CB radio Got one?

Not to many years ago we all had to have one? Thinking of getting one for the RV listening/talking to the truckers can be helpful. Breaker , breaker...Got your ears on? How's that tow car tracking? How far till the next rest area? Thanks good buddy.

We do have a CB in the motorhome, but mostly we only turn it on to check on traffic or weather conditions now and then. Most of the time, Google Maps on our smartphones is a more reliable resource.

We've got a CB in the motorhome, for once-in-a-while traffic checks, and one in the toad for communication with others in the group when we're four-wheeling. The one in the MH also occasionally sees use when we have a group within a large campsite -- help coordination of activities.

I just installed one in our pickup. It is an older used unit saved from my former life as a dairy farmer. We used CBs in trucks, tractors and a base station in the farmhouse to coordinate our harvesting activities. Very useful - we operated on a channel not commonly used and basically had it to ourselves. I am not sure how it will work out in our tow vehicle. I have not really had the chance to use it with the camper but I am hopeful. At the moment, I am out about $30 for the K-30 magnetic mount antenna that I still need to get tuned in.

I do have one in my pickup and use it when traveling the freeways and i do listen for the trucker reports, especially during winter months going over passes. I do believe some of the younger truckers do not have one and even if they do it is not turned on. It has helped out numerous times over the years with warnings and driving conditions.



The information is out there, all you have to do is let it in.

Have had one for years, only time we turn it on is to get info when traffic is backed up or such.

I THINK I still have a couple in boxes in the garage...one is an old Cobra 23 channel, the other is a Midland 40 channel unit. Neither have seen use since the late 80's.

Not sure why I keep them...  ???

BoomerD said:

I THINK I still have a couple in boxes in the garage...one is an old Cobra 23 channel, the other is a Midland 40 channel unit. Neither have seen use since the late 80's.

Not sure why I keep them...  ???

Click to expand...

I have at least one 40 channel Realistic and maybe another one also, along with a brand new still in the wrapper magnetic mount antenna, and at least one external speaker in the same place as yours. Now finding the exact place in the garage they are residing may be a bit harder to narrow down. I think they are in the overhead of my workshop. ???

I know this thread is OLD ... but all of you HAVE to learn that CB lingo has CHANGED ... for example --- in the first post here , he says ...

Thanks good buddy

Click to expand...

 
DON'T dare say that  ( unless you know what you are saying ) ....  it has an ALL new meaning now .  Now , it refers to a gay male .  So , unless you are referring to a gay male .... do NOT get on your CB and say that to a truck driver . 
There are OTHER verses that have changed also ..
My suggestion to any of you is simple .... just talk like you do to anyone on the phone .... NORMAL . 
You will not only get your point across , BUT , you will also not possibly offend someone or insult , or God only knows what .
So , to you all CB'ers out there ...
Keep the bugs off your glass and the bears of your a$$ .  Be kool on your stool and DON'T be a fool  and mercy sakes .... keep the shiny side up and the greasy side down ...
Tootle  loo , buckeroo .  8)

Dang! It pays to be careful...thanks for the update.

BoonDocker Bob said:

I know this thread is OLD ... but all of you HAVE to learn that CB lingo has CHANGED ... for example --- in the first post here , he says ... 
DON'T dare say that  ( unless you know what you are saying ) ....  it has an ALL new meaning now .  Now , it refers to a gay male .  So , unless you are referring to a gay male .... do NOT get on your CB and say that to a truck driver . 
There are OTHER verses that have changed also ..
My suggestion to any of you is simple .... just talk like you do to anyone on the phone .... NORMAL . 
You will not only get your point across , BUT , you will also not possibly offend someone or insult , or God only knows what .
So , to you all CB'ers out there ...
Keep the bugs off your glass and the bears of your a$$ .  Be kool on your stool and DON'T be a fool  and mercy sakes .... keep the shiny side up and the greasy side down ...
Tootle  loo , buckeroo .  8)

Click to expand...

I almost spit out my coffee reading the last post! As a 35+ year trucker, I totally understand it.
To the newbies...
Just be yourself and don't try to impress anyone. 

Is it good to have one for emergencies when you're out in the middle of nowhere and you don't have cell service. Sometimes I'm a little behind the times, so is there another alternative?

Urban Hillbilly said:

Is it good to have one for emergencies when you're out in the middle of nowhere and you don't have cell service. Sometimes I'm a little behind the times, so is there another alternative?

Click to expand...

The range of a CB radio is rather limited, so while there are occasions when the phone service is missing that the CB might help, more often you'd also be out of range of another station. One to five miles is the normal mobile radio range for CB (depending on terrain, obstacles, etc.), with base station usually somewhat greater but varying depending on location and antenna height, plus obstacles (roughly line of sight). But to get, say, 15 miles out of your mobile, you might need to be talking to a base station on a hill or with its antenna on a tower.

So CB has its uses, but don't get too carried away in your expectations.

Ham radio is similar in range for the VHF and UHF frequencies when talking simplex (that is, direct to another station), though it'll be a bit further because you can use higher power, but when using repeaters the range can be extended considerably, depending on where you are, and whether there is a repeater within your range. Along the front range of the Colorado Rockies there are places where, using a handheld I can talk to stations 70 miles and more away from me, though most of these areas also are in cell phone range. In flatter country though, such as Columbus, Ohio (where I lived for a while) you may get 20-30 miles from a repeater to a mobile, or more in a few cases, less in others.

But ham radio has the limitation that you may only talk to other hams, and it requires studying electronics and regulations to pass a test first.

So, depending on where you're going, there may be more than one solution, or there may be none.

Our RV Forum has rallies where we go on trail rides and use our CBs to talk back and forth.  This is really important in some remote areas because someone might have a problem the leader needs to know about or someone misses a turn and gets left behind.  We also use the CB occasionally on the highway if there's a traffic tie-up and we wonder what happened.  The truckers generally let the rest of us know a lane is blocked or if there's an accident.  We've even told truckers they need to check something on their rig that doesn't look quite right.  A cell phone is useless if you need to talk with someone traveling near you (maybe their tire is going flat) because you don't have their phone number but if both of you have CBs you can contact them.  So, although we don't use our CB a lot, it can be useful.

ArdraF

Thanks. Those are some great points. Old technology sometimes is still useful.

I installed an old CB I had for our trip to S. Dakota last summer. While I did hear a few useful tidbits, there was not as much CB traffic as I expected. I do not think it is a standard accessory in all trucks these days. It appeared many company/corporate owned trucks may not have them (I could not see any antennas), and it looks like a lot of truckers are connected to phones with blue tooth, etc..  I was a little surprised that there was not as much camaraderie between truckers as I remember when CBs were in their hay day. (no C. W. McCall Convoy!) Some were really calling each other out. In fact, you may need to brace yourself for some unpleasant language.

Ya, no more break 19, good buddy or any of that other Smoky and the Bandit crap. Your best bet talking to someone is waiting for a flatbed. Normally those drivers are not complete losers. If you want to talk to them say, hey flatbed, got your radio on, I'm in the RV coming up on your left. He'll probably say, ya, go ahead. Now just talk normal.

If a truck passes you, DO NOT flash your high beams when it's safe for him to pull back in. You pretty much blinded him. Turn your headlights off for 3 seconds then back on. If a truck flashes you to pull back in after you passed turn your headlights off and on maybe 3 times. That makes your back lights blink as in "Thank You". You can also put your emergency flashers on for 3 blinks.

If you have a CB and a truck passes you, you can say you got it big truck. That means OK to pull back in.

If a truck flashes you to pull back in after you passed turn your headlights off and on maybe 3 times. That makes your back lights blink as in "Thank You".

Click to expand...

Many motorhomes have an ICC switch, which is what I use. Some even have an equivalent switch for the headlights, which is very handy.

viceprice said:

I installed an old CB I had for our trip to S. Dakota last summer. While I did hear a few useful tidbits, there was not as much CB traffic as I expected. I do not think it is a standard accessory in all trucks these days. It appeared many company/corporate owned trucks may not have them (I could not see any antennas), and it looks like a lot of truckers are connected to phones with blue tooth, etc..  I was a little surprised that there was not as much camaraderie between truckers as I remember when CBs were in their hay day. (no C. W. McCall Convoy!) Some were really calling each other out. In fact, you may need to brace yourself for some unpleasant language.

Click to expand...

I don't know where my CBs are, I may have thrown them away. I gave up years ago with that too loud, reverb, marble mouth, mumbling about something you can't make out.  Seemed like every trucker wanted to sound like a drunk Trace Adkins. Then the things you can make out end with "U" and start with Screw or other choice words.

1/2 the people I know don't even answer the phone anymore, they text. Now with speech to text on almost every phone they don't have to type so find it faster than talking.

I saw a guy once with an app called Rvillage where RV folks on an app can find one another and communicate via messaging.

I have a couple of CBs somewhere in the garage in a box (I think). One was a SSB (Single-Sideband).  However, I do have about 10 handheld CB walkie-talkies used when camping, Boy Scout events, etc. where it's convenient to stay in touch with a group as others have already mentioned.

Many years ago I repaired CBs in a part-time business (had a 1st class FCC license) and was actively involved in CB use. If you're an old geezer like me then you remember the 102" "whip" antenna, bumper mounted, waving in the breeze.  I feel that overall CB use has declined both on the road and in private use.  IMO, the CB radio can still play a role in emergency communications where a catastrophe has disabled cellular and landline communications. Maybe I'll dig out the old CBs and see if they still work....where did I put that whip antenna?

Reggie