Just wonderin how much the fine is if you get caught with a booster (boomer) on your CB. Not that I have one or anything:rolleyes:

TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION

CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION (CONTINUED)

PART 95_PERSONAL RADIO SERVICES--Table of Contents

Subpart D_Citizens Band (CB) Radio Service

Sec. 95.421 (CB Rule 21) What are the penalties for violating these rules?

(a) If the FCC finds that you have willfully or repeatedly violated
the Communications Act or the FCC Rules, you may have to pay as much as
$10,000 for each violation, up to a total of $75,000. (See section
503(b) of the Communications Act.)
(b) If the FCC finds that you have violated any section of the
Communications Act or the FCC Rules, you may be ordered to stop whatever
action caused the violation. (See section 312(b) of the Communications
Act.)
(c) If a Federal court finds that you have willfully and knowingly
violated any FCC Rule, you may be fined up to $500 for each day you
committed the violation. (See section 502 of the Communications Act.)
(d) If a Federal court finds that you have willfully and knowingly
violated any provision of the Communications Act, you may be fined up to
$10,000 or you may be imprisoned for one year, or both. (See section 501
of the Communications Act.)

[48 FR 24894, June 3, 1983, as amended at 57 FR 40343, Sept. 3, 1992]

OUCH!! Those fees are steep! I would hate to get caught if I had something like that...

best bet is to just not get caught. Pretty much noone will know the wiser unless you're being an idiot on the air. That's when people might call up the fcc. Or if you have a base station and cause reception intereference with someones tv, etc.

Ya don't get caught with one of those, but I we all know that you never had one to begin with.

The FCC will only prosecute when an individual is belligerent in the use of the equipment. It happens all the time but the FCC is spread very thin. But be aware, they can now fingerprint a radio's transmission and use the fingerprint in court. This would include any amplifier. Every transmitter generates a very specific waveform because of minute variations within the parts used.

Good luck

I don't think the FCC cares much anymore. They literally used to roam around in vans looking for people that swore, used amps, etc. Now, channel 19 sounds like a phone sex line and there are people down here with base stations that must have 1000 watts or more jabbering away. One guy on channel 11 has big help and talks for hours on end.

I don't think the FCC cares much anymore. .


I don't think that is the case - they still prosecute all the time. The
FCC is a small group in comparison to the way it was years ago. There is a bunch more people out there!

Plus now that sideband has become so popular, all the hamsters are trying to police the airwaves too...

Well they need to spend some time down here! We have plenty of jack asses to prosecute.

I don't even talk sideband on mine and I'm not that big of a horn anyway. Getting your radio peaked and tuned by itself should do a heck of alot more than an amp. A halfways good radio with a great antenna will always outperform a great radio with a crappy antenna.

I don't even talk sideband on mine and I'm not that big of a horn anyway. Getting your radio peaked and tuned by itself should do a heck of alot more than an amp. A halfways good radio with a great antenna will always outperform a great radio with a crappy antenna.

:exactly: :exactly: :exactly:

Idahofox

That is true about channel 19 tho. Those guys must not see girls for a LONG time.

Right now I am trying to figure out exactly what I'm going to do to give a good ground plane for my antenna, as well as what mounting options I have.. I'm open to suggestions, the antennas mounted on the topper don't work that great. Need something different.

mines on tha tool box. I just have a firestick fiberglass antenna. nothing special, but works good

I had dual antenna's on the truck for the longest time. Not really far enough apart but they pushed good on the road. Then I went to one and one, one CB antenna and one matching Firestik scanner antenna. I took the ball mounts off and now I am trying to look for a better mounting solution given that I have a topper.

Any ideas?

I had dual antenna's on the truck for the longest time. Not really far enough apart but they pushed good on the road. Then I went to one and one, one CB antenna and one matching Firestik scanner antenna. I took the ball mounts off and now I am trying to look for a better mounting solution given that I have a topper.

Any ideas?

When/If you find a good place, please PM me and let me know where you did this. It seems that I am in the same boat with the topper as you. On the firestik website, they offer a small antenna that you could mount on top of the topper http://www.firestik.com/Catalog/DS11-DS14.htm
But I am not sure on how effective that will be. There is also that bracket, but I hear it doesn't work with the 05 hoods... If you find something that works, let me know...

MMMM how about drilling a hole in the middle of the roof. (best place) Or if you want a good directional mount the antenna on the trailer hitch and you will talk good behind you. You can mount an antenna in the fiberglass topper but you need to install a ground plane inside the topper. Something like gluing a 3' X 3' piece of metal in there and drilling the mount hole in the middle. Also connect the piece of metal to the truck bed with a large 8 gauge wire. Regardless, the larger the ground-plane, the better the signal on 11 meters. Hope that helps! Good luck!!

What arguy said. I have the Firestik fender mount kit and it isn't working well enough for me. I think I am going to bite the bullet and drill a hole in the center of the roof and mount a K40 antenna up there.

Fellas, Firestick offers a "no ground plane" kit. Why don't you put it wherever and use that kit?

Several answers in one post:

"Hamsters" (thats a new one on me) typically ONLY will police things that happen on their bands. If someone were (hypothetically) running an amplifier on their CB it wouldn't attract much if any attention unless the operator was "Freebanding" (operating outside the normal 40 CB channels) or the amplifier and radio were so poorly tuned that it was causing interference on a ham band.

I have to agree with the thought that a stock powered CB with a good antenna system will ALWAYS outperfom an amplified rig with a crappy antenna. I have talked all over the world on less than 1 watt and a very good, properly tuned, efficient antenna.

If you have to mount on the shell, either back it up with a piece of sheet steel that has ground braid, not wire, to the pickup bed. Bigger is better with the ground plane. There are a few very good antennas that don't require grounding. Most are either called marine or RV antennas.

I have both CB and ham radios in my truck (yeah a ham rig COULD go on the CB bands but WOW is that illegal) and I actually use a antenna that is designed for 10 meters and cut and tuned to work on CB. It is mounted center of my cab roof. If this spot works for you, I can suggest the Larsen antenna line and use a NMO style mount for the best efficiency and the ability to switch to any antenna that uses that type mount.

Good luck and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Several answers in one post:

"Hamsters" (thats a new one on me) typically ONLY will police things that happen on their bands. If someone were (hypothetically) running an amplifier on their CB it wouldn't attract much if any attention unless the operator was "Freebanding" (operating outside the normal 40 CB channels) or the amplifier and radio were so poorly tuned that it was causing interference on a ham band.

I agree~~! and WTF is a "Hamsters" I guess it is someone who could pass a ~ oh never mind.....


I have to agree with the thought that a stock powered CB with a good antenna system will ALWAYS outperfom an amplified rig with a crappy antenna. I have talked all over the world on less than 1 watt and a very good, properly tuned, efficient antenna.

I agree, "stock powered" will do great with the the proper antenna. Yeah, QRP ~ I'll say "properly tuned" Lots of calling I bet!


If you have to mount on the shell, either back it up with a piece of sheet steel that has ground braid, not wire, to the pickup bed. Bigger is better with the ground plane. There are a few very good antennas that don't require grounding. Most are either called marine or RV antennas.

"not wire" ?? ground braid? I thought currents travel on surface of the conductor ~ therefor if the conductor ("even with insulation) were sized properly it would be just fine for a 4 watt 11 mtr radio.


I have both CB and ham radios in my truck (yeah a ham rig COULD go on the CB bands but WOW is that illegal) and I actually use a antenna that is designed for 10 meters and cut and tuned to work on CB. It is mounted center of my cab roof. If this spot works for you, I can suggest the Larsen antenna line and use a NMO style mount for the best efficiency and the ability to switch to any antenna that uses that type mount.


"NMO" AKA ~ "Motorola Mount" is not the greatest for big heavy antennas... A 3/8" with a quick disconnect would be a better choice. Hustler makes a bunch of inexpensive mounts.


Good luck and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.


Just my additional 2 cents ~ sorry about the rant..... nvmtnlion ~ Glad to see another HAM out there.:) :ro)

I agree~~! and WTF is a "Hamsters" I guess it is someone who could pass a ~ oh never mind.....

Someone early in the thread used the term "Hamsters" I hope it's not related to anything involving rodents and tubes.. nevermind :D

agree, "stock powered" will do great with the the proper antenna. Yeah, QRP ~ I'll say "properly tuned" Lots of calling I bet!

QRP rocks! Yes I called alot.. got answered alot too though.

"not wire" ?? ground braid? I thought currents travel on surface of the conductor ~ therefor if the conductor ("even with insulation) were sized properly it would be just fine for a 4 watt 11 mtr radio.

I have been accused of overengineering before... Ground braid has much more surface area and I was going on the pretense of someone who (hypothetically, of course) might be running more than stock output.

"NMO" AKA ~ "Motorola Mount" is not the greatest for big heavy antennas... A 3/8" with a quick disconnect would be a better choice. Hustler makes a bunch of inexpensive mounts.

Motorola AKA NMO mounts are not the best for big, heavy antennas which is why I suggested a larsen or similar base loaded antenna. However, a 3/8 stud mount with an efficient antenna can do the job too.

You weren't ranting at all. Glad for another opinion Arguy!