide capable of generating huge amounts of power the one thing ALL the big boys use are large antenna arrays. Modified (lengthened boom) Lazers and Lightnings and the like are the reason those "big guys" transmit so well. The magnification on their beams is something in the order of 50X and in some cases where the beams' boom is lengthened the multiplication increases even more so. if you were using a barefoot 4W radio think of the tx signal being close to 200W. madsage hit it on the nose.


73's

MOTHER NATURE-SOLAR EFFECTS
I DO 250 IN MY MOBILE AND HAVE HAD MY NAME CALLED FROM ATLANTA ON OCCASION
MOPAR IS NICE BUT ILL STAY ON THE BACK OF THE BUS!
MY 4-RUNNER HAS SOME GOD-AWEFUL IGNITION RF I HAVE TRIED ALOT TO CORRECT IT
SO I AINT WORRIED BOUT BIG POWER RIGHT NOW
DO THE BEST WITH WHAT YOU GOT-BE PATIENT-BE LOUD OUT THE MOUTH-NOT THE RADIO!
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I produced an honest 3k. BIRD METER, I talk on the bowl all the time. But i like 28 also. Most boys on bowl cruise around 5-10 k the big boys I know, they were running 28k and the other about 40k... And I think thats all you getting on residential. If you do the old amps times volts thing, which is 100 percent right, you get 44k on 220v. Most houses are 200 amp service now adays. And I have ran beams stacked, stretched, short, dont matter. When its your time its your time.

Bozo wrote:I only do 4 watts.... Anything more would be illegal?

Me too.

I would like to have that power but can't afford to.I would think they have lots of power and a good beam antenna.They hav't to have something everyone else don't have. Because they don't seem to have to wait for conditions or mother nature.I hear them every day.Witch most other people can't stay on 6 very long .But they do for hours and hours.

Want a challenge? Try WSPR

First I have to get MT63, Olivia and Easypal to work first before I take the next challenge of WSPR . All I can do right now is see a waterfall. The radio is a stubborn beast and has a mind of it's own. Sort of like a cat.

Ive been reading this thread with interest. The power that is talked about here seems astronomical, here in the uk a kilowat is a huge output, myself,i only use straight radio power to dx.
My question is this,where would i look to obtain such an amp? The best i have found are only 2 kw, from italy.

I have a friend, he has 4 transformers outside his house for extra power, he written the power company for more power and they turned him down. He has a amp as big as my pick up truck ( alot of ventilation going on in that box) all I can say it looks impressive but its a lot of work, looking at bird meters and what have you. Some guys got power, more power than they will ever use but they have to have it. Oh yeah, in his suburban, he has 5000 watts at 1700 rpm, go figure. This guy will climb over 100 hot ham biscuits hungry to key down once. :r&r:

Some power companies will add extra services. Where i live there are 2 houses for every transformer. So if I had a permit pulled and power ran to the garage, they would add another transformer.
And I have seen a suburban with 50k and 125k with my own eyes.

Most do AT LEAST 20kw, usually more. Anyone who things that is bull needs a reality check. Sure mother nature plays its effect, but with dudes keyin 50kws all day on the bowl with minimal conditions and a duck with a barefoot radio with ideal conditions still aint nothing but a duck that wont get heard.