Hey Connecticut, our everything hurts

Oh ok, Maybe emergency services use HAMs? I was thinking about getting a CB but idk if i would really use it too much / what I would use it for

 

If your looking to talk to a group of people on the trail or a trucker on the highway, then a CB is all that you need. If you are alone on the trail, or want to talk to people father away then a Ham is best. Ham requires a license that you need to take a test for. Looked into it and it's not that hard to do. Hams use repeaters to talk long distances, etc... In CT for general road reports or even on a local trail (don't know of any...), a CB is probably sufficient. Heck, most woods around here can be walked out if your dropped off in the middle within a few hours. Go to Maine, Adirondacks or similar - I'd personally want a Ham.

 

Do any of you other guys have a CB or HAM? Maybe i'll have to look into it

 

I had a CB in my last truck. Old Pace 23 channel unit. That thing could certainly talk. I was on RT 63 in Middlebury near the Watertown line talking to someone on RT 63 in Morris. Good distance for a CB...

If I were to get another, I'd look for another vintage 23 channel or a cobra wx75. If I'm going to bother mounting a larger unit, I'd go with the vintage for a bit more poop to reach out further.

 

Good to know, I'll keep this in mind when comparing units

So you pretty much just turn it on and it automatically picks up anybody who is within range?

 

CB - turn it on and listen to the nonsense. Channel 19 is the typical truckers channel aka sesame street. You'll need to learn the lingo. Don't ever say 'Good Buddy' unless you 'walk with traffic' instead of 'against it' . Also if you hear a woman asking if you have "any loose change" - she's offering services...

 

CB you are legally limited to 10 watts. Ham you go up to 1500 watts depending on band. The unit in my truck will do up to 50 watts. And yes you need a license for Ham.
I use it a lot with my local CERT organization.

https://www.fema.gov/community-emergency-response-teams

 

I was the same way and I use mine every time I drive now it's actually helped me avoid parking lot style traffic on 84 several times and my set up is about as simple as it gets maybe 60 bucks total in it

 

Hahaha ya that pretty much sums it all up except those women asking about loose change are referred to as LOT LIZARDS hahaha

 

Is your CB up and running now? I remember you had it at the last meet but I thought it wasnt working yet. Do you just have one that plugs into the 12V outlet? What else is required for the hookup other than plugging it in and adding an antenna?

 

Lol i saw that when i looked up cb slang. In case you're wondering, the best place to find a lot lizard is at the pickle park

 

Ya the last meet up it wasn't functional but it's now up and running and the wiring is as simple as it gets. I just ran the power wire of the cb to the interior fuse box. I then used an dad a fuse/ tap a fuse I've heard it called both ways but super super simple. I'm not sure off the top of my head which fuse spot I tapped into but it's something that really never gets used and the cb's use little to no power at all like what @GPLarge was saying about the ham it takes lots of power to run. Next time I go out to my truck I'll snap a photo of my set up for ya.

 

I think the hardest part of setting up a CB is tuning the antenna with a SWR meter. It's really a must. Not doing so can damage the transmitter in the CB. I believe there's an SWR meter pass around thread on TW so you wouldn't have to buy one.

 

Ya see mine is so cheap there is no swr meter only an adjustment knob to tune the frequency but hey for 35 bucks I can't complain

 

That's awesome man congrats I'm on the verge of buying myself, I really want to try and build my own and it would be a LOT cheaper but it would be nice to just have em done

 

Thanks man! Wouldn't even dare messing with that stuff myself. Figured better leave it to someone who knows what they're doing.

 

Happy Monday folks. Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Any Pats fans in here? If so, congrats. Hell of a game to watch. Especially if you're a neutral and love football.

 

I installed morimoto mini's in a set of headlights for my old Cummins. Wasn't too hard, just time consuming. Once you take the lights out, clamp the housings to a bench (I used a saw horse) and power up the lights with a battery charger. Shine them at a wall ans use masking tape or chalk to mark the cut off line along the wall. Bake the housings for 10-15 minutes to loosen the adhesive, pry apart, install bowls, clamp assy in the exact same spot, install bulbs and wire module, power on with a battery charger, align cut off with marks on wall, secure bowls to housing so they don't move or rotate (epoxy works good), install shrouds, install sealing butyl, install clear cover, reheat to melt butyl, add a bit of silicon for good measure, install in truck and wire.

After having them, I wouldn't do it again. Yes, they are bright but the cut off is very, very sharp - too sharp. It's pitch black above the line. So as you drive when you go into a dip in the road, the cut off gets close to the front of the truck leaving the road ahead dark. The cut off was so sharp, I'd need to use high beams to see street signs... I suppose getting OEM projectors and lenses help as they tend to have softer cut offs.

 

I was neutral but yea it was definitely a good game. I can't believe the Patriots came back like that

 

Yeah... sounds like a shitload of work for me to try and do myself, and fuck it all up.