CB Radios??

[danj239]

Hello, I was wondering how many (if any) of you have a CB radio or have ever used one while traveling? Those who have used them, how useful were they? Any information will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[1320Fastback]

Just completed a 4,200 mile round trip and this is the first time I left the CB at home. With phones and app based maps with traffic it just didn't make the list of things to bring.

Our last trip of 2,000 miles I took it and didn't hear one call while it scanned the entire time!

[Campfire_Time]

We used to carry one, a hand held with a magnetic antennae. The last time I used it had to be more than 10 years ago. We started carrying it for safety reasons and when we traveled with others caravan style.

Cell phones have pretty much done away with the need for one.

[down_home]

We have one that I connect up but not on usually. It's an old Teaberry.
Truckers don't use it much anymore.
When we get nearer to places like Indy we turn it on.
Truckers, a lot of them have switched to a different channel, I think I heard.
Thinking of a new 10 meter with CB too. The antenna is also the fm/am antennae, so that needs some changes too probably.
I doubt I can reach beyond two miles either way with the antennae plus I had the meter replaced some years ago and they took out the high powered crystal.I guess they wanted it for their own.
If just the other RVers would use the CB perhaps on our own channel we might be able to avoid three hour and more delays from wrecks etc.
We had a Lady with a bathroom emergency knock on our door while stopped,for who knows how long one time. Yes we let her use our facilities.
She was a lady. I think we had much or dinner, the wait was so long.

[rk911]

twodownzero wrote:
...It is not legal to transmit on the CB bands with a radio that is capable of transmitting outside of band. In other words, there is no legal radio that can transmit on the CB frequencies and the 10 meter amateur bands. All CB radios must be type accepted by the FCC; the radio you describe is obviously not...

true enough but it is not illegal to listen to CB frequencies on any radio capable of receiving them.

[GHop]

We use ours for weather and traffic updates.

[twodownzero]

SidecarFlip wrote:
I have one as well but mine s a Single Side Band 10 meter radio and CB combined. We use ours in conjunction with handheld units when camping in the forest to communicate. Not so much on the road. Hard to distill the gibberish from factual information.

It is not legal to transmit on the CB bands with a radio that is capable of transmitting outside of band. In other words, there is no legal radio that can transmit on the CB frequencies and the 10 meter amateur bands. All CB radios must be type accepted by the FCC; the radio you describe is obviously not.

I took the CB out of my truck because I don't have any interest in talking on it. I do have a CB in my offroad truck because other offroaders use it.

[Tvov]

I hardly ever see CB antennas on cars or pickup trucks anymore. Used to be every other vehicle it seemed. Used to be very common to see the magnetic base antennas also.

Last time I used CB was a "convoy" of about 10 cars going up to Maine for whitewater rafting 25ish years ago. It was very convenient and entertaining (and kept us awake) for all of us to be in contact.

I don't even think about a CB now when I get ready for a trip.

[2112]

KZN1988 Tumbleweed 10-7 Goodnight Gracie
Waze is the Craze

[OkieGene]

Not really, but if you have one that also receiives the NOAA Weather Channels then they’re great to have.

[DrewE]

MDKMDK wrote:
Most newer standalone GPS units have built in traffic updates. Ours worked well last trip out, over 7,000 miles round trip, with many traffic warnings near the bigger cities, and it automatically checks alternate routes for faster bypass. No cell signal required. Just traffic status on the satellites.

The traffic information is actually broadcast in side bands of terrestrial FM radio broadcasts, at least in the GPS units I'm familiar with.

The GPS satellites certainly do not broadcast anything resembling traffic data; their signals basically amount to very tightly synchronized clocks, with some satellite orbit positioning information encoded as well, and the GPS receiver determines the relative distance (based on the relative differences in time due to longer or shorter signal propagation paths) to each of the satellites it can pick up a signal from and uses that to triangulate its position. They can also compare the relative speed rate of the clocks due to doppler shifts and so determine relative velocity to the satellites, and since the satellites are not in geostationary orbit the whole three dimensional "where am I and how fast am I going" computation gets rather complicated....

[MDKMDK]

Most newer standalone GPS units have built in traffic updates. Ours worked well last trip out, over 7,000 miles round trip, with many traffic warnings near the bigger cities, and it automatically checks alternate routes for faster bypass. No cell signal required. Just traffic status on the satellites.

[philh]

And Waze will quickly report "Smokey's" location.

[garyemunson]

I've found the cell phone app Waze very much like CBs past traffic "handiness", at least on interstates. Although you need a cell signal, 99% of the times you will have road issues, you will be in an area where there is traffic and that usually means cell service, too.

[wa8yxm]

Oh Fed-Ex delivered my new Ham Rig today (A Icom ID-51 hand held companion to my 5100. This thing is wild.. Spent time doing some programming. some I was able to copy. some not. But it's all up and cooking now.

[73guna]

I hook mine up every time we go camping. Just stick it on top of the dash with some velcro and it comes in handy sometimes.