CB use in Canada

NW Canada has an excellent linked ham VHF system but for what you say you need CB is going to work just fine for you.

If you want to maximise your range between each other get SSB models & get used to voices sounding a little different.

I have a CB in my tow vehicle mostly because I often get into areas where there is poor or no cell phone service. I also have a unit that has the severe weather notification feature which is another reason it is in my truck. As far as CB use goes in Canada, as far as I know now if you are using a run of the mill everyday 40 channel unit it is pretty much unregulated and wide open so go for it.

To answer your question tho, about $$'s. You can buy a hand-held VHF that will have about 80 preset channels for about $500.00. This will include the 3 LADD channels. Unless things have changed, a license IS required for a VHF set that allows a person to select channels themselves.

the chinese hand held radios are fairly cheap. I bought a baofeng uv5ra radio with extra's for 50.00 us. I also just got my ham license so that's why I even started looking into these radio's.
Dennis

Sam_Whiskey wrote:
Thanks, Gary. I am just interested in traveling in tandem with 2 - 3 vehicles...no big productions. I guess a few CBs would fit the bill.

at 1/10th the cost. I got my latest Cobra at walmart, cheaper than the $40 at a truck stop.
bumpy

Thanks, Gary. I am just interested in traveling in tandem with 2 - 3 vehicles...no big productions. I guess a few CBs would fit the bill.

CB's are almost a waste. Unless you are traveling in tandem with other units, then you can yak back/forth. But..for that, one might as well just have a set of FRS radios. Then you can carry them around to help with the spotting-yelling fun.

I see you are in Alaska...? but asking about radio use in Canada. You may want to be very careful about this. In Canada, a VHF can be used by people to communicate..ie: truckers, logging truck or mining operations, too, without a license. There are three common freqs in Canada known as LADD 1, 2 and 3. Those same freqs are used by Emergency/First Responders in the US and for sure, no-one should be using them for any talking. You really need to do some research and determine where you are going to be using any VHF radios.

To answer your question tho, about $$'s. You can buy a hand-held VHF that will have about 80 preset channels for about $500.00. This will include the 3 LADD channels. Unless things have changed, a license IS required for a VHF set that allows a person to select channels themselves.

Then you can get into HAM radios and that might be more to your needs.


Gary Haupt

Thanks! Re: VHF radios...license required? Can you suggest a particular one?

Haven't heard a CB in Canada for yrs, most of us use VHF as we can talk to other driver's 10-15 miles away with no problems.

Google search says this:

Canada

In Canada the General Radio Service uses the identical frequencies and modes as the United States citizens band, and no special provisions are required for either Canadians or Americans using CB gear while traveling across the border. The General Radio Service was authorized in 1962. Initially, CB channels 1 through 3 remained allocated to amateur radio and channel 23 was used by paging services. American CB licensees were initially required to apply for a temporary license to operate in Canada.[21] In April 1977, the service was expanded to the same 40 channels as the American service.[22]

You might want to do some more research using GOOGLE...