CB Radios

[AlwaysDusty]

Do many of you use CB radios while traveling? I noticed in the Winnie owner's manual that our MH is "prewired" for CB. If you have a CB, did you use the existing wire harness or start from scratch. Thanks in advance for your advice. ---- jim

[Chuck 1935]

I used the Winnie prewire and it worked out very well. The only thing you have to do is tune the antenna after the installation

[PORCHDOG]

On my '07 Adventurer I used the power wires but there is no antenna. I put on on the mirror. Just be careful that the antenna does not get caught by the wind and whip around hitting the coach.

[sam-tip]

We use our CB mostly during bad weather. It has weather radio and very nice to find out the road conditions from the truckers. The truckers will tell you more than you need to know.

Still haven't figured out the tunning the antena. Hard to establish a ground plain with a fiberglass camper. I even got a non ground plain antenna.

The factory antenna didn't work very good. Bad grounds.

[AFChap]

I used the factory wiring. Mine also had an antenna installed. It is a very marginal antenna, but I stuck with it. You have to have an SWR meter to tune the antenna. You can google sites that will help you understand how to tune it ...http://www.life123.com/technology/home-electronics/cb-radio/how-to-tune-a-cb-antenna.shtml is one such site.

We use the CB weather radio in bad weather, and I have on when driving. It has helped us a few times to avoid traffic jams due to accidents, and to find a good detour around the jam. We have also used it a few times when traveling in a convoy with RV friends.

[PORCHDOG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sam-tip We use our CB mostly during bad weather. It has weather radio and very nice to find out the road conditions from the truckers. The truckers will tell you more than you need to know. Still haven't figured out the tunning the antena. Hard to establish a ground plain with a fiberglass camper. I even got a non ground plain antenna. The factory antenna didn't work very good. Bad grounds.

***************************************
To tune the antenna you need a SWR meter. Really best to go to a CB shop and have it done, very easy!
A ground plane (GP) antenna needs a GP coax lead that acts as the GP. It can't be cut though. I laid it back and forth in my dash because it was too long. I put the antenna in the drivers mirror bracket. Works great.

[WOODYDEL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PORCHDOG *************************************** To tune the antenna you need a SWR meter. Really best to go to a CB shop and have it done, very easy! A ground plane (GP) antenna needs a GP coax lead that acts as the GP. It can't be cut though. I laid it back and forth in my dash because it was too long. I put the antenna in the drivers mirror bracket. Works great.

I'm not being a wise guy but where do you find a CB Shop? I've been thinking about installing a CB as a decoration in my MH. Seems everyone is using cell phones.

[PORCHDOG]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WOODYDEL I'm not being a wise guy but where do you find a CB Shop? I've been thinking about installing a CB as a decoration in my MH. Seems everyone is using cell phones.

Are you kidding? Long Island is full of them. Try Sandros Electronics in Bayshore for starters, look in the Yellow Pages.
Try to find out why you are sitting in stopped traffic on the Interstate on your cell phone! If you have a CB all you do is ask a trucker coming toward you. He will give you more details than you want. I don't use CB as a rule, but in traffic it is nice to have.

[dapope]

CB is very popular in Australia, used to talk the trucks around and coordinate passing, the trucks are often travelling faster than RVs as they run to deadlines! Lot of handhelds used for backing manoevers, the wife gets to tell you what to do!! sometimes the other way around.
Also useful if you get a brakedown in the outback, some people get up to 40 km with good gear

[thelastplace]

Many CB shops are near or in truck stops. I had mine installed by Camping World and it works just fine. They put the antenna on the roof..


But the true travelers are they who leave for leaving’s sake
Saying continuously, without knowing why: ‘Let us go on’.
Paraphrased from Baudelaire’s ‘The Journey’

[hardy1000]

We use our CB when traviling with friends both in the MH and and my Jeep. Quick easy communication. When traveling alone we keep it on 19 for traffic. There is also an RV channel which I belive is 13. Someone please correct me if Im wrong about 13.

[Hikerdogs]

We used the wiring in the coach for the setup. It took more time to find the wires (stuffed up under the dash in a plastic bag) than it did to install the radio. About the only time we use the CB feature is when going on Winnebago sponsored caravans (they're required). Other than than we use the weather radio when it looks like bad things may be on the horizon.

[Grimesy]

The sig alert system on a good radio is quite important when in tornado/ hurricane country. As stated if you go with WIT on a caravan it is required it also can increase your vocabulary if you monitor ch 19 (Truckers). The first time a sig alert alarm went off in the middle of the night I almost bumped my head on the ceiling. Had to do with an Amber Alert. I did use the installed system but finally ran a direct line to the battery .
Don, WIT 70041

[WOODYDEL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PORCHDOG Are you kidding? Long Island is full of them. Try Sandros Electronics in Bayshore for starters, look in the Yellow Pages. Try to find out why you are sitting in stopped traffic on the Interstate on your cell phone! If you have a CB all you do is ask a trucker coming toward you. He will give you more details than you want. I don't use CB as a rule, but in traffic it is nice to have.

I get traffic reports on my GPS. I will take a look and find out how many "CB SHOPS" are on Long Island.

I did several searches. There are no "CB SHOPS". Maybe long ago but not on Long Island. Sandros does electronic repairs. I'm sure they know about CB radios but if you try to find a CB shop it's not going to happen. There is one guy working out of his house in Ridge. I used online business and whitepages searches and local new phone books.

It's an OK addition. I have radios on in my home for days on end. Nothing. Years ago you would hear all kinds of chatter especially at night. We used to have CB radios in all our trucks years ago. Would keep guys awake when they plowed snow and they knew where to meet for coffee.

I did find EDS electronics in Medford. I did forget about them. That's where I bought my first cell phone in 1988. It was a radio the size of a small suitcase under the seat with a dash mounted handset. At $1 a minute to use. Anyway they do understand CB's since they've been around quite a while.

It was just the term "CB shop" I was questioning.