How many use HAM vs C/B for rig to rig etc?
Ladies and Gents, The subject of C/Bs gets brought up every so often and is debated whether or not folks still install and use them. But, not many mention too much about HAM radios. I know and under...
Forum Discussion
I use the CB for what it's best at: immediate, short-range communication about road situations from people right at the site you are coming to. There's no other communication device as valuable for this specific purpose, and you don't even need to be staring at a screen while driving to use it.
Example: Just last week I was Eastbound approaching Bonnet Carre spillway leading to New Orleans over Lake Pontchartrain and both lanes of traffic suddenly came to a relative crawl. I heard a Westbound trucker on Channel 19 say something about seeing a cop and lights on the other side. Several minutes later, another trucker asked what the hold-up was about for Eastbound traffic. No answer. Several more minutes passed, and I finally got to the site of the problem, which consisted of a pickup truck breakdown with a cop helping protect the scene with his flashing lights. I reported what I was seeing on Channel 19, and a trucker asked "which lane?" I told him it was in the breakdown lane on the right, but that both lanes of traffic were being allowed to pass slowly.
Now, this information was not that particularly important, but it was of interest to at least one trucker, and I suspect others listening as well. Truckers are always worried about being in a lane that is stopped up ahead, and it's hard for an 18-wheeler and RVers in a motorhome or towing a long trailer to switch lanes in a traffic jam. Sucn information can be quite valuable to them, and the only way I know of to get it is with the lowly ole CB on Channel 19.
Unfortunately, many truckers don't utilize it anymore. But many still do, and I can personally testify that several were tuned-in on the Bonnet Carre spillway heading Eastbound to New Orleans and Westbound away from the city last week.
Example: Just last week I was Eastbound approaching Bonnet Carre spillway leading to New Orleans over Lake Pontchartrain and both lanes of traffic suddenly came to a relative crawl. I heard a Westbound trucker on Channel 19 say something about seeing a cop and lights on the other side. Several minutes later, another trucker asked what the hold-up was about for Eastbound traffic. No answer. Several more minutes passed, and I finally got to the site of the problem, which consisted of a pickup truck breakdown with a cop helping protect the scene with his flashing lights. I reported what I was seeing on Channel 19, and a trucker asked "which lane?" I told him it was in the breakdown lane on the right, but that both lanes of traffic were being allowed to pass slowly.
Now, this information was not that particularly important, but it was of interest to at least one trucker, and I suspect others listening as well. Truckers are always worried about being in a lane that is stopped up ahead, and it's hard for an 18-wheeler and RVers in a motorhome or towing a long trailer to switch lanes in a traffic jam. Sucn information can be quite valuable to them, and the only way I know of to get it is with the lowly ole CB on Channel 19.
Unfortunately, many truckers don't utilize it anymore. But many still do, and I can personally testify that several were tuned-in on the Bonnet Carre spillway heading Eastbound to New Orleans and Westbound away from the city last week.
