ham + CB in one unit?

[MDarius]

Hey! I'm going to go for my HAM license in June, (that's the first test listed near home). I want a reliable set up in 2 meter that will also send / receive on the CB frequencies. I don't have the technical prowess to modify a unit. I don't even know that much about the tech side of HAM, I've just been taking the practice tests online until I hit 85% or better on every one.

I checked out Yaesu's site and they don't have the frequencies of their units listed in the description every time. It's hard to tell what will and won't work for my uses.

My intended use is only in my 80, communication on the trail and family vacations, emergencies, etc. I have a friend with a CB and I'd like to talk to him on trips without having 2 units. I imagine the HAM hobby will grow, just as the 80 addiction does, but this is where I'd like to start.

Thanks for your recommendations!

 

[groucho]

Not impossible, just not practical

The two are not close enogh together in the spectrum to make it easy to just clip wires and have one radio go for both. 2M is 144-148 Mhz, CB is essentially the 11 Meter band of 26.965 to 27.9?? Mhz. It also crosses FCC lines of legality. CB radios have to be tested and certified for transmit parameters, limits on power etc. Amateur Radio bands do not have such limitations.

Could it be possible to homebrew a radio that has 2 VFO's one for 2M and the other for 11M? Sure. Is it practical? Probably not. Convince all your wheeling buddies to get ham licenses and then you don't have to worry about a CB. Or just get a handheld CB with a rubber duckie antenna and a cigarette lighter power adapter for those times you're talking to your buddy on CB.

Just helping with my .02

 

[MDarius]

Thanks! That's just what I wanted. I wasn't sure if it was practical or not. Now I know.

 

[cruiser_guy]

With a radio such as the Icom 706 that I use you'd be able to monitor the CB bands with the Ham radio but as stated above, you could not transmit because the transmit power of the Ham far exceeds the legal power for a CB. I think my Icom will transmit at 100 watts close to, but not on, the CB frequencies. CB as far as I know is about 2 watts!

 

[Bat Masterson]

What about using the Yaesu VX-2R to monitor and transmit CB? It has a max output of 3 watts and is a very small hand held. I'm thinking about trading my GPS unit in for it(sell/buy). It's also an HT and dual band with a ton of features.

Seems like a nice alternative for a short range device.

 

[KLF]

You're correct that the VX-2R will receive the 11M (27MHz) range where CB is, but it can only TX in the 144-148 MHz (2M) and 430-450 MHz (70cm) segments. Tramsmitting outside these ranges is blocked, it won't do it. I have an FT-60R HT, I can listen to the local fire depts, but I can't transmit, if I push the PTT switch it just beeps and says ERROR on the dislay.

Now, maybe the radio could be "tweaked" to get it to work in the CB segment, but CB radios are just too cheap to risk losing the warranty on an expensive Ham unit.

 

[dfmorse]

U can do this with the FT100 Yaesu; but u have to modify the rig. Its illegal and not worth the trouble. Much easier to have a portable CB unit with a clip antenna and a good 2 meter rig stuffed in the 80 somewhere.

k0dar

 

[danbino]

Another issue is that CB uses different modes then most common mobile and handheld ham radios. CB uses either AM or SSB, most of the ham radios mentioned here so far (except HF radios like the icom 706) only know how to hear and talk FM.