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CB-DX Site....Practice of DX
re-launched on july 10th, 2003 by THANH
If you had first experience with cb in your city, or you are just interested about what cb can, keep reading...
Cb-radio works on the upper short waves, in a frequency range around 27 MHz. This is called the "11 meter band" because the electro-magnetic waves of this frequency have a length about 11 meters. This frequencies will normally not be reflected on some athmospherical layers, so that a CB cannot work like a shortwave. But under special wheater conditions the 11meter band can open like a normal shortwave!
That means: whenever you hear voices from far in your CB, you also can come there! CB operators say "the band is open" then. Under good atmospherical conditions you can catch a overseas station with legal power!!!
For some of us (CB operators) itīs really like a sport: sitting in the "shack" (room where the station is) and waiting for the open band. Then listening from where the calls come and try to answer or call, too.
But for good results you need special equipment. With a normally 40-channel-FM radio, I think, You can forget it... The min you need is AM, the best is SSB. And more channels! Because the most DX activations are in a "pirate band" in the frequency range between the normal 40 channels and the beginning of the 10 meters HAM band.
This frequencies are not legal! But the whole world is calling there, me too...
You 1st need a GOOD CB-station. If I say a GOOD, I mean a PRESIDENT. (Sure, there are also good radios made by ALAN or others, but PRESIDENT is the best!)
Here two examples for a GOOD radio:
Jackson,
200 channels AM,FM,SSB 21 watts P.E.P., also availiable with 280 channels!
The
king: George, 40 channels FM, but switchable to 240 channels AM, FM, SSB with 25
watts, full processor controlled, frequency readout and many more...
2nd you need a GOOD antenna. This can be a vertical, but better is (if you have the space for it!) a directional "beam" antenna, like a YAGI or a QUAD. But they need lots of space... With a BEAM you can fade out un-wanted signals by turning it to another direction. BEAMīs work horizontal, and that gives best results in DXīing.
3rth you need a GOOD microphone. Special in SSB you control your output power by the speaking volume. So best results are given with a pre-amplified desktop microphone, which also has a Roger-beep, a very useful thing in SSB without a carrier!
4rth you can (not must!) use a power amplifier. Note : in some countries SSB is legal, but using an amp is fully illegal!!! But does that matter?? :)
OH, and at least you must be good in speaking english! Nearly all DX activations are in english... And you need to know the special radio-operators shortings. Just click this LINK and learn or/and print out whatīs there.
The most beautiful thing in DXing is the collecting of QSL cards. Whenever you have a DX contact, make sure to ask the station about his/her adress! Then send him/her a card (can be a postcard of your city or a special QSL...), enclose a dollar for mail-back cost (contribution) and send to the adress. Write your own adress, a signal report (how the other station came in on your radio) and something about your station on the card. Donīt forget the date and time! And think about: THE FINAL COURTESY OF A QSO/DX IS A QSL!
You find some information about QSL cards and some examples of QSLīs I recieved on my special QSL-site...
OKIE, I hope I woke up your interest on DXing... maybe one time we can meet on air! My frequency is 27.555 and 27.765 in USB mode... My callsign is
153 DAA 510
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