CB CAUSING COMPUTER PROBLEMS

TEXCOASTIE · January 11, 2006

I HAVE A CB WITH A 250W AMP I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU HAD EVER HEARED OF ANYONE FRYING THEIR COMPUTER OR CAUSING INTERFERENCE WITH IT BECAUSE OF AN AMP I AM THINKING ABOUT GETTING ABOUT A 300-500 WATT AMP FOR IT AND JUST WANTED YOUR OPINION.

THANKS

RYAN

GM-Tech · January 11, 2006

Haven't heard of it frying a computer, but it definitely could lead to problems when you transmit.

lrymal · January 11, 2006

You are one of the guys I'd love for the FCC to nail. But, be that as it may, ground the heck out of the amp and the CB. Design your wiring to prevent ground looping. Do a direct run to the battery for the amp. Do not tap into the existing wiring harness.

CB linear amps are notoriously "dirty" and can spike the crud out of your sensitive electronic components. Do not compromise on your coax or the coax connectors. Make sure your RF is going OUTSIDE of the vehicle and your SWRs are within guide. Do not snake your coax through gaskets or door jams, causing pinching of the coax.

GM also has a transmitter install how-to in one of the HELMs manuals. I'd suggest getting that and reading it. And if you follow all of this, maybe, just maybe, my refridgerator and microwave oven won't be picking up your cussin', breaker-breaker, cussin, and general mouth slammin' conversations, even though you are five miles away.

Now, ask me how I really feel....

GM-Tech · January 11, 2006

Now that you mention it, I occasionally get one of these guys coming in through my surround sound speakers. It's just for a second, but it really freaks us out when some strange voice comes blasting into the family room.

TEXCOASTIE · January 11, 2006

THANKS GUYS!! UNLESS YOU LIVE ARROUND MILANO, TX (NEAR CALDWELL) YOU WONT HERE ME.

CB THE ONLY WAY TO TALK OUT THERE. NO CELL PHONE RECEPTION!

drumset5994 · January 11, 2006

I looked you up on Verizon.

You have a better coverage map then i do in Buffalo, NY.

TEXCOASTIE · January 12, 2006

I HAVE CRAPPY SPRINT

drumset5994 · January 12, 2006

I HAVE CRAPPY SPRINT

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Ah. nuff said. I feel your pain.

lrymal · January 12, 2006

THANKS GUYS!! UNLESS YOU LIVE ARROUND MILANO, TX (NEAR CALDWELL) YOU WONT HERE ME.

CB THE ONLY WAY TO TALK OUT THERE. NO CELL PHONE RECEPTION!

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You are only 1 1/2 hours from me. Do they still sell those famous kalaches there?

Cingular here. Has great coverage out in your area, at least the last time I drove through there and used my cell phone.

Well, if you ever head southeast and hit Huntsville, turn that amp off.

Wingnut · January 12, 2006

I feel you guys pain...I used to live about 2 miles from a KOMA (AM radio) station.

At the right times of the day, you could hear music coming from really strange places. Like the oven. And the toilet. People didn't believe me until I took them into the bathroom during peak hours, and gave it a flush. You could hear Elvis in my upstairs toilet...No lie.

My sister swore she could hear it in her head. Her orthodontist told her her braces were picking up the signal, and that's why she could hear it...To this day, I don't think that's true. I just think she's a freakin' nutbag, and I count my blessings that she didn't chop me up and bury me in the yard.

You may now carry on with your regularly scheduled CB talk.

Oh, and TEXCOASTIE, please take your caps lock off, it's kind of difficult to read.

Welcome to the forums, by the way.

Bullethole · January 12, 2006

This is not one of those "my cousin told me" stories. My Dad ran an outlaw CB base rig back in the 70's. He only ran the power up after midnite. He got a call from a neighbor who said he was coming in on his console stereo.. The neighbor heard voices downstairs and went ot investigate and heard my dad talking on his radio from the stereo speakers. The stereo was not on and not even plugged in. My dad's signal (1k on the antenna) was strong enough to excite the receiver and amplifier so that it almost was a crystal set. I visited the nest day and actuall witnessed this myself. this was not a junk dirty amplifier ( Collins ) but it shows what can happen when folks disregard the FCC regs.

lrymal · January 12, 2006

Basically, all that is happening is that the stray "dirty" RF is being rectified by connectors, or metal pieces that just so happen to resonate at the same frequency. A piece of metal cut a certain length can resonate at a frequency unique to its length.

That is why tooth fillings, unconnected speakers, even kitchen faucets can make a noise if a "dirty" transmitter is power enough, or close enough to reach it.

Secondly, if you have a sound system and you keep getting FM radio stations feeding through, typically, the mike connections need to be redone---they are acting like primitive rectifiers.

Crystal radios are a blast. Shame that kids are rarely taught these in school shop now days. No electricity, no battery. Just a coil of wire, a metal wiper, and a crystal diode will make an AM radio receiver.

TEXCOASTIE · January 12, 2006

Basically, all that is happening is that the stray "dirty" RF is being rectified by connectors, or metal pieces that just so happen to resonate at the same frequency. A piece of metal cut a certain length can resonate at a frequency unique to its length.

That is why tooth fillings, unconnected speakers, even kitchen faucets can make a noise if a "dirty" transmitter is power enough, or close enough to reach it.

Secondly, if you have a sound system and you keep getting FM radio stations feeding through, typically, the mike connections need to be redone---they are acting like primitive rectifiers.

Crystal radios are a blast. Shame that kids are rarely taught these in school shop now days. No electricity, no battery. Just a coil of wire, a metal wiper, and a crystal diode will make an AM radio receiver.

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