Who Uses CB Radios?

[Industrial Toys]

It's something I don't think I have EVER seen mentioned here.

I often get stuck in traffic and get frustrated because you don't know the cause or what to do. A CB radio might be just the ticket. No other technology can give you real time, highly localized traffic information.

Anyway, I picked up this small Radio Shack 40 Channel Transceiver at a thrift store for $3.98 CDN and am thrilled that it works.

Tomorrow I will hit the road with my new technology!

 

[bunyip]

On the road yes, in the suburbs never, just idiots talking rubbish,
I the country truckers have something to say and RV's will pass on info.
UHF CB

 

[Industrial Toys]

I have been a HAM since the 80s. But that is useless for this purpose. UHF CB, really? That is the band it SHOULD have been on all along.

 

[hslogger]

Roger, this one duz

"leaving the landing, headed down the hill"

"mile post six, headed down"

"empty, heading up from the gate, I'm pulling over at MP 3"

"Mp five headed down"

"I'm pulled over at mp3, go ahead on'er"
--------------------
"Leaving the highway, headed to the Rickard Pit"

"headed up the hill to the gate"

"through the gate, headed down to the Pit"
--------------------

"howdy, 3/4minus for the truck, one inch open for the trailer"
"roger, swing to the left and stop"
10-4

 

[Jstpssng]

We use them on woods roads calling out the mileage markers to keep track of the log trucks. Truckers may not always answer if you're driving a pickup, but at least they know where we are.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

I have one in my jeep. Use it for traffic info on the highway, especially when hauling the RV. Also use the weather radio feature often. I do about 2 hours of highway driving per day.

We do some off roading and a bunch have cb's to communicate on the trails.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Funny. They won't answer you driving a pickup, but I'm pretty sure they'll answer a lady driving just about anything. Need to get me a voice changer.

I drove out to MN last year and took a Kenwood Wide band Receiver to listen to CB. What a piece of junk! Absolutely nothing. I kept my eyes peeled for a yard sale to get a CB radio, but came up empty handed.

 

[k0ua]

I have been a HAM since the 80s. But that is useless for this purpose. UHF CB, really? That is the band it SHOULD have been on all along.

It was originally. BUT in the mid 50's the state of the art to create affordable CB radios in the 462Mhz range just wasn't there (class A and B). They were just too expensive so the FCC created Class D CB on 27MHZ in 1958, taking the frequency range away from Amateur radio operators. It was much easier to make affordable radios at 27Mhz instead of 462 Mhz. Ironically 462 Mhz is where the FRS service is today, and they are a dime a dozen blister packed at Wal Mart.

 

[bunyip]

27mhz is unheard of now, have been gone for at least 30 years, even 40 channel UHF are almost unheard of.
I use a super compact GME 80 channel
UHF CB Radio - TX31DP Super Compact UHF CB Radio

I also use marine 27mhz and VHF, there is no UHF in marine, don't know why.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Re: Blister Pack GRS radios. AND, the better ones get up to 60 mile range!

I did some camera work for the local gravel pit. They needed to look into inbound truck boxes to make sure they were empty to avoid cross contamination for loads bound for a batch plant.

Anyway, I was surprised to see a CB radio in the office/scale house, and I thought, how unsophisticated. I came to realize, they used them to talk with the gravel haulers. Quite a good and universal solution.

Just my guess about Marine UHF or lack thereof. I would say, you get more range over water with VHF.