Cb Help Please

The distance you can transmit is influenced more by line of sight (LOS) than power. That is, given your antenna height you'll reach the horizon, which in the case of an antenna mounted on semi tractor is between four and five miles. Yes, people get their signal to go longer distances, but that's due to skip as others have mentioned. The FCC's regulation of 4W of power is sensible as that will carry a clear signal to the horizon without problem. You can also find that your CB works much farther distance when you're on a hill - you have raised your antenna height and are now LOS to stations much farther away.

Remember, "it's not how big it is that matters, it's how you use it."

The key to that FCC regulation is that cb radios are regulated to 4W at dead key. (When you push the button but don't say anything). It's that grey area that allows people to run really big radios, they're still at that 4W legality but when they key up and talk, Bam.

Now my question is how do you set the squelch and rf gain?

The proper way to set the RF gain and the Squelch is to turn down the squelch so that you hear all static. Then turn down the RF gain until the static is at a lower level (but not all the way down). You can also see the drop on the meter until it is almost at the bottom of the scale. Then turn the Squelch back up slowly until the noise is squelched out. Turning just a bit further for RF blasts of various sorts.

You do this when no one in range is keyed (talking, singing, etc.). If you need voices louder, that is what volume know is for.

You also do not just set it and forget it with CB. It is one of the noisiest frequencies given to the public for public use. It will require re-adjusting as the day goes along and even as you travel to different places.

Now you can set it so that only those trucks you can see can overcome the squelch and forget it. But then you will probably miss out on some important traffic info that's a bit further down the road.

Now my question is how do you set the squelch and rf gain?

The proper way to set the RF gain and the Squelch is to turn down the squelch so that you hear all static. Then turn down the RF gain until the static is at a lower level (but not all the way down). You can also see the drop on the meter until it is almost at the bottom of the scale. Then turn the Squelch back up slowly until the noise is squelched out. Turning just a bit further for RF blasts of various sorts.

You do this when no one in range is keyed (talking, singing, etc.). If you need voices louder, that is what volume know is for.

You also do not just set it and forget it with CB. It is one of the noisiest frequencies given to the public for public use. It will require re-adjusting as the day goes along and even as you travel to different places.

Now you can set it so that only those trucks you can see can overcome the squelch and forget it. But then you will probably miss out on some important traffic info that's a bit further down the road.