CB RADIO REPORT
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02-26-2026 - 5:30 AM - Good Morning! It's Thursday, and I've already heard one side of a conversation on Channel 19. The rest of the band is dead, but this guy is making his own band opening. Interesting. Someone on X, formerly known as Twitter, posted the question "What radio service can you hear 10-4, Good Buddy? Of course, people were answering "CB Radio." Let me say that I've been on the CB Radio since 1964, and I have never heard the term "Good Buddy" over the air. My Folgers Black Silk coffee is ready.
--- 5:45 AM - Two truckers are chatting away on Channel 19 as they pass through town. The band is still asleep as far as long-distance communications (DX) is concerned, but it won't be long before someone on Channel 6 gives a wakeup call. Will it be the loud "147" in Jamaica? Probably.
--- 6:50 AM - As predicted, it was indeed "147" in Jamaica who opened the band this morning, at least in my part of the world. Local trucking traffic is picking up a little. Channel 38, lower sideband is active, though still a little quiet. It will all get better as the day progresses.
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02-25-2026 - 5:30 AM - Good Morning! The State of the Union Address was last night. Some people are happy, and some are not. The band is dead at this hour at my location. Things will pick up in a few hours. I sometimes hear local trucking traffic on Channel 1, but I've heard nothing so far. Not even an oversized load moving through town. There's nothing to do but pour my first cup of Folgers Black Silk coffee and wait. I need to spray a few weeds, but it's too dark outside!
--- 6:00 AM - A few days ago, I had a power supply quit on me. Not even a two-week notice. It blew a fuze and it took me a few minutes to discover that it was blowing fuses with no load attached. I think it needs to go back to its maker for repair. I have several replacements so it didn't take me off the air.
--- 8:00 AM - Channel 6, the "superbowl" of CB Radio, is coming alive with "147" in Jamaica holding court. You probably know who I'm talking about. I don't know how much power this guy is running, but he has "cut the lips" off local stations before. He's been at it for years.
--- 5:45 PM - The band is still screaming with strong signals on the usual AM and SSB DX channels. I'd like to buy an AM/FM rig to see if the FM mode is good for local communications. I don't see why it wouldn't be, given that FM is quieter than AM. If I do, you can be sure I'll write about it.
--- 7:00 PM - Locally, a couple of guys are having an extended rag chew, talking about this and that. A DX station chimed in to let them know they're reaching the other side of the country. Being license-free and long-distance are two of the best "selling points" for CB Radio. The relatively low price doesn't hurt, either.
--- 9:00 PM - The band is flat as a pancake, so I put the President McKinley on 40-channel scan to see if I can detect any local activity. I'll probably be in bed before someone local keys up. That's too bad because these quiet evenings are great for local communication, and there are plenty of channels for most cities not named Los Angeles or Houston.
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Much More To Come!