CB Radio......useful?

[Cheli]

I'm starting to put together a list of items I think will be important once I am living in a van and traveling around the country, sort of a wish list for myself.

I was wondering, are cb radios still useful on the road?  Does anyone still use them?  I was thinking it would be helpful to hear any issues on the road as well as calling out for assistance if the need arises.

If so, could anyone recommend a good one?  Is it one of those you get what you pay for things or is a cheap on ok for the purpose?

I should add that I'm thinking of getting a cb radio and a scanner.  Or is one more useful than the other and both aren't necessary?

 

[Patrick46]

I've never been into scanners (mostly because I've never learned how to work one properly...even though I own one)

...but I think CB's are a good thing to have, especially in a traveling rig.

If the traffic comes to a standstill, you can radio drivers going the other way to find out what's up ahead (accident, road construction, etc)

If you get into a city and you'd like directions somewhere, then they work great for this.
(on a cross-country road trip, we picked up a couple who were broke down on their Harley at a gas station out in the middle of Wyoming. When we got into Sturgis, we were able to drop them on the repair shop's doorstep thanx to directions we got from someone on the CB)

When traveling in caravans or convoys, it's great fun to yack and keep in touch with everybody else while you're going somewhere too!

Detours, weather info, LEO's, updates on drunk drivers, and even just another person to chat with when traveling long distances (especially truck drivers)...all of this is available on the CB network.


as for what to get...a simple Uniden is a great reliable radio and many truck fleets use them. ($40 anywhere)
Add a simple antenna (and get it tuned), and you're good to go for less than $100.

Money well spent, in my book, and I never travel without one.

 

[compassrose]

Some folks are rabidly anti-CB. Others like them. It really depends. What do you expect from one? There is a lot of bad language on them in some places. My father was involved with CBs back when you had to have a license to use one.

I have one.

How I use it:
Keep aware of traffic ahead of me. Bad accident means I would either change lanes early OR get off the road.
Bad weather - icing on the roads means use care and get off until situation clears.
Landslide - fairly common in the mountains I used to drive in.
Break down - in the area I used to live in, cell phones did not always work but, most of the time, the radio did. I travel US highways same as a great deal of truckers do (now). I can always "hollar" at a passing truck if my cell phone does not work.

How I do not use it:
Do not talk on it.
Do not try to hail other RVs/skoolies.
Do not listen to it much.

 

[speedhighway46]

CRVLers:

Compassrose has pretty much nailed it as far as CBs are concerned. I have one in my motor home and can count on one hand the number of times I have used it in the past few years. Stil, they are cheap and having one is better than not having one; it may be the one thing that saves you one day. Go to a truck stop, TA or Pilot, and buy a new one. They are pretty cheap. Also, get a magnet mouth antenna and stick it on your roof; that's all you'll need so don't let them talk you into anything more.

I'd also like to put a plug for Amateur Radio. Yes, you do need a license and pass a test but it's pretty easy and the questions on the test are all published so you know what they are. Then get a radio that operates on the two meter band (146-147 MHz). The national listening frequency is 146.52; have a problem? Go there and ask for help and there is a good chance someone will hear you and lend a hand. For more information Google ARRL and go to their website; it's the national organization for "ham" radio operators and they will gladly help you out. The radio in my motor home is always on and always set to 146.52! Having to pass the test to get a license serves as a pretty good "riff-raff" filter; folks in ham radio are generally helpful and you can make lifelong friends; just like here!

Hope this helps.

 

[Cheli]

I was thinking a cb radio would be good for all the reason you all mentioned. But mostly just to have in case I needed help or something.

I have been thinking of getting my HAM license as well but just haven't read up on it to study yet, someday.

 

[johnny b]

I agree that a CB would be the most useful for the cheap cost.

Scanners these days are a mixed bag. Most Police, Fire, and other Govt. users are moving to fully digital radio systems and this has forced the price of scanners that receive 'digital' into the hundreds of dollars range. Cheap 'analog' scanners are still available but are mostly just for listening to NASCAR drivers cuss about each other at the track. Also, scanners are 'receive only'--can't call for help.
Plus, something I found out when I was going to the Formula 1 races at Indianapolis from 2001-2007---some states have laws restricting the use of radios that 'can receive' police frequencies. Here in Virginia scanners are only illegal if used while committing a crime, ie: a lookout/driver for a bank robbery. In some other states they're illegal just to have in a vehicle.
My old scanner is just an expensive 'weather radio' these days, but I do take it to the race tracks....but that's just me.

Ham radio is certainly the thing to have in the boonies or during disasters...when the power's out from hurricanes or tornadoes, there is a network of Amateur Radio Operators that step up to provide emergency communications....I forget their name though.

Another device for emergency use as well as data point tracking of your travels is SPOT.  Don't have any personal experience with it but thought it looked pretty interesting after following a link:
http://www.findmespot.com/en/

 

[Matlock]

Good advice from everyone.
I have a 15+ year old unit that works just fine with a mag-mount antenna that is over the cab.

The few times it's been on was for traffic problems and to verify road conditions ahead. Still, I'd buy one if I didn't have it. I'm all about being safe and they are just another tool in the box.

 

[Patrick46]

Oh, heck yeah...I forgot to mention the Amateur Radio HAM's.

SH46 has it right on the money! Great advice!!


...and just because you get a CB doesn't mean you need to use it much, but it's a great safety back-up to have.

 

[LowTech]

You can also own, listen to (monitor), and transmit in an emergency, a ham radio. There are some cheap hand-held, two meter/ 70cm, dual bands out there now. A lot of people I know own these, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007...ds=BaoFeng&dpPl=1&dpID=51q-q-sV1-L&ref=plSrch

 

[LowTech]

You can also own, listen to (monitor), and transmit in an emergency, a ham radio. (w/o a licence )
There are some cheap hand-held, two meter/ 70cm, dual bands out there now. A lot of people I know own these, https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007...ds=BaoFeng&dpPl=1&dpID=51q-q-sV1-L&ref=plSrch

 

[highdesertranger]

I have a CB, a Uniden it has the NOAA weather radio on it. I use it mostly when caravanning, I have never tried to use it for an emergency. you can get some good info from truckers. I will someday get a ham license much more useful. in a lot of rural counties where you don't have cell coverage the Sherriff dept. monitors certain amateur frequencies for emergency calls. a CB has nowhere near the range as a ham. highdesertranger

 

[SoulRaven]

Something else that wasn't mentioned is that many campgrounds and also Slab City have radio shows over the CB in the evening telling about upcoming events or the days news.

I consider a CB radio as a must have.

 

[johnny b]

Speaking of entertainment. ya can always listen to the CB chatter of the hookers workin the truck stops......or so I've heard...  

 

[highdesertranger]

yes people abuse the use of CB's by doing radio type shows on them. I have heard Nazi radio shows and God radio shows on CB's this is a federal offense. highdesertranger

 

[debit.servus]

Have a CB radio and a non-adjustable 2' antenna installed into the van. It's tuned decently however reception is dependent on whether the car and deep cycle batteries are charged up or not (half mile at best reception). On trips I can tell that they can hear me but I can't hear them. The antenna is grounded and level to the fiberglass high-top, perhaps this is the reason for poor reception. Need larger antenna(s). Desire to install dual antennas on both sides of the van to improve transmission and reception. I have the parts, just need to install them.

I hope CB radio never dies, it is one of the few means of communication that will be operational when the american power grid collapses, with ham radio and others not dependent on the power grid. I reccommend everyone with a self-sufficincy mindset have one installed on their rig.

 

[LeeRevell]

I got caught up in the hype of CB back in the '70s and early '80s when travelling in the military.  My personal experience was that CB is, for the most part, useless while driving.  And this was during the eight of the craze, when everybody and their cousin was using them.
Still, for highway use, I would carry one for emergency comms if my cellphone couldn't get a signal.  I also carry an FRS/GMRS radio for emergency use too.  Just covering my bases, but they remain turned off normally.

 

[highdesertranger]

debit does your antenna have a ground plane. if your antenna is mounted on a fiberglass top it must have a ground plane. not just grounded but a ground plane. if you have been trying to broadcast on a unturned antenna you could have damaged your head unit. how did you tune your antenna? who ever tuned it should have caught this. highdesertranger

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

I'd like to expand on what Speed Gray, K8SG said.  In many ways CB radio and Ham radio are opposite.  In CB everyone makes up a "handle", no one lets others know who they are.  In Ham radio, you have a license, a call sign, and you're required to announce your call sign at least every 10 minutes.  Foul language is used in CB, it's against the rules in Ham radio and is seldom heard on the air.  Ham radio attracts intelligent, well mannered people.  The basic license test is easy if you take the on-line practice exams over and over.    

Having said all that, I think it's a good idea to have a CB raidio to monitor.  You can hear interesting chatter between the drivers, about road conditions and such.  But alas, to my shame and discredit, the only working radio I own that transmits is my cell phone.  

Bruce, W8BBS

 

[debit.servus]

debit does your antenna have a ground plane.  if your antenna is mounted on a fiberglass top it must have a ground plane.  not just grounded but a ground plane.  if you have been trying to broadcast on a unturned antenna you could have damaged your head unit.  how did you tune your antenna?  who ever tuned it should have caught this.  highdesertranger

This is the antenna, it's mounted to the lip of the high-top. Is a ground plane a flat plane to which an antenna is grounded? At the 2015 RTR I asked for help to see if it was turned. Testing with the SWR meter with this Colorado guy we found out it's tuned. The antenna is non-adjustable (pre-tuned?). I am a noob when it comes to radio equipment. Look at where the antenna is situated, perhaps the high-top blocks signals trying to get through the passenger side of the van?

 

[Cheli]

Ok so I know I'm not going to be getting my van and on the road for about a year but I'm thinking ahead.  I was looking at this cb radio last week and today I see it's on sale at Amazon for only $40.99 and FREE shipping, it's normally $59.99.  Does this seem like a good radio and something that would be worth getting now even though I'm only in the planning stages of my vandwelling dream?  I will get the antenna and anything else I need to hook it up later once I have a vehicle but for now I thought this might be something I should grab for the price.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004VXNI/ref=pe_316150_158065350_em_1p_0_ti