Was playing around over the workbench a few days ago thinking how cool it would be to make a CB radio band slider like the Siltronix Model 90 VFO. Actually got a simple 2 transistor working VFO on a breadboard and popped out one of the CB radios 14MHz crystals and injected it with my 14MHz vfo. Results? IT WORKED! I was able to make my CB hear and talk anywhere from 25MHz to 29MHz with good stability. Not bad for a CB made in the late 70s that uses two sets of crystals and is a 23 channel unit.
THEN.... It hit me.. All I heard on the bands was static. Absolutely no skip was coming in. Got online and sure enough others are experiencing the same and have been for a few weeks to a month or two now.
Solar cycle 24 is officially on its way out or already is. What a bummer! Here I made this cool band slider and it is worthless until skip comes in with any luck, and that may not be for another decade
Oh well, at least I learned something new that can be done with old radios and I suppose if I got my ham ticket I could use it on the 10 meter band to make local contacts.
really? I had to register just to reply, I have been"listening" to skip almost everyday over the last couple of months. And infact it has been strong and from sun up to sun down and a night or two every week or so skip has been rolling also? So i dont know why we have it strong in the Pacific NW.