CB in a Class A

I'm in the "its a valuable tool" camp. We recently completed a 4000 mile tour, and when I was driving I had the cb turned on low volume. Almost never heard anything. The one day we had to travel when the roads had some ice on bridges, etc, there was lot of chatter on the cb about road conditions, which I find helpful. It has also allowed us to detour and avoid massive traffic backups due to accidents.

We also have a handheld Cb the DW uses for giving guidance when we're backing into a tight campsight.

Fred

mowermech wrote:
" I had a 10 liter CB that was tweaked, had funny channels and I had a 250 watt amp that I used for emergency purposes only. One time there was an emergency out in the wilderness and my cell phone got no reception! I was in Washington State, I turned my amp on (hooked up to my C.B.) and got ahold of a gentleman in North Las Vegas, NV. and he called the Washington State Patrol for me! C.B.'s are a very useful tool when used properly!"

"10 liter"?? I presume 10 METER was meant.
If so, while it could be tuned to the 11 meter (27 MhZ, CB) band, it was illegal to do so.
"very useful tool when used properly!"
Right. Using a NON-type-accepted radio, at illegal power levels, is "proper use".
True, it WAS an emergency, and in theory anything goes in an emergency. I could probably get away with using a 5K amp under my General License in a true emergency! Not that I would ever have one of the fool things!

Your right it was a 10 meter set, 5 watts, I had it tweaked at my radio shop to 16 watts, and I had another 144 channels installed (we called them funny channels) and most of us truckers spent most of are time (99%) way up on one of those channels and I don't recall ever hearing anyone else on that channel. It was a real joy talking with all my friends on that channel thru out the night (I worked the overnight shift)! And you can call it what you want I don't care!! I least we didn't have to listen to all that filth from the CB Base Stations on those common channels.

" I had a 10 liter CB that was tweaked, had funny channels and I had a 250 watt amp that I used for emergency purposes only. One time there was an emergency out in the wilderness and my cell phone got no reception! I was in Washington State, I turned my amp on (hooked up to my C.B.) and got ahold of a gentleman in North Las Vegas, NV. and he called the Washington State Patrol for me! C.B.'s are a very useful tool when used properly!"

"10 liter"?? I presume 10 METER was meant.
If so, while it could be tuned to the 11 meter (27 MhZ, CB) band, it was illegal to do so.
"very useful tool when used properly!"
Right. Using a NON-type-accepted radio, at illegal power levels, is "proper use".
True, it WAS an emergency, and in theory anything goes in an emergency. I could probably get away with using a 5K amp under my General License in a true emergency! Not that I would ever have one of the fool things!

This yes no debate can go one forever. The OP just has to make his own mine up if he wants to add it to the MH or not. I have expressed my opinion on them as others have.

wny_pat wrote:

GlennLever wrote:

Doug156 wrote:
I am thinking about putting a CB radio in my Class A. Any suggestions? How do the portable ones work?

Thanks

CB radios add to clutter and on the road make more noise then they are worth

And they can save your life! Just ask any old time truck driver out there. But you have to be listening to it.

I agree with Pat's post! There really useful when you need immediate road information from something going on up ahead of you. Are someone coming in the opposite direction that seen what is up ahead of you. Very useful to me in the past for information concerning driving, when driving in storms (trees down over the road, snowing and lanes blocked ahead of you due to accidents ahead). I carried a cell phone and it was no use in the middle of the night going up a mountain pass in the middle of the wilderness! The only good a cell phone was to me was calling 911 for someone who was involved in a accident that I drove up on. You can buy different types of CB Radios at different prices to fit your needs. I had a 10 liter CB that was tweaked, had funny channels and I had a 250 watt amp that I used for emergency purposes only. One time there was an emergency out in the wilderness and my cell phone got no reception! I was in Washington State, I turned my amp on (hooked up to my C.B.) and got ahold of a gentleman in North Las Vegas, NV. and he called the Washington State Patrol for me! C.B.'s are a very useful tool when used properly!

Lipets wrote:
What channels are used most often and for what purpose.

I'm now a retired trucker, when I ran Interstate, I-5 (North & South) we used Channel #17, and on Interstate I-90 (East & West) we used Channel #19. Are purpose was for immediate road information. Good Question

I have a CB in MH, rarely have it on. I have found it to be just another distraction.

Lipets wrote:
What channels are used most often and for what purpose.

Channel 9 is the only OFFICIALLY reserved channel. EMERGENCY communications only.

Channel 19 is often used on the road. In some areas it may be Channel 17.

There has been a movement for RVers to use Channel 13, but it hasn't gathered much momentum yet.

Long ago, in the hayday of CB, Channels 15-17 and 35-40 were sort of unofficially reserved for Single Sideband users. I haven't been on CB SSB for a long time, so I don't know if that still holds true or not.

Channel 14 is used by "toy" walkie-talkies and some other toys.

Passin Thru wrote:
X2 what wny pat said. Yes you can have CBs on fuel delivery trucks but they use FM Business band for dispatch not CB. If you want ot hear Real fould language you can go to Manhattan or buy a CB. Now, from a 2.4 million miler I'd recommend a Cobra 21 GTL. Cheap and reliable. Yes, it has saved my bacon more than once including E of Bakersfield when the fog was thick as pea soup and some kid welded a car to the rear of a tractor trailer in front of me.

a review at http://www.cbradiomagazine.com/Radio%20Reviews/Cobra%2021GTL/Cobra%2021GTLReview.htm
having a hard time finding out a price, about $50??
bumpy

It always cracks me up when guys say "worthless, don't spend your money, more trouble than they're worth, etc. etc. etc." This is real simple folks, it has a switch or a button on all of them, it's called an "OFF" button/switch. If you don't want to use it, DON'T, it's not rocket science.

They can be used for communication from rig to rig if and when you're caravanning or, many times with opposite direction folks who were just in an area that you're approaching and the weather looks bad ahead. Not all that many Truckers will respond on them if you call and ask for info but, some still do.

It's not like that radio takes up a lot of space and or electricity to run. It's there, it's hooked up, and yes, I can't talk to China on it but, I don't normally need long distance info while out on the road. I've had them in all our motor homes, truck and campers, and more. Again, if it's not needed at the time, it's off, pretty much a no-brainer. I think they still have some value, in both semi-recreation conversation and, sometimes important info can be conveyed on them too.
Scott