Who has CB's and How Relevant are they anymore?

[depchief]

I have a CB in the Coach and it is on at all times while traveling. Has saved me on many occasions with alerts on traffic and weather. The GPS notes the county so I have an idea of where a storm is located. The volume is set low to avoid the language of others using their radios.

[RV Poppy]

Personally I think it would be nice to have a channel for RVers. I had one in my old RV and only listened. Would be nice to have been able to tune into a channel where RVers gathered to chat and exchange information. Would be a good companion for the driver when the rest of the people on board have crashed or are doing other things.

[b17drvr]

10-4 good buddy.

[LFord]

Originally Posted by AudiDudi

We use the FRS "walkie talkie's" when in multiple vehicles.

The FRS radios work OK as long as your "caravan" vehicles are relatively close together. However, they have very limited transmit power output (around 0.5 watt), very short antennas (due to operating in the 460+MHz band), and are limited to "line-of-sight" communications, more or less (again, due to short antennas and the limitations of the frequency band the FCC has assigned to FRS).


At least the CBs have a 5-watt power output and much longer antennas (if you have one actually resonant in the CB band), thus allowing communications over many more miles than FRS, and are not limited to "line-of-sight," all which comes in very handy if your companion vehicles get separated by road accidents or other conditions.



Personally, I prefer the 2-meter amateur band, if I am traveling in a caravan with other amateur radio operators, but also carry a portable CB on long interstate trips.


So, there is still some relevance to CB radios.

[LFord]

Originally Posted by RV Poppy

Personally I think it would be nice to have a channel for RVers. I had one in my old RV and only listened. Would be nice to have been able to tune into a channel where RVers gathered to chat and exchange information. Would be a good companion for the driver when the rest of the people on board have crashed or are doing other things.

Amateur radio operators who are also RVers have a nightly "net" on 7.265 MHz around 8 PM (Eastern) where they do exactly what you describe.

[DannyB1954]

I think CB may be making a comeback. Those FRS GMRS radios actually need a license to operate on the GMRS channels. It costs $70 for a 10 year license.

If you camp with others where there is no cell service CB are handy. Some of the newer ones also come with the weather band channels.

[Woodsie]

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it imo.

[Bulletspider]

Even though many can exist nicely without a CB I find they are very useful for the following reasons:
1. When travelling with several other RVers we can all keep in touch, min to min, as we drive and what things (wildlife, danger) to watch out for. It also is friendly and not having to rely on a FRS call, then pick up the FRS and reply.
2. Still useful listening to the truckers if there are delays.
3. Useful in our RV if others in our group want to pass along information to everyone, or just us.
4. Weather warnings are really useful.
There could be many other uses but we still use it especially group travelling.

[Caseythenose]

The little FM walkie talkies are better than nothing, but they will not go close to as far as a decent antenna on a 150 dollar CB. I carry three CB walkie talkies with cig lighter plugs. When we travel with someone new, I always refuse to convoy unless they agree to have it plugged in and on.
Every single one of them has installed one themselves.
They get used all the time when traveling.
I am a HAM and have professional handheld radio capable of five times the output of the Walmart type "toy talkies" and even mine (yes, I carry five of them, too) do not go nearly as far as a CB will.
You cannot beat an antenna mounted to a large a vehicle on the upper portion of it.
The way CB works gives it far further range also.
Most people try a channel 19 chat a few times, (that channel has so many thousands of high-powered truckers with big amplifiers talking all over the USA at the same moment...you can see the RF meter jump 4 points the second you tune to it) and give up with CB forever.
Channel 34 and up are basically for SSB.
Buying a radio made for SSB about five models up from the "$69 dollar special" will show someone much better performance.
Pulling into a CB shop at a truck stop will usually get you set up right.
LET THE SHOP DO IT. BE PATIENT.
They have the meters to set the SWR right, they know how to get the antenna right also.
If you buy a 1200 dollar radio and mount the antenna wrong, it will be useless.
A metal antenna of good quality (about 75 dollars or more) will make a huge difference.
Telling the CB shop you do NOT want the "echo options" put in is a good idea.
The legal factor means nothing. No one enforces that any more. But echo boxes and reverbs do nothing for your range or being able to hear others.
Using the lower channels is a lot better. Tune your antenna to be at it's peak around channel 10.
(Ask the CB shop to do it that way. 19 will still function fine, but you will get a little further on 10-15, where you need it.)
The lower channels are always a little quieter.
You should be able to talk 25-35 miles on the flats, easily with a decent CB.
Learning to use SSB can save your life.
Getting your technician Ham license can be done in a few days, for very little money...and will give you access to coast to coast repeaters/HAM operators. These repeaters are the same things the police use. They make a walkie talkie able to reach 200 miles.

[beboboy9]

Originally Posted by NCC-1701A

Back in the early 2000's I had a CB in my first Class A. Even then, I cannot recall that I ever used it for anything. So on my subsequent RV's, I never reinstalled it. Looking at used units online, I still see a lot of them with CB's installed.

Who still has CB's and do you use it? Are they even relevant anymore? Curious if you have one and use it, for what use does it come in handy?

I just bought a Cobra. Had one back in the seventies when they were all the rage. I travel for business some alone and wifey isn’t there for conversation so I think I’ll enjoy the trucker chatter. Besides, when traffic is backed up, I always pick the lane that has the issue so maybe the CB will help with that. I wonder if “Smokey Bears” still monitor CB’s? I’ve seen circumstances that I wanted to report reckless asses to Smokey.

[Tugboat]

I have this in my truck and a Cobra 29 in my work truck

[gsuburban]

Originally Posted by NCC-1701A

Back in the early 2000's I had a CB in my first Class A. Even then, I cannot recall that I ever used it for anything. So on my subsequent RV's, I never reinstalled it. Looking at used units online, I still see a lot of them with CB's installed.

Who still has CB's and do you use it? Are they even relevant anymore? Curious if you have one and use it, for what use does it come in handy?

Those are still around but the new idea is to purchase a HAM radio vs. the CB. They have much more range than any CB. You have to be licensed to use one however, and take a test. Worth it if you need to reach out and there's no cell service.

[Red Jeep]

Use to be a big fan of CB's but it faded away over the years. Now I use an inexpensive compact walkie-talkie duo. Suppose to be good for 50 miles but probably line of sight and perfect atmospheric conditions and most likely only good for 5 or 10 miles.
Anyway, they come in handy at times where there is no cell coverage and wife is in the store shopping and I get impatient. Lol
Definitely came in handy one time when driving down to the lower 48 from Alaska in my mohome and wife following me in our pickup and pulling our jet boat. She hit a major frost heave in the Yukon and the boat came unhooked while I was about 2 or so miles ahead. If she had not been able to reach me, I would have likely been another 10 or so miles down the hwy before I realized she wasn't there.

[capndan77]

We don't use our CB a lot except when my wife chooses to nap and I need someone to talk to. There is little of the old trash talk so you can carry on a quiet conversation with truckers and other RVers. Last year we let the trusted GPS direct us up a narrow mountain road before it said "we had arrived at our destination"! Impossible! Thanks to a local truck driver, we were able to locate a turn-around and avoid disaster. I brushed the dust off the CB and keep it handy for when the latest technology fails me!