I have the anytone 6666 and it used to get really really hot whilst transmitting on FM or AM. I've now put a fan at the back of the radio, an old pc fan 4mm, connected to my 12v power supply output , and it works a treat. It keeps the radio really cool and I don't get any more errors, or hot radio...

My nearest neighbor is about 50 miles away and 4 Watts it just doesn’t do it from the car. I have always ran some sort of amplifier in the car since the late 80s and now with TVs being all digital it really doesn’t seem to be a problem. Most of the time 100 W will keep me in the conversation.

Hello Fred, the problem is not the amplifier. The problem is that those amplifiers are used without a good LOW-PASS FILTER. I tested many AMPLIFIERS on DUMMY antenna and in between I placed an RF-SAMPLER and ATTENUATOR so I don't blow up my spectrum annalyzer. If you use such amplifiers on 27mhz transceivers then you get HARMONICS on the amateurband! (its very bad) But if you use a good LOW-PASS filter then you don't have those HARMONICS that interfere the amateur band. It remains illegal , but if you can't ressist of using one then at least use a good quality LOW-PASS filter. The problem is that people have not the adequate equipment to see what realy happens with there signals when they are amplified. First the CB station ,then commes the AMPLIFIER ,then commes the SWR POWER meter, and then the LOW-PASS filter and finaly a good tuned antenna. And don't forget to use a good power source an use feriet on wires. If you do that, then you will have a lot of pleasure without interfere the amateurband and they might tolerate you. This was a very good pressentation you did here. Greethings from Belgium.

Hello Fred, good idea to drive low into the linear, your 9900 pa will last a long time. 😁 👍 Plus you always have the extra boost on rare occasions like dx. Great video and your spot on about improving the aerial performance first. 73 😎 ✌️

I live in the countryside, running - well, was running, until I let the magic smoke out last week - a CRE 8900 and a Sirio 5/8 antenna. I've got a 100W amp, but rarely need it other than for DX and even then I try without first. The point isn't to run everyone else over, but rather to extend range when needed. In my book, anyway.

Yep things have moved on.... now TVI is in the past with Digital TV’s and stuff around... The suck the juice though, used to run mine on a separate power supply back in the late 70’s ... Great video, definitely inspired to get back into CB again !!!!

I bought my first tube type foot warmer in 1966, you could hear it on the neighbors steam iron. I did talk from Indiana to Hawaii, South America, Nova Scotia, Jamaica and various odd places, as a ham totally legal these days.

Back in the day, I was running a standard 4w Muppets radio, Antron 99 in back garden, as high as I could get it (inadequate) and boxed in by houses either side of me running uphill, then houses across the top. Had a miserable time being heard, popped on a Bremi BRL200 plate and load linear on to my setup and everyone heard me again. Nothing more proud than making it on 4w and now I've started up again, that's my intention...but have a set of Zetagi claiming 200w (we all know they won't push that), but none the less sitting there just incase I need to up the anti in case of an emergency. Great video again Fred, keep up the great videos...very helpful to many

There are restrictions on the power of the radio where I reside, 4 watts AM, 4 watts FM, 12 watts SSB, the amplifier power limits are 1500 watts. But I think people often go far above that without any repercussions. OFCOM does not care.

I’ve got a silver rod on a 3 meter mast tied to the garden fence post with ratchet straps. I reckon it’s close to 30ft total height it works great 👍.

Looks interesting

Yes antenna 📡 Is the most important part u will get more distance with a good antenna on 4 watts vs bad antenna with 100 watts. That being said im all for amps after u optimized your antenna and a good low standing wave then an amplifier really comes in handy and shines!! Cool video brother

I dont have a problem with ham users using none ham bands like you say as long as the conduct is there

45 year old (old cb'er/dx'er from the 80's) Started with a Rotel 240 and Thunderpole II - Boom i got the bug...Then bought a Meloss Echo Chamber that had been modded. heard skip for first time bleeding over onto FM channels, asked what that was, learned about it and went and bought Cobra 148GTL-DX - BOOMED SSB HOOKED! From that I bought a Zetagi B550P, HP1000, Antrom 99 and made many many contacts with QSL returns and send outs. Bought a Pres Lincoln and combined with other stuff mentioned and one morning at around 8am I got my farthest contact, which was Namibia, Botswana, I was over the moon when I got the QSL card too. Bear in mind I was around 14 or 15 (88/89) Anyway, eventually I had the DTI round twice (never caught) but had to stop due to the early morning knock on the door from them, Mother wasn't pleased at all. Great times though DX'ing. back in the day the skip was awesome, especially when waiting just after xmas and the American skip came over, IIRC I think it was around Easter time March'ish or April.. (hard to remember tbh it's 30+ year ago) Are those Alfa Tango's still around? That was one massive world group. Also if I recall my old call sign for SSB it was 26SB128 (Sideband Bulldogs) Manchester way.

Cheers Fred .top of the day wave.👋 I always have used a linear i primarily talk dx on 27.285 am ..I run a driver amp that puts out 1kw pep.250 bird..into a RCA 6166 steel tube with potential 20kw. But I loaf it along at about 6kw..have a blessed day and 73s 👍👍🇺🇸

Hi Fred well explained video I’ve tried a 25watt amp mobile in my van and have now decided to remove it the advantage was minimal over a 10 mile range making hardly any difference..I’m running a vintage cobra 25ltd which is running at 12 volts ( this was done after the amp was used ) and it gets out better than with a 25 watt amp on top of the van I have 1.6 meter springer which a swr of 1.1 across all the 40 fm channels so by trying my self getting a amp is not always the answer as per your video Regards Richard in Essex

I had when i lived in Iceland a mobile antenna mounted on a villas rooftop with a metal roof ca 100 m from the Atlantic ocean and had a Galaxy with 12 W on SSB and it was super good for DX.

Hi Fred, as always great vids. Like yourself I was on CB back in the day. I started on AM shortly before we got legal FM in the UK. When FM arrived, the breaking channel was 14, and 19 on AM. Since returning very recently to CB. I'm finding it difficult and confusing if these are still the breaking channels , especially as there seems to be very few users in my area of Isle of Wight. Iv found a couple of local nets on UK FM, but it's a bit hit n miss on when they are on channel. I don't have ssb yet until my new rig arrives from Knights, hopefully in the coming week. Could you please do a vid on breaking channels, AM,FM & SSB and how best to use them ? This would be really useful for people such as myself returning to CB , as so much has changed these days. I'm hoping to also get my foundation licence soon as well. All the very best to you, and keep up the great work. Many thanks Scooby,,, 73"s

Hi,I have a Cobra 146...kicking out 12 watts..through a silver rod,31 ft from bottom of pole to tip of aerial.so far in the last 2 months I have spoke to Germany, twice,Paris..Ireland... No burners...and every modulation hitting 8 to 9 signal strength

Nice video Fred ! Sorry it's been a while ,hope all is good 73's from Dublin !!

Things ain’t changed in my area still using burners still playing music still trying to talk over each other. Oh what fun to be a CBer all I do see if I hear someone else on another channel.

Rule of thumb, for every doubling of power you gain 1S point 😉 👍

well if you're lucky enough to live on top of a hill you'll prob be ok, but modulation is the most import aspect, you need 100% audio or as close to that as possible, a lot of stock radios have the modulation turned down and even a power mic won't help much, the mod pot has to be turned up, then you need a decent antenna and a good match. get the antenna up high as possible if you use a beam that will help or if you're on a hill you're in a good shape.

It's interesting to look at an SDR screen and see the splattery output of the cheap amps when they're cranked up to max. You wouldn't believe how wide they go - 20kHz isn't unusual. I have an RM KL203P, but hardly use it, and when I do use it, I drive it at half power, in an attempt at some sort of clean output. Ok, it might not be as clean as an amp costing ten times as much, but it's nothing like as dirty as the claimed output would be. In contrast, there's a German DXer who has a 1kW Acom, running into a 4 element Yagi, and his output is straight as a ruler, and tight as a drum. A pleasure to listen to, too. Of course, an Acom is well out of my reach, but I can dream...

So you got stateside on 12 watts wow

The Italians aren't talking about the world cup much.🤔

YOU WILL LOVE A 1600KW TEXAS STAR

Going to put a small 25/30 watt amp in the car good here in Scotland due to so many hills

So really the amp does all the work for the radio only putting 3 watts in and wattever amp.kicks no pressure on radio

Boots with built in pre amps are better for mobile use. The 100 watts maybe total power on ssb

Yep, back in the day my amp would really mess with a nearby tv.

I used to run a 500w Zatagi in the car. With the use of the amp, had to keep the engine or the battery would drain quickly.

Usually 100 watts is good for 1 S units

Good video Fred, everybody uses that little extra now

I've got a HLA300. Bring it on.

I'm late to the table here. I cannot understand the obsession with "power". No one needs to use more power. I was pushing 6 watts a couple of days ago, called out on 555, yes amongst all the Italian spaghetti there, and had good contacts in Germany, Switzerland and France where I gave a 5:5. CBer's/Freebanders need to think "outside the box" - literally in this case. The most important parts of a set up is outside the radio. What grade of coax are you using? What is the coax length to the rig? Are you grounded? Do you have a vertical, horizontal cobweb, dipole antenna? What is the impedance? And so it goes etc, etc, etc. What is this obsession with power and watts? Really!!!! I've talked across the continent on legal power with good signal reports even when the skip was good and frequencies were clogged. In fact there is a challenge called 1,000 miles per 1 watt. Yes, 1 watt output will give you a 1,000 mile coverage. All you hear on CB is power this power that and if all else fails, up your power. Idiots.

Nice Video matey great for newbies :) audio was fine for me :) may need an​ amp to reach Claudius lol :)

Nice vid as always Fred, however cb has inferior rigs and amplifiers, even some for the radioamateur. We are talking about 2000/5000 euro and even then they could be some problems. As amateur you can put out 1500 W but in my humble opinion no need for that. I am qrp lover in cw and moderate ampli user just to get out of the noise level. 73

wish ssb had been tested also fred. great vid as usual 73s

1:52 27.555 in italy is not a cb band, we can go beetween 26.965 to 27.405 with a max of 4 watts in AM/FM and 12 in SSB so idk...

Hi Fred Like your video's keep up the good work

you need a burner tow to get over the qrm from broadband these days on 27 MHz sow you can be heard by others and sow on

Today we managed to have a QSO with hi guys but were still not sure who he is and he mentioned you Fred like I love Fred. We couldn't hear a station so we asked Hi guys can you hear him and he said yes and we ask him where he was he told us and its the first time to get a QSO from him. I think I bring at the best in people hehehe

i just got a icom 756 pro 3 3 elerment beam antron99 and a hf RM KL405 AMP DOES 350 SSB 73 and enjoy your radio.s 73 and good vid fred. by the way this vid was done ages ago do you still go on the radio iv asked you before fred but never got a answer

italy has the same restrictions as us fred as dont we

Legal power in Italy for CB is only 4 watts and 40 channels am fm

A great video good example

That's a 60 watt dead key??? How much is it doing when you talk into the microphone???

fred did you say you use an amp on your 450d. I thought there was enough power on those radios? I have just purchased one (450d) and just wondered if im missing something that I could be doing regarding the amp.

what is the best homebase antenna? i heard antron 99 arent that good, i was thinking "Sirio 2008" or "Sirio Vector 4000" got unlimited funds to get the best antenna if anyone has any ideas?

Italians station at 1 or 2 kW? I don’t think so to be honest, most of Italians use max 600W ssb, not more. Linears of 1 or 2kW are for ham frequency and they cost too much for a cb operator. May be you are referring to the Spanish, in the .555 on summer they really arrive out of scale.

It's the bad manners that seem to come with those amps, laughs

People worry too much about signal they'd like to throw on a linear and break peoples needles 30 mile away. To give there Ego's a big boost. To me a linear is a tool for improveing audio it takes away the crackle and hiss for distant stations listening. Signal does'nt and should'nt matter as much as audio quality. I've had people push me S5 and struggled with there audio. I've also had somone push me S1 and could hear everything he said because of the quality of his audio. Audio is all that matters in making contact. Ignore the signal meter.

With a ss9900 do you need it and if you did get one what would u suggest

what would happen if i forget to change the switch to ssd and left it on am and vise versa ??

Good vid! I found putting an amp in line that my swr changed. The patch lead was 90cm as specified in the manual. Any ideas?

I have friend with amp with am ssb and also have a switch labeled BIL.What could it be?

I don't see why having two PSUs is advantageous

i can talk to most of the world with only 400 watts on cb

Hi Fred I am new to all this I hope you could help me with some advice I want to listen to my local police on their radios so what CB radio would I need and for cheap as possible please?

Lol I was running bremi 500s in early 90s

You should b using 2 or less watts in,for best performance,you should know this if your doing videos, because people think you always know what your talking about

Well time for another opinion.... I know this video is a year old but I’ve never seen it. I believe if you want to run anymore than the legal amount of RF power then that should be kept to yourself. When those people come on saying I’M PUSHING 200WATTS IF YOU CAN’T HEAR ME YOUR RADIO IS DEAF. I just take it as attention seeking. I think part of the fun of radio is not knowing what the person you’re talking to is using. The mystery is part of the fun. And anyway, as I think you mentioned a good set up is best, I don’t think my set up is good at all BUT I can talk to all of my friends from 3 miles to 60miles away most evenings on 4 watts without problems and people also in the chat who run boots have trouble talking to the same people.

It's bad in the states.