CB Radio

[aczlan]

Aaron, I see there are not any technical specifications listed on Amazon for these radios. Can you comment how well they work compared to the motorola? I can read and understand technical specifications, but I know a lot of people that would buy these units could not make heads or tails out of technical specs for radios so I understand why they may not publish them as well as they are probably substandard. I mean what do you expect for under $15 each? But as you said, for something that may get dropped in the mud or mashed anyway, I can see how you would want to put these into service if they work satisfactorily.

First off, the BF-888 radios are NOT waterproof (haven't lost one yet, but they have no waterproofing)

The BF-888 is smaller, its about the size of a "big" FRS/GRMS radio

Range wise, they seem to be very comparable to the Motorolas (I can send and receive transmissions to the repeater at work from about 3 miles away with the BF-888, might be more, that was across down and up/down some hills)

Audio quality isn't as good (sounds tinny) and they don't go as loud (they max out at what would be about 3/4 volume on the Motorolas)

It takes a half second more to "turn on" audio (ie: break the squelch) than the Motorola, so if someone keys the mic and starts talking right away you might get "on Z" instead of "Aaron Z"

Weightwise, the BF-888 is less than half the weight of the Motorola (6oz vs 14oz).

Comparing them to some of the older AA and AAA powered FRS radios we have had over the years, its as good or better than any of them EXCEPT that you can ONLY program it with a computer (not a problem for me, might be for others). I used a piece of (free) software called CHIRP rather than the OEM software as its supposed to be mush more user friendly.

We use them for contractor radios and we have them in some of the offices around the facility (zip tied to the charger so they stay put) as a "office radio" (so the guys can hear if someone calls for them without having to remove the radio from their forklift).

As a radio to hand to the kids and say "go have fun out back" or to help keep track of a group of cars caravaning down the road, I would say that they are perfect.
As a radio to use for a group out hunting, fishing, working on the farm, etc, etc, etc I would say that they are great.
As a radio to sit on a forklift that is working outside in all kinds of weather, not so much.

Aaron Z

 

[k0ua]

First off, the BF-888 radios are NOT waterproof (haven't lost one yet, but they have no waterproofing)

The BF-888 is smaller, its about the size of a "big" FRS/GRMS radio

Range wise, they seem to be very comparable to the Motorolas (I can send and receive transmissions to the repeater at work from about 3 miles away with the BF-888, might be more, that was across down and up/down some hills)

Audio quality isn't as good (sounds tinny) and they don't go as loud (they max out at what would be about 3/4 volume on the Motorolas)

It takes a half second more to "turn on" audio (ie: break the squelch) than the Motorola, so if someone keys the mic and starts talking right away you might get "on Z" instead of "Aaron Z"

Weightwise, the BF-888 is less than half the weight of the Motorola (6oz vs 14oz).

Comparing them to some of the older AA and AAA powered FRS radios we have had over the years, its as good or better than any of them EXCEPT that you can ONLY program it with a computer (not a problem for me, might be for others). I used a piece of (free) software called CHIRP rather than the OEM software as its supposed to be mush more user friendly.

We use them for contractor radios and we have them in some of the offices around the facility (zip tied to the charger so they stay put) as a "office radio" (so the guys can hear if someone calls for them without having to remove the radio from their forklift).

As a radio to hand to the kids and say "go have fun out back" or to help keep track of a group of cars caravaning down the road, I would say that they are perfect.
As a radio to use for a group out hunting, fishing, working on the farm, etc, etc, etc I would say that they are great.
As a radio to sit on a forklift that is working outside in all kinds of weather, not so much.

Aaron Z

Thank Aaron

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I drive from about Washington DC to Tupelo, Mississippi and back about 4 times a year. About half the trips there is a major "shut the interstate down" accident somewhere along the way. Every time we jump on the CB and can usually get great instructions by listening to truckers on how to get around. Well worth the money.
Don't know as if I need it on a tractor.

google maps with traffic is much better. saved me in DC the other day when the beltway and 270 were a parking lot.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I don't know why anyone would bother! CB was never put on the right band. It should have been on VHF, not a band suceptible to sporatic E-skip and other openings.

I mounted a CB transciever on our tractor back in 73. You could hear Alabama but not a transmission from our house!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

10-4, whats the 10-20?

 

[milkman]

10-4, whats the 10-20?

10-20 = location.

I use the bluetooth headset when on the tractor or zero turn, can hear it ring and answer without the background noise being heard on the other end. I've had several of these, one was eaten by the lawnmower then I trimmed up all the trees. After a couple of years, they break at the part that goes over the ear, two was replaced under warranty, wouldn't replace the one with lawnmower marks on it.


Plantronics voyager, the newest version is the voyager legend.

 

[MossRoad]

[On the CB]
Ah, breaker one-nine, this here's the Rubber Duck. You gotta copy on me, Pig Pen, c'mon? Ah, yeah, 10-4, Pig Pen, fer shure, fer shure. By golly, it's clean clear to Flag Town, c'mon. Yeah, that's a big 10-4 there, Pig Pen, yeah, we definitely got the front door, good buddy. Mercy sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy

Was the dark of the moon on the sixth of June
In a Kenworth pullin' logs
Cab-over Pete with a reefer on
And a Jimmy haulin' hogs
We is headin' for bear on I-one-oh
'Bout a mile outta Shaky Town
I says, "Pig Pen, this here's the Rubber Duck.
"And I'm about to put the hammer down."

[Chorus]
Cause we got a little convoy
Rockin' through the night.
Yeah, we got a little convoy,
Ain't she a beautiful sight?
Come on and join our convoy
Ain't nothin' gonna get in our way.
We gonna roll this truckin' convoy
'Cross the U-S-A.
Convoy!

[On the CB]
Ah, breaker, Pig Pen, this here's the Duck. And, you wanna back off them hogs? Yeah, 10-4, 'bout five mile or so. Ten, roger. Them hogs is gettin' in-tense up here.

By the time we got into Tulsa Town,
We had eighty-five trucks in all.
But they's a roadblock up on the cloverleaf,
And them bears was wall-to-wall.
Yeah, them smokies is thick as bugs on a bumper;
They even had a bear in the air!
I says, "Callin' all trucks, this here's the Duck.
"We about to go a-huntin' bear."

[Chorus]

[On the CB]
Ah, you wanna give me a 10-9 on that, Pig Pen? Negatory, Pig Pen; you're still too close. Yeah, them hogs is startin' to close up my sinuses. Mercy sakes, you better back off another ten.

Well, we rolled up Interstate 44
Like a rocket sled on rails.
We tore up all of our swindle sheets,
And left 'em settin' on the scales.
By the time we hit that Chi-town,
Them bears was a-gettin' smart:
They'd brought up some reinforcements
From the Illinois National Guard.
There's armored cars, and tanks, and jeeps,
And rigs of ev'ry size.
Yeah, them chicken coops was full'a bears
And choppers filled the skies.
Well, we shot the line and we went for broke
With a thousand screamin' trucks
An' eleven long-haired Friends a' Jesus
In a chartreuse micra-bus.

[On the CB]
Ah, Rubber Duck to Sodbuster, come over. Yeah, 10-4, Sodbuster? Lissen, you wanna put that Microbus in behind that suicide jockey? Yeah, he's haulin' dynamite, and he needs all the help he can get.

Well, we laid a strip for the Jersey shore
And prepared to cross the line
I could see the bridge was lined with bears
But I didn't have a dog-goned dime.
I says, "Pig Pen, this here's the Rubber Duck.
"We just ain't a-gonna pay no toll."
So we crashed the gate doing ninety-eight
I says "Let them truckers roll, 10-4."

[Chorus]

Convoy! Ah, 10-4, Pig Pen, what's your twenty?
Convoy! OMAHA? Well, they oughta know what to do with them hogs out there fer shure. Well, mercy
Convoy! sakes, good buddy, we gonna back on outta here, so keep the bugs off your glass and the bears off your
Convoy! Tail. We'll catch you on the flip-flop. This here's the Rubber Duck on the side.
Convoy! We gone. 'Bye, 'bye.

 

[jlgurr]

Thank you Moss for a great memory!!! We had it made back then but we didn't know it.

 

[MossRoad]

I've told this story before... but Ima gonna tell it again....

When I was a young teen, around 14 or so, I got into CBs. I put a CB on a slide-out mount along with a Pioneer SuperTuner II and and equilizer/amp, and I'd take it between my folks cars and my bedroom. I put up a pretty hefty antenna on the house (for a kid) and I'd just sit there and listen and talk all night (not unlike TBN today). Well, in my hometown, on CH8, there were some pretty fun folks that I struck up conversations with and got to know over the months. So one day, we decide to go to lunch down at a local diner. Now, I'd never met these people before. We all knew where each other lived because we'd seen each other's antennas on houses and cars and such, but still, no face-to-face. So my folks aren't home and I tell them to come over and pick me up. This green kidnapper van with no windows pulls up in the driveway and the sliding door opens up. The guy driving is 40-50 year old paraplegic African American in a wheelchair. Out the door comes an old biker woman (her handle was Leather Lady) and her biker old man. In the back was a kid I'd talked to over the year that lived down the road but I never met. He was mentally handicapped..... and I hop in their van and we go to lunch! :laughing:

Stayed friends with them throughout the next 4-5 years and only faded away as I grew up and got a job, girlfriend, etc.... I met the parents of the mentally handicapped kid once I started driving. They wanted to make sure no one was taking advantage of their son. As a parent now, I can see it was a pretty stupid thing for me to do, telling these folks where I lived and going out with them, etc... To me, it was just a big adventure. But I gotta say, they were darn nice folks and I had some pretty good times with them. I didn't get chainsaw massacred, but maybe they were just out of two-stroke oil!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

C w mccall

I knew what 10-20 was.

Still got a cb, magnet antenna in my shed
My handle was Campking

 

[MossRoad]

I still have my Teaberry Tele T 23 CB like this one.

 

[rocketfish]

That's a good one Moss!!! 2 Thumbs up!!!

 

[MossRoad]

And I had a little red neon light in a clear plastic tube on the tip of my car antenna that would light up when I keyed the mike to let the world know I was 10-96....

https://books.google.com/books?id=r...v=onepage&q=cb antenna transmit light&f=false

 

[oosik]

I've tried almost everything out here and for one reason or another its a "no go" situation. Cell phones get no or one bar reception only. No body uses CB anymore. I could use my mobile ham radio but I don't want to talk to folks in China.

I use Kenwood VHF portable radios. Out here they have a range of about five miles. I guarantee that if you turn up the squelch - you will either hear an incoming call or the squelch will blast you right out of your tractor seat.

 

[jenkinsph]

I have been out of the loop for twenty years but used to be a two way technician. I suspect that most people can get by with the FRS radios for around the homestead. Further communications would use a cell phone today.

In the 1960's to 70"s I used Motorola Motrac and MoCom 70 radios and found the low band models to work pretty well without repeaters as long as the base station had enough height. As radio use and traffic increased the repeaters and their frequencies increased and everything got crowded. In the 1980's I used repeater service and 450 MHz portables and vehicle radios with good service in low density areas with good success. I am very glad I don't have to carry this crap around today but years ago that is what we had.

Today a good cell phone is hard to beat for convenience imo. If you cant hear it ring or vibrate you might consider getting a ram mount where you can put it in your line of sight so that you can see when someone calls you. I would think that most new phones provide a bright display that you would notice easily. If you don't have enough signal strength consider yourself lucky to be living in the sticks. You could be in town with good service.

 

[k0ua]

I have been out of the loop for twenty years but used to be a two way technician. I suspect that most people can get by with the FRS radios for around the homestead. Further communications would use a cell phone today.

In the 1960's to 70"s I used Motorola Motrac and MoCom 70 radios and found the low band models to work pretty well without repeaters as long as the base station had enough height. As radio use and traffic increased the repeaters and their frequencies increased and everything got crowded. In the 1980's I used repeater service and 450 MHz portables and vehicle radios with good service in low density areas with good success. I am very glad I don't have to carry this crap around today but years ago that is what we had.

Today a good cell phone is hard to beat for convenience imo. If you cant hear it ring or vibrate you might consider getting a ram mount where you can put it in your line of sight so that you can see when someone calls you. I would think that most new phones provide a bright display that you would notice easily. If you don't have enough signal strength consider yourself lucky to be living in the sticks. You could be in town with good service.

Yes a Mocom 70 was a pretty decent radio. I worked on a million of them. I never was a big fan of the Motrac, with a tube final, but I guess it was quite a step of from a Twin V or say an 80D with a dynamoter power supply. Key one of those screaming things up and watch your lights dim and your battery scream!:laughing:

 

[RoyJackson]

I suspect that most people can get by with the FRS radios for around the homestead.

...you might consider getting a ram mount where you can put it in your line of sight so that you can see when someone calls you. I would think that most new phones provide a bright display that you would notice easily. If you don't have enough signal strength consider yourself lucky to be living in the sticks. You could be in town with good service.

I think we have a couple FRS radios...and I do have a ram mount in my truck. I don't use the ram mount since my phone (Samsung S5) won't fit with the Otterbox on it.
I think I'll try the FRS radios if we still have a couple. My wife used to bring them home from Goodwill when she worked there (and GW just throws them away when they receive 'em). If they don't work, I might be able to rig some up to hold the phone since I really don't want to remove the Otterbox.

 

[jenkinsph]

Yes a Mocom 70 was a pretty decent radio. I worked on a million of them. I never was a big fan of the Motrac, with a tube final, but I guess it was quite a step of from a Twin V or say an 80D with a dynamoter power supply. Key one of those screaming things up and watch your lights dim and your battery scream!:laughing:

Some of the old stuff worked well enough but it was huge by todays standards, good thing trunks were bigger back in the day. I worked in one of the largest MSS shops which also serviced GE radios too. I got my 1st phone in the summer before my junior year in high school, thought I was set. Today I feel like a dinosaur, just not interested in keeping up with it all. With whatever time I have left tractor work is what I prefer to do and liking what you do is more important than money imo.

 

[jenkinsph]

I think we have a couple FRS radios...and I do have a ram mount in my truck. I don't use the ram mount since my phone (Samsung S5) won't fit with the Otterbox on it.
I think I'll try the FRS radios if we still have a couple. My wife used to bring them home from Goodwill when she worked there (and GW just throws them away when they receive 'em). If they don't work, I might be able to rig some up to hold the phone since I really don't want to remove the Otterbox.

Roy what I do is just check my phone periodically and call them back if I want to. Works for me.

 

[RoyJackson]

Roy what I do is just check my phone periodically and call them back if I want to. Works for me.

I check it now and than...but if the wife does need to get in touch, I don't want to miss the call.
Seems like the ram mount (or something similar) or ear buds would be my best bet...or, since I normally wear sound attenuating muffs ("Mickey Mouse" ears), I can probably find some type of Blue Tooth headset that would work.