CB radios - Do you use one?

[Jayco23FB]

Wondering if a CB radio is still beneficial. Used them in the 70s, but has the cell phone made them dinosaurs?

[wa8yxm]

Jayco23FB wrote:
Wondering if a CB radio is still beneficial. Used them in the 70s, but has the cell phone made them dinosaurs?

Well when I was traveling I did use one.. And glad on occasion I did.

True stories;
Returning from my parent's one Christmas season on what turned out to be black Ice the radio told me of an overturned Semi.. I began to slow down coming to a full stop at the point were 4 cars had come to a SUDDEN stop.. I stopped safely two of them had to be dollied out I took their people home and of course the deputy had a warm place to interview (my van seated 12 comfortably) The other two limped to the next exit.

The radio saved me being on an accident report.

Page 2:

Heading to South Carolina I'm about MM 76.5 in Kentucky when the radio tells me of not one. but TWO fatal acidents at MM73.. As I was in the right lane I hit the turn signals and exited (76) had a nice supper. a restfull night and back on the now open road in the AM... As for the poor guy behind me.. Well He got about 100 yards past the exit and then an hours long traffic jam.

Just two out of several stories where the radio made a big difference.

I also travel (To this day)( with multiple ham radios.. NOT as good for traffic issues. but they have other advantages and far far greater range. .

[jorbill2or]

I was a truck driver and used them all the time mostly just to keep awake talking to others. Have one in the motorhome but it only gets used when we caravan with camping club friends which we no longer do. Just takes up space.

[LMHS]

Yep. My daughter and I travel together in separate vehicles sometimes. We simply find a channel that is quiet (there's lots of them) and sit on that channel.

We don't use "handles" or anything like that. Our vehicles have names and those are the names we use. I don't use the Ten codes (and I still remember many of them from the years when my dad was big into the CB and REACT clubs) and I don't talk like they did in the movies. There is rarely anyone on the channel with us, even traveling long distances.

We let each other know if a problem is coming up from behind or in the opposite direction. Unscheduled stops. Exit is coming up. That sort of thing. Also if we need the other to "make a hole" so we can get into the lane. We flip over to 19 or 21 for traffic sometimes. Not very often as it seems we're all in the dark. I believe that channel 9 is still monitored for emergencies.

Cellphones don't work everywhere. They got rid of licenses for the CB and it was over used/abused for a while. Now hardly no one on it except for certain channels. Those little "family" radios have too short of a distance unless you get an expensive one. We know we are on a public channel. We are careful as to what we say. If we get someone who harasses, we change channels to a pre-designated channel that we decide on ahead of time.

If I were to get another CB (which I may have to do soon as mine is getting really old), I would get one of the handheld ones. It's much easier to move it from vehicle to vehicle. The local storm chasers use the handheld ones BECAUSE they can be used in any vehicle. Plus they "get out".

[bukhrn]

I guess they may still be useful to some. but personally, I don't use one anymore, haven't used one in years, I have 3 of them, but have no idea where they are any more.

[CA_Traveler]

Yes, Not nearly as much usage these days. Might be useful for a traffic situation or caravan, etc.