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

[sdennislee]

I still carry a hand held CB in the drawer by the driver's seat just in case I need it. Better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.

These days I get my traffic updates from WAZE or GPS with Real Time Traffic, don't need it to find the speed traps since the Class A doesn't speed, nice for group communications but don't often do that.

Nothing wrong with having cheap insurance. Seldom needed but not useless yet.

[AudiDudi]

Originally Posted by Forkyfork

We use FRS but found that even with a Motorola Talkabout long range set if someone is out of sight you cant get them on the FRS radio. This was recently an issue when we were traveling in an area with poor cell service.

Interesting. I've found they are generally good for about 1.5 miles, but mine are at least 15 yrs old (Talkabout FR50). Usually, we are within a couple hundreds yards in a caravan and they work fine.



I've heard some use them when parking the RV also.

[SilverBob]

If our rig had come with a CB, I probably wouldn't remove it. Ours didn't, but I don't really miss it. We do spend a great deal of time out of cell coverage, so I installed a mobile ham radio in the motorhome, like we have in all our other vehicles and use that in case DW needs to take the Jeep to find a camp spot. It's also a lot more reliable in case we need to call for help.

[Forkyfork]

Originally Posted by AudiDudi

Interesting. I've found they are generally good for about 1.5 miles, but mine are at least 15 yrs old (Talkabout FR50). Usually, we are within a couple hundreds yards in a caravan and they work fine.



I've heard some use them when parking the RV also.

We use ours every trip before we leave the drive. First to navigate the 10* slope and not scrape the back of the coach off, fall in the ditch on the right or down the gulley on the left.

Then comes the part where we go over the river and through the woods and it’s literally uphill both ways and one car width wide for 1/4 mile. I take the car through and block the road and let my husband know it’s clear. There is no cell service for the entire mile between our house and the mailbox. After we go over the river the woods thin and there are spots where we can pull off for another vehicle if needed.

I tried two other radios, one was a cobra set the other something rebranded. We can hear each other on the Motorola but it’s a little staticky on the higher channels. The others, no way could we understand what the other was saying. I’m sure it has to do with the trees and curvy road.

We also use them in one place we camp because of no cell service. That way I don’t have to track my husband down when it’s lunch time.

[HappiPappa]

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 still have one for traffic updates, weather (NOAA) updates, and emergency contact. If a bad storm rolls through it can/will damage cell towers rendering your phone worthless. It is nice to have a secondary means of communication for peace of mind pending an unplanned emergency situation. Additionally, you can get a decent CB and antenna for less than $100.

[mrt_1111]

I bet there a phone app for that.

[Bubba1]

Still have a CB in our rig. Seldom use it, but it comes in handy occasionally. We've tried FRS radios when traveling with friends, but they're only good for line of site at best. So we revert back to using our CB's when we get stretched out on the road. I like the weather feature, especially when I'm an area I'm unfamiliar with and the weather turns funky. I tune in the local NOAA channel and leave it set on that channel. I have also used it at truck stops when using their scales. Since it does come in handy (at least for us) I'll just leave it and use it as needed.



Mike H

[Petro]

We have had CBs in all 5 of our rigs. We did use it a lot when we were traveling in a group with a couple of friends. Now that our friends quit RVing we do not use it much at all.

Don

[bobbelcher]

Used to have one in my truck as a teenager that my friends and I used to communicate with. I have one in my RV but never use it. I tried using it on my last big trip for traffic but never needed it. I wouldn't install one on my own today.

[Whaler2]

Still have mine and monitor 19 when the language is decent. Not many truckers on as years past. Did use it to have a trucker look my towed over after missing some debris on the interstate. Ended up chatting for awhile

[twojayhawks]

I had one as original equipment in my 2002. It served as entertainment sometimes to turn it on and just listen. I didn't think it useful enough to go out and add it to my 2015 so I guess I'm in the camp that can live without it.

[NCC-1701A]

Originally Posted by Forkyfork

We use ours every trip before we leave the drive. First to navigate the 10* slope and not scrape the back of the coach off, fall in the ditch on the right or down the gulley on the left.

Then comes the part where we go over the river and through the woods and it’s literally uphill both ways and one car width wide for 1/4 mile.

Forkyfork....your driveway and drive out sound just like mine!!! I had to put some 6' high markers along the edge of the 1 1/2 car wide road at the bottom of my steep drive so I could better judge that I wasn't going to drive over the 10' drop since I need every inch out onto the road to clear the bottom end of my driveway without dropping off the culvert! In a diesel with the wheels behind me, I always feel like I'm floating over that edge...kinda like Kate Winslow and Leonardo DiCaprio on the front of the Titanic!

[markarbogast]

My reason for wanting one is in case I break down or need help in an area without cell phone coverage.

[Bahamaniac]

We have one in our rig. It's nice to have a way to get help when cell service is not there.